Mantras

Surya Dwadash Namavali: The Twelve Names of the Sun God

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Astro Logics Admin

10 August 2026 · 5 min read

Surya Dwadash Namavali: The Twelve Names of the Sun God

Twelve names, twelve months, one radiant source

The Surya Dwadash Namavali weaves together two streams of Indian sacred tradition: the devotional practice of saluting the Sun through his twelve names and the physical-spiritual discipline of Surya Namaskar. Each name corresponds to one month of the solar year and to one of the twelve Adityas - Mitra the friend, Bhanu the brilliant, Pushan the nourisher, Bhaskara the illuminator, and so on. Devotees believe that chanting all twelve names with awareness of their meanings allows one to internalise the full spectrum of solar energy rather than addressing only a single, partial aspect of the divine.

Recitation is traditionally performed at sunrise, facing east, after bathing and before eating. Sundays are the primary day of Surya worship, and Saptami tithis - the seventh lunar day - also hold special significance for solar devotion. In the Jyotish tradition, Surya (the Sun) governs the soul, vitality, authority and self-realisation. Those with a weakened or afflicted Sun in the natal chart are often guided to these twelve names as a daily offering and remedial practice, devotees believing it steadily strengthens atma-bala - the inner force of the self. The namavali's quiet grandeur lies in its reminder that the light rising each morning is not a physical accident but the ceaseless, generous expression of an intelligence that sustains all worlds.

Surya Dwadash Namavali - Sanskrit Text

ॐ मित्राय नमः ।
ॐ रवये नमः ।
ॐ सूर्याय नमः ।
ॐ भानवे नमः ।
ॐ खगाय नमः ।
ॐ पूष्णे नमः ।
ॐ हिरण्यगर्भाय नमः ।
ॐ मरीचये नमः ।
ॐ आदित्याय नमः ।
ॐ सवित्रे नमः ।
ॐ अर्काय नमः ।
ॐ भास्कराय नमः ॥

Transliteration (Roman/IAST)

oṁ mitrāya namaḥ ।
oṁ ravaye namaḥ ।
oṁ sūryāya namaḥ ।
oṁ bhānave namaḥ ।
oṁ khagāya namaḥ ।
oṁ pūṣṇe namaḥ ।
oṁ hiraṇya-garbhāya namaḥ ।
oṁ marīcaye namaḥ ।
oṁ ādityāya namaḥ ।
oṁ savitre namaḥ ।
oṁ arkāya namaḥ ।
oṁ bhāskarāya namaḥ ॥

Meaning

Each name salutes a facet of the Sun God: Mitra, the universal friend; Ravi, the radiant one praised at dawn; Surya, the supreme illuminator and dispeller of darkness; Bhanu, the shining; Khaga, the one who moves across the sky; Pushan, the nourisher who sustains all life; Hiranyagarbha, the golden cosmic womb and source of creation; Marichi, the ray of light; Aditya, the son of Aditi, the boundless; Savitri, the impeller and stimulator of all activity; Arka, the one fit to be worshipped and praised; and Bhaskara, the maker of light. To each, the devotee offers salutation with "Om ... namah."

About this Namavali

The Surya Dwadash Namavali is the set of twelve sacred names of the Sun God, each invoked with a salutation. These same twelve names are traditionally recited with the twelve postures of Surya Namaskar (the Sun Salutation), one name accompanying each round, harmonising body, breath and devotion. The twelve names also correspond to the twelve Adityas - the twelve solar aspects that preside over the twelve months of the year - making the namavali a complete annual cycle of solar worship in miniature.

Significance & Spiritual Benefits

The Sun is the visible source of life, health and energy, and chanting his twelve names is held to bestow vitality, radiant health, clarity of mind and self-confidence. Reciting the namavali with Surya Namaskar at sunrise unites physical exercise with devotional energy, said to invigorate the body, sharpen the intellect and dispel lethargy and depression (the inner "darkness"). Regular practice cultivates discipline, leadership and a luminous, positive temperament.

Astrological Relevance

Surya (the Sun) is the king of the planets (grahas), the karaka of the soul (atmakaraka), vitality, the father, authority, government, fame and self-confidence. A weak, debilitated, combust or afflicted Sun can manifest as low energy, poor health, lack of confidence, problems with the father or difficulties with authority. Chanting the Surya Dwadash Namavali - especially while offering arghya (water) at sunrise - is a classic remedy to strengthen the Sun, recommended during a Surya mahadasha or antardasha, for those with the Sun in the 6th, 8th or 12th house, or facing career and self-esteem challenges. It is also offered during Ratha Saptami and on Sundays for solar grace.

How to Chant (Vidhi)

Rise before sunrise, bathe, and face the rising sun. Offer arghya by pouring water from a copper vessel while reciting the twelve names, or perform twelve rounds of Surya Namaskar, uttering one name with each round. The namavali may also be chanted as simple japa. Use a rudraksha or red-sandalwood mala if doing extended repetition, and conclude with gratitude to the Sun.

Best Day & Time

Sunday is the day of the Sun, and sunrise is the ideal time for this practice. Ratha Saptami (Surya's solar birthday) and Makar Sankranti are especially auspicious occasions for Surya worship.