Why do we offer Surya Arghya?
Worshipping of the Surya or Sun is an integral part of Indian culture. In Hinduism, the Sun is believed to be the creator of all the materials in the world. The Sun is also the symbol of Universal Consciousness. The offering of water to the Sun or the Surya Deva is a purification process from within. Devotees worship the Sun in different situations, especially during the Sandhya Vandhanam, which is a significant ritual practiced in Hinduism.
Arghya to the Sun can provide us with intellectual upliftment and energy to face the day. Solar energy has a lot of benefits for us. So, the practice of Arghya to the Sun can help us muster those vitalities. The performance of Arghya, along with the chanting of the Gayathri mantra, can strengthen us spiritually and physically.
How to offer Arghya to the Sun?: Devotees must offer Arghya with the utmost purity and sanctity of their minds and bodies. The practice of Arghya helps in overcoming the imbalances of the five base elements or Panchabhootas of the human body. The Panchabhootas are air, water, earth, fire, and space. The rays from the Sun can heal any ailments related to the five elements. However, it is necessary to perform the ritual accurately.
1. First, take a bath in the morning to freshen up your body.
2. Don't eat anything before the offering of Arghya to the Sun.
3. You have to collect water in a brass or copper vessel and add sandal, kumkum, and red flowers into it. You have to use the water as an offering for the Surya Deva.
4. You have to be barefoot while performing the ritual. It is always better to walk to the place where the Sun is visible, without wearing any footwear.
5. You can perform the offering in a river, on soil, or grass. The ideal place to conduct Arghya for the Sun is near the root of a plant or tree.
6. You are not supposed to look at the Sun directly. Instead, you have to view the Sun rays through the stream of water offered.
7. You have to stand on the balls of your feet while making the offering. It is best to place the utensil at an equal height to your forehead when you are taking part in the ritual.
8. While offering Arghya, you can recite the Surya Gayathri mantra. "Om Aadityay Vidhmahe Martanday Dheemahi Tanah: Surya: Prachodyat" is the mantra you can chant. You can also repeat "Om Suryaya Namaha" or "Om Ghrinim Surya Adityamu."
9. After the completion of Arghya, it will be beneficial to chant, "Aravadityo Brahma, Brahmaive Ahamasmi." It is a mantra that shows that the Sun is Brahman, and the Brahman is within ourselves.
10. It is essential to perform the ritual facing the eastern direction.
11. You are not supposed to step on the water that you have poured out as an offering to the Sun.
By following these steps, you can perform Surya Arghya. Arghya's regular practice to the Sun can bring forth happiness, peace, and energy. It can aid you in leading a better life.
Significance of offering Arghya to the Sun: The offering of Arghya can have a plethora of significance. There are a lot of religious and scientific benefits of performing Arghya. It improves our decision-making abilities and gives anti-bacterial energy.
Religious Significance:
• In Sivapurana, there is a mention of the importance of performing Arghya. One has to conduct it after the recitation of the Gayatri Mantra in the morning by lifting both our hands. There are many festivals related to worshipping the Sun, such as Makar Sankranti, Chatt, and Sanba Desami. There is a belief that the Sun is an incarnation of Lord Vishnu. In the epic, Mahabharatha, Karna is the son of Surya Deva.
• In Garuda Purana, there is a narrative, which illustrates the significance of worshipping the Sun. There are thirty crore demons called Mandehas orbiting around the Sun. They try to swallow the Sun during sunrise. So, by performing Arghya to the Sun, we are banishing the Mandehas to the island of Arunas. Here, the demons are a reference to the evils present within us. The performance of Arghya helps in protecting our Atman or the symbolic Sun within us.
• The daily performance of Arghya to the Sun can purify our Swadisthana Chakra.
• In the Vedas, the water turns into stones when they drop down, and they kill the demons. It helps in liberating the Brahman within us.
• In Vaishnava Dharma, the performance of Arghya is a symbolic offering of oneself.
• The chanting of the Gayathri mantra can provide us with an inner light. It is also a breathing exercise and helps us concentrate.
Scientific Significance: There are many scientific significances of performing Arghya to the Sun. They include:
• The slanting Sunrays in the mornings is a source of Vitamin D. It helps in making our bones healthy and strong.
• Sunrays can help in curing the ailments of the eyes, heart, jaundice, and leprosy.
• By looking at the Sunrays indirectly through the stream of water, your eyesight can improve. It also reduces the chances of contracting cataracts.
• Walking barefoot is a means of providing natural acupressure.
• Standing on the balls of the foot is an exercise that can reduce angle pains and keep your joints healthy.
Arghya to the Surya or offering water to Sun has a lot of benefits for your physical and psychological health. Its regular practice can make you healthy, happy, and calm.