Vedic influence on the Sun-worship in the Puranas
by Goswami Mitali | 2018 | 68,171 words
This page relates 鈥楩estivals Related to the Worship of Sun鈥� 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.鈥擳his section belongs to the series 鈥淩ituals Related to the Sun-Worship in the Puranas鈥�.
Go directly to: Footnotes.
Part 5 - The Festivals Related to the Worship of Sun
Different festivals are celebrated in honour of the Sun-god. It is difficult to find out the minute difference in between the two aspects, viz. vratas and festivals. P.V. Kane, in this regard, opines that it is difficult to draw a strict line between vratas and utsavas; what are called utsavas have also an element of religious rites and conversely, many vratas have some element of being a festival.[1]
Some festivals are recorded in the 笔耻谤腻峁嘺蝉 are discussed here鈥�
搁补迟丑补测腻迟谤腻 (Ratha Yatra):
The 搁补迟丑补测腻迟谤腻 is one of the festivals associated with the Sunworship. The 叠丑补惫颈峁补辫耻谤腻峁嘺 contains a great deliberation on this festival. As the part of the celebration, the chariot of the Sun-god is moved forward in a procession. The image of the Sun-god is placed on the chariot and the horses, fully decorated with 肠腻尘补谤补, garland and 办耻峁僰耻尘补, etc., [2] by three hundred and sixteen devotees and 叠谤腻丑尘补峁嘺蝉, who are observing the fast.[3] The two wives of the deity, viz. 搁腻箩帽墨 and 狈颈办峁产丑腻 should be placed on the right and the left side of the Sun-god, respectively.[4] The Sun-god is honoured with fully decorated umbrella and 诲补峁囜笉补, made of gold. A figure of 骋补谤耻岣峚 is also placed behind the main image of the Sun.[5] The chariots of the other members of the solar family are also moved forward along with the main chariot of the deity. The procession passes along the main roads of the city with pomp and show, along with the continuous beating of the drums and sounding of conch and other musical instruments.[6] All the procedures of the festival is followed with fasts, gifts and donation in honour of the Sun-god.[7]
惭补办补谤补蝉补峁僰谤腻苍迟颈 (Makar Sankranti):
The 惭补办补谤补蝉补峁僰谤腻苍迟颈 is one of the festivals celebrated in honour of the Sun. A bath is obligatory in 惭补办补谤补蝉补峁僰谤腻苍迟颈. Special gifts are made on the specific day. The transition of the Sun from one month to the other is called the 厂补峁僰谤腻苍迟颈 day. On 惭补办补谤补蝉补峁僰谤腻苍迟颈 day, the Sun-god enters into Capricorn. This 厂补峁僰谤腻苍迟颈 day is regarded as very pious. Festivals are celebrated in different parts, all over the India, taking the holy bath in devotion of the Sun, specially in the 骋补峁単腻.
Thus, in the Pur膩峁噄c texts, references are found of observances of different sacrifices, rituals, vratas and festivals, in devotion of the Sun-god. The immense power of the deity is well observed by the Pur膩峁噄c people and they propitiated the deity giving prominent place among the other deities of the Vedic pantheon.
Footnotes and references:
[1]:
Kane, P.V., History of 顿丑补谤尘补艣腻蝉迟谤补, Vol. V, Part-I, p.57
[2]:
cf., tasminrathavare艣re峁ａ弓hekalpitesumanorame/ 膩ropyapratim膩峁儁atn膩dyojayedv膩jina岣ヅ泆bh膩n//
[3]:
cf., upav膩sasthitairviprairdivyairbhaumai艣casuvrata岣�/ tri峁兣沘dbhi岣メ梗o岣峚艣airv膩pipratim膩峁�
[4]:
cf., 鈥� r膩j帽墨canik峁bh膩rudrabh膩ryetasyamah膩tmana岣�//
艣补苍补颈谤腻谤辞辫补测别诲谤耻诲谤补耻产丑补测辞岣腻谤艣惫补测辞谤补迟丑别/
nik峁bh膩峁僤ak峁峁噀p膩r艣ver膩j帽墨峁僣膩pyuttaretath膩// Ibid., 1.55.77,78
[5]:
cf., garu岣峚峁僷峁涐梗峁環ata艣c膩syavalgam膩na峁僷rakalpayet/ Ibid., 1.55.80
[6]:
Ibid., 1.55,44-47
[7]:
Ibid., 1.50.20,21