Om! Gam! Ganapathaye! Namaha!

Om! Sri Raghavendraya Namaha!

Om! Namo! Bhagavathe! Vasudevaya!
Om! Ham! Hanumathe! Sri Rama Doothaya Namaha!

RATHA SAPTHAMI

! Aadi Deva namasthubhyam Praseeda mama Bhaskara

Diwakara namasthubhyam Prabhakara namosthuthe!!

Ratha Sapthami is a highly auspicious festival dedicated to Sun God. In

Hindu religion it is observed as a festival across the country falling on the
seventh day of Magha Masa sukla paksha. Generally it occurs during the
months of January-February. This day is also known as Surya Jayanthi, the
day on which Sun is supposed to have taken birth to Aditi and Sage
Kashyapa. Sun centric events falls continuously during Pushya and Magha
Masam including Dhanurmasam, starting with Vaikunta Ekadasi and ending
with Ratha Sapthami. Worshipping Sun God during this period is very
sacred and celestial.

Significance of Ratha Sapthami

Ratha means chariot. Sapthami is a thithi in a lunar month falling on the 7 th

day of both sukla and Krishna paksha. At the time of division of
constellations each day or thithi is attributed to one deity/God. In the
process Sapthami thithi was allotted to Sun God and hence it is his favourite
day.

On this day of Ratha Sapthami, Northern movement of the Sun God is

supposed to take definite effect after he commenced his journey towards
Northern hemisphere entering Makara Raasi on Makara Sankramana Day.
Traditionally it is regarded as the day on which the chariot of the Sun God is
diverted towards the north by his charioteer called Aruna. On this day it is
believed that Sun God ride on his chariot drawn by seven horses and move
toward north east direction bringing the entry of spring season.

It is also believed and said that the chariot of Sun has only one wheel that
represents kalachakra and the seven horses represent seven colours of light
(VIBGYOR). It is also believed that the seven horses represent seven days
in the week starting from Sunday the day dedicated to Sun God. The entire
kala-chakra, or wheel of time, is established on the wheel of the sun-god's
chariot. This wheel is known as Samvatsara. He is the lord of Leo in the
Zodiac. He stays one month in each Raasi and takes 365 days or 12 months
to complete a round of 12 Raasis. Following sloka from Suryaastakam
describes the above.

! Sapthaaswaratha maroodam prachandam kasyapathmajam

Swethapadmadharam devam tham suryam pranamamyaham!!

! Bandhooka pushpasankasam harakundala bhushitham

Ekachakradharam devam tham suryam pranamamyaham!!

On this day worshipping Sun is very sacred, celestial and highly beneficial.
He is the God, a living God, Aadi dhaivam, Sanatana, whom everyone can
see, perceive and pray. Though he is visible, he also has been presented in
a variety of forms. He is the divine light, life-giver and time-giver. The
Vedas adore him as a witness of all actions (Karma Sakshi). He is said to be
Trimurthi swaroopa.

! Brahmaswaroopo udaye madhyahnethu Maheswaraha

Asthakale swayam VishnuH Trayimoorthi Diwakaraha!!

Lord Vishnu in his form as Surya Narayana is worshipped on this day.

! VihaayasagatirjyotiH suruchirhutabhug vibhuh

Ravirvirochanah suryah savitaa ravilochanah!!

Above sloka from Sri Vishnu Sashasra Nama (sloka 94) describe Lord
SrimanNarayana as the Sun God. Purusha Sooktha also describes Sun as
born from the eyes of Lord SrimanNarayana (Chaksho! Suryo Ajayatha) and
is believed to be an incarnation of Lord Maha Vishnu. Sun God is called by
several names, out of which the twelve popular names are Surya, Aaditya,
Mitra, Ravi, Savita, Arka, Bhaskara, Hiranyagarbha, Marichi, Diwakara,
Bhanu, and Vivasvatha.

Sun is said to be the seventh Manuvu in whose name the present

Manvanthara is being called as Vaivaswatha Manvanthara the period in
which we are living now. Lot of importance and significance is given to Sun
worship during this Manvanthara. Irrespective of the caste and creed all
walks of people worship him as Pratyaksha Dhaivam.

Mythological scripts say that Sun God was worshipped by Lord Sri Rama
before going to kill Ravana. Yudhistira got the Akshaya bowl after
worshipping Sun. Kunti Devi mother of Pandavas worshipped Lord Sun
before giving birth to Karna. Sathrajith was blessed with Syamanthaka Mani
after worshipping Sun God. Sambha son of Lord Sri Krishna and Jambavathi
got rid of his Leprosy after worshipping Sun. It is said that Sun was the
guru to Lord Hanuman who has learnt Nava vyakarana from Sun. Bhishma
Pitamaha of Mahabharatha fame waited for this day and had his last breath
on the day after Ratha Sapthami called Bheeshmaastami.

TRADITIONS & BELIEFS ON THIS DAY IN HINDU RELIGION

Bath with Arka Leaves: It is an age old custom and tradition that people
on this day take special bath with seven Arka leaves by keeping one on the
head, two on the shoulders, two on the knees and two on the feet. Arka is
commonly called as Jilledu in Telugu, Ekka in Kannada, Erukku in Tamil, and
Calotrope (bowstring hemp) in English. During the bath following sloka is to
be chanted:

! Yadhyajanma kritham papam maya sapthasu janmasu!

Thanme rogancha sokancha makari hanthu sapthami!!

! Yetatjanmakritham papam yachha janmanthararjitham

Mano vakkayajam yachha gnathagnathancha yathpunaha!!

! Ithi sapthavidham papam snaname saptha sapthake

! Sapthavyadhi samayuktham hara makari sapthami!!
Arghyam is given to Sun God on this day with the following sloka

! Saptha sapthi vaha preetha sapthaloka pradeepana

Sapthami sahito deva gruhanargyam Diwakara!!

Some people even take bath in sacred rivers. It is believed that a bath
on this day by using Arka leaves one will get rid of his/her sins coming
from previous seven births.

Those who do not have parents should also give Thila Tarpana to their
fore fathers (Dwadasa Pitru) on this day.

Hindu religion considers Sun as an important God to be worshipped.

Several Vedic verses on Sun are incorporated into the Nitya Vidhi
(mandatory daily routine) like sandhya vandana, Surya namaskara,
Gayathri japa, Surya arghya.

Sun is called as Namaskara Priya. He blesses the devotees who offer

him a simple namaskara with all sincerity and devotion. That is how the
Surya Namaskara a yogic prakriya related to Sun has become very
popular.

Sun worship is prevailing and being followed since time immemorial.

Some of the useful prayers related to Sun are Suryaastakam, Aaditya
Hridayam, Gayathri, Surya Sahasranama etc. Generally Sun worship will
be very effective if it is done within one hour from Sun rise. Worship of
this devatha on Sunday is supposed to bring in manifold benefits to the
worshippers

Phala Sruthi of Sun related sthothras says that Sun worship is

Navagraha Peeda Pariharam, bestows progeny for the childless, helps
in coming out of poverty, cures illness and gets rid of health problems
haunting for the past seven births. Like Lord SriMann Narayana is the
giver of Moksha, Sun God is said to be giver of Health. (Arogyam
Bhaskaraddhicheth).
 On this day people prepare kheer with beaten rice or avalakki (Tandulam)
and offer as nivedana to Sun God.

In South India it is a tradition, people draw with rangoli (colours) on the

ground in front of their houses a picture of chariot and seven horses a
symbolic reference to Ratha Sapthami and cow dung is burnt in the
centre of it. On the fire obtained they boil milk and offer it to Sun God.
The ritual may vary from region to region.

Some people also observe fasting on this day and or observe mouna
vratham.

Charity: Charity on this day will yield manifold benefits. Usually

Kushmanda Dana (pumpkin) is said to be very sacred on this occasion.
Since it happens in Magha Masa as per the Masa Dharma Thila Dana,
Thila Paathra Dana, Salagrama Dana, Vasthra Dana, Blankets, Umbrella,
Amalakki, (Amla) are all very sacred on this day to be given as charity.

Significance of Arka Leaf & Ratha Sapthami

In Hindu religion since Vedic days certain plants are associated with certain
deities in their worship like, Thulasi with Lord Maha Vishnu, Bilva with Lord
Shiva, Durva (Garike) with Lord Maha Ganapathi. Similarly Arka plant (leaf)
is associated with Sun God who is also called by that name known as Arka.
Since Ratha Sapthami is a Sun Centric festival its usage on this day has
gained lot of significance.

Arka is a Sanskrit word. Arka means a ray, a flash of lightning. It is

believed that Sun God’s chariot is in perfect square shape and his shoulders
are also in square shape (four angles). Configuration of arka dala also
appears in perfect angle with one pair of leaves exactly opposite to the other
and it is believed that Arka leaves represent the shoulders and chariot of
Sun God

The name Arka is also related to Konark a place dedicated to Sun God in
Orissa state. It is called as Arka Kshetra. There is a world famous Sun
temple at Konark that attracts tourists from all over the world. Konark is a
confluence of two words Kona + Arka = Konarka. Kona means angle and
Arka means Sun God. Konark means corner of the Sun dedicated to Sun
God.

Arka plant has very good medicinal value in Ayurvedic system of medicine.
It is said that Arka is used in curing skin diseases, leprosy, tumors, joint
pains, wounds etc., It is called as a healing herb like Sun God as a healer.
Arka leaf is also used in the worship of Lord Maha Ganapathi (Arka Maha
Ganapathi), and Lord Hanuman. The stem of the Arka tree is also used as a
samidha while performing Homa/yagna.

Celebration of Ratha Sapthami in Temples

Special celebrations are held in Sun temples on this occasion at Konark

(Orissa), Arasavelli (Andhra Pradesh). This festival is also celebrated in all
Vaishnavite temples especially at Tirumala and Sri Rangam. Suryanar Koil
near Kumbhakonam is also very popular and dedicated to Sun God.

To write about Sun God one attempt is not adequate. Please look forward
for my future posts for astrological and other significances related to Sun.

! Aadityam JagadeesaMachyuthaMajam
Thrylokyachoodamanim
Bahkthabheestavarapradham dinamanim
Marthandamaadhyam subham!!

May Sun God Sri Surya Narayana bestow on all

Good health peace and prosperity

Sri Krishnaarpanamasthu
bhargavasarma