Surya—Teacher of Gratitude
Written at the puja house in Rajajinagar, Bangalore, April 2009
Streaming through my bedroom window, each day he comes to call,
He always keeps his appointment, glorious Surya, Lord of all.
Parajyoti, light supreme, maker of the day,
Fulfilling all his duties inside the Milky Way.
*
He is Tejorupa, God in the form of fire,
With looping tongues of shooting flames projecting out in spires.
He is Ina, the strong one. Sushila, the good-natured.
Suprasanna, bright one. Ananta, the unbounded.
*
He comes at ten past three each day with precision and perfection,
On rays of 45 degrees, for an hour in duration.
I make sure I’m at the puja house to meet my shining friend,
To feel his light soak into me and fill me from within.
*
My eyes, my mind and heart never tire of our rendezvous.
I open out the shutter—not much, just an inch or two.
Then on a lattice of rising beams of light, his rays come streaming through!
On an ocean of his compassion I’m swept away by Karuna rasa sindu!
*
Each time I feel just like a child unwrapping a brand new toy.
Anticipating the thrill again, the excitement and the joy.
It’s always fresh and new each day, this time of sweet surprise,
My hands reach down and scoop him up. I wash my face and eyes.
*
I bathe in light and energy—like Aarti, sacred and divine.
He permeates my mind and soul in this unknown bedroom shrine.
Each day I want to see him. He’s there from three ‘til four.
I don’t want to miss my shining Ravi—Ravi, the one who roars!
*
For you see, I have fallen in love with Surya, an undeniable attraction.
My teacher of preciousness, of gratitude and appreciation.
He loves me unconditionally, Surya, the hottest of all lovers,
He heals my body, heart and mind, and fills my soul with wonder.
*
He makes me remember all the times that he has been with me,
In childhood and adulthood, through all my history.
Sacred hidden moments my brain has stored and filed,
To retrieve, and to play again and relish for awhile.
*
Sunsets at Lake Michigan, and others at Cardiff by the Sea,
Recorded images stored away in grooves of my memory.
Combinations of Surya’s colors—yellow, red and blue,
Peachy gold and violet—all mixed in subtle hues.
Darkening clouds etched in gold, others streaked with white,
Surya, the greatest artist, uses a palette of pure light.
*
White-hot beams of sunlight, ablaze in midday brilliance.
Swimmers slicked down with sunscreen—Surya’s rays are so intense.
Swimming for hours each day in a giant outdoor pool,
With my childhood friend, Joy Lena. It was summer, there was no school.
*
Caught up in our abandonment, frolicking in the water,
I gave no thought to Surya above, great sustainer and provider.
But all the time he cared for me, my God in solar form.
He provided everything, He kept me safe and warm.
*
Awesome is his body. He created the seven rays.
In the glory of a rainbow his colors he displays.
Or dancing in a sea of light, atop each blade of grass,
Millions of shining wet reminders of the rain that has just passed.
*
In the northern latitudes he displays his northern lights.
I saw them once in Canada, I stayed up half the night,
Viewing undulating colors as they moved across the sky.
Unpredictable patterns of delight, a treat for my gazing eyes.
*
What a glorious show it was—streams of blue and white and green,
Surrounded by the stars above, the mountains and evergreens.
Electrically charged particles called the solar wind,
A gift each night from Surya. He shares this with us, his friends.
*
Often during pujas I have wished for more offerings and decorations,
To give to my divine one who shines in ten directions.
So many years I’ve lived on Earth, taking him for granted,
Blinded by my selfishness—I was not very interested.
*
While all along, his massive form, a furnace of explosions,
Was emitting continuously waves of solar radiation.
Sustaining everything on planet Earth, from microscopic to immense,
People, birds and insects, animals and plants.
All things come from Surya. He is the soul of all.
Brightest of all the navagrahas, this searing, flaming ball.
But far more than a blazing fusion furnace—physical and corporeal,
Is the unseen soul of Surya, divine and mystical.
*
His true nature is pure joy, he nourishes everything.
The son of Aditi, he’s the knower of all things.
He is God who lives in bliss, he is nityananda,
Knower of the scriptures—nikhilagamaved.
*
His tawny horses, haritas, strong and sleek they fly.
Pulling Surya’s chariot each day across the sky.
I feel their strength, I feel their warmth, their beauty and their grace.
Haritas, the seven rays that permeate all space.
*
Taking care of business, the whole world he oversees,
Bestowing his great darshan, pouring rays of bliss inside of me.
Making all things precious, making all things meaningful,
Moving through the wheel of stars, great Surya, all-powerful.
He always keeps his appointment, glorious Surya, Lord of all.
Parajyoti, light supreme, maker of the day,
Fulfilling all his duties inside the Milky Way.
*
He is Tejorupa, God in the form of fire,
With looping tongues of shooting flames projecting out in spires.
He is Ina, the strong one. Sushila, the good-natured.
Suprasanna, bright one. Ananta, the unbounded.
*
He comes at ten past three each day with precision and perfection,
On rays of 45 degrees, for an hour in duration.
I make sure I’m at the puja house to meet my shining friend,
To feel his light soak into me and fill me from within.
*
My eyes, my mind and heart never tire of our rendezvous.
I open out the shutter—not much, just an inch or two.
Then on a lattice of rising beams of light, his rays come streaming through!
On an ocean of his compassion I’m swept away by Karuna rasa sindu!
*
Each time I feel just like a child unwrapping a brand new toy.
Anticipating the thrill again, the excitement and the joy.
It’s always fresh and new each day, this time of sweet surprise,
My hands reach down and scoop him up. I wash my face and eyes.
*
I bathe in light and energy—like Aarti, sacred and divine.
He permeates my mind and soul in this unknown bedroom shrine.
Each day I want to see him. He’s there from three ‘til four.
I don’t want to miss my shining Ravi—Ravi, the one who roars!
*
For you see, I have fallen in love with Surya, an undeniable attraction.
My teacher of preciousness, of gratitude and appreciation.
He loves me unconditionally, Surya, the hottest of all lovers,
He heals my body, heart and mind, and fills my soul with wonder.
*
He makes me remember all the times that he has been with me,
In childhood and adulthood, through all my history.
Sacred hidden moments my brain has stored and filed,
To retrieve, and to play again and relish for awhile.
*
Sunsets at Lake Michigan, and others at Cardiff by the Sea,
Recorded images stored away in grooves of my memory.
Combinations of Surya’s colors—yellow, red and blue,
Peachy gold and violet—all mixed in subtle hues.
Darkening clouds etched in gold, others streaked with white,
Surya, the greatest artist, uses a palette of pure light.
*
White-hot beams of sunlight, ablaze in midday brilliance.
Swimmers slicked down with sunscreen—Surya’s rays are so intense.
Swimming for hours each day in a giant outdoor pool,
With my childhood friend, Joy Lena. It was summer, there was no school.
*
Caught up in our abandonment, frolicking in the water,
I gave no thought to Surya above, great sustainer and provider.
But all the time he cared for me, my God in solar form.
He provided everything, He kept me safe and warm.
*
Awesome is his body. He created the seven rays.
In the glory of a rainbow his colors he displays.
Or dancing in a sea of light, atop each blade of grass,
Millions of shining wet reminders of the rain that has just passed.
*
In the northern latitudes he displays his northern lights.
I saw them once in Canada, I stayed up half the night,
Viewing undulating colors as they moved across the sky.
Unpredictable patterns of delight, a treat for my gazing eyes.
*
What a glorious show it was—streams of blue and white and green,
Surrounded by the stars above, the mountains and evergreens.
Electrically charged particles called the solar wind,
A gift each night from Surya. He shares this with us, his friends.
*
Often during pujas I have wished for more offerings and decorations,
To give to my divine one who shines in ten directions.
So many years I’ve lived on Earth, taking him for granted,
Blinded by my selfishness—I was not very interested.
*
While all along, his massive form, a furnace of explosions,
Was emitting continuously waves of solar radiation.
Sustaining everything on planet Earth, from microscopic to immense,
People, birds and insects, animals and plants.
All things come from Surya. He is the soul of all.
Brightest of all the navagrahas, this searing, flaming ball.
But far more than a blazing fusion furnace—physical and corporeal,
Is the unseen soul of Surya, divine and mystical.
*
His true nature is pure joy, he nourishes everything.
The son of Aditi, he’s the knower of all things.
He is God who lives in bliss, he is nityananda,
Knower of the scriptures—nikhilagamaved.
*
His tawny horses, haritas, strong and sleek they fly.
Pulling Surya’s chariot each day across the sky.
I feel their strength, I feel their warmth, their beauty and their grace.
Haritas, the seven rays that permeate all space.
*
Taking care of business, the whole world he oversees,
Bestowing his great darshan, pouring rays of bliss inside of me.
Making all things precious, making all things meaningful,
Moving through the wheel of stars, great Surya, all-powerful.