Sun-worship Vratas (47) Śāka-saptamī

The Śakasaptamīvrata begins on the bright fortnight in the month of the Kārtika and lasts for a year. The whole year is divided into three periods of four months. On the fifth day of each bright fortnight, the worshipper remains ekabhakta, on the sixth day nakta, and on the seventh, observes fasts. He should feed the Brāhmaṇas with well spiced vegetables and should himself eat at night on the seventh day. The Śākasaptamīvrata lasts for a year. The Sun-god is worshipped in each period of four months, with different flowers, like Agasti, fragrant flowers and Karavīra, with different unguents, e.g. Saffron, white Sandalwood, red Sandalwood, respectively, dhūpas, Aparājitā, Aguru and Guggula and naivedya, pāyasa, jaggery cake, boiled rice grains, respectively. At the end of the year, the dinner should be offered to the Brāhmaṇa and Purāṇas should be listened, read by the reader.^[1]