Jayā Saptamī Prayer to Sūrya

Jayā Saptamī Prārthanā

The Jayā Saptamī prayer is the prayer the vratī says standing before Bhagavān Sūrya at the close of the Jayā Saptamī vrata. In the Brahma Parva of the Bhavishya Purāṇa, Brahmā teaches it to Dindi when Dindi asks about the seven Saptamīs. The text gives it in Telugu prose.

The setting

When a nakshatra of five stars falls on a śukla saptamī, that Saptamī is called Jayā. Dāna, havana, japa, tarpaṇa and the pūjā of Sūrya on that day give a hundredfold fruit. The vratī eats once on the pañcamī, keeps nakta on the shashṭhī, fasts on the saptamī and breaks the fast on the ashṭamī, through three pāraṇās of four months each:

  • First: karavīra flowers, red sandal, guggulu dhūpa and kaṃsāra as naivedya; the mantra bhānur me prīyatām atra; cow-dung taken for purity and an arka twig for the teeth.
  • Second: jātī flowers, sandal, the Vijaya dhūpa and pāyasa; the mantra ravir me prīyatām atra; pañcagavya taken.
  • Third: agise flowers, sandal, yāvana dhūpa and śāli rice with sugar; the mantra vikartanaḥ prīyatāṃ me; kuśa water taken.

At the close, in the rainy season, Bhagavān Sūrya is worshipped with gandha, flowers, dance, drama and music, brāhmaṇas are given cows and land, a Purāṇa is recited before him and the paurāṇika is honoured. Then the vratī prays.

The prayer

“O Devadeva, Jagannātha, remover of all diseases and afflictions, Graharāja (king of the grahas), giver of sight to the world, whose beautiful form was shaped by Viśvakarmā, dispeller of darkness, Devadeveśa! By your grace I have kept, as far as I am able, the Jayā Saptamī, which is blessed, removes pāpa and gives good. Show me favour.”

The epithets, in order:

  1. Devadeva, Deva of devas.
  2. Jagannātha, master of the world.
  3. Remover of all diseases and afflictions.
  4. Graharāja, king of the grahas.
  5. Giver of sight to the world.
  6. Whose form was shaped by Viśvakarmā.
  7. Dispeller of darkness.
  8. Devadeveśa, lord of the Deva of devas.

The phala

For one who keeps the Jayā Saptamī so, every act from the bath onward gives a hundredfold fruit. He gains fame, wealth, grain, gold, sons and long life, goes after death to Sūryaloka, and returning to earth becomes a cakravartī. Brahmā closes: doing it, remembering it or hearing it gives the attainment of Sūryaloka.

Source: Bhavishya Purāṇa, Brahma Parva, Chapter 96

Sources

  • Bhavishya Purāṇa, Brahma Parva, Chapter 96