Sankranthi - The Festival of Sun and Celebration of Knowledge
Sankranti marks Sun's journey to the Northern Hemisphere. The winter season ceases and spring season starts. Our bodies will have a chemical reaction with the sun rays and we become healthy. Many people pray to Sun during this time of the year. I would like to share an article that I recently read. Surya, the Sun, is considered as the only visible form of God that can be seen every day.
It is believed that Surya has been worshiped since ages to receive his kind blessings A simple Namaskaar (folding hands) makes him happy. Many people in India offer water in the early morning to Sun, which is called "Arghyam."
Surya is the son of Kashyapa muni and Aditi (daughter of Daksha). He is the chief of all Navagrahas (9 planets). Surya rides on a one wheeled chariot, which has seven horses, driven by Anooruni (brother of Garuda). He started riding this chariot on the seventh day in the month of Maagha, hence that day is called Ratha-Saptami. Surya Purana mentions that he has four wives, Sagnya, Padmini, Chayaa and Usha. He also has four sons (Yama, Vaiwaswata, Shani, and Aswini) and a daughter (Yamuna).
Surya is the god of light as per the Vedic texts and the literal source of life. According to the scientific fact, the whole universe is based on the process of photosynthesis which takes place due to the presence of Surya (the sun). Sun rays are rich source of Vitamin-D.
Rig Veda says, (verse 1-164-14) Sun is the center of Universe and the biggest star. Adharva Veda refers to Surya as god and remover of sins. Hindu puranaas explain several benefits of praying to Sun god. In Ramayana, Sri Rama prayed to Surya before going to war with Ravana. The great sage Agastya ‘Aditya Hridayam” sloka to Rama, to get powers to kill Ravana. The save Yagnavalkya received Vaajasaneya knowledge (Suklya Yajur Vedam) as boon from Surya. Lord Hanuman received knowledge of four Vedas by meditating upon Surya. Kunti was blessed with a son, Karna, by the power of Surya. It is believed that praying to Surya will help getting progeny. In Mahabhaarat, Surya blessed Yudhistir with Akshaya Patra to ensure abundance of food during Pandavas' exile. Satrajit, the father of Satyabhama - one of the 8 wives of Lord Krisha, received Samanthaka jewel from Surya, which gave gold everyday. Muni Praskanya was cured from his skin disease. In the Padma Puraana it is described that, a King named Bhadreswar, was relieved of Leprosy by praying to Surya. A poet, Mayoora was relieved of skin disease, as described in his poems. According to astrology, Surya has effect on economy, politics, agriculture, health, fame and wealth.
Sun is not only worshiped in Indian culture but also in other cultures. "Ra" or "Amun-Ra" is the ancient Egyptian Sun god. For the Egyptians, the sun most basically represented light, warmth, and therefore, growth. This made Ra very important to Egyptians. In Aztec mythology, farming people knew the forces of nature, and worshiped Sun god. They also referred Sun as God of war. In Greek mythology the Sun was personified as Helios. Helios was imagined as a handsome god crowned with the shining aureole of the Sun, who drove a chariot across the sky each day to circle around the earth. Look at the picture of sun God's chariot in Nordic Bronze Age mythology.
Worshiping Surya on Sankranthi and Ratha-Saptami
Worship of Sun God is believed to be very auspicious especially on Sankranti and Ratha-Sapami day. You can offer milk, fruits, and flowers to Surya on Ratha-Saptami day. You can also offer sweets made with whole wheat. For best results, eat til-gud (a mixture of sesame and Jaggery) and donate money and clothes. Surya Ashtakam and Aditya Hridayam are the two famous shlokas that people chant while praying to Surya. Some people do Surya Namaskars or Sun Salutations, chanting a shloka for each Surya Namaskar. It is said in the RigVeda that a person gets knowledge, good qualities, good health, wealth, progeny, and longevity by praying to Surya.
Participate in the Surya Namaskar Yagna, starting from Sankranti Jan 12th to Jan 27th.
Register here to participate, http://www.hssus.org/sny
Some famous Surya temples in India
- Arasavalli is located at Srikakulam in Andhra Pradesh built around the 7th century.
- Konark, which is near Puri in Orissa built in the 13th Century.
- Ranakpur, in Rajastan was built in the 15th century.
- Other Sun temples in India
Sources
- http://books.google.com/books?id=wfr2BSDj_DMC&pg=PA31&lpg=PA31&dq=aditi+...
- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Surya
- An article from Rishipeetham Magazine.
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Source - http://vedabase.net/sb/5/21/en
SB 5.21.3: In the midst of that region of outer space [antariks?a] is the most opulent sun, the king of all the planets that emanate heat, such as the moon. By the influence of its radiation, the sun heats the universe and maintains its proper order. It also gives light to help all living entities see. While passing toward the north, toward the south or through the equator, in accordance with the order of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, it is said to move slowly, swiftly or moderately. According to its movements in rising above, going beneath or passing through the equator — and correspondingly coming in touch with various signs of the zodiac, headed by Makara [Capricorn] — days and nights are short, long or equal to one another.
SB 5.21.4: When the sun passes through Mes?a [Aries] and Tul? [Libra], the durations of day and night are equal. When it passes through the five signs headed by Vr?s?abha [Taurus], the duration of the days increases [until Cancer], and then it gradually decreases by half an hour each month, until day and night again become equal [in Libra].
SB 5.21.5: When the sun passes through the five signs beginning with Vr??cika [Scorpio], the duration of the days decreases [until Capricorn], and then gradually it increases month after month, until day and night become equal [in Aries].
SB 5.21.6: Until the sun travels to the south the days grow longer, and until it travels to the north the nights grow longer.
SB 5.21.7: ?ukadeva Gosv?m? continued; My dear King, as stated before, the learned say that the sun travels over all sides of M?nasottara Mountain in a circle whose length is 95,100,000 yojanas [760,800,000 miles]. On M?nasottara Mountain, due east of Mount Sumeru, is a place known as Devadh?n?, possessed by King Indra. Similarly, in the south is a place known as Sam?yaman?, possessed by Yamar?ja, in the west is a place known as Nimlocan?, possessed by Varun?a, and in the north is a place named Vibh?var?, possessed by the moon-god. Sunrise, midday, sunset and midnight occur in all those places according to specific times, thus engaging all living entities in their various occupational duties and also making them cease such duties.
SB 5.21.8-9: The living entities residing on Sumeru Mountain are always very warm, as at midday, because for them the sun is always overhead. Although the sun moves counterclockwise, facing the constellations, with Sumeru Mountain on its left, it also moves clockwise and appears to have the mountain on its right because it is influenced by the daks?in??varta wind. People living in countries at points diametrically opposite to where the sun is first seen rising will see the sun setting, and if a straight line were drawn from a point where the sun is at midday, the people in countries at the opposite end of the line would be experiencing midnight. Similarly, if people residing where the sun is setting were to go to countries diametrically opposite, they would not see the sun in the same condition.
SB 5.21.10: When the sun travels from Devadh?n?, the residence of Indra, to Sam?yaman?, the residence of Yamar?ja, it travels 23,775,000 yojanas [190,200,000 miles] in fifteen ghat?ik?s [six hours].
SB 5.21.11: From the residence of Yamar?ja the sun travels to Nimlocan?, the residence of Varun?a, from there to Vibh?var?, the residence of the moon-god, and from there again to the residence of Indra. In a similar way, the moon, along with the other stars and planets, becomes visible in the celestial sphere and then sets and again becomes invisible.
SB 5.21.12: Thus the chariot of the sun-god, which is tray?maya, or worshiped by the words om? bh?r bhuvah? svah?, travels through the four residences mentioned above at a speed of 3,400,800 yojanas [27,206,400 miles] in a muh?rta.
SB 5.21.13: The chariot of the sun-god has only one wheel, which is known as Sam?vatsara. The twelve months are calculated to be its twelve spokes, the six seasons are the sections of its rim, and the three c?tur-m?sya periods are its three-sectioned hub. One side of the axle carrying the wheel rests upon the summit of Mount Sumeru, and the other rests upon M?nasottara Mountain. Affixed to the outer end of the axle, the wheel continuously rotates on M?nasottara Mountain like the wheel of an oil-pressing machine.
SB 5.21.14: As in an oil-pressing machine, this first axle is attached to a second axle, which is one-fourth as long [3,937,500 yojanas, or 31,500,000 miles]. The upper end of this second axle is attached to Dhruvaloka by a rope of wind.
SB 5.21.15: My dear King, the carriage of the sun-god's chariot is estimated to be 3,600,000 yojanas [28,800,000 miles] long and one-fourth as wide [900,000 yojanas, or 7,200,000 miles]. The chariot's horses, which are named after G?yatr? and other Vedic meters, are harnessed by Arun?adeva to a yoke that is also 900,000 yojanas wide. This chariot continuously carries the sun-god.
SB 5.21.16: Although Arun?adeva sits in front of the sun-god and is engaged in driving the chariot and controlling the horses, he looks backward toward the sun-god.
SB 5.21.17: There are sixty thousand saintly persons named V?likhilyas, each the size of a thumb, who are located in front of the sun-god and who offer him eloquent prayers of glorification.
SB 5.21.18: Similarly, fourteen other saints, Gandharvas, Apsar?s, N?gas, Yaks?as, R?ks?asas and demigods, who are divided into groups of two, assume different names every month and continuously perform different ritualistic ceremonies to worship the Supreme Lord as the most powerful demigod S?ryadeva, who holds many names.
SB 5.21.19: My dear King, in his orbit through Bh?-man?d?ala, the sun-god traverses a distance of 95,100,000 yojanas [760,800,000 miles] at the speed of 2,000 yojanas and two kro?as [16,004 miles] in a moment.