The twelve sons born to Kaśyapa by his wife Aditi are called Dvādaśādityas (Twelve Ādityas) The word Āditya means ‘born of Aditi’. As it occurs in [Agni Purāṇa Ch. 51] a table, showing the names of the twelve Ādityas and the sign of the Zodiac over which each Āditya predominates and the colour of it, is given below. | Dvādaśādityas. | Sign of the Zodiac. | Colour |
| 1 Varuṇa. | Meṣa (Aries) | Black. |
| 2 Sūrya (Sun) | Rṣabha (Taurus) | Blood-colour. |
| 3 Sahasrāṁśu | Mithuna (Gemini) | Slightly redcolour. |
| 4 Dhātā | Karkaṭaka (Cancer) | Yellow. |
| 5 Tapana | Siṁha (Leo) | White. |
| 6 Savitā | Kanyā (Virgo) | Pure white. |
| 7 Gabhasti | Tulā (Libra) | tawny colour. |
| 8 Ravi | Vṛścika (Scorpio) | Yellow. |
| 9 Parjanya | Dhanu (Sagittarius) | Parrot-colour. |
| 10 Tvaṣṭā | Makara (Capricorn) | Snow-white. |
| 11 Mitra | Kumbha (Aquarius) | Smoky hue. |
| 12 Viṣṇu | Mīna (Pisces) | Blue |
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Note: 1. This version of the episode is found in Mahābhārata. The poet Kālidāsa has made variations, suitable to his work, the Abhijñāna-Śākuntala. Some deviations from the Mahābhārata story may be noticed in the works of some other poets also. 2. Different names of Ādityas occur in different Purāṇas. The names given here are based on the Agni Purāṇa.]