Aruna (Hinduism) - Revision history

XuHzRuDLW: updated information for accuracy as per guidelines

2026-03-06T06:25:17Z

updated information for accuracy as per guidelines

← Older revision		Revision as of 11:55, 6 March 2026
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	'''Aruna''' ({{~~lang-~~sa\|अरुण }}) is the charioteer of [[Surya]] (~~Sun~~ god) in [[Hinduism]].<ref name="Dalal2010p39">{{cite book\|author=Roshen Dalal \|title=Hinduism: An Alphabetical Guide \|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=DH0vmD8ghdMC \|year=2010\|publisher=Penguin Books \|isbn=978-0-14-341421-6\|pages=39–40}}</ref> He is the elder brother of [[Garuda]]. Aruna and Garuda are the sons of Vedic sage [[Kashyapa]] and his wife [[Vinata]], daughter of Prajapati [[Daksha]]. His children were [[Sampati]] and [[Jatayu]]. He is also found in [[Buddhism]] and [[Jainism]] literature and arts.		'''Aruna''' ({{langx\|sa\|अरुण }}) is the charioteer of [[Surya]] (the sun god) in [[Hinduism]].<ref name="Dalal2010p39">{{cite book\|author=Roshen Dalal \|title=Hinduism: An Alphabetical Guide \|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=DH0vmD8ghdMC \|year=2010\|publisher=Penguin Books \|isbn=978-0-14-341421-6\|pages=39–40}}</ref> He is the elder brother of [[Garuda]]. Aruna and Garuda are the sons of Vedic sage [[Kashyapa]] and his wife [[Vinata]], daughter of [[Prajapati]] [[Daksha]]. His children were the mighty vultures [[Sampati]] and [[Jatayu]]. He is also found in [[Buddhism]] and [[Jainism]] literature and arts.

	== ~~Mythology~~ ==		== History ==

	=== Birth ===		=== Birth ===
	Aruna is found in different, inconsistent Indian legends. In the epic ''[[Mahabharata]]'',<ref name = "mani55">Mani p. 55</ref> he was born prematurely and partially developed from an egg. According to this version, [[Kashyapa]] [[Prajapati]]'s two wives [[Vinata]] and [[Kadru]] wanted to have children. Kashyapa granted them a boon.<ref name="Williams2008p62">{{cite book \|author=George M. Williams \|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=N7LOZfwCDpEC \|title=Handbook of Hindu Mythology \|publisher=Oxford University Press \|year=2008 \|isbn=978-0-19-533261-2 \|pages=62–63}}</ref> Kadru asked for one thousand 'Dirghadeha' (meaning long bodied) [[Nāga]] (serpent) sons, while Vinata wanted only two yet extremely strong 'Divyadeha' (meaning emitting golden aura from body). Kashyapa blessed them, and then went away to a forest. Later, Kadru gave birth to one thousand eggs, while Vinata gave birth to two eggs. These incubated for five hundred years, upon which Kadru broke the eggs open and out came her 1,000 sons. Vinata eager for her sons, broke one of the eggs from which emerged the partially formed Aruna. Since Aruna was born prematurely, his body ~~was partially~~ developed. Enraged by ~~the haste of~~ his mother, he cursed her ~~that she will~~ become ~~the~~ slave of Kadru for 500 years, ~~when the~~ second egg ~~will~~ break and his ~~son will redeem~~ her.<ref>{{Cite web \|title=The Mahabharata, Book 1: Adi Parva: Astika Parva: Section XVI \|url=https://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/m01/m01017.htm \|access-date=2022-05-24 \|website=www.sacred-texts.com}}</ref> Having cursed his mother, Aruna ~~disappeared. He~~ was bestowed ~~to be~~ the charioteer to Surya by his father, Prajapati Kasyapa. Accordingly, Vinata waited, and later the fully developed mighty eagle, her second born named [[Garuda]] (~~vehicle~~ of [[Vishnu]]) was born.<ref name="Williams2008p62"/>		Aruna is found in different, inconsistent Indian legends. In the epic [[Mahabharata]],<ref name = "mani55">Mani p. 55</ref> he was born prematurely and partially developed from an egg. According to this version, [[Kashyapa]] [[Prajapati]]'s two wives [[Vinata]] and [[Kadru]] wanted to have children. Kashyapa granted them a boon.<ref name="Williams2008p62">{{cite book \|author=George M. Williams \|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=N7LOZfwCDpEC \|title=Handbook of Hindu Mythology \|publisher=Oxford University Press \|year=2008 \|isbn=978-0-19-533261-2 \|pages=62–63}}</ref> Kadru asked for one thousand 'Dirghadeha' (meaning long bodied) [[Nāga]] (serpent) sons, while Vinata wanted only two yet extremely strong 'Divyadeha' (meaning emitting golden aura from body), who would excel the thousand sons of Kadru. Kashyapa blessed them, and then went away to a forest. Later, Kadru gave birth to one thousand eggs, while Vinata gave birth to two eggs. These incubated for five hundred years, upon which Kadru broke the eggs open and out came her 1,000 sons. Vinata eager for her sons, broke one of the eggs from which emerged the partially formed Aruna. Since Aruna was born prematurely, only the upper half of his body had developed. Enraged by his mother's haste, he cursed her to become a slave of Kadru for 500 years, upon which her second egg would break and his brother would emancipate her.<ref>{{Cite web \|title=The Mahabharata, Book 1: Adi Parva: Astika Parva: Section XVI \|url=https://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/m01/m01017.htm \|access-date=2022-05-24 \|website=www.sacred-texts.com}}</ref> Having cursed his mother, Aruna rose to the skies, and was bestowed the position of charioteer to Surya by his father, Prajapati Kasyapa. Accordingly, Vinata waited, and later the fully developed mighty eagle, her second born named [[Garuda]] (the mount of Lord [[Vishnu]]) was born.<ref name="Williams2008p62"/>

	The epic narrates that in another tale that Surya began burning intensely angered by the attacks of [[Rahu]] (Rahu swallowing Surya is described to cause [[solar eclipse]]s in Hindu mythology). The heat was so intense that it started destroying all living beings. ~~The god~~ [[Brahma]] asked Aruna to become the charioteer of Surya, to ~~shelter~~ beings from ~~Surya's burning~~ heat.<ref name = "mani55"/>		The epic narrates that in another tale that Surya began burning intensely, angered by the attacks of [[Rahu]] (Rahu swallowing Surya is described to cause [[solar eclipse]]s in Hindu mythology). The heat was so intense that it started destroying all living beings. Then, the creator [[Brahma]] asked Aruna to become the charioteer of Surya, to shield all living beings from his terrible heat.<ref name = "mani55"/>

	=== In the epics ===		=== In the epics ===
	According to the ''[[Ramayana]]'', Aruna was married to Shyeni<ref>{{Cite web \|title=Sanskrit - Dictionary \|url=https://www.learnsanskrit.cc/translate?search=shyenI&dir=se \|access-date=2022-05-24 \|website=www.learnsanskrit.cc}}</ref> with whom he had two sons – [[Jatayu]] and [[Sampati]].<ref>{{Cite book\|last=Dalal\|first=Roshen\|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=87k0AwAAQBAJ&q=aruna+shyeni&pg=PT196\|title=The Religions of India: A Concise Guide to Nine Major Faiths\|date=2014-04-18\|publisher=Penguin UK\|isbn=978-81-8475-396-7\|language=en}}</ref> Both of ~~his sons played~~ important role in the epic.		According to the ''[[Ramayana]]'', Aruna was married to Shyeni<ref>{{Cite web \|title=Sanskrit - Dictionary \|url=https://www.learnsanskrit.cc/translate?search=shyenI&dir=se \|access-date=2022-05-24 \|website=www.learnsanskrit.cc}}</ref> with whom he had two sons – [[Jatayu]] and [[Sampati]].<ref>{{Cite book\|last=Dalal\|first=Roshen\|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=87k0AwAAQBAJ&q=aruna+shyeni&pg=PT196\|title=The Religions of India: A Concise Guide to Nine Major Faiths\|date=2014-04-18\|publisher=Penguin UK\|isbn=978-81-8475-396-7\|language=en}}</ref> Both of them would play a very important role in the epic.

	There is a legend ~~about~~ Mahabharata that Surya offered Aruna and his divine chariot to his son [[Karna]] which he denied as he didn't want to rely on others to win the war, especially against Arjuna~~, who~~ he acknowledged as a capable rival .<ref>{{Cite book\|last=Agarwal\|first=Himanshu\|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=dzCqDwAAQBAJ&q=aruna+karna+chariot&pg=PT100\|title=Mahabharata Retold Part-2\|date=2019-08-20\|publisher=Notion Press\|isbn=978-1-64587-785-1\|language=en}}</ref>		There is a legend in the Mahabharata that Surya once offered Aruna and his divine chariot to his son [[Karna]] which he denied as he didn't want to rely on others to win the war, especially against Arjuna whom he acknowledged as a capable rival.<ref>{{Cite book\|last=Agarwal\|first=Himanshu\|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=dzCqDwAAQBAJ&q=aruna+karna+chariot&pg=PT100\|title=Mahabharata Retold Part-2\|date=2019-08-20\|publisher=Notion Press\|isbn=978-1-64587-785-1\|language=en}}</ref>

	Another legend, generally told in Indian folk tales linked to the Ramayana, states that Aruna, once became a woman named Aruni and entered an assembly of celestial nymphs, where no man except ~~the king of Heaven -~~ [[Indra]] was allowed. Indra fell in love with Aruni and fathered a son named [[Vali (Ramayana)\|Vali]] from her. The next day, at Surya's request, Aruna again assumed female form, and Surya fathered a son, [[Sugriva]]. Both children were given to [[Ahalya]] for rearing, but her husband sage [[Gautama Maharishi\|Gautama]] cursed them, causing them to turn into [[Vanara\|monkeys]], as he did not like them.<ref name = "mani55"/>{{sfn\|Freeman\|2001\|pp=201–4}}<ref name="Dalal2010p39"/>		Another legend, generally told in Indian folk tales linked to the Ramayana, states that Aruna, once became a woman named Aruni and entered an assembly of [[Apsaras\|Apsara]] (celestial nymphs), where no man except [[Indra]] (the king of heaven) was allowed. Indra fell in love with Aruni and fathered a son named [[Vali (Ramayana)\|Vali]] from her. The next day, at Surya's request, Aruna again assumed female form, and Surya fathered a son named [[Sugriva]]. Both children were given to [[Ahalya]] for rearing, but her husband, the sage [[Gautama Maharishi\|Gautama]] cursed them, causing them to turn into [[Vanara\|monkeys]], as he did not like them.<ref name = "mani55"/>{{sfn\|Freeman\|2001\|pp=201–4}}<ref name="Dalal2010p39"/>

	== Citations ==		== Citations ==

2405:204:3015:219C:0:0:342:58A4: robot: Create/update articles in Category:Hindu gods.

2022-12-04T04:13:42Z

robot: Create/update articles in Category:Hindu gods.

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{{short description|Charioteer of the sun god in Hindu mythology}}
{{redirect|Aruṇa|other uses|Aruna (disambiguation)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2016}}
{{Use Indian English|date=March 2016}}
{{Infobox deity|
| type = Hindu
| mother = [[Vinata]]
| father = [[Kashyapa]]
| siblings = [[Garuda]]
| image = Surya riding on 7 horses chariot.jpg
| caption = A painter depicting Aruna driving the chariot of the sun god [[Surya]]
| consort = Shyeni
| children = [[Sampati]] and [[Jatayu]] (sons)
| gender = Male}}
'''Aruna''' ({{lang-sa|अरुण }}) is the charioteer of [[Surya]] (Sun god) in [[Hinduism]].<ref name="Dalal2010p39">{{cite book|author=Roshen Dalal |title=Hinduism: An Alphabetical Guide |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=DH0vmD8ghdMC |year=2010|publisher=Penguin Books |isbn=978-0-14-341421-6|pages=39–40}}</ref> He is the elder brother of [[Garuda]]. Aruna and Garuda are the sons of Vedic sage [[Kashyapa]] and his wife [[Vinata]], daughter of Prajapati [[Daksha]]. His children were [[Sampati]] and [[Jatayu]]. He is also found in [[Buddhism]] and [[Jainism]] literature and arts.

== Mythology ==

=== Birth ===
Aruna is found in different, inconsistent Indian legends. In the epic ''[[Mahabharata]]'',<ref name = "mani55">Mani p. 55</ref> he was born prematurely and partially developed from an egg. According to this version, [[Kashyapa]] [[Prajapati]]'s two wives [[Vinata]] and [[Kadru]] wanted to have children. Kashyapa granted them a boon.<ref name="Williams2008p62">{{cite book |author=George M. Williams |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=N7LOZfwCDpEC |title=Handbook of Hindu Mythology |publisher=Oxford University Press |year=2008 |isbn=978-0-19-533261-2 |pages=62–63}}</ref> Kadru asked for one thousand 'Dirghadeha' (meaning long bodied) [[Nāga]] (serpent) sons, while Vinata wanted only two yet extremely strong 'Divyadeha' (meaning emitting golden aura from body). Kashyapa blessed them, and then went away to a forest. Later, Kadru gave birth to one thousand eggs, while Vinata gave birth to two eggs. These incubated for five hundred years, upon which Kadru broke the eggs open and out came her 1,000 sons. Vinata eager for her sons, broke one of the eggs from which emerged the partially formed Aruna. Since Aruna was born prematurely, his body was partially developed. Enraged by the haste of his mother, he cursed her that she will become the slave of Kadru for 500 years, when the second egg will break and his son will redeem her.<ref>{{Cite web |title=The Mahabharata, Book 1: Adi Parva: Astika Parva: Section XVI |url=https://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/m01/m01017.htm |access-date=2022-05-24 |website=www.sacred-texts.com}}</ref> Having cursed his mother, Aruna disappeared. He was bestowed to be the charioteer to Surya by his father, Prajapati Kasyapa. Accordingly, Vinata waited, and later the fully developed mighty eagle, her second born named [[Garuda]] (vehicle of [[Vishnu]]) was born.<ref name="Williams2008p62"/>

The epic narrates that in another tale that Surya began burning intensely angered by the attacks of [[Rahu]] (Rahu swallowing Surya is described to cause [[solar eclipse]]s in Hindu mythology). The heat was so intense that it started destroying all living beings. The god [[Brahma]] asked Aruna to become the charioteer of Surya, to shelter beings from Surya's burning heat.<ref name = "mani55"/>

=== In the epics ===
According to the ''[[Ramayana]]'', Aruna was married to Shyeni<ref>{{Cite web |title=Sanskrit - Dictionary |url=https://www.learnsanskrit.cc/translate?search=shyenI&dir=se |access-date=2022-05-24 |website=www.learnsanskrit.cc}}</ref> with whom he had two sons – [[Jatayu]] and [[Sampati]].<ref>{{Cite book|last=Dalal|first=Roshen|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=87k0AwAAQBAJ&q=aruna+shyeni&pg=PT196|title=The Religions of India: A Concise Guide to Nine Major Faiths|date=2014-04-18|publisher=Penguin UK|isbn=978-81-8475-396-7|language=en}}</ref> Both of his sons played important role in the epic.

There is a legend about Mahabharata that Surya offered Aruna and his divine chariot to his son [[Karna]] which he denied as he didn't want to rely on others to win the war, especially against Arjuna, who he acknowledged as a capable rival .<ref>{{Cite book|last=Agarwal|first=Himanshu|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=dzCqDwAAQBAJ&q=aruna+karna+chariot&pg=PT100|title=Mahabharata Retold Part-2|date=2019-08-20|publisher=Notion Press|isbn=978-1-64587-785-1|language=en}}</ref>

Another legend, generally told in Indian folk tales linked to the Ramayana, states that Aruna, once became a woman named Aruni and entered an assembly of celestial nymphs, where no man except the king of Heaven - [[Indra]] was allowed. Indra fell in love with Aruni and fathered a son named [[Vali (Ramayana)|Vali]] from her. The next day, at Surya's request, Aruna again assumed female form, and Surya fathered a son, [[Sugriva]]. Both children were given to [[Ahalya]] for rearing, but her husband sage [[Gautama Maharishi|Gautama]] cursed them, causing them to turn into [[Vanara|monkeys]], as he did not like them.<ref name = "mani55"/>{{sfn|Freeman|2001|pp=201–4}}<ref name="Dalal2010p39"/>

== Citations ==
{{reflist}}

== General references ==
*''Dictionary of Hindu Lore and Legend'' ({{ISBN|0-500-51088-1}}) by Anna Dallapiccola
* [[Monier Monier-Williams]]: ''A Sanskrit-English Dictionary''. Oxford U Pr, 1899.
* [[Robert Graves]]: ''The Greek Myths''. 1955.
*[http://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/db/bk10ch13.htm ''Devī-Bhāgavata Purāṇa'' 10:13]
* {{cite book | last = Mani | first = Vettam | title = Puranic Encyclopaedia: a Comprehensive Dictionary with Special Reference to the Epic and Puranic Literature | url = https://archive.org/details/puranicencyclopa00maniuoft | publisher = Motilal Banarsidass Publishers | year = 1975  | isbn = 978-0-8426-0822-0 | author-link = Vettam Mani}}
* {{cite book | last = Freeman | first = Rich | title = Questioning Rāmāyaṇas: a South Asian Tradition | editor = Richman, Paula | publisher = [[University of California Press]] | year = 2001 | chapter = Thereupon Hangs a Tail: the Deification of Vali in the Teyyam Worship of Malabar | isbn = 978-0-520-22074-4}}

{{HinduMythology}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Aruna}}
[[Category:Characters in the Ramayana]]
[[Category:Hindu gods]]
[[Category:Solar gods]]