Ratha Saptamī is one of the very important festivals observed by Sanāthana Ārya Bhāratīyas. It is observed on the Saptamī of the śuklapaksha of the month of Māgha. All the followers of vaidika traditions such as Śaivas and Vaishṇavas observe this festival with devotion and faith. The Sun is the adorable deity of this festival. He is an object of worship for all classes of people. In a Bhaktidarśana called ‘Soura’, the sun alone is the supreme deity. He has been considered as one among the five deities in the pūjākalpa also called pañcāyatana. Not only this. The disc of the Sun is a medium of worship for both Hari and Hara, like the Sālagrāma and Śivaliṅga.
ध्येयस्सदा सवितृमण्डलमध्यवर्ती नारायणस्सरसिजासनसन्निविष्टः ।
अर्कमण्डलमध्यस्थं सूर्यकोटिसमप्रभम् ।
ब्रह्मादिसेव्यपादाब्जं नौमि ब्रह्म रमासखम् ॥
Nārāyaṇa is meditated upon in the middle of the Sūryamanḍala. The name Sūryanārāyaṇa also is famous. The śloka ‘गायत्र्यर्काग्निगोचरः शम्भुः’ states that Śiva is the dhyānamūrtī in the Sūryamanḍala.
The Upanishads such as
य एषोटऽन्तरादित्ये हिरण्मयः पुरुषः
स यश्चायं पुरुषे यश्चासावादित्ये ।
proclaim that Paramātma should be worshipped in the Ādityamanḍala. The Gāyatrimantra Japa which is done in the Sandhyāvandana performed three times a day, has the sun (Savitṛ) as its deity. Therefore it is natural that this festival is observed by all devotes as it is a festival of the Sun God who is both the Upāsya devata and Upāsanā dvāradevata and a dear deity for all.
The names of this parva:
This is well-known as ‘RathaSaptamī’ and ‘Acalā Saptamī’ in the śāstras.
सूर्यग्रहणतुल्या तु शुक्ला माघस्य सप्तमी ।
अचला सप्तमी दुर्गा शिवरात्रिर्महाभरः ॥
The name of the festival is ‘RathaSaptamī’ because the Sun God who is known as ‘Rathavara’ is being worshipped on this Saptamī which is a distinct day.
“एवंविधं रथवरं रथवजियुक्तम्” is one explanation. (Dharma dīpikā— Dharmasindhuvyākhyā)
“But in the next verse of that śloka viz “हैमं च हैम शतदीधीतिना समेतम्” the Sun is referred to separtely. Therefore the word ‘Rathavara’ here applies to the chariot of the Sun and not to the Sun. Therefore it is more appropriate to interpret the term ‘RathaSaptamī’ as the Saptamītithi for the worship of God, on account of the northward journey of the famous chariot of the Sun. It is most proper to call this as ‘RathaSaptamī’, as it is the Saptamī tithi from which day the Rathotsavas begin in the temples during uttarāyaṇa. This explanation conforms to the exposition of the message of RathaSaptamī provided by Śrīraṅgagurudeva.
“The reason why this festival is called ‘Acalā Saptamī’ is, just as Akshaya Tṛtīyā gives endless benefits, this sacred Saptamī also gives permanent benefits” This is one explanation. Some people have explained that, as it is the Saptamītithi on which one has to take a bath very early in the morning in the holy water that will be still (in rivers and ponds), and happens to be undisturbed by any one, it is called ‘Acalā Saptamī’. of these two, the first explanation is more appropriate.
The day and time of the observation
The precept is that this parva should be observed on the Saptamītithi of the śuklapaksha of the month of Māgha. Some matters special to this, need to be discussed. What should then be the extent of Saptamītithi on that day? The answer is, it should be prevailing in the early morning. Bath should be taken at that time only.
अरुणोदयवेलायं तस्यां स्नानं महाफलम् (विष्णुस्मृति)
If Saptamītithi prevails in the early morning, when should this vrata be observed? Some say that the previous day on which the acalāSaptamī is conjoined with the tithi of the previous day, is best for the observance.
अचला सप्तमी दुर्गा शिवरात्रिर्महाभरः ।
द्वादशी वत्स पूजायां सुखदा प्राग्युता सदा ॥
If Saptamī tithi happens to end even before arunodaya because of tithikshaya on the following day, the above should be followed. There the kshaya of Saptamītithi should be made to enter into shashṭhitithi, and then the a bath should be taken at aruṇodaya.
As RathaSaptamī is considered included among the Manvādi, those who are supposed to perform śrāddha should do it in the manner appropriate to ‘manvādi’. Should the śrāddha be performed at noon, like the śrāddha of amāvāsya, or in the forenoon? The answer is, as this śrāddha comes in the śuklapaksha, the śrāddha and the tarpaṇa of this parva should be performed in the forenoon only. In case the Māghamāsa happens to be a malamāsa, should it be performed in that intercalary month or in the regular month? The answer is, it should be performed in both the months.
मन्वादिकं पैतृकं च कुर्यान्मासद्वयेऽपि च । (स्मृतिचन्द्रिका)
Is Rathasaptamī vrata is a nitya karma or a kamya karma? It is both. As the treatise Vishṇu smṛti mentions both the words Nitya and Avaśya, it becomes nitya vrata if performed without desires. (मकरस्थे रवौ यो हि न स्नात्यभ्युदिते रवौ त्रिस्थलीसेतु)
It becomes a Kāmyavrata if it is observed with a desire for health, wealth etc.
Significance of the observance of Rathasaptamī
If this vrata is performed on the day of Ratha Saptamī after bath and other rituals in the right time, inexhaustible benefits will be obtained. The entire month of Māgha is auspicious for the early morning bath. But it should be done with faith and devotion. And it should be observed with understanding of the inner meaning of the karma. Only then will it become powerful.
‘यदेव विद्यया करोति तदेव वीर्यवत्तरं भवति’ No spiritual benefits are obtained by what is called ‘Balavanta Māghasnāna’. One who takes bath very early in the morning in the month of Māgha, will elevate seven generations of the family of his parents to better births in future so that spiritual advancement may be made). “उद्धृत्य सप्त पुरुषान् पितृमातृवंश्यान् स्वर्गं प्रयात्यमरदेहधरो नरोऽसौ”
The śāstras if one cannot afford to take bath (in Ushāhkāla) on all the days of Māghamāsa, he should bathe early in the morning atleast on the days of Saṅkrānti, Rathasaptamī and māghī in that month.
अस्मिन् योगे त्वशक्तोऽपि स्नायादपि दिनत्रयम् (पाद्य)
The śāstras proclaim:—“The Saptamī of the month of Māgha is equal to the solar eclipse (in bestowing benefits). Great benefits are obtained by taking bath in the early morning on that day. If one were to take a holy bath in Tīrtharāja Prayāga on that day, it will be equivalent to the benefits obtained by the observances performed on the days of one crore solar eclipses. Sins committed in seven births will get redeemed. All the sins committed knowingly or unknowingly by the Trikaraṇas will vanish. The grief of blemishful misfortunes gets destroyed. And the person becomes spotless in a moment” etc.
“तस्यां स्नानं महाफलम्
“प्रयागे यदि लभ्येत कोटिसूर्यग्रहैस्समा
“सूर्यग्रहणतुल्या तु शुक्ला माघस्य सप्तमी”
“कुर्यात् स्नानार्ध्यादानाभ्यां आयुरारोग्यसम्पदः”
“तन्मे रोगं च शोकं च माकरी हन्तु सप्तमी”
एतज्जन्मकृतं पापं यच्च जन्मान्तरार्जितम्
मनोवाक्कायजं यच्च ज्ञाताज्ञाते च ये पुनः
केशवादित्यमालोक्य क्षणान्निष्कल्मषो भवेत्”
The one who gifts a golden idol of Sūryadeva, placed in a chariot with horses on that day, will obtain the emperorship of the whole world.
‘एवं विधं रथवरं रथवाजियुक्तं हैमं च हेमशतदीधितिना समेतम् । दद्याच्च माघसितसप्तमिवासरे यः सोऽसङ्गचक्रगतिरेव महीं भुनक्ति ॥
Modalities of observance
The custom of taking a holy bath early in the morning on the day of Rathasaptamī in Puṇyatīrthas, and doing mantrajapa and performing worship of God is there in all the traditions. It is very auspicious to have an Avagāhanasnāna either in a sea or in lakes such as Pushakara, or in great rivers like Gaṅgā etc. The deity to be worshipped on that day is the Sun-God or Nārāyaṇa or Śiva who stay in the middle of the disk of the sun. All the precepts of the parva are related to Sun-God only. The special vidhis related to the observance of the festival may be summed up as follows:-
The Bhavishyapurāṇa states that one should take a holy bath on the previous day i.e. on the shashṭhitithi, and follow the rule of taking food only once on that day, and observe the vrata of Rathasaptamī. “स्नात्वा षष्ठ्यामेकभुक्तं सप्तम्यां निश्चलं जलम्”
A devotee should immerse himself in the water (of a lake etc) before it is touched by ordinary people who have no interest in taking a holy bath. It is better to stir the water with a sugarcane staff, than doing so with bare hands. He should light a lamp with gingelly oil and wicks and place that lighted lamp in a container made of gold or silver, or dried bottle gourd, and keep seven leaves of Arka and Seven leaves of jujube tree on the head and shoulders, and meditating upon the Sun-God in the heart with an attentive mind, he should pray to Varuṇadeva who is another form of Sun-God.
न केन चाल्यते यावत् तावत्स्नानं समाचरेत् ।
“इक्षुदण्डेन जलं चालयित्वा सप्तार्कपत्राणि बदरीपत्राणि च शिरसि निधाय पूर्वोत्तैः मन्त्रैः स्नात्वा”
सौवर्णे राजते पात्रे भक्त्यालाबुमयेऽथवा
तैलेन वर्तिर्दातव्या महारजनरञ्जिता
समाहितमना भूत्वा धृत्वा शिरसि दीपकम् ।
भास्करं हृदये ध्यात्वा इमं मन्त्रमुदीरयेत् ॥
And Varuṇadeva should be prayed with the following mantra:
नमस्ते रुद्ररूपाय रसानां पतये नमः ।
वरुणाय नमस्तेऽस्तु हरिवास नमोऽस्तु ते ॥
After praying thus, and meditating upon God, tarpaṇa should be offered to God in water, and lighted lamps should be let afloat in water.
Then a holy bath should be taken, chanting the mantras which carry the following purport:-
“Let the presiding deity of this saptamītithi of the makara māsa destroy all the sins committed by me in my (previous) seven lives, and the diseases and the grief of seven (previous) lives. Let this saptamī which is dear to Saptāśva (Sūrya) deva rout the sins committed by me in this life, the sins committed by me in other births, sins committed by my mind, speech and the body, and the sins committed by me knowingly or unknowingly.” Then the darśana of Sūryanārāyaṇa should be had.
यद्यज्जन्मकृतं पापं मया सप्तसु जन्मसु ।
तन्मे रोगं च शोकं च माकरी हन्तु सप्तमी ।
यद्यज्जन्मकृतं पापं यच्च जन्मान्तरार्जितम् ।
मनोवाक्कायजं यच्च ज्ञाताज्ञाते च ये पुनः ।
इति सप्तविधं पापं स्नानान्मे सप्तसप्तिके ।
सप्तव्याधिसमायुक्तं हर माकरि सप्तमि”
एतन्मन्त्रत्रयं जप्त्वा स्नात्वा पादोदके नरः ।
केशवादित्यमालोक्य क्षणान्निष्कल्मषो भवेत् ।
Arghya should be offered to Sūryanārāyaṇa by Ashtāngavidhi using Arka leaves, leaves of jujube tree, dūrva, akshatā and sandal paste. The Rathasaptamī festival should also be praised.
Arghya should be offered to the Sun-God with these words - “O God with (the chariot drawn by) seven horses! O Lord! the light for the seven worlds! O Divākara! Please accept this Arghya along with saptamī! Then, after Arghya is offered to Sūrya, the goddess of RathaSaptamī should be prayed as follows:-
“O Mother of all the worlds, O beloved of Saptāśva (Sun-God) O! saptamī endowed with seven vyāhṛtis, O! Sūryamanḍala rūpini! Salutations to you!
सप्तसप्तिवहप्रीत सप्तलोकप्रदीपन ।
सप्तमीसहितो देव गृहाणार्ध्यं दिवाकर ॥
जननी सर्वलोकानां सप्तमी सप्तसप्तिके ।
सप्तव्याहृतिके देवि नमस्ते सूर्यमण्डले”
Some people observe this, conforming to the below said precept:—
“The number of horses of Sūryadeva is seven. The number of worlds is seven; the number of islands on the earth is seven. And, taking seven leaves of Arka, holy bath should be taken on this (seventh) saptamītithi”.
सप्ताश्वास्सप्तलोकाश्च सप्तद्वीपा वसुन्धरा ।
सप्तार्कपर्णान्यादाय सप्तम्यां स्नानमाचरेत्”
Then the figure of a lotus with eight petals with the karṇika should be drawn with red candana. Beginning with the petal on the eastern side and proceeding clockwise, figures of the Sun God with his names viz. Ravi, Bhānu, Vivasvanta, Bhāskara, Savitṛ, Arka, Sahasrakiraṇa and Sarvātmaka should to be drawn on the petals and in the centre, pictures of Lord Śiva along with Pārvatī associated with Praṇava should be drawn and they should be invoked and worshipped.
The golden idol of Sūrya should be worshipped with the naivedya of ereyappa made of sesame flour. Sesame flour with ghee and jaggery should be placed in a copper vessel, or in an earthern vessel, if one cannot afford it. An ear ornament made of gold, or if one cannot afford it, the one made of sesame flour should be placed in that. The vessel should be covered with a red coloured cloth and should be worshipped with incense and flowers.
चन्दनेन लिखेत्पद्मं अष्टपत्रं सकर्णिकम् ।
मध्ये शिवं सपत्नीकं प्रणवेन च संयुतम् ।
पूर्वादिदलेषु रवि भानु विवस्वद्भास्करसवित्रर्क,
सहस्रकिरणसर्वात्मकान् सम्पूज्य”
“तिलपिष्टमयापूपैः हैमं सूर्यं सम्पूज्य विप्राय दद्यात्
ताम्रपात्रे यथाशक्ति मृन्मये वाथ भक्तिमान् ।
स्थापयेत्तिलपिष्टं च सघृतं सगुडं तथा ॥
काञ्चनंं तालकं कृत्वा अशक्तस्तिलपिष्टजम् ।
सञ्छाद्य रक्तवस्त्रेण पुष्पैर्धूपैरथार्चयेत् ॥
After worshiping in this way, the golden idol of Sun-God, the ear ornament and balls made of sesame flour mixed with ghee and jaggery, should be gifted to worthy recipients.
The ear ornament should be gifted reflecting upon the following śloka:— “I am gifting this ear ornament to avoid misfortunes and miseries, by the grace of Āditya and by the benefits of the morning.
“आदित्यस्य प्रसादेन प्रातःस्नानफलेन च ।
दुष्टदौर्भाग्यदुःखघ्नं मया दत्तं तु तालकम्”
If one cannot afford to worship Sūryanārāyaṇa in a golden idol, his (reflected image) in water may be worshipped. He may be worshipped in both ways too. It is auspicious to do japa, pārāyaṇa of Sāvitrāshṭāksharamahāmantra, SūryaGāyatri, Aruṇamantra of Yajurveda, Mahāsauramantra of Ṛgveda, Saurasāma and Ādityahṛdaya and others, which are dear to Sūrya. After this worship is completed, it is also excellent to have the darśan of the Sūryamanḍalotsava of the idol of God which has been brought in a procession from a temple, or even of the Rathotsava. We come across the custom of distributing sesame seeds mixed with condiments on the day of RathaSaptamī also as in Saṅkrānti, for obtaining peace.
Tradition
Tradition and dos and don‘ts. (in the format of questions and answers)
Question 1: - The first question arises regarding Sūryadeva himself, who happens to be the deity to be worshipped on that day. Why should Sūrya be worshipped? As the scientists know, it is just a physical object; it is a huge great globe containing very large amounts of helium gas and keeps burning by that. What is the benefit one gets by worshipping it?
Answer: - “The benefits we get from the Sun are beyond description. There can be no light for any (living being), without the Sun and no life force and no food. Even plants and trees plants prepare their food with the help of sunlight, isn’t it? Sunlight is necessary even for the life of a creature like an owl which hates sunlight. The sun is the ordainer of time and deeds. All these viz. our birth, life (sustenance) and death are dependent on the Sun. It is impossible to imagine life without the Sun—‘No Sun, no life’.
Moreover the sun is a very wonderful phenomenon. There is no other matter that is equal to or greater than him. He is a matchless matter that appears new every day without causing any boredom, even though he is born every day. “नवो नवो भवति जायमानः” Though very very ancient, he is a treasure of beauty, which is ever new. At the same time, he is a terrible treasure of lustre. What a fierce beauty is the Sun! This is how he has captivated the poets. Our ancestors started worshipping this matter as God which is the support of life and a source of wonder. This is due to the emotional feelings. Especially the Bhāratīyas, the Aztec and Inca races who lived in the South American’ countries of Mexico and Peru started the worship of the Sun and continued it for these reasons. Some even say that a group of Indians which migrated to South America and settled there, developed this tradition of worshipping of the Sun.
“Indians are pioneers in attributing divinity to the things of wonder present in nature and worshipping them. For example, their custom of serpent worship. The serpent is helpful to us as it devours insects, worms and very small animals which cause nuisance to people. Also the snake is an object of fear. One may get killed by its bite! Even then, how beautiful is this creature Nāgappa! Even though it is a creature belonging to the species of worms, how capable it is! It can crawl on the ground, swim in water and can jump in the air. Did not the (the feelings like) gratitude, fear and wonder regarding this (creature) become a reason for worshipping it in our country? So also is the matter with the Sun”. -This is the answer provided by some. But the sun need not be worshipped just for this reason. Because, even if we do not worship the Sun, benefits keep on coming to us from him. If he is just a wonderful (object) let us feel happy singing poems on him. But the question as to why he should be worshipped still remains. The answer to this has to be graced by Sūryanārāyaṇa himself who is the form of the truth that can be understood by experience, and the Sūrya of our intellect who is HIS incarnation in our body.
The Sanātana Ārya Bhārata Maharshis brought into practice the worship of Sūrya visualizing that, in reality, the sun is the greatest symbol, a representative and a resembler of the paramātma Sūrya, and a supreme medium for the worship of that paramātma Sūrya the supreme effulgent light. Paramātma is indeed matchless. There is nothing (in the universe) which can be compared to him. Even then, nothing else (or none else) has the eligibility to be an image, a representative, a sign and a symbol of HIM than that of the Sun, who resembles HIM most. Like God himself, he is a treasure of great lustre, a great dispeller of darkness and the greatest among the greatest. “महतो हमीयान्”. He is all pervading. He provides life force. He causes creation, sustenance and destruction. Though he is at a very great distance, he makes us blossom by his rays. He is Lord of a great multitude (of astral bodies). Like God who is perceptible in the inner sky of divine knowlege, he shines in the external sky effulgently. He shows equality to all. He is self luminous and makes others shine with his splendour. All other lights get merged in his effulgence. Though in reality he does not rise or set (or travel), he appears to people to be doing so. Being the controller, cause, destroyer and purifier etc of all, his resemblance to God is matchless.
Sāligrāma, Śivaliṅga, Śrīcakra, Yantras and idols may be the media for the worship of paramātma. But Sūrya is superior to all of them. It is because he is a sacred medium that is not manmade. It is an inexhaustible medium. An invaluable form that cannot be stolen by thieves. His effulgence, the spherical shape, and the purusha his soul- all these are all venerable to us. But the supreme deity who is hidden in the Sun is the aim of our meditation. The upanishadic statements such as —
“Worship the Hiraṇmaya Purusha who is the soul of Āditya” “य एषोऽन्तरादित्ये हिरण्यः पुरुषः”, “The Paramapurusha who dwells in our inner space, is also present in the Sun. They are one and the same. “स यश्चायं पुरुषे, यश्चासावादित्ये, स एकः” “Oh Pūshan! Ekarshi! Yama! Sūrya!, Prājāpatya! please withdraw your rays. Let me have the darśan of the most auspicious form of yours.” “पूषन्नेकर्षे यम सूर्य प्राजापत्य, व्यूहरश्मीन् समूह । यत्ते रूपं कल्याणतमं तत्ते पश्यामि” etc., proclaim the upāsana of the parañjyoti which stays in the image of Āditya. The object of worship in all these is not the globe of burning helium. If one penetrates into it by dhyānayoga and notices the tattva which is the paramātmaparañjyoti in the inner sanctum sanctorum, then the arguments that emerge from superficial knowledge such as “Worship of the Sun is the worship of the physical Sun, Worship of wonders of nature” etc. shatter, and the light of the heart of the great sages will be revealed to us.
Question 2: - Jnānis say that God is one without a second. If Sūrya is the representative of paramātma, the śāstras should have stated that there is only one Āditya. Why then the śāstras mention that there are twelve Suns such as Vivasvān, Bhaga, Aryamā, etc? Are there twelve paramāthmas?
Answer: - In reality twelve Ādityas are not there. The same Āditya is called by different names in each of the twelve months. Similarly there are twelve names such as, Keśava, Nārāyaṇa etc. for the same paramātma Sūrya. He is worshipped as a dvādasamūrti in twelve places such as lalāta, heart and others with the sacred names such as Keśava etc.
Question 3: - Purāṇas state that there are twelve Ādityas. But in Taittirīyāraṇyaka it is declared that there are eight Suns. How can these contradictory statements be taken authoritative?
Answer: - Śrīgurudeva has taught us the inner meaning of this matter. Both the statements are correct. The first statement advocates that the sun is one as the Lord of the twelve months, which we have described before. The second statement indicates the paramātma Sūrya who is steady, who is self effulgent, and a witness to all; and the seven prāṇaSūryas who obtain the effulgence from him and who travel at his comm and. The Vedas also tell this clearly.
Regarding this, the Ācāryas say “There are seven Sūryas. They are Aroga, Bhrāja, Paṭara, Pataṅga, Vikshara, Jyotishīmān and Vibhāsa. The Praṇas, the Jīvas, the Indriyajīvas and the saptaprāṇas dwelling in the seven holes in the head are the seven suns. These seven suns obtain light from the eighth sun called Kaśyapa.
This Kaśyapa Sūrya does not leave the Mahāmeru. The name ‘Kaśyapa’ is the other form of ‘Paśyaka’. It means “The Paramātma who witnesses all”. That Kaśyapa (Paśyaka) Sun is a witness to all. This luminous wonderful crafted universe belongs to that KaśyapaSūrya only. All the seven Sūryas are placed in him. Those who cannot go to Mahāmeru which at the center of the universe, cannot see the Kaśyapa Sūrya.” “आरोगो भ्राजः पटरः पतङ्गः, विक्षरो ज्योतिषीमान् विभासः”
“प्राणो जीवानीन्द्रियजीवानि, सूर्या इत्याचार्याः, कश्यपोऽष्टमः स महामेरुं न जहाति, ….. न हि शेकुरिव महामेरुं गन्तुम्। कश्यपः पश्यको भवति, यत्सर्वं परिपश्यतीति सौक्ष्म्यात्” “ते अस्मै सर्वे कश्यपात् ज्योतिर्लभन्ते”
यत्ते शिल्पं कश्यप रोचनावत्, इन्द्रियावत्पुष्कलं चित्रभानु । यस्मिन् सूर्याअर्पितास्सप्त साकं, तस्मिन्राजानमधिविश्रयेममिति” ॥
Question 4: - It is alright that Paramātma, who is in the Sūryamanḍala shall be an object of worship and meditation. But why should the Sūryamanḍala be worshipped?
Answer: - Sūryamanḍala is the form of ‘Trayī’ (veda) vidyārūpa. “सैषा त्रय्येव विद्या तपति” The paratattva which is expounded by the trayī and hidden in it is none other than Lord Sūryanārāyaṇa.
“ध्येयस्सदा सवितृमण्डलमध्यवर्ती नारायणः।”
As Sūryamanḍala happens to be the medium of worship of Lord Sūryanārāyaṇa, it is indeed adorable to us. The parañjyoti which is the essence of the Vedas and which dwells in that orb, is the main aim there. Isn’t it that the mass of the shell and the fibrous covering which carries the sweet coconut water (Eḷanīru) is also duly called Eḷanīru only, by those who want to relish it? In the same way, the orb, which is a divine mandir for the meditation of paramātma, whom it bears, as HE dwells in its orb, is also venerable
“यन्मण्डलं ज्ञानघनं त्वगम्यं”
Question 5: - What is the number of the horses of the chariot of the Sun?
Answer: The number of horses is seven and it is famous in Itihāsa and purāṇas. And so calling him “सप्ताश्व‘ सप्तसप्ति” is in vogue.
Question 6: - In reality, the Sun does not travel at all. Now, even primary school students know that due to the rotation of the earth the sun appears to rotate. This being the case, there is no point in imagining a chariot for his travel and horses for it. It can be termed only as a physical metaphor. Then which are the horses of the Sun indicated by that metaphor? What is their number? This is the purport of our question. Could it be that the seven colours that appear when Sunrays are split, are the seven horses?
Answer: - The horses that the śāstras state are not physical concepts. It has been already explained that the Sun is a symbol and representative of Paramātma. His seven horses also are tattvas related to paratattva.
Supplementary Question: - Then what are those seven tattvas?
Answer: - The seven prāṇas that are under the control of ātman are the seven horses of paramātma Sūrya. They do travel but there is no motion for the paramātma Sūrya by name Kaśyapa, who is their Lord. He is established in the mahāmeru. The Praṇaśaktis that help him are sometimes called SaptaSūryas, and at other times as Saptāśvas by the śāstras.
Question: As tatvaśāstra puts it, ‘Prāṇa’ is only one force. That itself is called Jyeshṭhaprāna or Mukhyaprāṇa, isn‘t it?
Answer: - It is true that Jyeshṭha or Śreshṭha Prāṇa is one and only one. But spiritual science states that their modes or course of actions are divided into two, five, seven or ten, and they are called pañcaprāna, sapta prāṇa and daśaprāna. This way it may be said that prāṇa is only one, or as seven as per the divisions of its modes. This tattva itself is stated in the vedas as—“The chariot of the Sun is drawn by only one horse and it has seven names. “एको अश्वो वहति सप्तनामा”
Question 6: - By the above explanation one may define the Sun as a Devatā. But how does the parva ‘Rathasaptamī’ becomes a devatā?
Answer: - Rathasaptamī parva is a limb of time. The presiding deity of that component of time is called ‘Rathasaptamī Devatā’. This Rathasaptamī is the mother of the three worlds. Arghya should be offered to Sūryanārāyaṇa accompanied by her.
“जननी सर्वलोकानां सप्तमी रथसप्तमी” “सप्तमीसहितो देव गृहाणार्घ्यं नमो स्तु ते”
This scriptural prayer has been noted earlier.
Question 7: - Why should the leaves of arka be used in the holy bath as part of the vrata?
Answer: - It should be noted that arka is a plant dear to Sūrya. Words such as ‘Ekka’, ‘Erkam’, ‘Ākh’ are only aberrations of the word Arka which denote the Sun.
Question 8: - Arka (Sūrya) and arka patra may sound similar. But what is the relationship between the Sun-God and the leaf of that arka?
Āyurveda says that the leaf of arka is bitter, heat producing, cures vata, śopha, wounds, leprosy, and an antiseptic, and removes the disorders of phlegm and the stomach. But why should Sun god be correlated with the above said arka leaf which possesses many curative properties?
Answer -: We are not correlating. We should only understand the relation that is a natural connection. The touch of arkapatra helps to dry up the Rasa which impedes Brahmacarya, and facilitates the blossoming of the inner spiritual centers in the body, by the Sun God. Therefore it is said to be dear to Sūryanārāyaṇa. Because arkapatra is sacred like this, sāmagas invoke Ṛshis on the arka patra during upākarma.
Question 9: - Why should jujube leaves be used during the holy bath as part of the vrata?
Answer: - According to Āyurveda, the leaf of jujube also has properties such as eradicating of skin diseases, thirst associated with fever, etc It possesses qualities by which the ādhidaivika and ādhyatmika torments are warded off.
Question 10: - Why should the arkapatra and badaripatra be used on that day in sevens only?
Answer: We have already mentioned that the number seven is a mystic number related to the Sun. The tithi is seventh, (saptamī), the number of leaves offered is seven, the number of circumambulations is seven, the number of naivedyas is seven and the number of horses of the Sun is also seven.
Question 11: - Why should the Rathotsavas be begun on that day?
Answer: - This question has been partially answered already in the write-up on Uttarāyaṇapuṇyakāla. Generally all of us are travelling in either Dakshiṇāyana or Pitṛyāna, ie in the path of worldly life. It is auspicious to travel in the uttarāyaṇa or Nivṛttimārga (devayāna) As the distinct time which facilitates it becomes available during the entire uttarāyaṇa, and to a greater extent during the (uttrāyaṇa puṇya kāla) and the Rathasaptamī parva, which falls in the beginning of uttarāyaṇa, we are supposed to draw the uttarāyaṇa (Brahmamārga) chariot. The parva kāla of Rathasaptamī being the bright fortnight and the day (time) are related to the Devayāna path. Everyone draws the chariots of their own ambitions. But fortunate persons should (draw) the chariot of the wish of God with their self happiness and cooperation. For this reason, the festival of chariots of temples usually begin on the day of Rathasaptamī. It is not a Rathotsava of the life of a worldly person. It is the Rathotsava of the wish of paramātma which is the spirit of spirits (“नित्यो नित्यानां चेतनश्चेतनानां”) The fortunate ones who participate in that will find the supreme shore of Brahmamārga. “सोऽध्वनः पारमाप्नोति तद्विष्णोः परमं पदम्” But the pulling of that chariot should not be just a mechanical or a technical or a technological act. It should be an act filled with tattva, Bhāva and Bhakti and should be an act which provides Samskāra.
Question 12: - What is purpose of distributing sesame on that day?
Answer: - This has been already explained in the discussion of MakaraSaṅkrānti parva. Here we briefly state that sesame is a material which wards off troubles and causes peace and prosperity.
Question 13: - Why should the water, which is used for the holy bath on Rathasaptamī, be stirred with the staff of a sugar cane? Why is it laid down that holy water should be stirred before it is touched by others.
Answer: - This holy water is a representative of the form of Rasa of the paramātman who is cool like ambrosia. The scriptural statement “एष ब्रह्म, प्रविष्टोऽस्मि ग्रीष्मे शीतमिव ह्रदम्” (“I shall immerse myself in paramātman, just as I take a dip in a cool lake” during summer) is based on this truth. It is the most ancient thing which is only one and without a second (Ekamevādvitīya), and the one which is not subject to any vikāra “सदेव सोम्येदमग्र आसीत्”, as proclaimed by the Vedas. “That should be stirred first with the sugarcane staff in the form of our mind” is the samskāra that is intended in that act of stirring with the sugarcane staff.
Śrī gurudeva had enlightened us the principle behind this as follows:
“The sugar cane staff endowed with nodes represents the parvas of life. It represents our spinal column which has many vertebrae”. A yogi immerses himself in every parva of the staff of life, and in every place of the tattva in the spinal column. Meaningful emulation of that is done by others together with Yogi.
Question 14: - What is the purpose of placing a vessel with a lighted lamp on the head at the time of puṇyasnāna of Rathasaptamī and offering it in the holy waters where the bath is taken?
Answer: - A lighted lamp is a representative of paramātman the Parañjyoti. It is an auspicious dravya. It is also a very great dravya for worship. It is highly apporpirate to light the lamp and place it in the sahasrārasthāna of the head, for the worship of Sūryanārāyaṇa who is another representative of paramātman, the Parañjyoti, a mass of effulgence, a form of auspiciousness and the one who is very highly adorable. The head is the original place of the tree of body. It is the place of confluence of all forces. It is the place of Nārāyaṇa and the place of SadāŚiva. There is no doubt that it is very greatly proper to place that superior worship material (lighted lamp) on that best part of the body (ie the head) which is also the best place for worship.
Subordinate question: Why should the lamp which is related to Sūryadeva be offered in water?
Answer: - One has to immerse himself in Brahma in the form of holy water. The image of Sūryadeva has also appeared in it. It is proper the lighted lamp with which Sūryadeva was worshipped, is let afloat in water, as it is the form of Rasa of Varuṇadevatā, who is an other form of Sūrya.
Question 16: - Why should the wick used in the worship of Sūrya be smeared with safflower juice?
The color of Kusumbha (or Mahārajana) juice is dear to the deity Sūrya. Sūryadeva shines bright like the red hibiscus. “जपाकुसुमसङ्काशं काश्यपेयं महाद्युतिम्”. Among Candanas, the red candana is dear to him. It should be noted that the color of the cloth covering the materials for his worship viz. sesame, flour mixed with jaggery, golden idol, the ear ornament and others should also be red.
Question 17: - Why the Sūryamanḍalotsava is carried out in a special way on Ratha Saptamī?
Answer: - As the Sun is the presiding deity for the festival on that day, it is also the day of festival of worship of Sun-God. As the Lord who is worshipped by yogis is inside the orb of the Sun, it is very greatly auspicious to have the darśan of the utsava of the idol of God who adorns the centre of the circle of effulgence of the sun, immediately after the morning bath and at the time of sunrise.
ध्येयस्सदा सवितृमण्डलमध्यवर्ती,
नारायणस्सरसिजासनसन्निविष्टः ।
अर्कमण्डलमध्यस्थं सूर्यकोटिसमप्रभम् ।
ब्रह्मादिसेव्यपादाब्जम् नौमि ब्रह्म रमासखम् ॥
The (Sun) is the form of paramātma, is the dwelling place of paramātma and is the Mahādvāra of yoga. Yogis travel to the city of parabrahma penetrating the orb of the Sun.
द्वामिमौ पुरुषौ लोके सूर्यमण्डलभेदिनौ ।
परिव्रड् योगयुक्तश्च रणे चाभिमुखो हतः ॥
In this way, the festival is specially celebrated by placing the idol of God in the middle of the orb of the idol of Sūrya, which is related to the nature and character of ParamātmaSūrya in various ways.
It should be noted that during Sūryapūja also which is performed at the time of taking bath, and also while worshipping the Amśas of Sūryadeva, Śiva accompanied by Devi is worshipped, which is evident from the words
“गायत्र्यर्काग्निगोचरः शम्भुः” (Shambhu is visualized in Gāyatri, Sūrya and Agni)