Adityas are the celestial deities, born to
Aditi and
sage Kashyap. Earlier, they were seven or eight in number, including Mitra and Varuna, and Varuna as the chief. Aditi had eight sons, but she approached the gods with seven, after abandoning the eighth, Marthanda (the sun).
In the Vedic period, the number of Adityas was increased to twelve, as representing the sun in the twelve months of the year. Aditya is also one of the names of the sun. The adityas as we know are Ansa, Aryman, Bhaga, Daksha, Dhatri, Indra, Mitra, Ravi, Savitri, Surya, Varuna and Yama. Adityas are concidered among the Devas and protect the devotees from various diseases.
