Adityas (आदित्या)
In Brihadaranyaka Upanishad 3.9.5 , Rishi Sakalya (शाकल्य ) ask to the Rishi Yagnavalkya (याज्ञवल्क्य) , “Who are Adityas?”
Rishi Yagnavalkya replies :
द्वादश वै मासाः संवत्सरस्यैत आदित्या एते हीदं सर्वमाददाना यन्ति ते यदिदं सर्वमाददाना यन्ति तस्मादादित्या इति ॥ 5॥
These twelve months in a year are Adityas, as they go taking all with them, therefore they are called Adityas.
आददाना यन्ति – taking everything
आददान: – आङ् + दा + शानच्
Adi Sankara explain further in his commentary – :
एते हि यस्मात् पुनः पुनः परिवर्तमानाः प्राणिनामायूंषि कर्मफलं च आददानाः गृह्णन्त उपाददतः यन्ति गच्छन्ति
Since during a year, each aditya changes and during this change they takes age and actions for human, so they are called Adityas
Name of twelve Adityas
Shrimad Bhagavata Purana 6.6.39 , mention their names as following :
विवस्वानर्यमा पूषा त्वष्टाथ सविता भग: ।
धाता विधाता वरुणो मित्र: शत्रु उरुक्रम: ॥
The names of the sons of Aditi are as follows: Vivasvan (विवस्वान्), Aryama (अर्यमा), Pusa (पूषा), Tvasta (त्वष्टा), Savita (सविता), Bhaga (भग), Dhata (धाता), Vidhata (विधाता), Varuṇa (वरुण), Mitra (मित्र), Satru (शत्रु) and Urukrama (उरुक्रम)
