The Story of Ashwini Kumar(s) – twin sons of Surya

Sanjana was the daughter of Vishwakarma (the celestial engineer and architect). As Sanjana grew to a marriageable age, Vishwakarma sought out for a suitable groom, and approached Surya, the Sun God to accept his daughter’s hand in marriage. Surya accepts and the marriage is solemnized.

A little while into the marriage and Sanjana is troubled, she can take it no more, the glare and heat emitted from Surya’s golden aura have darkened her complexion and sapped her energy; she no longer feels any love for her husband. Her color now resembles the energies of evening/dusk and the Gods bestow her with a new name – Sandhya

Sanjana plots a plan for her escape. She creates a clone (perhaps one of the first documented instances of cloning). She calls her clone “Chhaya” (shadow). She installs Chhaya in her place and instructs her not to leave Surya’s presence under any circumstances, and to dutifully remain there till her return.  Surya does not notice the difference. He takes Chhaya to be his wife; he initiates marital relations; Chhaya conceives and delivers a son – Shani (Saturn). Shani is born of dark complexion like his mother, and also inherits Chhaya’s serious and somber countenance.

 Surya soon realized that Chhaya is a replica, he went her home to bring back her.  Vishwakarma informs him of Sanjana’s whereabouts but also has as humble request – he asks Surya to reduce his glare so that daughter Sanjana is not discomfited. Surya says he is helpless as it is part of his nature; Vishwakarma then offers to help. Vishwakarma, the celestial engineer and architect, puts his skills to use and scrapes the glow away from Surya’s face and body, thus giving him, what they would say in modern day parlance – a matt-finish. Surya in his new look ventures into the Himalayan forest in search of Sanjana. He spots her grazing the grass in the form of a mare. To entice her, he takes the form of a young stallion and approaches her. Sanjana recognizes her husband and is pleasantly surprised at his efforts to woo her. She concedes, they mate, and out of this mating are born the Ashwini Kumar(s) – the twin sons of Surya. The name “Ashwini” is derived from the root “ashwa” meaning “horse”.

The Ashwini Kumar(s) are given the responsibility of healing; keeping with this order, they pursue the field of medicine and emerge as the celestial physicians/doctors of Gods. The Ashwini Kumar(s) true to the horse form in which they were conceived, also hold the prime reigns amongst the 7 horses that drive Surya’s chariot. Every sunrise, they come forth as the first rising rays of Sun, and are also known as “Surya-kiran”.

Being the celestial physicians/healers of Gods and humanity, facing their rays during sunrise bestows good health. This is done, as per prescribed Vedic customs, by honoring their mother Sanjana or Sandhya as the Gods called her – hence we welcome the first rays of morning Sun with “Sandhya-vandanam” or “Sandhya-vandan” by offering “arghyam” or water from our palms to the rising Sun.