The Suryadevata (Sun-god), the celestial luminary, was an object of great veneration to the ancient Indians from a very early time. The god was given many names like Savita, Pusa, Bhaga, Visvasvan, Mitra, Aryama and Visnu, emphasizing his different aspects and a number of qualities and functions were assigned to him. The metaphysical background of the Sun-god came to be enriched and developed in the Epic-Puranic period. The Epics and the Puranas ...