Health and Longevity – Ratha Saptami Rituals

Ratha Saptami – Cleanse, Heal and Recharge

Imagine a day when the energy of the Sun is at its peak—offering a powerful opportunity to cleanse, heal, and recharge. Ratha Saptami, also known as the Sun’s Birthday (Surya Jayanti), is an ancient Vedic tradition that marks the transition of the Sun towards the northern hemisphere, symbolizing a new cycle of vitality and well-being.

How Can You Benefit from Ratha Saptami?

This sacred day is believed to have deep healing effects, washing away past burdens—both physical and karmic. Following simple yet profound rituals on Ratha Saptami can help you invite health, longevity, and positivity into your life.

Ratha Saptami Rituals

⏰ Start Your Day with an Energizing Ritual

The most powerful way to observe this day is by taking a purifying bath before sunrise during a special time called Arunodaya—a window that starts approximately 1.5 hours before sunrise at your location.

📍 Find Your Best Timing

Since this timing varies depending on where you are, download the align27 app to get your personalized Arunodaya timing based on your location.

Sacred Water Ritual. While beginning your shower, invoke the energy of sacred rivers such as the Ganges and Yamuna by chanting: “Gange Cha Yamune Chaiva, Godavari Sarasvati, Narmade Sindhu Kaveri, Jalesmin Sannidhim Kuru.”

Note: Traditionally, seven Arka (Calotropis) leaves are placed on specific parts of the body—one on the head, two on the shoulders, two on the knees, and two on the feet—during the bath. This practice is believed to invoke the Sun God’s blessings.

If you are unable to procure these leaves, do not worry just keep an intention and do these rituals.

Honor the Sun

Just as the Sun rises, listen to or chant the Aditya Hrudayam and offer a simple water oblation (Arghya) to the Sun:

• Fill a copper vessel with water.
• Add red flowers to it.
• Stretch your hands forward, slowly pour the water while gazing at the Sun through the flowing water.
• While doing this, chant your personal Sun mantra based on when you were born. Visit the align27 rituals section to get your mantra.

Meditate

Each planet resonates with an avatar of Lord Vishnu and the Sun is connected to Lord Ram. You can do the Ram Guided Meditation by Gurudev available for free on the Sattva App.

Donate

Donate to someone in need —especially someone you don’t know personally, as it is believed to bring immense blessings.

Benefits of doing these Rituals

These rituals bring health, abundance, and success. Ratha Saptami is also known as Arogya Saptami (The Day of Health) because it is believed to help release ailments and promote well-being at a deep level.

🔆 Want to Make the Most of Ratha Saptami?

Find out the exact Arunodaya timing for your location and make the most of this rare celestial opportunity.

2024 Arunodaya Timings

New York, USA – 15 Feb, 2024 05:04 am to 06:51 am
London, UK – 15 Feb, 2024 05:23 am to 07:15 am
Chennai, India – 16 Feb, 2024 04:53 am to 06:31 am

Download the align27 app to find your Arunodaya timings based on your current location.

Ratha Saptami Rituals

It is said that taking a ritualistic bath on this day before Sunrise during Brahma Muhurta will free us from all kind of illness and cleanses us from the sins we have committed knowingly or unknowingly not just from this lifetime but from all our lifetimes put together!

1. Wake up before Brahma Muhurta.
2. Before you put your foot down chant the Bhumi Devi mantra 3 times. समुद्रवसने देवि पर्वतस्तनमण्डले । विष्णुपत्नि नमस्तुभ्यं पादस्पर्शं क्षमस्वमे ॥ Samudra-Vasane Devi Parvata-Stana-Mannddale | Vissnnu-Patni Namas-Tubhyam Paada-Sparsham Kssamasva-Me || meaning – (Oh Mother Earth) O Devi, You Who have the Ocean as Your Garments, and Mountains as Your Bosom, O Consort of Lord Vishnu, Salutations to You; Please Forgive my Touch of the Feet (on Earth, which is Your Holy Body). – Translation Credit – GreenMesg
3. While beginning your shower chant this mantra – गङ्गे च यमुने चैव गोदावरि सरस्वति । नर्मदे सिन्धु कावेरि जलेऽस्मिन् संनिधिं कुरु ॥Gangge Ca Yamune Cai[a-E]va Godaavari Sarasvati | Narmade Sindhu Kaaveri Jale-[A]smin Sannidhim Kuru ||
4. While taking shower please continue to chant the following mantra – “Sapta Sapta Maha Sapta | Sapta Dweepa Vasundhara | Sapta Arka Parna Madaya | Saptamyam Snanam Achareth ||” Note – If you have access to Arka leaves, then you can place 7 leaves on your head while you take your bath.
5. Meditate and chant your morning prayers.
6. Just during exact sunrise time listen to or chant the Aditya Hrudayam and perform Arghya to the Sun God. See below on how to perform Arghya.
7. Perform Sun Salutations
8. Meditate on the Suryashtakam chant.
9. Donate money to people who need it and to people with whom you do not have any connections. It has to be someone who you do not know and who may not repay you in any form. Good deeds done today gives multifold results.

How to perform Arghya to the Sun God

1. Take a copper vessel filled with water.
2. Add some red colored flowers inside the water.
3. Stretch your hands with the copper vessel and gaze directly at the Sun.
4. Let the water flow out of the vessel and gaze at the sun through the flowing water.
5. Do it slowly and empty the water from the copper vessel.
6. While performing this arghya you can chant the Aditya Hrudayam stotram or simply chant – “Aum Suryaya Namah” or “Aum Ghrini Surya Aditya”.

The 12 Dwaadasa Adityas

Kasyapa the father of Surya bowed before the Supreme God, saying, “Bhagavan, our son is the precious gift of your grace to Aditi and me. Bless him with a name of your choosing.”

Lord Vishnu said, “Kasyapa, my gift belongs not only to you and your wife, but to all animate and inanimate creation. Your son is the incarnation of Surya, the foremost of the Navagrahas. He will rule the planets as he moves through the twelve signs of the zodiac. Your son, Surya, will move through these dozen signs of the zodiac over a period of twelve months, or one human year. He will reside for one month in every sign, or raasi. In each raasi, he will be known by a different name – these twelve names will be collectively called the Dwaadasa Aadityas.”

Visnu pronounced the first name as Dhaata, followed by Aryama, Mitra and Sakra. Brahma continued Varuna, Amsumanta, Bhaga, Vivasvan. Lord Shiva continued Pusha, Savitru, Twashta, Vishnu.

Navagraha Mantra for Surya by Veda Vyasa

Japaakusuma Sankaasam kaasyapeyam mahaadyutim Tamorim sarva paapaghnam pranatosmi Divaakaram!

I offer my salutations to Divaakara (Surya), who shines like the japa flower, who is the son of Kasyapa, who is resplendent, who is the enemy of darkness, and who is the destroyer of all sins.