Concept of metaphysics and consciousness in ‘Aditya Hridayam’

Aditya Hridayam, a revered Sanskrit hymn from Yuddha Kanda of Valmiki’s Ramayana, bestowed by Sage Agatsya upon Sri Rama as a means to gain strength and victory in the battle against Ravana, explores the philosophical concept of Surya Bhagawan (the Sun God), as a manifestation of the Supreme being. It emphasizes Surya’s power to dispel ignorance and suffering, offering a path to spiritual enlightenment and a meaningful life by overcoming the obstacles. Throughout, it highlights Surya’s role as a source of energy, knowledge, protection, and guiding individuals towards inner consciousness, peace, and success.Metaphysics, in a broad sense, is a branch of philosophy that explores the fundamental nature of reality, the relationship between mind and matter, substance and attribute, potentiality and actuality, which helps to question existence, being, and the universe’s structure beyond the physical world and everyday experiences. The core concept of Metaphysics related to ancient Indian Knowledge in the context of Aditya Hridayam is close to reality and accredits to the fact that “ancient wisdom and modern challenges can co-exist”.This paper highlights the metaphysical aspects of consciousness in Aditya Hridayam, along with philosophy of mind, ethics, self-management, health and wellness, inner illumination, overcoming negative emotions, boosting confidence, determination, power of healing, Ayurvedic perspective of Agni, Tejus and Prakriti, concept of time, manifestation of energy, spirituality, concept of faith, etc.This research is motivated by a strong belief in the power of ancient Indian knowledge to rightly address the typical concerns, especially faced by Gen-Z, with appropriate remedies. Indian Knowledge is immortal, and the applications are broad and wide. Hence, along with the metaphysics in Aditya Hridayam, an outline referring to other texts like Bhagavat Gita, Bhaja Govindam, etc is also emphasized, justifying the concept of “non-duality” or “oneness” or “Advaita”, as propagated by Sri Adi Sankaracharya, Swami Chinmayananda, and great saints of this holy nation.