Vivasvat Saptami is celebrated on the Saptami Tithi of Shukla Paksha in Ashada month. This year it will be celebrated on 13 July 2024. On this day Surya Dev is worshipped. The Sun has many names out of which Vivasvat is one of them. Saptami Tithi is considered auspicious for worshipping Surya Dev. That’s why worshipping Surya Dev on the Saptami Tithi has been prescribed in the scriptures.
Vivasvat Saptami Katha
Lord Vishnu took Matsya Avatar during the time of Vaivasvat Manu. The story of Lord Vishnu’s Matsya Avatar is very famous. It was narrated by Sukhdev to Parikshit. The story goes as follows:
There was once a benevolent king Satyavrat. He was very religious and followed all rituals. Once he was standing on the banks of the Kritmala river and performing Tarpan. Suddenly a fish popped into his hand. As soon as he tried to release the fish in the river, that fish urged him to not do so. Seeing this, the king decided to protect the life of the fish. He put the fish in his Kamandal filled with water and brought the fish to his palace.
But in a day the fish grew so big that it could not be accommodated in the Kamandal. As the fish could not fit inside the Kamandal, it requested the King to shift it to a larger space. King Satyavrat took out the fish and put her in a big pitcher filled with water. But in just a few seconds the fish outgrew the pitcher also. After this, the king placed the fish in a lake. Once again, the fish outgrew the lake too. The king tried to put the fish in different water bodies of different sizes but the fish outgrew everything. In the end, the king placed her in the ocean.
But the fish outgrew the ocean also. Finally, the king realised that this is not an ordinary fish and questioned the fish. King Satyavrat bowed in front of the fish and said – ‘I have not seen a creature like this till date, kindly tell me the secret on who you are and reveal to me who you really are. You are not a normal creature’. On hearing this, Lord Vishnu appears and tells him that he has incarnated in the form of a fish. He says, ‘After seven days from today, all the three worlds will submerge in water, at that time a big boat will arrive. You have to get all the Devas, flora, fauna, living beings, and all other important things on to the boat. Then I will appear again in my fish Avatar. You tie the boat to my horn using the Vasuki snake. As I will not submerge the boat too won’t submerge and all of you will remain safe’. Having said this Lord Vishnu again starts meditating. Thus he gives the responsibility of saving the world to King Satyavrat.
Satyavrat follows the words of Lord Vishnu. Then devastation occurs on the seventh day and Satyavrat boards the boat taking everyone as instructed. Lord Vishnu appears in Matsya form. Everyone in the boat is saved and the devastation ends.
In present times, Satyavrat became famous as Shradha Dev, the son of Vivasvan or Vaivasvata (Sun) and also came to be known as Vaivasvata Manu. Vaivasvata Manu, the son of Sun is also the creator of Manu Smriti. Vivasvat Saptami is also very important in the tradition of worshiping the Sun God, the King of the nine planets. This form of the Sun is worshipped from ancient times.
Vivasvat Saptami Puja
All the problems of life are resolved by worshipping Surya Dev on Vivasvat Saptami. Surya Dev should be worshipped to get rid of health-related problems, happiness, and get positive results. If someone is facing problems from the government side or is facing property related issues then worshipping Surya Dev on this day helps in getting relief.
- The devotee should wake up before sunrise on this day.
- Water should be offered to Surya Dev after taking a bath.
- Roli, Akshat, sugar and red flowers should be placed in the water while performing the Arghya.
- The following Mantra should be recited – ‘ॐ ह्रां ह्रीं ह्रौं स: सूर्याय नम:’.
- Only sweet food items should be consumed on this day.
- Halwa should be offered as Bhog to Surya Dev.
- Aditya Hridya Stotra and Suryashtak Path should be read.
Importance of Vivasvat Saptami
Several stories on Vivasvat abound. In Vedic literature, Manu is considered as the son of Vivasvat and is known by the name Vaivasvata. Surya Dev is worshipped on this day as Sun is associated with it. On this day Vivasvat Manu is worshipped. Manu Katha is also read on this day. The creation of life takes place under the leadership of Vaivasvat Manu. This led to the tradition of Shruti and Smriti. Vivasvat leads to the beginning of Surya Vansh. Lord Rama, an incarnation of Lord Vishnu took birth in the Surya Vansha.