Surya is the Sun as well as the solar deity in Hinduism. He is traditionally one of the major five deities in the Smarta tradition, all of whom are considered as equivalent deities in the Panchayatana puja and a means to realise Brahman. Other names of Surya in ancient Indian literature include Aditya, Arka, Bhanu, Savitr, Pushan, Ravi, Martanda, Mitra, Bhaskara, Prabhakara, Kathiravan, and Vivasvan.

सूर्यदेव हा वेदांमध्ये जगाचा आत्मा असल्याचे म्हटले जाते. संपूर्ण जगाचा आत्मा सूर्य आहे. सूर्यापासून पृथ्वीवरील संपूर्ण जगाचे सजींवाना वनस्पतीला उर्जा आणि जीवन मिळते.