A compilation by Sadguru Tapovana Book Presentation Overview

‘RA' is the cosmic fire principle. ‘MA' is our earth, ‘RA has come unto our earth. That is how he has become ‘Ra-Ma'. In Sanskrit, he is called ‘Ram'.

The seed sound for cosmic fire is ‘Ram'. This is the coming down of the Cosmic Sun principle itself in a human frame. Agastya Maharshi initiated a being of such high awareness as Rama into ‘Aditya Hridayam' to accomplish the purpose of the Avatar. It is a recollection of the Sun principle, which was imparted to Rama, to put out the diabolic, Ravana.

The created world has a form and name. It is subtle and gross. The subtle also further details itself into causal and subtle. There is a causal world of diamond light, a subtle world of golden light and a gross world of mundane light. All that is created has a form and a name.

We need to meditate upon the self and its effulgence to start with. The Sun's centre in us is the heart. Its light is golden. The exalted Sun centre in us is at Ajna. Its light is silver or diamantine. The seers meditated either in the heart to realize the golden light or at Ajna to realize the diamantine light. The former is called the subtle, and the latter is called the causal. Our awareness is generally posited in the objective mind. Therefore, we look out to experience the objective world. The objective world itself is a product of successive causal and subtle manifestations. To experience the subtle and the causal we need to shift from the objective awareness to subjective awareness.

Turning the mind inward is the fundamental step for any occult understanding. As one turns subjective, and contemplates upon the heart centre, one finds a world of golden light which is times more beautiful and engaging, with oneself as the centre. Likewise, as one contemplates upon Ajna, one finds the beauty of the diamantine world with oneself as the centre. Finally, as we meditate upon the crown centre, we experience the cosmic Sun centre. Beyond is the eighth plane where the background exists. Entering that background or beyond is called ‘Samadhi'. There, the ‘self ' disappears into ‘That'. Such experience is the opportunity that the Initiation of ‘Aditya Hridayam' offers to a student.

In us, at the crown there is the cosmic existence, at Ajna there is solar existence, at heart there is planetary Sun centre and in Manipuraka we exist as mind-oriented beings on the planet.

All the Sun centers in us are realizable in the Sushumna of one's own column. The column is pervaded by the related energies in the three higher centers, namely, heart centre, Ajna centre and crown centre.

Relating to one after the other successively from heart centre to crown centre, one gains the related wisdom. It is again threefold and is called ‘Trayee Vidya'. In these higher centers namely Heart, Ajna and the Crown, we find the related subtle matter, which are given the names of subtle, causal and primordial.

The seers of the ancient times stayed within and successively ascended these centers and realized the related fields of activity of the threefold light. Out of ecstasy and pure love, they joyfully expressed for the benefit of fellow beings. These expressions eventually became the scriptures. These scriptures inspire beings. Therefore, studying the scriptures has become a tradition. It is to follow those who precede us on the path of light. They constitute the forerunners. They form the path. We too follow the path!

Aditya Hridayam is a hymn that offers a complete path of alignment. It is a path of alignment with the higher centers of solar light. We take their experience (of the teachers) as guidance and move forward. On the way, they form the directional posts. We accept the direction and move forward. But engaging in scriptures does not enable one to realize the threefold Sun. To realize, one needs to do what the seers did!

From a life of seeking to a life of offering, the life requires to be adjusted. Such offering is to gain access to the truths of the scriptures, which in turn inspires one to meditate.

The way is meditation. For this, the study helps. But the study also cannot be steady unless one turns one's own life into a life of offering contrary to the life of seeking. From seeking to offering, the life requires a shift. Such offering is to gain access to the truths of the scriptures, which in turn inspires one to meditate. The basic triangle of realization is Meditation, Study, and a Life of offering.

Pride is natural to an average being. To retreat from this delusion, three fundamental practices are needed.

1. Practising simple steps of wisdom and remaining silent is a fundamental step.
2. Gradually transforming one's life into a life of offering is the second step.
3. Meditating regularly to turn inward and align with the higher centers is the third and final step.

If one can turn the awareness posited in the objective mind into the subjective side of the mind, he finds the Holy in himself. As the subjective mind engages upon the golden light of the heart, it finds the Holy. As one enters the heart, one enters the Holy or the divine side of oneself. One enters the Temple! Thereafter one is led into deeper chambers of Temple, to experience the threefold solar energy. This progression is a possibility, through Sun worship.

Such is the initiation of Aditya Hridayam!