Upanishads · Bṛhadāraṇyaka 3,9.5
॥
Devanāgarī
कतमे आदित्याः इति द्वादश वै मासाः संवत्सरस्य एते आदित्याः एते हि इदं सर्वम् आददानाः यन्ति ते यद् इदं सर्वम् आददानाः यन्ति तस्मात् आदित्याः इति
Transliteration (IAST)
katame ādityāḥ iti dvādaśa vai māsāḥ saṃvatsarasya ete ādityāḥ ete hi idaṃ sarvam ādadānāḥ yanti te yad idaṃ sarvam ādadānāḥ yanti tasmāt ādityāḥ iti
Word-by-word
SanskritIASTMeaning
कतमेkatamewhich; those who
आदित्याःādityāḥof Āditya; the solar deities
इतिitithus; how
द्वादशdvādaśatwelve; the twelve
वैvaitruly; indeed
मासाःmāsāḥthe months (māsa, pl.); the months; the months
संवत्सरस्यsaṃvatsarasyaof the year (saṁvatsara, gen.); of the yearly round; of the year
एतेetethese; the following
आदित्याःādityāḥof Āditya; the solar deities
एतेetethese; the following
हिhiindeed; truly
इदंidaṃthis; this world
सर्वम्sarvamall; the whole
आददानाःādadānāḥcarrying off (ā-dadāna — 'taking away'); taking away; carrying away
यन्तिyantithey go (from √i); move; go
तेtethose; these
यद्yadwhen; that which
इदंidaṃthis; this world
सर्वम्sarvamall; the whole
आददानाःādadānāḥcarrying off (ā-dadāna — 'taking away'); taking away; carrying away
यन्तिyantithey go (from √i); move; go
तस्मात्tasmāttherefore; for that reason
आदित्याःādityāḥof Āditya; the solar deities
इतिitithus; how
Translation
"Who are the Ādityas?" — "The twelve months of the year — these are the Ādityas: they go along carrying all this away (ādadānāḥ); because they go carrying all away, they are the Ādityas."
Version
5f895f6039fa · published Jul 27, 2026, 1:05:26 AM UTC
Available inRUENPage between verses with
The twelve Ādityas are the twelve months: the solar gods are the steps of the solar year. The etymology is from ā-dā, "to take away": the months "go along carrying everything away" — each month carries off its share of life, of harvest, of appointed times; the year is twelve collectors of tribute.
The majestic sons of Aditi turn out to be time itself in its inexorable work. This is no lowering but a sobering: to honour the Ādityas is to know that time carries off, and to be in time to give away what is being carried — in sacrifice, in gift, in service: from one who has given, the months do not take, they credit him.