Ratha Saptamī
Ratha Saptamī · ratha saptamī, “the seventh day of the chariot”
Ratha Saptamī, renowned also as Mahā Saptamī and Māgha Saptamī, is the vrata of Bhagavān Sūrya on the śukla saptamī of Māgha. The Bhavishya Purāṇa gives it in the Brahma Parva, where a whole section, the Ratha Saptamī Kalpa, is named for it. Bhagavān Śrī Kṛshṇa teaches the vrata to Sāmba in Chapter 51, and Brahmā praises it to Rudra in Chapter 59.
The keeper eats less and less in the days before, fasts on the shashṭhī or the saptamī, and worships Bhagavān Sūrya through the year with the flowers, dhūpa and foods of each group of months. When Māgha comes again the brāhmaṇa-bhojana and the dāna are doubled, and the vrata closes with the ratha-yātrā and the gift of a golden ratha to the ācārya. Sāmba kept this vrata and was freed from ādhi and vyādhi. It removes pāpa, gives puṇya, and makes the one who fasts with bhakti an attendant of Bhagavān Sūrya.
The year’s vrata
Bhagavān Śrī Kṛshṇa, who is called Vāsudeva here, continues his teaching to Sāmba.
The fast
On the Māgha śukla pañcamī eat one meal only, and on the shashṭhī eat food at night only. Fasting on the saptamī itself is the view of some. The view of others is to fast on the shashṭhī and take the pāraṇa on the saptamī.
Four months from Māgha
Having fasted on the shashṭhī, the learned one worships Bhagavān Sūrya with mixtures of rakta-candana and with karavīra flowers. He worships Ravi, the giver of happiness, Bhāskara, Sūrya the Devadeva, with guggulu and with sāresattulu, a particular kind of food. This pūjā is performed in this way for four months from Māgha. For purification of self he takes gomaya by mouth and bathes with gomaya as well, and he feeds brāhmaṇas, the devatās on earth, according to his means.
The months from Jyeshṭha
In the months beginning with Jyeshṭha, white candana and fragrant white flowers are best for the pūjā of Bhagavān Sūrya. Black aguru, dhūpa and pāyasa naivedya are fitting. He satisfies and feeds the brāhmaṇas with these same.
The months from Kārtika
In the months beginning with Kārtika, pañcagavya taken by mouth, bathing with the same, and agise flowers are best. He worships with vishṇukrānta dhūpa, and offers as naivedya foods made of jaggery and sugar-cane juice. He feeds brāhmaṇas according to his means, and for purification uses kuśodaka (water with kuśa) for bathing and drinking.
The close in Māgha
In Māgha, after the third pāraṇa, the brāhmaṇa-bhojana and the dāna are doubled. According to his means he performs the pūjā of Bhagavān Sūrya the Devadeva, the ratha-dāna and the ratha-yātrā. If he has the wealth, for the fruit of the vrata he gives a golden ratha.
Thus the method of the vrata named Ratha Saptamī is told, and it is renowned as Mahā Saptamī. It gives great puṇya and brings prosperity. Those who fast on it gain wealth, sons, fame and vidyā. Such a one becomes equal in radiance to Candra and rules the whole circle of the earth.
Having spoken thus, Bhagavān Śrī Kṛshṇa, bearing the divine śaṅkha, cakra and gadā, withdrew while Sāmba looked on. Sāmba performed the Ratha Saptamī vrata according to rule, was freed from ādhi and vyādhi (troubles of mind and body), and at once went to his own mandira. So Sumantu Muni tells Śatānīka.
Source: Bhavishya Purāṇa, Brahma Parva, Chapters 51–52
The vrata as Brahmā teaches it
In the Ratha Saptamī Kalpa, Brahmā tells Rudra of the vrata again, after the ratha-yātrā of Bhagavān Sūrya. The closing words of Chapters 53, 54 and 55 of the Brahma Parva name these chapters, the Sūrya-gati Varṇana, the Sūrya-mahimā Varṇana and the Rathayātrā Varṇana, as parts of the Ratha Saptamī Kalpa.
The days before
The food before the vrata day goes in this order: on the tṛtīyā one meal, on the caturthī a night meal, on the pañcamī unasked-for food, and on the shashṭhī a fast.
In the Rathayātrā Varṇana, Brahmā gives the fast of the days before as printed there: on the Māgha śukla pañcamī one meal, on the caturthī ayācita (food unasked for), and on the shashṭhī food at night.
Shashṭhī and saptamī
On the Māgha śukla shashṭhī one masters the senses, fasts, and worships Bhagavān Sūrya with gandha, flowers and naivedya. At night one lies down in his presence.
On the saptamī one rises and worships Bhagavān Bhānu with bhakti. Then, giving up miserliness, one generously feeds brāhmaṇas, with laḍḍuvas made with sugar and special eatables made with sugarcane jaggery. One has darśana of Bhagavān Sūrya standing on the ratha and then ends the fast. Before the pāraṇa one worships the Devadeva with bhakti, according to one’s means.
When a year has thus passed, the ratha-yātrā of Bhagavān Sūrya is conducted in the way told before. One who conducts this yātrā in the kṛshṇa paksha, and has darśana of Bhagavān Sūrya, Jagannātha, on the ratha, attains the supreme state.
The Rathayātrā Varṇana tells the day itself: on the Māgha śukla saptamī one fasts, adorns the ratha, performs the havana rite in front of it, raises the mūrti of Bhagavān Sūrya, Bhūtabhāvana, onto the ratha, and keeps the ratha the whole day in front of the temple. In the presence of Bhagavān Sūrya on the ratha one keeps jāgaraṇa the whole night, with many kinds of dance, instruments and song, rows of lamps and decorations, with conch and tūrya, and with abundant Veda-ghosha and bhakti.
Source: Bhavishya Purāṇa, Brahma Parva, Chapters 55, 59
The gift of the golden ratha
A golden ratha is made ready and placed upon a copper vessel. In the middle of the ratha a mūrti of Bhagavān Sūrya is set, together with gems:
- in the middle, padmarāga (ruby);
- in the east, pearl;
- in the south, indranīla (sapphire);
- in the west, marakata (emerald);
- in the north, pravāḷa (coral), together with vajra (diamond).
Cloths of white, yellow, black and red colour are arranged in all the directions. The whole ratha, shining with its flag-like shape and adorned with bells, ornaments and the like, is beautifully dressed with flower garlands, worshipped according to the rule, and offered to Bhagavān Sūrya. Having fed the brāhmaṇas, one gives that ratha to the ācārya.
The ācārya is one who has studied the Saptamī Kalpa together with its upākhyānas. Among Saura, Vaishṇava and Śaiva brāhmaṇas, such a person is to be known as the ācārya, and the ratha and the rest are to be given to such a one only.
If a golden ratha cannot be had, a silver ratha is given. If that cannot be had, a copper ratha, and if that too is not possible, a ratha made of flour. With the golden ratha a copper vessel and a pair of silk cloths are given. The ratha is scented with auspicious perfumes and furnished with the pañcaratnas. In giving, one gives according to one’s own means, and greed for wealth must not enter.
Source: Bhavishya Purāṇa, Brahma Parva, Chapter 59
The phalaśruti
Brahmā says that Ratha Saptamī removes pāpa and gives puṇya. Snāna, dāna, homa, pūjā and the like done for the sake of Bhagavān Sūrya give fruit multiplied a hundred thousand times.
Māgha Saptamī is most puṇya-giving. The person who fasts on that day with bhakti becomes an attendant of Bhagavān Sūrya. A brāhmaṇa gains devatva, a kshatriya gains brāhmaṇatva, a vaiśya gains kshatriyatva and a śūdra gains vaiśyatva. An unmarried girl gains a husband rich in learning and humility. A woman without children gains a son and saubhāgya. If a widow keeps the fast on this saptamī, in her later births widowhood will not come to her: she will bear many sons, be very wealthy, and be loved by her husband. For seven births women and men alike enjoy happiness here and hereafter.
“I have explained to you this Saptamī of such greatness,” Brahmā says to Rudra. Even one who hears it with bhakti is freed from terrible pāpas such as brahmahatyā.
Source: Bhavishya Purāṇa, Brahma Parva, Chapter 59
Sources
- Bhavishya Purāṇa, Brahma Parva, Chapters 51–55, 59