Observe the Ritual of Ratha Sapthami on 14/2/2016

Observe   the Ritual of Ratha Sapthami     on  14/2/2016

Compiled by

P.Ramachander

  Ratha Sapthami also called as Surya Sapthami or  Surya Jayanthi    is a festival  celebrated on  the Shukla Panchami  in the month of Makara /Kumbha  Masa(Magha masa  for those    who follow Chandra Mana)  .This year the  festival  is  being observed  tomorrow  (14-2-2016)  . It is observed with  several rituals  in the  states of Andhra Pradesh /Karnataka /Maharashtra(For details see  http://www.hindu-blog.com/2009/01/how-to-do-ratha-saptami-puja.html ) .

   In  tamil Nadu the day starts   with ritual bath  by Keeping seven  leaves of  Vellai Erukku (Giant milk weed –Kannada Ekku, Telugu  Jilledu  , Sanskrit –Arka )  on the head .(some people keep one on head, two on shoulders, two on knees   and two on feet) A head bath is taken ,.Some people keep uncooked  rice also on the  Erukku leaves. Women in addition sprinkle turmeric powder  on the rice . You are not supposed  to apply  oil on  the head for that day. During the   ritual bath the  following Manthra  or sloka is chanted:-

I.Manthra (translation by P.R.Ramachander)

“Saptha Saptha Maha Saptha, Saptha Dweepa Vasundara, Sapth Arka Parna Madaya, Sapthamyam Snana Machareth”.

“seventh , seventh  , great seventh  , the earth has  seven islands ON this seventh day  I am  observing bath keeping   seven  Arka(erukku)  leaves  on the head.”

2. Stotra/Sloka(Translation by  P.R.Ramachander)

Sapthsapthi-priye devi
Sapthalogaiga deepike!
Sapth-janmaarjitham papam
Hara sapthami sathvaram       (1)

Oh  Goddess  who likes the seventh of sevenths  ,

Who is   the lustrous lamp among the seven worlds,

During this seventh linar day  please remove,

The sins that  I have earned in the seven births.(1)

Yanmayaathrakrutham papam
poorvam sapthasoojanmasoo!
thathsarvam  Soka mohou cha
maakare hanthu sapthami    (2)

All of those sins   committed   by  me ,

In the earlier seven births ,

As well    as   my sorrows   and passions,

May please be destroyed By Sapthami of Makara  Month(2)

Namaami sapthameem devim
Sarvapaapa-pranaasi'neem!
sapthaarkka - pathra - snaanena
Mama papam vyabohathu!     (3)

I salute    the Goddess  Sapthami ,

Who is capable  of destroying  all sins  ,

And by the bathing with seven  Erukku leaves,

Let   all  my sins   be   completely removed.(3)

           After this any time of the day  do read  or hear  Adhithya Hrudayam.  This is the great prayer Occurring  in  Valmiki Ramayana in the Yudha Kanda.  When Rama finds it difficult to kill  Ravana , sage Agasthya comes to the battle field and teaches  Rama this great Stotra .Rama chants this Stotra and becomes  capable of  killing  Ravana. The Sloka in English with  my translation is available  in  http://stotrarathna.blogspot.in/2009/07/adithya-hrudayam.html . You can hear it by clicking  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IsGJlyFcdQM . You can also chose  to read it in Sanskrit  alphabets in http://www.hindudevotionalblog.com/2012/03/aditya-hridayam-lyrics-in-sanskrit.html .You can read it n Tamil   from http://www.omjai.org/Aditya%20Hrudayam%20-%20Tamil .You can read it in Kannada by clicking http://poojavidhana.blogspot.in/2010/02/aditya-hrudayam-in-kannada.html