Rathasapthami
Magha Shukla Sapthami is celebrated as Rathasapthami from ancient days in our land of Vedic culture. Lord Surya’s worship is as ancient as human life on the earth. Our sacred texts proclaim Surya-Sun God as ‘Karma Sakshee Divakarah’, Surya is an eyewitness to whatever we humans do since his rays enter everywhere.
He is also termed ‘Surya Narayana’ since Lord Mahavishnu has bestowed special powers on him, without whose presence we would not have seen the light of a day!
The Vedas praise lord Surya deva as Savitur, in Soura Suktam of Rigveda. ‘Udutyam jatavedasam devam vahanti ketavah’ says the Suktam dedicated to the Sun god.
He is also called ‘Sooryaaya Vishva chakshase’ (the eye of the Universe). Worshipping the Sun as the deity has been a common practice since ancient days in our country. Even a farmer in a village home or a worker, unaware of any particular prayer, looks at the rising Sun and does namaskaram with folded hands, as soon as he looks at the Sun rising in the east.
Sapthami, the 7th day of every Telugu month, is very significant to Surya Deva. He is the lord of planets- grahanam jyotiradityah duritakshaya karakah’, – Sun gives his luminosity to other planets and also wards off their evil effects on humans, according to Shastras.
Magha Sukla Sapthami is the day when the Sun god is worshipped as the main deity. Each year, we get, 2 days in a month, and hence 24 Sapthami days, of which Magha Shukla Sapthami is a very auspicious day. On this day, the Sun changes its path towards the North.
On this Rathasapthami day, early in the morning people take a bath in sacred rivers, wells, ponds, and pilgrim centers keeping Arka leaves on both shoulders signifying the Sun as protector. This day is named ‘Rathasapthami’.
Women prepare special Payasam of broken wheat/rice, and jaggery with ghee and offer it to the Sun God in an earthen pot and offer red flowers to him. This is considered auspicious and pleasing to the Sun god.
‘Arogyam bhaskarad icchet’ – one has to pray to the Sun God for good health shastras say.
Lord Sri Ramachandra, an incarnation of Lord Vishnu was initiated by Agastya rishi to recite ‘Aditya Hrudayam’ in Ramayana, when he found Ravana, very powerful to defeat and kill. Aditya Hridayam is a very powerful stothram which is to be recited every day to ward off all evil effects of planets in bad dashas for blessing us with good health and prosperity.
‘Aaditya Hrudayam Punyam sarva shatru vinashakam, jayavaham japennityam’
Aditya Hrudaya Stotram is very powerful which gives us victory, good health and prosperity, longevity, and much more, says the Stotram. Lord Surya is remembered as ‘Namaskarapriyah’ one who is easily pleased by offering Surya Namaskaras to Him.
Surya grahana tulya sa Shukla mahasya Sapthamee |
Arunodaya velayam snanam tatra mahaphalam ||
Says Bhavishya Puranam. This means ‘Magha Shukla Sapthami’ is equal to the day of the Solar eclipse – a Parvakalam, a very auspicious occasion to offer our prayers to the Sun god. One has to have a bath before the Sun rises and offer Arghyam to Lord Suryanarayana.
Rathasaptami In Tirumala
Rathasapthami, popularly known as ‘Surya Jayanthi’. On this holy day, Lord Malayappaswami takes a ride on seven celestial vahanams and hence it is also called “One-day Brahmotsavam”. On Rathasapthami day, One-day Brahmotsavam begins with Suryaprabha Vahanam and concludes with Chandraprabha Vahanam. It is a rare glimpse for the devotees to witness all seven vahanams on a single day in Tirumala on this auspicious occasion.
List of Vahanams being taken on Rathasapthami Day in Tirumala
Surya Prabha Vahanam
Chinna Sesha Vahanam
Garuda Vahanam
Hanumad Vahanam
Chakrasnanam
Kalpavruksha Vahanam
Sarvabhupala Vahanam
Chandra Prabha Vahanam
The Rathasapthami festival will also be held in almost all the local TTD temples grandly.
