SŪRYA JAYANTĪ सूर्य जयंती
Artwork: Pinterest
Today marks the auspicious occasion of Sūrya Jayantī, also known as Ratha Saptamī—the birth of Lord Sūrya, the eternal source of vitality, truth, and illumination. Falling on the seventh tithi (Saptamī) in the waxing phase (Shukla Pakṣa) of Māgha, this day is revered as a gateway to spiritual awakening, clarity, and renewal. Just as the Sun’s ceaseless journey across the heavens sustains all life, today invites us to align with that same steady, unwavering light within.
Sūrya, the all-seeing witness of dhárma, is the very embodiment of divine consciousness in motion. He rides his celestial chariot, drawn by seven radiant horses—each representing a Vedic meter, a planetary force, and the spectrum of cosmic intelligence.
He is the one who measures time itself, as he moves one degree a day and never waxes or wanes. He is the giver of life and health, Ātma Kāraka—the indicator of the soul’s journey—illuminating clarity of purpose and inner radiance. Governing Sundays and ruling over Siṁha (Leo), the sign of kingship, strength, and unwavering will, he bestows vitality and the courage to walk the path of dhárma.
His brilliance is mirrored in Lord Rāma, the seventh incarnation of Lord Viṣṇu, who walked the earth as the perfect embodiment of righteousness, patience, and sovereignty. Just as Lord Rāma’s story is about sambandha, or relationship, Sūrya’s birth story shows how unconditional love and sacrifice give rise to great boons and blessings all around. This birth story also conveys the secret of how the turmoil and churning of the two give birth to the one, the singular.
Sūrya is also linked to Śiva, the supreme ascetic, who is often depicted with the Sun’s golden hue at dawn and invoked through the transformative hymn Śrī-Rudram, aligning one with the primordial power of light and dissolution.
In Nakṣatra Jyotiṣa, Sūrya presides over three luminous constellations:
Kṛttikā (where Agni, the god of fire, purifies and refines)
Uttara Phālgunī (bestowing divine grace and the fruits of effort)
Uttara Aṣāḍhā (where victory is won through perseverance and truth)
He is exalted (uccha) in Meṣa (Aries), where his strength is undiminished, and debilitated (nīca) in Tulā (Libra), where his sovereignty is tested in the balance of relationships and external validation. In Āyurvedic astrology, Sūrya governs the heart, eyes, bones, and circulation, sustaining the vital force (prāṇa) that animates all existence. His constitution is Pitta, his metal gold, his gemstone ruby, and his offerings include red flowers, wheat, jaggery, and pure ghee.
Artwork by Jahnavi Lucas | Samadhi Collective
To invoke Sūrya’s grace on this sacred day, one may:
Offer Arghya (libations of water) to the rising Sun at dawn.
Practice Sūrya Namaskār, the yogic salutation to the Sun, to cultivate vitality, flexibility, and longevity.
Recite the Āditya Hṛdayam, the hymn of invincible radiance, chanted by Rāma before his victory over Rāvaṇa.
Chant Lord Rāma’s mantras, such as Śrī Rāma Jaya Rāma Jaya Jaya Rāma, to fortify one’s inner strength and dhármic resolve.
Chant the Gāyatrī Mantra, invoking the highest light of wisdom.
Observe a fast or consume only sattvic foods to purify the solar channels.
Engage in dāna (selfless giving), particularly offering wheat, copper, or red cloth to those in need.
Sit in meditation with the Sun at dawn, visualizing its golden light dissolving all impurities and restoring balance.
Sūrya is the cosmic reminder that all things move in cycles—darkness yields to light, ignorance to wisdom, and inertia to action. To align with his grace is to walk with purpose, uphold dhárma, and shine fearlessly in the face of adversity.
May the radiance of Sūrya illumine our path and burn away all that obstructs the light of our highest Self.
All My Relations | ॐ सूर्याय नमः