Ravi Saptami

Ravi Saptami is taken as a special day to worship Lord Sunnarayan (the sun). May the mercy of Surya Dev be with us all, may we do not get sick and no grieve be bestowed upon us, for these causes Suryanarayana is worshiped. Surya Narayan works to make progress in the development of education and wisdom and takes away sickness and bereavement. Suryadev is also worshiped reciting Gayatri Mantra for education and wisdom. This year’s god too is Surya Dev.

Sunday is the best day of fasting for Suryanarayana. When Sunday is a Saptami tithi (date) that day is considered as the best day to fast for Surya Narayan.

अमा वा सोमवारेण रविवारेण सप्तमी ।
चतुर्थी भौमवारेण विषुवत्सदृशं फलम् ।।

(Meaning – Sombare Aunsee, Ravi Saptami, Mangal- Chauthi, Budhashtami, these days are considered very rewarding and of great merit.)

All the desires of the heart will be fulfilled, sonship (fertility) for unfertile, the unmarried girls will get a good groom, for whatever the fast is intended, the result of all the desires are achieved by fasting during Ravi Saptami. Therefore, Ravi Saptami fast is Nitya Karma (regular karma) and if observe with a specific desire then it is Kamya Karma (arbitrary karma) also.

Ravi Saptami Brat – The method of fasting

• Prepare worship materials in a Karmapatro (also Tilani= a small bowl shape made of copper) with Kush grass (Oxalis Corniculata – holy grass), Water, Sesame, Barley, Sandalwood paste, Rice, Flowers, and Fruit kept with mantra recited while making a resolution with Kush in hand) take a kush and make a resolution-

…..अद्य रविसप्तम्यां मम समस्त –रोग–निवारणार्थं – आयुष्य–वृद्ध्यादि–सकलकामनासिद्धये (…आफूले चिताएको कुरा भए यहाँ उल्लेख गर्ने) श्री सूर्यनारायण–प्रीत्यर्थं दीप–कलश–गणेशादि–पूजनपूर्वकं रविसप्तमी–व्रतमहं करिष्ये ।

• Prepare Oil Lamp, Kalash (Water vessel of copper), Ganesh, Raksha Bandhan (different colored thread) and put them in the mouth or brim of the Kalash then worshiping Ganapati and other deities in the mouth of Kalash, meditate on Surya Deva by drawing a lotus with eight petals (octane) on the copper plate –

(Meditate this mantra with red flowers and joined/folded hands. Namaste gesture)

तेजोरूपं सहस्रांशुं सप्ताश्व –रथगं वरम् ।
द्विभुजं वरदं पद्मं लाञ्छनं सर्वकामदम् ।।

After this, the sun should be worshiped in the form of Pranpratistha (putting in of life) with 16 acts of homage and worshipping methods, etc.
During the worshipping in the end, reaching the lighting of oil lamp and incense phase the sun should be worshipped contemplating on his each organs.

१. मित्राय नमः पादौ पूजयामि।
२. रवये नमः जंघे पूजयामि।
३. सूर्याय नमः जानुनी पूजयामि।
४. खगाय नमः ऊरू पूजयामि।
५. पूष्णे नमः गुह्यं पूजयामि।
६. हिरण्यगर्भाय नमः कटिं पूजयामि।
७. मरीचये नमः नाभिं पूजयामि।
८. आदित्याय नमः जठरं पूजयामि।
९. सवित्रे नमः हृदयं पूजयामि।
१०. अर्काय नमः स्तनौ पूजयामि।
११.भास्कराय नमः कण्ठं पूजयामि।
१२. अर्यम्णे नमः स्कन्धौ पूजयामि।
१३. प्रभाकराय नमः हस्तौ पूजयामि।
१४. अहस्कराय नमः मुखं पूजयामि।
१५. प्रध्नाय नमः नासिकां पूजयामि।
१६. जगदेकचषुक्षे नमः नेत्रे पूजयामि।
१७. सवित्रे नमः कर्णौ पूजयामि।
१८.त्रिगुणात्मधारिणे नमः ललाटं पूजयामि।
१९. विरिञ्चिनारायणशङ्करात्मने नमः शिरः पूजयामि।
२०. तिमिरनाशिने नमः सर्वाङ्गे पूजयामि।

After this, you should offer incense, oil lamps, fruit, betel leaf, with flowers and betel, Purnapatro and finish the offering by making a resolution of alms by giving an Argha.

The Argha Giving Mantra

नमः सहस्रकिरण ! सर्वव्याधिविनाशन !!
गृहाणार्घ्यं मया दत्तं संज्ञया सहितो रवे ।।

After this, one should take an offering of the worships Tika (a color dot on mid-forehead, signifying the third eye too) and take fruits, etc. Then one should stay awake at night listening to the hymns of Suryanarayana.

To Read this article in the Nepali Language please click here.