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01-01-2017 TODAY'S MESSAGE FROM TRICHY PRASANNAN
BIRTHDAY OF SUN GOD - RATHA SAPTAMI – 3rd Feb 2017 & Bhishma Ashtami 2017 on 4th Feb 2017
Ratha Saptami or Rathasapthami (Sanskrit: रथसप्तमी or Magha Saptami) is a Hindu festival that falls on the seventh day (Saptami) in the bright half (Shukla Paksha) of the Hindu month Maagha. It is symbolically represented in the form of the Sun God Surya turning his Ratha (Chariot) drawn by seven horses (representing seven colours) towards the northern hemisphere, in a north-easterly direction.
It also marks the birth of Surya and hence celebrated as Surya Jayanti (the Sun-god's birthday).
Ratha Saptami in 2017 is on Friday, 3rd February 2017…
On this day the Moon will be transiting in the star Ashwini, ruled by Ketu. The sons of the Sun, Ashwini Kumara or the celestial healers, are the presiding deities of the star Ashwini. According to the Vedic tradition, they are the first rays of the sun that radiate healing energy. They also maintain primary control over the 7 horses of the Sun's chariot. This day also has favorable energy to bestow good health and youthfulness.
The star lord Ketu will be in the 11th house from the Moon, the House of desire and dreams, making it an ideal day to seek blessings for fulfillment of desires and all-round success. The Gnanakaraka (enlightenment planet) rules this star of the day, satisfying your quest for knowledge and creates the awareness of how to lead a positive life.
Ratha Saptami is symbolic of the change of season to spring and the start of the harvesting season. For most Indian farmers, it is an auspicious beginning of the New Year. The festival is observed by all Hindus in their houses and in innumerable temples dedicated to Surya, across India.
Sun worship is deep rooted in the Vedas of the Hindu religion and its antiquity also relates to several mythologies of the world such as that of China, Egypt and Mesopotamia. The Gayatri Mantra japa – the sacred Vedic chants to Savitr (Sun god) – is recited by the Hindus every day with great reverence. As the puranic Hinduism evolved, the worship of Sun was established.
In the Rig Veda Mandala 10/Hymn 85, the sun god's bride seated on a chariot pulled by two steeds is mentioned. This symbolism is therefore common to both Norse mythology and Vedic history.
The relevant verses (translated from Sanskrit by Ralph Griffith) are as follows:
Her spirit was the bridal car; the covering thereof was heaven: Bright were both Steeds that drew it when Surya approached her husband's, home.
Thy Steeds were steady, kept in place by holy verse and Sama-hymn: All cars were thy two chariot wheels: thy path was tremulous in the sky,
Clean, as thou wentest, were thy wheels wind, was the axle fastened there. Surya, proceeding to his Lord, mounted a spirit-fashionied car.
Religious significance
On the auspicious day of Ratha Saptami Rangoli is drawn in rath shapes representing the sun chariot with seven horses. On Ratha Saptami one should take bath during Arunodaya before sunrise. The important ritual on the day is taking bath using seven Erukku leaves or crown leaves (Jiledu) or copper leaves (Ragi) is tradition. This is followed mainly in Tamil Nadu. The mantra should chant thrice while bathing is
"Sapta Sapta Maha Sapta, Sapta Dweepa Vasundhra, Sapta Arka Paramadaara, Saptami Ratha Saptami"
Ratha Saptami is symbolically represented in the form of the Sun God Surya turning his Ratha (Chariot) drawn by seven horses, with Aruṇa as the charioteer, towards the northern hemisphere, in a north-easterly direction. The symbolic significance of the ratha and the seven horses reigned to it is that it represents the seven colours of the rainbow. The seven horses are also said to represent the seven days of a week starting with Sunday, the day of Sun god Surya.
The chariot has 12 wheels, which represents the 12 signs (each of 30 degrees) of the Zodiac (360 degrees) and constituting a full year, named Samvatsara. The Sun's own house is Leo (Simha) and he moves from one house to the next every month and the total cycle takes 365 days to complete. The Ratha Saptami festival seeks the benevolent cosmic spread of energy and light from the Sun God.
Ratha Saptami also marks the gradual increase in temperature across South India and awaits the arrival of spring, which is later heralded by the festival of Ugadi or the Hindu lunar New Year day in the month of Chaitra.
Ratha Saptami also marks the birth of Surya to sage Kashyapa and his wife Aditi and hence celebrated as Surya Jayanti (the Sun-god's birthday).
A legend is narrated by the Kamboj empire's King Yashovarma, a noble king who had no heir to rule his kingdom. On his special prayers to God, he was blessed with a son. The king's vows did not end with this, as his son was terminally ill. A saint who visited the king advised that his son should perform the Ratha Saptami pooja (worship) with reverence to rid of his past sins. Once the King's son performed this, his health was restored and he ruled his kingdom well.
It is also said that sage Bhisma breathed his last breath fourth day after the Rathasaptahmi day on ekaadashi
There are Surya temples all across India where Ratha Sapthami is fervently celebrated. However, the most famous one is the World Heritage Site of the Konarak Sun Temple, in Konark, Orissa.
Besides Konark, there is another sun temple in Orissa, the Biranchi Narayan Temple (Biranchi khetra) in Buguda, Ganjam District. There are sun temples in Modhera, Gujarat, created by king Bhimdev of the Chaulukya dynasty, in Arasavalli, Andhra Pradesh and in clusters of Navagraha temples in Tamil Nadu and Assam. The Sun Temple at Martand (Jammu and Kashmir) and Sun Temple of Multan are temples, which were destroyed during Muslim conflicts in the past. Details of few temples are elaborated.
Religious observances
God Vishnu in his form as Surya (the Sun-God) is usually worshipped on this day.
Usually, Rathasapthami begins in households with a purification bath (bathing is also done in a river or sea) by holding several Ekka (Calotropis Gigantea) leaves on their head while bathing and chanting a verse which is supposed to invoke the benevolence of the Lord in all that one indulges in during the rest of the year.
Argyam or (Tharpanam) (water held in the palms) is offered to the Sun God on this day while chanting hymns are performed to the Sun God. It also involves doing a puja with the ritual Naivedhya (food offering to God), and offering of flowers and fruits. Important prayers offered to the Sun god on this occasion are the Adityahridayam, Gayathri, Suryashtakam, Surya Sahasram namam. The preferred time for the pooja is within one hour after sunrise.
In places like Mysore and Melkote, ceremonial processions carry the Surya Mandala - the icon of Surya.
Ekka leaves (in Kannada), are also known as Arka (in Sanskrit, meaning a ray or flash of lightning) leaves, Jilledu in Telugu, Erukku in Tamil and Calotropis Gigantea (bowstring hemp) in English. Arka is also a synonym for Surya or Sun. Its significance to Sun God could be compared to the significance of Tulsi (Ocimum tenuiflorum) leaves to Vishnu.
Arka leaves are also used for worship of god Ganesha known by the name Arka Ganesha and also for Hanuman worship. Its stems, called samidha (sacrificial offerings of wood) are used for the Yagna ritual as a sacrificial offering to a ritual fire. Its shape is said to represent the shoulders and chariot of Sun God.
Its use during the ritualistic ceremonious bath involves placement of seven leaves
One on the head,
Two on the shoulders,
Two on the knees and
Two on the feet.
On this day, in South India, Rangoli is drawn with coloured rice powder depicting a chariot and seven horses as symbolic of the Ratha Saptami. Cowdung cake is also burnt at the centre of this depiction and milk boiled on the fire is offered to the Sun God. In some of the important Vaishnavite temples such as the Tirumala, Srirangam, Srirangapattana and Melukote, Ratha Saptami is one of the important festivals of the year.
In Tirumala
On Ratha sapthami a one-day Brahmotsavam is held in Tirumala.On this day, the presiding deity of Lord Malayappa Swamy along with his divine consorts Sridevi and Bhudevi are taken to a procession in Thiru Mada streets in Tirumala. The deities carried out in a jubilant procession around the Thiru mada streets encircling the holy Shrine of Balaji on seven different vahanams(sapthami=seven) .Due to this reason the day of RathaSapthami is called as "Mini-Brahmotsavam" in Tirumala.The day starts with 'Surya prabha vahanam' at early morning followed by Sesha, Garuda, Hanuman, Kalpavriksha, sarvabhoopala vahanams respectively.The day is ended with the Chandra prabha vahanam.
Bhishma Ashtami 2017
Magha Shukla Ashtami is death anniversary of Bhishma Pitamah, one of the most prominent characters of the great Indian epic, the Mahabharata and this day is known as Bhishma Ashtmai. Bhishma bowed for celibacy and followed it throughout his life. Due to his loyalty and devotion to his father Pitamah Bhishma was blessed with boon to choose the time of his death.
When he got injured in the battle of Mahabharata he didn't leave his body due to his boon. He waited for the auspicious moment to give up his body. According to Hindu belief God Suryadev moves in South direction during half of year which is inauspicious period and all auspicious activities are postponed till Suryadev starts moving back in North direction. Pitamah Bhishma chose Magha Shukla Ashtami to give up his body and by this time Suryadev started moving back in North direction or Uttarayana (उत्तरायण).
This day People do Ekodishta (एकोदिष्ट) Shradhha for him. His Shradhha has been prescribed for those who have lost their father. However many believe that his Shradhha rituals can be performed by all irrespective of their father being alive or dead.
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Bhishma Ashtami 2017
Magha Shukla Ashtami is death anniversary of Bhishma Pitamah, one of the most prominent characters of the great Indian epic, the Mahabharata and this day is known as Bhishma Ashtmai. Bhishma bowed for celibacy and followed it throughout his life. Due to his loyalty and devotion to his father Pitamah Bhishma was blessed with boon to choose the time of his death.
When he got injured in the battle of Mahabharata he didn't leave his body due to his boon. He waited for the auspicious moment to give up his body. According to Hindu belief God Suryadev moves in South direction during half of year which is inauspicious period and all auspicious activities are postponed till Suryadev starts moving back in North direction. Pitamah Bhishma chose Magha Shukla Ashtami to give up his body and by this time Suryadev started moving back in North direction or Uttarayana (उत्तरायण).
This day People do Ekodishta (एकोदिष्ट) Shradhha for him. His Shradhha has been prescribed for those who have lost their father. However many believe that his Shradhha rituals can be performed by all irrespective of their father being alive or dead.
N Jambunathan (Ex: REVL & IMPAL)
Rengarajapuram-Kodambakkam-Chennai-Mob:9176159004
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