The hymn was written in the 8th century CE by Adi Sankara, a revered Hindu philosopher and theologian.
Sankara took Sanyasa (renunciation) at the age of eight. One day, as a young boy,
he was begging for alms to prepare his lunch and he went to the house of a very poor Brahmin lady to beg.
The lady was upset because there was nothing edible in the house.
After searching the house once again she found one amla(Amalak, gooseberry) fruit.
She hesitantly offered it to Sankara.
He was moved after seeing the plight of the woman and sang 21 hymns praising Goddess Lakshmi.
The Goddess was so pleased that she appeared before him and asked him why he has remembered her.
He asked the Goddess to grant riches to the poor woman.
The Goddess first refused to do so because the lady had not done any work for charity in her previous birth and it is not possible to change one's fate.
Sankara told the Goddess that she is the only one who is capable of changing the fate of someone by erasing or changing the writings of the future made by Lord Brahma.
The Goddess was so pleased that she instantly showered the Brahmin lady's house with goose berries made of pure gold.
The 21 stanzas became famous and are read by all devout Hindus.
Aditya Hridayam
The Heart of Aditya (the Sun God)
Sundara Khanda, Valmiki Ramayanam
Aditya = the Sun God
Hridayam = that which is especially nourishing and healing for the heart.
Sage Agasthya Muni gave this powerful Mantra to Sri Rama when Rama was perplexed, while fighting with Ravana. After chanting this Hymn three times Sri Rama defeated Ravana.
The Aditya Hridayam, is a hymn in glorification of the Sun or Surya and was recited by the great sage
Agastya to Lord Rama on the battlefield before fighting with Ravana.
This historic hymn starts at the beginning of the Battle with Ravana,
when Lord Rama is fatigued and getting ready to fight. The mystical hymn is dircted to the Sun God,
the illustrious lord of all victories.
9Apps 4.9
