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Aditya Hridayam Punyam — Word-by-Word Meaning

आदित्यहृदयं पुण्यम्

Every Sanskrit word explained in English

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Word-by-Word Breakdown

आदित्यहृदयं
Adityahridayam
The Aditya Hridaya — the hymn that is the very heart (hridaya) of the Sun-god (Aditya)
पुण्यं
punyam
Sacred, holy, merit-bestowing
सर्व
sarva
All, every
शत्रु
shatru
Enemies, foes
विनाशनम्
vinashanam
Destroyer, that which annihilates
जयावहं
jayavaham
Bringing victory; bestower of triumph
जपेत्
japet
One should chant / recite
नित्यम्
nityam
Always, daily, ever
अक्षय्यं
akshayyam
Inexhaustible, imperishable, never-diminishing
परमं
paramam
Supreme, highest
शिवम्
shivam
Auspicious, beneficial, the source of all good

Complete Translation

This Aditya Hridaya is sacred, the destroyer of all enemies, the bringer of victory. Chanted daily it is imperishable, supreme and ever-auspicious. (With these words the sage Agastya revealed to Rama the holy hymn to the Sun by which he would conquer all his foes in battle.)

Origin & History

Source: Aditya Hridayam, verse 4 (Valmiki Ramayana, Yuddha Kanda, Sarga 105)

Author: Sage Agastya (as recorded by Maharishi Valmiki)

Period: Ancient (Ramayana, traditionally dated to the Treta Yuga; text compiled c. 500 BCE–100 CE)

On the battlefield of Lanka, Lord Rama stood exhausted and absorbed in worry as Ravana advanced for combat. The great sage Agastya, who had come with the gods to witness the war, approached Rama and said, 'O mighty-armed one, hear this eternal secret by which you shall vanquish all foes.' He then declared this very verse — that the Aditya Hridaya is holy, the destroyer of all enemies and the bringer of victory — before imparting the full hymn to the Sun-god.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where does the verse 'Adityahridayam punyam' come from?▼
It is the fourth verse of the Aditya Hridayam, found in the Yuddha Kanda (Book of War) of Valmiki's Ramayana. The sage Agastya speaks it to Lord Rama on the battlefield, describing the hymn before teaching it to him so that Rama may defeat Ravana.
What does this verse mean in simple terms?▼
It declares that the Aditya Hridaya hymn is holy, destroys all enemies, brings victory, and when chanted daily is imperishable, supreme and auspicious. It is essentially the Sun-god's own assurance of triumph to the devotee.
Can I chant only this verse instead of the whole Aditya Hridayam?▼
Yes. While the complete Aditya Hridayam is ideal, this verse is often recited on its own as a powerful invocation of Surya's victory-giving grace, particularly when time is short or before a challenging undertaking.
Why did Agastya teach this to Rama?▼
Rama stood weary and anxious facing Ravana in war. Agastya appeared and gave him this 'secret, eternal' hymn (guhyam sanatanam), assuring him that by it he would conquer all his enemies — and indeed Rama then defeated Ravana.

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