Vedic influence on the Sun-worship in the Puranas
by Goswami Mitali | 2018 | 68,171 words
This page relates ‘Sun-worship Vratas (3) Arkasamputa-saptami’ of the study on the Vedic influence of Sun-worship in the Puranas, conducted by Goswami Mitali in 2018. The tradition of observing Agnihotra sacrifice and the Sandhya, etc., is frequently observed among the Hindus. Another important innovation of the Sun-worship in the Puranas is the installation of the images of the Sun in the temples.—This section belongs to the series “Rituals Related to the Sun-Worship in the Puranas”.
Sun-worship Vratas (3) Arkasampuṭa-saptamī
On the seventh day of the bright fortnight in the month of the Phālguna, the Sun-god Divākara is worshipped with the Arkasampuṭasaptamīvrata. The vrata lasts for a year.
The worshipper should worship Bhānu on the daytime and at night, he should stay without sleep and worship the deity with the recitation of the Sauragāyatrī devoted to the Sun:
bhāskarāya vidmahe sahasraraśmiṃ dhīmahi/
tannaḥ sūryaḥ pracodayāt/
The Brāhmaṇas should fed with apūpa, milk, curd, etc. The Arka tree should be worshipped with the recitation of the mantra, aum khalkholkāya namaḥ and after taking the bath the devotee should worship the Sun-god with the Arka flower. He should recite a mantra dedicated to the deity without touching his teeth with the tongue. With the observance of this vrata the worshipper becomes free from leprosy, sin, etc.[1]
Footnotes and references:
[1]:
Bhaviṣyapurāṇa, 1.210