(Ādityas) The sovereign or ruling principles of the universe. They are personified in Hindu mythology as the children of ADITI, mother of the gods, the primordial substance or mulaprakriti. Various works give different numbers to the adityas. The Taittirīya Samhita states that Aditi had eight sons, seven of which were normal, and the eighth appeared as a lifeless egg, and thus was rejected. This was Martanda, which became the Sun. In the Visnu Purana, there were twelve Adityas, fathered by Kasyapa with Aditi.

The twelve Adityas are: Mitra, Aryaman, Bhaga, Varuna, Daksa, Amsa, Tvastr, Pusan, Vivasvat, Savitr, Sakra, and Visnu.

Helena P. BLAVATSKY states that the seven Adityas refer to the seven planetary regents of the Solar System, while the twelve Adityas are the twelve signs of the Zodiac and the twelve months of the year. Varuna, which later became chief of the Adityas, is equivalent to the Greek Uranus.

V.H.C.

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