Āditya Vāra Kalpa

Āditya Vāra Kalpa · āditya-vāra kalpa, “the rule of the days of Āditya”

The Āditya Vāra Kalpa is the part of the Brahma Parva of the Bhavishya Purāṇa, Chapters 82 to 92, that teaches the Twelve Vāras of Sūrya (Dvādaśa Sūrya Vāra), the twelve holy days of Bhagavān Sūrya. A vāra here is a day of the week or a holy day marked by a tithi or a yoga of the sky. Dindi, whom Brahmā addresses as Gaṇādhipa, asked what fruit comes to those who worship Bhagavān Sūrya on Bhānu Vāra (Sunday) and do snāna and dāna on that day, and Brahmā answered him.

The twelve are Nandā, Bhadrā, Saumya, Kāmada, Putrada, Jaya, Jayanta, Vijaya, Ādityābhimukha, Hṛdaya, Rogaha and Mahāśvetāpriya. Most fall on a Sunday joined with a tithi, a nakshatra, a saṃkramaṇa or an eclipse. Two fall on a shashṭhī, one on a Rohiṇī Sunday, one on a Sunday shashṭhī of Mārgaśira, one on a saptamī of Māgha, and the others on Sundays of the ayana, of the nakshatras, of a saṃkramaṇa or of a solar eclipse. Each has its time and its phala, and most have their flowers, sandal, dhūpa and naivedya. Offerings differ from day to day: jāji flowers, red water-lilies, oleander, arka flowers, white and red sandal, guggulu, pāyasa and bhakshya, the sweet cake; the phala runs from freedom from pāpa and disease to sons, wealth and Sūryaloka. They remove every pāpa and fear, and the one who keeps even one of them by rule gains dharma, artha and kāma.

The twelve vāras

The merit of Sunday

Dindi added that a Saptamī joined with a Sunday is called Puṇyā Saptamī, and is also named Vijayā, and he wished to hear how holy it is. Brahmā said:

• People who offer a śrāddha on the day of Āditya remain free of disease through seven births.
• Those who on that day, with steady mind, take only the nakta meal, and before it do japa of the excellent Āditya Hṛdaya, stay healthy here and afterwards reach Sūryaloka.
• Those who always fast on Sundays and do japa of Mahāśvetā obtain the things they desire.
• Those who do japa of Mahāśvetā under a day-and-night rule of nakta, or under a three-night rule, fulfil the wishes they hold.
• One who, especially on the day of Bhagavān Sūrya, does japa of the Sūrya Shaḍaksharī (the six-syllable mantra of Sūrya) and of Mahāśvetā goes to Sūryaloka.

Then he names the twelve vāras of Āditya in their order.

Source: Bhavishya Purāṇa, Brahma Parva, Chapter 82

Nandā

The shashṭhī of Māgha śukla paksha bears the name Nandā. One who keeps the Sūrya vrata on this day is freed of every pāpa and every fear and becomes a king. Bathing Bhagavān Sūrya with ghee and keeping the nakta vrata are declared to give puṇya.

• Flowers: agise flowers.
• Gandha: white sandal, the best fragrant paste.
• Dhūpa: guggulu, the best dhūpa.
• Naivedya: a bhakshya (sweet cake), the best naivedya, made of wheat or barley flour, jaggery and ghee, to the measure of a kuñcam.

Keeping speech restrained, one gives a bhakshya vāyana (a gift of cakes) with dakshiṇā to a paurāṇika brāhmaṇa, one versed in the Purāṇas, and then eats. Some say nakta is at the sight of the stars, and others say it is the last part of the day, less one muhūrta. Brahmā gives his own view: nakta is at the sight of the stars.

The gift is given in a clean gold vessel, or placed before Bhagavān Sūrya, and the brāhmaṇa receives it. The giver says: “Born of Sūrya, formed from Sūrya’s tejas, made by the hands of Rājñī: this bhakshya I give to you for my welfare, bowing to Sūrya with bhakti. O best of vipras, receive it.” The receiver says: “Giving what is wished, giving happiness, in keeping with dharma, giving wealth, giving sons, may this bhakshya protect you. This, dear to Bhāskara, I receive.” These two mantras of giving and receiving, Brahmā says, are dear to Bhagavān Sūrya.

The phala. One who worships Bhagavān Sūrya by this rite is freed of all pāpa and shines in Sūryaloka. In his family there is no poverty and no disease, and his offspring do not perish. On leaving Sūryaloka he is born on earth as a king, rich in heaps of jewels, shining with tejas like that of Bhagavān Sūrya. To those who read or hear this rite, Bhagavān Sūrya gives happiness and unwavering Lakshmī.

Source: Bhavishya Purāṇa, Brahma Parva, Chapter 82

Bhadrā

The shashṭhī of Bhādrapada śukla paksha is called Bhadrā. One who keeps nakta upavāsa on that day mounts a haṃsa-yāna (swan vehicle) and goes to Sūryaloka.

Bhagavān Sūrya is worshipped at midday with jāji flowers, white sandal and Vijaya dhūpa, with pāyasa of ghee and jaggery as naivedya. One gives dakshiṇā to a brāhmaṇa as one is able, and then, with speech restrained, eats.

The phala. One who worships him thus with bhakti obtains all he wishes, in the form of wife, sons, wealth and the rest, is freed of every pāpa and reaches Sūryaloka. By hearing this vrata and by doing it a person is released from pāpas.

Source: Bhavishya Purāṇa, Brahma Parva, Chapter 83

Saumya

If Rohiṇī nakshatra falls on a Sunday, that day attains saumyatva (gentleness), so it is called Saumya. Snāna, dāna, japa and homa done on it become akshaya (imperishable). One who takes up the nakta vrata and worships Bhagavān Sūrya on this day reaches Sūryaloka.

He is worshipped with red water-lilies, red sandal and fragrant dhūpa, with pāyasa as naivedya. After the pūjā one gives dakshiṇā to a brāhmaṇa and eats together with one’s household.

The phala. One who worships Bhānudeva on this vāra obtains the Sūrya-tejas shaped by Viśvakarmā.

Source: Bhavishya Purāṇa, Brahma Parva, Chapter 84

Kāmada

A Sunday falling on Mārgaśira śukla shashṭhī is called the Kāmada vāra, always dear to Bhagavān Sūrya. One who worships Bhāskara on that day with bhakti and śraddhā is freed of every pāpa and reaches him.

The pūjā is done with oleander flowers mixed with red sandal, with the smoke of ghee offered into the fire as dhūpa and hot, fragrant pulagam (rice cooked with pulse) as naivedya, either with upavāsa or by the nakta rule.

Worshipped thus, Bhāskara, who gives light to the worlds, gives all kāmas, and that is why it is called Kāmada. He gives sons to those who desire sons, wealth to those who desire wealth, auspicious learning to students and health to the sick, and fulfils all other wishes as well. On that day Bhagavān Sūrya himself is called Kāmada.

The phala. A devotee, the ornament of his line, who offers ghee bhakshyas to Bhagavān Sūrya that day has tejas like Indra‘s and goes to the sthāna of Bhagavān Sūrya.

Source: Bhavishya Purāṇa, Brahma Parva, Chapter 85

Putrada

If on a Sunday there falls a nakshatra having five stars, namely Rohiṇī, Punarvasu, Maghā, Hasta and Viśākhā, it is called the Putrada vāra. It is for one who wants offspring. On that day one fasts, offers a śrāddha, and eats the middle piṇḍa.

1. With bhakti and śraddhā, fasting, one worships Bhagavān Sūrya with dhūpa, garlands, upahāras and divine fragrances.
2. At night, in front of him, one does japa of Mahāśvetā and sleeps on the ground.
3. One rises at dawn, bathes, and gives arghya with water mixed with red sandal and oleander flowers.
4. One worships Bhagavān Sūrya, Graheśvara, Īśvara of the grahas, and then performs the śrāddha by the Pārvaṇa method, dear to him.
5. Five brāhmaṇas are the bhoktās: two called Magha are set as the Divya, and three called Bhīma as the Bhauma.
6. When the śrāddha is finished, the middle piṇḍa is placed before Bhagavān Sūrya. The performer stands before him, consecrates the piṇḍa with the mantra and eats it.

The mantra says: “O Bhagavān Sūrya! This piṇḍa, ever dear to you, I eat in your presence. As its fruit I shall have offspring. By your grace this wished-for fruit will come: so my mind has resolved.”

The phala. To one who worships him and eats the middle piṇḍa thus, the King of Grahas gives a son, and so this is reckoned his Putrada vāra. The one who keeps it obtains a son, wealth, gold, health and a happy life, goes to Sūryaloka, and is then a cakravartī on earth. He shines equal to Bhagavān Sūrya in tejas, like the moon in radiance, equal to Bhāskara or Vishṇu in valour, and like the ocean in depth.

Source: Bhavishya Purāṇa, Brahma Parva, Chapter 86

Jaya

A Sunday in Dakshiṇāyana is called the Jaya vāra. For the pleasure of Bhagavān Sūrya, the upavāsa and nakta vratas and the snāna, dāna and japa done that day give a hundredfold fruit, so one should keep nakta and the like.

Source: Bhavishya Purāṇa, Brahma Parva, Chapters 86–87

Jayanta

The Sunday in Uttarāyaṇa is the Jayanta vāra. Bhagavān Sūrya is worshipped that day, and such pūjā gives a thousandfold fruit; he gives that same fruit to snāna, dāna and other acts done that day.

1. The Devadeva is bathed with ghee, milk and sugarcane juice.
2. He is anointed with kuṅkuma paste, the excellent anointing, dear to him.
3. Guggulu is used as dhūpa and laḍḍuvas as naivedya.
4. After the pūjā there is a homa with sesame.
5. After the homa, brāhmaṇas are fed with laḍḍuvas and sesame cakkilas.

The phala. To one who worships him thus with mantras, the Devadeva gives a thousandfold fruit, pleased with the snāna, dāna, japa, upavāsa dīkshā and the rest done that day.

Source: Bhavishya Purāṇa, Brahma Parva, Chapter 87

Vijaya

In śukla paksha, a Saptamī joined with Rohiṇī nakshatra is called the Vijayāditya vāra, which removes every pāpa. A puṇya act done that day gets a koṭi-fold fruit, and when Bhagavān Sūrya is worshipped so, he gives the same. Snāna, dāna, japa, homa, the worship of pitṛs and devas, nakta and upavāsa are all directed to Bhagavān Sūrya, so at such a yoga of nakshatra, tithi and vāra a person should worship him without lapse.

Brahmā names him in this chapter:

• Sarveśvara, master of all
• Saptadvīpeśvara, ruler of the seven dvīpas
• Saptāśva-rathārūḍha, seated in the ratha of seven horses
• Sapta-prakṛti-sambhava, source of the seven prakṛtis
• Saptaraśmi, of seven rays

The phala. By the grace of Saptaraśmi, one who worships him on this Saptamī gains lordship of the seven lokas.

Source: Bhavishya Purāṇa, Brahma Parva, Chapter 88

Ādityābhimukha

The Saptamī of Māgha kṛshṇa paksha is the Ādityābhimukha vāra.

1. On the previous day one takes ekabhukta (one meal).
2. The next day at dawn one does snāna and the morning duties, then the pūjā of Bhagavān Sūrya.
3. One prepares a post of red sandal, four bāras (arm-spans) in length, well formed, slender, without knots, even and firm.
4. Leaning on that post with bhakti, facing Bhagavān Sūrya and doing japa of the Mahāśvetā mantra, one remains so until sunset.
5. One does his pūjā with gandha, flowers and other materials, gives dakshiṇā to a brāhmaṇa, and only then, with speech restrained, eats.

The phala. Bhānudeva is pleased with one who carries out this Abhimukha vāra vrata for his sake, and gives all he wishes: wealth, grain, offspring, health, aiśvarya, fame and the rest. So one should worship Deveśa on that day.

Source: Bhavishya Purāṇa, Brahma Parva, Chapter 89

Hṛdaya

If a Sūrya saṃkramaṇa falls on a Sunday, it is called the Hṛdaya vāra, dear to Bhagavān Sūrya.

1. One worships him with bhakti under the nakta vrata.
2. One goes to the Sūrya mandira and there, facing him, recites the Āditya Hṛdaya one hundred and eight times, or else meditates on him in the mind until sunset.
3. One returns home and feeds brāhmaṇas as one is able.
4. Keeping mauna (silence), one eats pāyasa as his prasāda and sleeps on the ground.

The phala. One who worships him on such a day with bhakti and śraddhā obtains all his wishes by his grace, and shines with tejas and fame like his.

Source: Bhavishya Purāṇa, Brahma Parva, Chapter 90

Rogaha

If Uttara Phalgunī nakshatra, whose devatā is Bhaga, falls on a Sunday, that day is very great, and it removes every disease and every fear. It is named Rogaha, and its rite Rogahara. One who worships Bhagavān Sūrya that day with excellent gandha, flowers and the like is freed of every disease and goes to Sūryaloka.

1. One makes two cups of arka leaves and puts arka flowers in them.
2. One places them before Bhagavān Sūrya at night.
3. In the morning, with those flowers, one worships him as Arkapriya, to whom arka is dear.
4. One takes an arka flower as prasāda and gives dakshiṇā to a brāhmaṇa.
5. With bhakti one eats pāyasa and sleeps on the ground.

The phala. One who worships him by this method on this day is freed of every disease and goes to Sūryaloka, and from there to svarga.

Source: Bhavishya Purāṇa, Brahma Parva, Chapter 91

Mahāśvetā (Mahāśvetāpriya)

If a solar eclipse falls on a Sunday, it is greatly excellent and famed in the world, and one who worships Bhagavān Sūrya that day with gandha, flowers and upahāras goes to Sūryaloka. At the eclipse, keeping upavāsa and pure, one does japa of Mahāśvetā, or of Bhagavān Sūrya, or of the Śiva Pañcākshari.

1. First one worships Jagadīśvara, Bhagavān Sūrya, dispeller of darkness and swift traveller; after that one does japa of Mahāśvetā. One completes the Sūrya arcana having worshipped Mahāśvetā.
2. The Mahāśvetā sthaṇḍila (prepared altar-ground) is made ready outside. With composed mind one installs Devī Mahāśvetā there and worships her with gandha and flowers.
3. In a pure place one installs Bhagavān Sūrya and worships him.
4. One bathes and does homa with sesame, especially with ghee.
5. During the eclipse one keeps up the Mahāśvetā japa.
6. When the eclipse is released, with śraddhā one bathes and worships Mahāśvetā and Bhagavān Sūrya.
7. After the pūjā one has brāhmaṇas give a Purāṇa pravacana, completes their meal and dakshiṇā, and then, with speech restrained, eats.

The phala. Whatever puṇya act is done that day, snāna, dāna, japa and all such acts, has endless fruit: Bhāskaradeva himself declared this. So the discerning, and brāhmaṇas, should do puṇya acts, one meal, night fast and the like, and those who do so on a Sunday reach a good state. This is in keeping with dharma, and gives puṇya, fame, offspring and the fruit wished for. A gift of bhakshya made on this occasion equals a gift of a cow.

Source: Bhavishya Purāṇa, Brahma Parva, Chapter 92

The phalaśruti

“Dindi! These are the twelve vāras of the mahātmā, the mighty Bhagavān Sūrya,” Brahmā says. They remove every pāpa and fear, and give joy. This fruit comes to those who read them and those who hear them, and still more to those who do them. If even one of them is kept according to rule, dharma, artha and kāma are accomplished and unwavering wealth is gained. Such a person has radiance like the moon’s, shines with tejas like that of Bhagavān Sūrya, has valour equal to Indra‘s, is like a lotus in tejas, is equal to the Vajra in vīrya, and in the next world goes to Śivaloka.

Source: Bhavishya Purāṇa, Brahma Parva, Chapter 92

Sources

• Bhavishya Purāṇa, Brahma Parva, Chapters 82–92