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SV Temple - Ratha Spathmi
Monday 11 February 2019, 11:30

Ratha Saptami
Monday, February 11th 2019

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At our SV Temple NC , on
Monday, February 11th 2019
11:30 AM Arunam Parayanam ( Vedic  section saluting surya )

Adi Deva Namasthubhyam Praseeda Mama Bhaskara
Divakara Namsthubhyam Prabhakara Namosthuthe:

Ratha Sapthami is a very auspicious day. The Sun god travels in the north and south directions in a year. These are called Uttarayanam (the first half of the year) and Dakshinayanam (the second half of the year). The first half is considered most auspicious than the second half of the year. This is the day that Surya was born to sage Kashyapa and his wife Adithi. and hence celebrated as Surya Jayanti.
 
Ratha Saptami marks the seventh day following the Sun’s northerly movement (Uttarayana) of vernal equinox starting from Capricorn (Makara). It is symbolically represented in the form of the Sun God Surya turning his Ratha (Chariot) drawn by seven horses, with Aruna as the charioteer,  towards  the  northern  hemisphere,  in   a  north-easterly  direction.  The  symbolic  significance  of  the  ratha  and  the  seven  horses  reigned  to  it  is  that  it  represents  the  seven  colors  of  the  rainbow.  The  seven  horses  are  also   said  to  represent  the  seven  days  of  a  week  starting with Sunday, the day of Sun god Sury a. The chariot has 12 wheels, which represents the  12  signs  (each  of  30  degrees)  of  the  Zodiac  (360  degrees)  and  constituting  a  full  year,  named Samvatsara. The Sun’s own house is Leo (Simha) and he moves from one house to the next every month and the total cycle takes 365 days to complete. The Ratha Saptami festival seeks the benevolent cosmic spread of energy and light from the Sun God.

There are numerous references to praising the Sun to enhance good health and prosperity, in the  Vedas.  Some  of  these  Vedic  hymns  were  incorporated  into  Nitya  Vidhi  (Daily  mandatory  routine  for  a  Hindu).  These  daily  procedures  were  termed  Surya  Namaskara  (literally translates as "sun salutations"). Many people worship Surya because he is called as “Aarogya and  Aishwarya  Datha”  (provider  of  health  and  wealth).  Surya  is  worshipped  early  in the morning while fresh sunrays emerge. It is believed and proven that exposure to fresh sun rays rejuvenate energy, and purify the mind and body.