Puranic Encyclopaedia: A Comprehensive Dictionary with Special Reference to the Epic and Puranic Literature c9.4829

c9.4829

VIVASVĀN I. The Sun.
1) *General information.* Sūrya (Sun) has a large number of synonyms. But prominence is given to two of them, Mārtaṇḍa and Vivasvān in the Purāṇas. Twelve devas were born to Prajāpati Kaśyapa by his wife Aditi. As these twelve were the sons of Aditi they were called Ādityas. The Dvādaśādityas (the twelve Ādityas) are Viṣṇu, Śakra, Aryaman, Dhātā, Tvaṣṭā, Pūṣā Vivasvān, Savitā, Mitra, Varuṇa, Amśu and Bhaga. These twelve Ādityas were, in the previous Manvantara (Age of Manu) of Manu Cākṣuṣa, twelve Devas called the Tuṣitas. When the Cākṣuṣa Manvantara came to an end and the Vaivasvata Manvantara was about to begin, the twelve Tuṣitas met together and after a consultation, they took birth as the sons of Aditi. In this birth they were by the name Dvādaśādityas. (Viṣṇu Purāṇa, Amśa 1, Chapter 15).