This prayer is possibly the greatest one addressed to the Sun and occurs in Yudha Kanda of Ramayana. Lord Rama after ceaseless battle with Ravana is not able to kill him and is perplexed. At that time the devas who have assembled in the sky advice him to ask the advice from Sage Agasthya and he does it. Sage Agasthya teaches him about this great prayer and Lord Rama subsequently was able to kill Ravana.

asya sree adithya hrudaya sthothra maha manthasya agasthyo bhagawan rishi anushtup chanda sree adithyathma soorya narayano devatha sarva jaya sidhyarthe jape viniyoga

The sage for Aditya Hridaya stotras is Sage Agasthya, the meter is anushtup and the presiding deity is Soorya Narayana who is the heart of Adithya.

atha dyanam:

jayathu jayathu soorya saptha lokaika deepam
kirana samitha papam klesa dukhasya nasam
aruna nigama gamyam chadhi adithya moorthim
sakala bhuvana vandhyam, bhaskaram tham namami

Victory, Oh victory to the Sun god,
Who is the lamp to the seven worlds,
Who by his rays destroys sin,
Who destroys aches and sorrow,
Who is lead to by the path of Vedas,
Who is the Sun God to the universe,
And Who is saluted by all the worlds,
And also my salutations to Him who makes the day.

thatho yudha parisrantham samare chinthaya sthitham,
ravanam chagratho drushtwa yudhaya samupasthitham.
daivathischa samagamya drushtu mabhya gatho ranam,
upagamyabraveed ramam agasthyo bhagawan rishi

The great God like sage Agasthya,
Who has come along with other Gods to see the war,
Seeing the tired and thought filled Ravana,
Approached Lord Rama, who is ready for the war and told.

rama rama maha baho srunu guhyam sanathanam
yena sarvaanareen vatsa samare vijayishyasi

Hey Rama, Hey dear Rama, be pleased to hear,
That which is secret and perennial,
By reciting which, son,
You would be victorious in war.

adithya hrudayam punyam sarva sathru vinasanam
jayavaham japen nithyam akshayyam paramam shubham

This is the prayer called “the heart of the sun”.
Which is holy, destroys all enemies,
Which leads to victory,
And by reciting which daily,
Leads you to perennial state of good.

sarva mangala mangalyam sarva papa pranasanam
chinthasoka prasamanam ayur vardhanamuthamam

This prayer great gives all that is good,
Destroys all sins committed,
Acts as an antidote for sorrow and thought,
And also leads to very long life.

rasmi mantham samudhyantham devasura namaskrutham
poojayaswa vivaswantham bhaskaram bhuvaneshwaram

Offer prayers to the Great Sun God,
Who is the owner of rays,
Who rises up from below,
Who is worshipped by devas and asuras,
And who is worshipped by every one of the universe.

sarva devathmako hyesha tejaswai rasmi bhavana
esha devasura ganan lokan pathi gabasthibhi

He has within him all the devas,
He is the brightest among the bright,
He runs the whole world by his rays,
And protects all the worlds of Devas and Asuras,
By his great Rays.

esha brahma cha vishnuscha shiva skanda prajapathi
mahendro dhandha kalo yama somo hyapam pathi

He is Brhama, He is Vishnu,
He is Shiva, He is Skanda,
He is the progenitor of human race,
He is the king of devas,
He is Kubhera, the lord of all riches.
He is Kala, the God of death,
And He is the moon also He is Varuna

pitharo vasava sadhya hyaswinou marutho manu
vayur vahni praja prana ruthu hartha prabhakara

He is the manes, He is the Gods called Vasus,
He is the gods called sadhya,
He is the Aswini devathas, the doctors of Gods,
He is the maruths who are responsible for breeze,
He is the wind God, He is the fire God,
He is the soul of all beings,
He is the creator of seasons,
And he is the giver of light.

adithya savitha soorya khaga poosha gabasthiman
suvarna sadrusa bhanu hiranya retha divakara

He is the son of Adithi,
He is the creator of the world,
He makes us do things,
He travels on the sky,
He feeds the world by rain,
He is the one with rays,
He is the colour of Gold,
He is always shining,
He is responsible for creation,
And he is the maker of the day.

haridaswa sahasrarchi saptha sapthir mareechiman
thimironmadhana shambhu thwashtwa marthanda amsuman

He has green horses,
He has thousands of rays,
He rides on seven horses,
He dispels darkness,
He gives a pleasant life,
He kills all life,
He gives rebirth to those killed,
He removes darkness,
And he is resplendent in his glory.

hiranya garbha shisira thapano bhaskaro ravi
agni garbha adithe puthra sanka shisira nasana

He who keeps the golden source,
He who cools down minds of devotees,
He who bestows heat,
He who is the source of light,
He who is praised by every one,
He who has fire within himself,
He who is the son of adhithi,
He who travels in the sky with pleasure,
And he who melts cold.

vyomanadha sthamobhedi rig yajur sama paraga
ghana vrushtirapam mithro vindhya veedhi plavangama

He who is the lord of the sky,
He who dispels darkness,
He who is a master of Rig, Yajur and Sama veda,
He who is the cause of heavy rains,
He who is the friend of water,
And he who travels over the Vindhyas swiftly.

aathapee mandali mruthyu pingala sarva thapana
kavir viswo maha thejaa raktha sarvodbhava

He who gives heat,
He who is of the global shape,
He who is of the form of death,
He who is of the colour of gold,
He who heats everything,
He who is in expert in knowledge,
He who manages the universe,
He who is of great brilliance,
He who is dear to every one,
And he who manages every event.

nakshtra gruha tharanam adhipo viswa bhaavana
thejasam aphi thejaswi dwadasathman namosththe

Salutations to him who is the Lord of stars, planets and zodiac,
To him who looks after the universe,
To him who gives light to all that shines,
And To him who has twelve forms.

nama poorvaya giraye, paschimayadraye nama
jyothirgananam pathaye dhinadhipathaye nama

Salutations to him who rises from the mounts of east,
Salutations to him who sets on mounts of west,
Salutations to the lord of objects that shine,
And the Lord of the day.

jayaya jaya bhadraya haryaswaya namo nama
namo nama sahasramso adithyaya namo nama

Salutations to him who is the cause of victories,
Salutations to him who has green horses,
Salutations and salutations to him who has thousand rays,
Salutations and salutations to the son of Adhithi.

nama ugraya veeraya sarangaya namo nama
nama padma prabhodaya, marthandaya namo nama

Salutations and salutations,
To him who is fearful to the sinners,
To him who is the hero,
And to him who travels swiftly.
Salutations to him who opens the lotus,
And salutations and salutations,
To him who makes men live.

brihamesanachuthesaya sooryadhithya varchase
bhaswathe sarva bhakshaya roudraya vapushe nama

Salutations to Him,
Who is God to Brahma, Achyutha and Shiva,
Who is the giver of light,
Who is the son of Adhithi,
Who is ever shining,
Who eats everything,
And to him who has a fearsome body,

thmognaya himagnaya sathrugnaya amithathmane
kruthagnagnaya devaya jyothisham pathaye nama

Salutations to him,
Who destroys darkness,
Who destroys, snow,
Who destroys his enemies,
Who has an immeasurable body,
Who destroys those who are not grateful,
And to him who is the Lord of those who shine.

taptha chamikarabhaya vahnaye viswa karmane
namasthomabhinignaya ruchaye loka sakshine

Salutations to Him,
Who is of the colour of molten gold,
Who is of the form of fire,
Who has created the world,
Who destroys ignorance,
Who is the subject of all that is loved,
And to him who is the witness of the world.

naasa yatyesha vai bhootham tadeva srujathi prabha
payathyesha thapathyesha varshatyesha gabhasthibhi

This our lord helps beings to grow,
And also destroys them.
He with his awesome rays,
Looks after every being,
Gives intense heat to them,
And also causes rains to shower

yesha suptheshu jagarthi bhootheshu parinishtitha
yesha evagnihothram cha phalam chaivagnihothrinam.

This our Lord is awake,
When all the world is asleep,
Without anyone being aware,
And he is the fire sacrifice,
And also the one who performs fire sacrifice.

vedascha kradavaschaiva krathoonam phalameva cha
yani kruthyani lokeshu sarva yesha ravi prabhu

All the Vedas,
All the yagas,
Result of all yagas.
And all the actions,
That happen in this world,
Are this Lord Surya himself.

yena mapathsu kruchreshu kanthareshu bhayeshu cha,
keerthayan Purusha kaschin aavaseedhathi raghava

Hey Lord Raghava,
Any one who sings the praise of the Sun,
In time of danger,
In time of suffering,
In wild forests.
And in times of fear,
Is able to cross the problem for sure.

poojaswaikegro deva devam jagat pathim
ethath trigunitham japthwa yudeshu vijayishyasi

Please worship Him.
Who is God of Gods,
And who is the lord of the universe,
With single minded devotion.
If you chant this thrice,
You would win in the war.

asmin kshane maha baaho ravanam thwam vadhishyasi
evamukthwaa agasthyo jagam yada gatham

“Oh hero of heroes,
You would kill Ravana within a second,”
Saying this the sage Agasthya,
Went back his way.

edath sruthwa maha theja nashta shoka abhavath thada
dharayamasa supreetho raghava prayathathmavaan

Hearing this, the resplendent one,
Became devoid of sorrow,
And with utmost devotion,
Wore this prayer within himself.

adhithya prekshya japthwa thu param harsha mavapthavan
thrirachamya suchir bhoothwa dhanuradhaaya veeryavaan

Cleansing himself,
By doing Aachamana thrice,
And facing the Sun God,
Lifting his bow
The great hero Rama became very happy

ravanam preshya hrushtathma yudhaya samupagamath
sarva yathnena mahatha vadhe thasya drutho bhavath

Came he facing Ravana,
For starting the war again,
With all preparations great,
With an intention of killing him.

adharavira vadha nireekshya ramam
mudhithamana paramam prahrushyamana
nisicharapathi samkshyam vidhithwa
sura gana madhya gatho vachasthwarethi

Immediately then Lord Sun,
Who is the king of the skies
Arose from the middle of the bevy of Gods,
With mind full of happiness,
And asked Rama to kill Ravana forthwith.

____________________

sooryam sundara loka nadham
amrutham vedantha saram shivam
gnanam brahma mayam suresha
mamalam lokaika chitham swayam

I bow and salute always before the great Sun God,
Who is ever shining,
Who is the Lord of the universe,
Who is forever living,
Who is the essence of Veda,
Who is forever peaceful,
Who is store house of knowledge,
Who is God personified,
Who is the king of gods,
Who is purity personified,
And who has the mind of all the world under his control.

bhano bhaskara marthanda
chanda rasmai divakara
ayur arogyam aiswaryam
vidhyam dehi namosthuthe

Oh God of gods,
Who is source of light,
Who makes the day,
Who removes darkness,
Who has fearful rays,
And who is the creator of the morn,
Please give me long life,
Health, wealth, knowledge
And I salute you.

anyadha saranam nasthi
thwameva saranam mama
thasmath karunya bhavena
raksha raksha maha prabho

I don’t have anybody to seek refuge,
Except thee, Oh great God,
So please have mercy upon me,
And protect me again and again.

ithi srimad valmiki ramayane yudha kande
sapthothara sathathama sargathmakam
adhithya hrudaya sthothram samaptham

Thus ends the great prayer called Adithya Hrudhayam,
Which occurs in the 107th chapter of the section of war,
In Ramayana composed by Sage Valmiki.