Ratha Sapthami
Ratha Sapthamy is on 24 011 2018, Wednesday, this year.
3rd February 2017 - Rathasapathami will be celebrated.
In 2016, Ratha Sapthami falls on Sunday, 14th February.
This posting was done in 2012.
This years Ratha Sapthami falls on 30th January 2012. The sapthami during waxing phase of moon,
Sukhla Paksha in the month of Magara is the day celebrated as Ratha
Sabthami. According to Hindu belief,
Sun God rides a chariot with seven horses and a single wheel. The Pooja for him on this day is carried out
especiallly in Maharastra, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Tamilnadu. In orissa, the day is observed as Maha
Sapthami. Though the celebration varies
from region to region, a kolam of surya is made generally at all places. It is said that the earth's inclination is
the highest towards the Sun on the Ratha Sapthami day. The temperature in South India increases
steadily from here and heralds spring and the new years of Ugadi and Tamil New
year. In Tamilnadu, the practice for
ladies is to take bath with Erukku (Arka patra) leaves and turmeric powder on the
head and men with Erukku leave and rice.
The sloga told while taking bath is:
“Saptha Saptha Maha Saptha, Saptha Dweepa Vasundara, Sapth
Arka Parna Madaya, Sapthamyam Snana Machareth”.
A longer version of the sloka to be told is:
Sapthsapthi-priye devi
Sapthalogaiga deepike!
Sapth-janmaarjitham papam
Hara sapthami sathvaram (1)
Yanmayaathrakrutham papam
poorvam sapthasoojanmasoo!
thathsarvam cho' kamohou cha
maakaree hanthu sapthami
(2)
Namaami sapthameem devim
Sarvapaapa-pranaasi'neem!
sapthaarkka - pathra - snaanena
Mama papam vyabohathu!
(3)
-2.jpg)
The practice of taking bath with Arka leaf (Erukku) has its
origin of Mahabharatha. Bheeshma was in
his death bed of arrows but though Uttarayana came he could not leave his
mortal body. He was worrying about that,
when Veda Vyasa came nearby. Bheeshma asked
Vedavyasa why he was not able to leave this world though he had the boon that
he could die whenever he wanted. Vyasa
told - Though one did not commit any sin by thought, word and deed but did not
prevent papam being done before his eyes and stood helpless too, had committed
sin. You had witnessed Panjali being
disrobed but kept quiet even as she was calling/wailing for help to Sree
Krishna. You were witnessing what was happening and you deserved punishment for
your eyes which acted as if not seen, for the ears which acted as if not heard,
your mouth as it did not speak out to others to stop that, the strong shoulders
which did not act and hands which did not take the sword, your legs which did
not make you to get up from your seat, your head which housed the brain which
did not think of the good at that time.
Bheesma said to Vyasa that normal fire cannot burn these parts of the
body and the heat of Surya or Aditya was needed and requested Vyasa to pour on
him the Sakthi of Surya. Vyasa showed
him the leaves of Arka (Erukku) and told Bheeshma, these leaves are nothing but
the sun, as Arka means Surya. I would
place the leaves on the part of the body requiring punishment which would
purify you. As the leaves were kept on
him, Bheeshma's mind attained Shanti and he also attained Mukthi. Thus came the importance of taking bath with
Arka leaves and also for placing the leaves on our head and taking bath to get
over the sins. (Updated recently)
It is also customary to put Ratha rangoli on this day both
in front of the house and also in the pooja room.
The Hindus of Goa too celebrate as an auspicious day. In the courtyard milk is boiled in earthen
vessels facing the sun. Then Paramannam or sweet rice is prepared using the
above milk. The payasam cooked with new rice is offered to Sun God as
Neivedyam.
In year 2014, Ratha Sapthami was on 6th February.
Prayers to Adithyan and his sarathy Arun during
Rathasapthami day this year will be on 14th February 2016.
Ratha Sapthami is on 12th February, Tuesday this year 2019.
No comments:
Post a Comment