Ratha Saptami also known as Magha Saptami, falls on the 7th day of the bright half (Shukla Paksha) of Magha month. This day falling on 28th January in 2023 is celebrated as the birthday of the Sun God Surya and hence is also called Surya Jayanti.
Hindus consider Ratha Saptami an auspicious day for charitable and pious deeds and a holy dip (Snana- Daan-Punya) as these are believed to have manifold benefits. Another Hindu belief is that all the seven kinds of sins done knowingly or unknowingly in the current life or in the previous lives are washed off by praying to Lord Surya on Ratha Saptami.
Ratha Saptami signals the arrival of spring season and the start of the harvesting season.
Ratha Saptami and Lord Surya’s Symbolism
Ratha Saptami is mostly depicted as Lord Surya turning his chariot drawn by 7 white horses, to the North East direction. The charioteer is Aruna.
North has always been the direction of the divine for Hindus. The Himalayas, the abode of leading sages and enlightened ones all originate from the North. Therefore, even during Japa, one is advised to face North so as to derive maximum benefits from the positive vibrations emanating from there.
A key interpretation of Lord Surya’s chariot image is that the 7 racing horses represent our wayward mind that keeps pulling us in different directions. Hence this distracted mind is pulled by the reins of Surya and led towards one-pointed Divinity, the direction of the North.
These 7 horses are also known to represent the 7 different colours of the rainbow. Some interpretations are also of these wheels being the 7 days of the week and the 12 wheels of the chariot being the 12 signs of the Zodiac.
It is believed that Surya begins His journey from His won zodiac house ie Lion (Leo, Simha Raashi) and travels across the rest of the zodiac houses.This takes about 365 days to complete.
Ratha Saptami Rituals
- A purification bath usually done by a river, sea or water body; around 1.5 hours before sunrise, called as Arunodaya. Arka leaves known as Erukkam are kept on the body during the bath; one on the head, two on the shoulders, two on the knees and two below the feet
- Post this upon sunrise, Lord Surya is first prayed to with Arghya or an offering water with water in the cupped palms of both hands or in a copper vessel. One has to be in the standing position and chanting Surya hymns while doing Arghya .
- Pooja is done offering red flowers, fruits and Naivedya (sweet prasad – pongal), betel leaves, coconut etc and a lamp lit with pure ghee.
- Gayatri Mantra, Saura Sukta, Surya Upanishad, Adityahrudayam, Surya Sahasranama and Suryashtakam are some of the key hymns chanted.
- Fasting, observing silence, doing Japa are all recommended for Surya Jayanti.
- Coloured rice powder is used to draw rangolis of Surya and his chariot and horses.
- Cakes of cowdung are burnt in the centre of this rangoli or in the courtyard and milk is boiled over it in an earthern pot mostly with rice. This is then distributed as prasad. The fire on the cow -dung, the earthern pot, the water-element laden milk and the air mixed with Sattvik tej of the Sun go into making a wonderful prasad with all the elements power in it.
Sun as a source of vitalty, energy and life
People across faiths in the world believe that the Sun is the ultimate giver of Life, Vitality and Energy. Sun worship is common in many ancient civiizations. In the Vedas too Surya is reckoned as an important Deity and many hymns particularly the Gayatri Mantra are devoted to to Him .
Lord Surya is known as the giver of health, an energetic disease-free life and hence Ratha Saptami is also called Arogya Saptami. He is also, as a giver of wealth and abundance.
Lord Surya and Yoga
Since ancient times, Surya namaskar, a highly beneficial series of 12 yogic postures, have been practiced facing the Sun. This single exercise is reckoned to bring in countless mind-body-soul benefits.
Praying regularly to Surya also activates the Surya Nadi, the right subtle nerve for the flow of spiritual energy from the base of the spine to the top of the head.
Yogic masters suggest Tratak as a meditative and concentration exercise with the Sun as the object. This enhances the health and efficiency of the eyes multifold. It also makes the mind one-pointed
Lord Surya and Spirituality
Along with the visible light and heat that the Sun provides , Hinduism believes that the Sun also emits a tremendous amount of Chaitanya (Divine Consciousness ) Therefore the spiritual seekers attuned to the Sun and its power will naturally find their spiritual progress accelerating faster.
The Sun’s Sattvik Tej (energy) is also believed to have the power to purify the atmosphere of gross impurities such as harmful microbes and subtle impurities such as negative energies/elements representative of Tamas and extreme Rajas.
Sri Aurobindo’s beautiful thought on Lord Surya and effect of Surya-awareness on our lives.
In the ‘Secret of the Vedas’ he explains the significance of Surya in the spiritual enlightenment of a seeker
‘Surya enlightens the mind and the thoughts with the illuminations of the Truth.
He is ‘Vipra’, the illumined, It is He who delivers the individual mind from the circumscribed consciousness of self and environment.
He enlarges the limited movement imposed on the individual mind by its own preoccupation with its individuality. Therefore, He is ‘Brhat’
But his illumination is not a vague light or from a confused and dissolved view of self and object. It (illumination) holds in itself a clear discernment of things in their totality. Therefore, he is ‘Vipaschit’ clear in perception.
Men, as soon as they begin to receive something of this solar illumination, strive to yoke their whole mentality and thought contents to the Divine Surya within them. This Yoking becomes their Yoga.
