Saura Sūkta
Saura Sūkta, “the sūkta of Sūrya”
The Saura Sūkta is the Vedic sūkta of Sūrya. The Bhavishya Purāṇa has it recited in four rites.
In the Vijayā Saptamī
In the Brahma Parva, Brahmā teaches Diṇḍi that when a śukla saptamī falls on a Sunday it is the Vijayā Saptamī, on which snāna, dāna, homa and upavāsa destroy even great pāpas. On the night before, the vratī sets up the pūjā of Sūrya on the ground and lies down before Bhagavān Sūrya, doing japa of the Gāyatrī Mantra or reciting the Saura Sūkta. On the saptamī he rises, bathes, does japa of the Mahāśvetā mantra or the Shaḍakshari, worships Sūrya and performs homa.
Source: Bhavishya Purāṇa, Brahma Parva, Chapter 81
At the consecration of a garden
In the Madhyama Parva, Sūta teaches the consecration of a garden. Oblations are given to the seven tongues of Agni, and to Agni, Soma, Indra, Pṛthivī and Antariksha; then each is worshipped with gandha and flowers, and japa of the Rudra Sūkta and the Saura Sūkta follows.
Source: Bhavishya Purāṇa, Madhyama Parva, Bhāga 3, Chapter 1
At the dedication of pasture land
At the dedication of pasture land, Bhagavān Vāsudeva and Sūrya are worshipped in the maṇḍapa with homa of sesame and jaggery, four white pots are set on the maṇḍapa, and the Saura Sūkta and the Vaishṇava Sūkta are recited. Then images of the eight dikpālas are made on banyan leaves and placed in the eight directions to protect the pasture.
Source: Bhavishya Purāṇa, Madhyama Parva, Bhāga 3, Chapters 2–3
In the Śarkarā Saptamī
In the Uttara Parva, Śrī Kṛshṇa teaches Yudhishṭhira the Śarkarā Saptamī, kept on the śukla saptamī of Vaiśākha, which destroys all pāpas and gives long life, health and aiśvarya. Bhagavān Sūrya is worshipped on a lotus of eight petals with savitre namaḥ, with a vessel of sugar on a kalaśa and a horse of gold. Then the vratī does japa of the Saura Sūkta or listens to the Saura Purāṇa, and on the ashṭamī gives all to a Veda-knowing brāhmaṇa and feeds brāhmaṇas with sugar, ghee and pāyasa.
Source: Bhavishya Purāṇa, Uttara Parva, Chapter 49
Sources
- Bhavishya Purāṇa, Brahma Parva, Chapter 81; Madhyama Parva, Bhāga 3, Chapters 1–3; Uttara Parva, Chapter 49