Arun Aditya Temple, Varanasi

Lord Skanda was describing the predicament of Vinata whereby she had become slave once upon a time. Sage Agasthya wanted to know what made her become a slave, even though she was very pious in her daily activities.

Lord Skanda described thus: Sage Kashyap had many wives of which two were Kadru and Vinata. While Kadru gave birth to hundred snakes, Vinata gave birth to three children, Owl, Garuda and Arun. Initially when Owl was born, he became the King of all birds, but due to his incompetency, the birds chose to disregard him. Therefore, to this day the birds do not have a king of their own.

While Owl was her first offspring, the other two were still in the egg. Vinata wished her remaining eggs to hatch but to her utter dismay, the eggs did not hatch. She could not bear the agony of her first child being ridiculed. So, in her impetuousness to beget the baby, she decided to break open one of the eggs prematurely, hoping to get a son. As soon as she broke open the egg, she saw a child within, fully developed from thigh upwards, but the lower portion representing the legs was still under making.

Thus, the premature new born child who was referred to as Arun (Dawn) in Kashi Khand, Chapter 51, was very furious at his mother’s impatience which resulted in his deformity. Arun cursed his mother that she would become a slave to the children of Kadru. Vinata pleaded innocence whereupon Arun took pity on her. He told her not to be impatient with the third egg. The child born out of this egg, will get her out of the slavery.

Having said so, Arun in due course of time wanted to rid himself of the deformity. He came to Kashi and started penitently praying to Lord Surya, who became happy with Arun. He appeared in person and blessed Arun stating that the latter will always be with him (Lord Surya) as his charioteer. Lord Surya said a person who worships me in the form of Arun Aditya will not know what is sadness and poverty will always remain at a distance.

According to Kashi Khand, a person who worships Arun Aditya will never fall ill and there will be no obstacles in the devotee’s smooth life. The devotee will not know what is misery.