Twelve Month-Names of Sūrya
Sūrya Dvādaśa Māsa Nāma, “the twelve month-names of Sūrya”
The Twelve Month-Names of Sūrya are the names under which Bhagavān Sūrya is worshipped on the saptamī of each month in his year-long vratas. The Bhavishya Purāṇa gives two such lists: one taught by Brahmā to Dindi for the Rahasyā Saptamī in the Brahma Parva, and one taught by Śrī Kṛshṇa to Yudhishṭhira for the Ubhaya Saptamī in the Uttara Parva.
In the Rahasyā Saptamī
Brahmā tells Dindi that by the Rahasyā Saptamī seven past and seven coming generations are freed from saṃsāra, diseases perish, enemies are conquered, and the unmarried, the poor and the childless gain what they seek. On the saptamī the vratī is friendly to all and thinks of Sūrya Deva; he does not touch oil, wear blue, bathe with āmalakas or quarrel. Beginning from Caitra, he worships Bhagavān Sūrya each month under this name:
| Month | Name |
|---|---|
| Caitra | Dhātā |
| Vaiśākha | Aryamā |
| Jyeshṭha | Mitra |
| Āshāḍha | Varuṇa |
| Śrāvaṇa | Indra |
| Bhādrapada | Vivasvān |
| Āśvayuja | Parjanya |
| Kārttika | Pūshā |
| Mārgaśīrsha | Isha |
| Pausha | Bhaga |
| Māgha | Tvashṭā |
| Phālguna | Vishṇu |
On every saptamī he feeds all with food cooked with ghee, gives the brāhmaṇas gold of five guñjās and red garments, and honours the speaker who knows the Saptamī Kalpa. For those who hear it, pāpas are removed and Sūryaloka is reached.
Source: Bhavishya Purāṇa, Brahma Parva, Chapter 65
In the Ubhaya Saptamī
Śrī Kṛshṇa tells Yudhishṭhira that on each śukla saptamī of the year Bhagavān Sūrya is worshipped under the month’s name, and each month has its fruit:
| Month | Name | Fruit |
|---|---|---|
| Māgha | Varuṇadeva | the Agnishṭoma yajña |
| Phālguna | Sūrya | the Vājapeya yajña |
| Caitra | Vedāṃśu | a fruit like the Uktha yajña |
| Vaiśākha | Dhātā | the puṇya of the Paśubandha yāga |
| Jyeshṭha | Indra | the Vājapeya yajña |
| Āshāḍha | Divākara | a yajña with much gold as dakshiṇā |
| Śrāvaṇa | Mātāpi (Lolārka) | the Sautrāmaṇi yāga |
| Bhādrapada | Śuci | the Tulāpurusha dāna |
| Āśvina | Savitā | the gift of a thousand cows |
| Kārttika | Dineśa, the seven-horsed | the Puṇḍarīka yāga |
| Mārgaśīrsha | Bhānu | ten Rājasūya yajñas |
| Pausha | Bhāskara | many yajñas |
The same names are used on the saptamī of the kṛshṇa paksha of every month. After a year comes the udyāpana: a maṇḍala of red sandal with a sūrya-maṇḍala of sindūra and ochre, pūjā with red flowers, a thousand āhutis of sesame, ghee and guḍa with the mantra “ā kṛshṇena”, and gifts of red cloth and a cow with her calf to each of twelve brāhmaṇas.
One who keeps this saptamī vrata becomes free of disease, a skilled speaker, of fair form and long-lived; one who fasts on a saptamī and has darśana of Bhagavān Sūrya is freed of all pāpas and dwells in Sūryaloka. So says Devarshi Nārada.
Source: Bhavishya Purāṇa, Uttara Parva, Chapter 47
Sources
- Bhavishya Purāṇa, Brahma Parva, Chapter 65; Uttara Parva, Chapter 47