Solar hymns

Sūrya, Savitr, Pūshan: the light that sets the world in motion

In the Rig Veda , the Sun is not simply a celestial body.
It is a vital force , an impulse , a guiding light .
The solar hymns describe a light that awakens , sets in motion , and connects .

Three solar figures appear regularly: Sūrya , Savitr, and Pūshan .
They are not contradictory.
They show three complementary functions of light .

1. Surya: visible light, which reveals

Sūrya is the Sun that we see .
It crosses the sky, illuminates the earth, and dispels the darkness.

In the hymns, he is described as:

• The One Who Sees All
• The one who reveals the truth
• He who banishes lies and confusion

Sūrya is linked to the clarity of ordinary consciousness .
When it arises, the world becomes legible.
Forms appear, paths become distinct.

On a human level, Surya represents:

• Lucidity​
• The ability to see things as they are
• The light that prevents the illusion from taking hold

2. Savitr: the inner impulse

Savitr is a more subtle form of the Sun. He
is not only light, he is momentum .

The hymns say that Savitr:

• Sets the world in motion
• Awaken the beings
• Drive the right action

It is Savitr who is invoked in the famous Gayatrī Mantra .
Not to illuminate the eyes, but to illuminate the mind .

Savitr acts before action , before speech , before formulated thought .
He represents:

• Intuition
• Inspiration
• The moment when something is born inside

Savitr is the light that inspires action , but without violence.

3. Pūshan: The Guide to the Paths

Pūshan is a very special solar god.
He is linked to roads , travelers , and passages .

In the hymns, Pūshan:

• Protect those who walk
• Guide the herds
• Find what is lost

It is not the bright light of midday.
It is the light that accompanies , discreet but reliable.

Pūshan represents:

• The orientation
• The ability to move forward without getting lost
• Protection on visible and invisible paths

In an inner reading, Pūshan is the light that guides consciousness when it passes through uncertain areas.

4. One light, three functions

Sūrya, Savitr, and Pūshan are not three separate gods.
They describe three aspects of the same solar reality :

1. Surya : the light that reveals
2. Savitr : the light that drives
3. Pūshan : the guiding light

Together, they form a complete cycle:

• See clearly
• To be set in motion
• Moving forward without getting lost

5. The Sun as a principle of consciousness

In the Rig Veda, the Sun is never reduced to an object.
It is a living principle , both cosmic and inner.

Solar hymns remind us that:

• Without light, nothing is revealed
• Without an impulse, nothing begins.
• Without direction, everything is lost

Sunlight is therefore also a light of consciousness .
It illuminates, sets things in motion, and maintains balance.