Who is Pūṣan
Pūṣan is a Vedic deity, one of the twelve Ādityas, who presides over journeys, roads, travelers, and nourishment. In the Rigveda (1.42, 6.54), he is invoked as the guardian of paths, who removes dangers from the way and leads his devotees safely to their destinations. He is also the guide of souls on the path to the ancestors (pitṛs), as described in the Rigveda (10.17.4-6), where he is asked to lead the departed along the ancient road to the realm of the fathers. Pūṣan is closely associated with cattle; he is called 'lord of cattle' (Rigveda 6.54.5) and is believed to protect livestock and ensure their increase.
His role as a nourisher is evident in his name, derived from the root 'puṣ' meaning 'to nourish' or 'to thrive'. Iconographically, Pūṣan is depicted as a bearded deity driving a chariot drawn by goats, holding a golden spear or goad. He is sometimes shown without teeth, a peculiar trait explained in the Śatapatha Brāhmaṇa (1.7.4.9) as resulting from his breaking his teeth while pressing Soma for the Aśvins. In the Brāhmaṇas, Pūṣan is also associated with marriages, as he is said to give away the bride (Śatapatha Brāhmaṇa 1.7.4.7).
In later Purāṇic literature, Pūṣan is listed among the Ādityas, sons of Aditi and Kaśyapa (Viṣṇu Purāṇa 1.15). However, his worship declined in the post-Vedic period, and he is rarely featured in major Purāṇic myths. Regional worship of Pūṣan is primarily confined to Vedic ritual contexts, such as the Agniṣṭoma and other yajñas, where offerings are made to him. In Hindu cosmology, Pūṣan represents the sustaining and guiding aspect of the sun, ensuring that beings are nourished and led on the right path, both in this world and the next.
Names by which the divine is addressed
What they hold
Form, mudras, weapons & vahana
Bearded, carries golden spear. Drives goats. Sometimes depicted without teeth.
Sacred utterances
A favourite verse
Vedic remediation guidance
- Weak/afflicted Sun
- Pitru dosha
- Father-related issues
- Authority disputes
Worship of Pūṣan is prescribed when the Sun is debilitated, combust, or in a dusthāna, or when Saturn afflicts the 8th house or transits the Moon’s nakṣatra in Sade Sati, and also when Mercury is weak in a trikṣaṇa or conjoined with malefics. Pūṣan, as one of the twelve Ādityas and a solar deity, is iconographically shown driving a goat-drawn chariot holding a golden goad, affirming his connection to the Sun as a nourisher and guide of paths. Remediation involves recitation of the Pūṣan Sūkta (Ṛgveda 1.42) 108 times on a Sunday, preferably in Kṛttikā, Uttara Phalgunī, or Uttara Āṣāḍhā nakṣatra. The devotee should wear yellow, offer yellow flowers and sesame seeds to the Sun, and observe a fast until noon. This practice removes pitṛ doṣa, resolves authority disputes, and strengthens the Sun’s placement, ensuring safe passage on life’s journey and ancestral blessings.