Ratha Saptami significance

After Pongal, the festival of thanksgiving and worship of the Sun, the observance of Ratha Saptami, also known as Arogya (health) day, is the next major celebration of both the physical and spiritual world, said Damal S. Ramakrishnan in a discourse.

Ratha Saptami or Surya Jayanthi is the day when the Sun, the source of energy for all life forms, changes direction, moving from southeast to northeast. He is visualised as doing so on his seven-horse chariot. Those who seek him today for physical nourishment (providing abundance of produce) and a life free from illness will find their prayers answered. Yoga sastra celebrates surya namaskar as being highly beneficial for one’s mental, physical and emotional well being.

Veda Vyasa highlights the efficacy of praying to the Sun god for ridding oneself of one’s sins. When Bhishma, lying on his bed of arrows, awaits the start of Uttarayan, to breathe his last, he is unable to shed his mortal coil and, puzzled, he seeks Veda Vyasa’s advise. “I have not indulged in sinful deeds in this life and I have adhered to dharma. Why then am I unable to attain moksha?” Vyasa points out that merely adhering to good conduct, personally, is not enough. One should also condemn sinful deeds that one comes across. “For example, when Draupadi was disrobed, you were present. You saw it with your own eyes, your mind knew it was a sin, you heard her cries for help with your ears, but you did nothing to stop it. Only one source of energy can help you: pray to Surya [Sun god], he might offer a solution.”

When Bhishma prayed to Surya, the latter suggested the he place seven erukkai leaves (Calotropis gigantea) one on the head, one over each eye, one on each shoulder and one on each foot and pray to overturn the ‘sins’ of omission. The seven leaves symbolise the seven sins such as sinning with the body, mind, words (tongue), sins committed in current birth and those committed in previous lives; sins committed both knowingly and unknowingly.