Surya Puja Vidhi (Offering Water to the Sun)

In brief

Surya is the Sun god, honored in the Vedas as the visible deity whose light every living being can see. The most common form of Surya worship at home is arghya (a respectful offering of water) made to the rising Sun. It takes only a few minutes and needs no idol.

It is a way of saying thanks for light and warmth. Many families make it every morning. Others make it on Sundays, which is Surya's day, and on festivals such as Makar Sankranti and Ratha Saptami.

When to do it

Make the offering at sunrise or soon after, while the Sun is low and gentle. Sources differ on how long after sunrise it is still suitable, and many families simply do it as early as they can.

Sunday is the traditional day. Some families keep a Sunday fast for Surya, usually one simple meal in the day, with wheat, jaggery or fruit. Whether salt is avoided, and whether the meal is before or after sunset, differs by family. Fasting is a personal choice. People with health conditions, pregnant or nursing women, children and the elderly should follow their doctor's advice and may keep a lighter fast.

What you need

• A small vessel for water. Copper is traditional, and brass is also used. A clean stainless steel or glass cup is acceptable.
• Clean water
• Optional: a few grains of rice, a red flower petal, a pinch of kumkum or red sandal paste
• A plant pot, bowl or tray to catch the water
• Optional: a lamp, incense and an offering of wheat, jaggery or coconut for a fuller Sunday puja

Puja vidhi (steps)

1. Find out your own city's sunrise time the evening before. It changes through the year, and with daylight saving time.
2. Rise early, bathe, and put on clean clothes. Red or orange is traditional but not needed.
3. Fill the vessel with clean water. Add the rice, petal or kumkum if you have them.
4. Go outside, or to an east-facing window, balcony or door, and stand facing the rising Sun.
5. Fold your hands and quiet your mind for a moment. If you wish, light a lamp at your home shrine first.
6. Raise the vessel in both hands to the height of your forehead. Some families raise it higher. Pour the water slowly in a thin stream into a plant pot, bowl or onto the earth.
7. As you pour, chant "ॐ सूर्याय नमः" (Om Suryaya Namah) once, three times or seven times. Some families use the Surya Gayatri or the Gayatri mantra instead. Ask a priest or elder to guide pronunciation.
8. Do not stare at the bright Sun. Watch the falling water or the soft glow in the sky. Looking at the Sun directly can harm your eyes.
9. Finish with a bow of thanks. Pour any water left in the bowl onto a plant.
10. If you have time, recite the Aditya Hridayam or another Surya prayer.

On a cloudy day or before the Sun clears the buildings, you can still make the offering. Face east at your local sunrise time and pour the water with the same intention.

Mantras and aarti

• Mantras: "Om Suryaya Namah" is the simplest. The Surya Gayatri, the Surya seed mantra and the Gayatri mantra are also used.
• Aditya Hridayam: a hymn to Surya from the Valmiki Ramayana, taught by the sage Agastya to Rama before the battle with Ravana. Many families recite it on Sundays.
• Aarti: "Jai Kashyap Nandan" is a widely sung Surya aarti.
• Namavali: the 108 names of Surya.

The full texts are on their own pages.

Doing it in the USA

Sunrise can be very late in the winter in northern states and very early in the summer, so check a reliable local time and set an alarm. A Panchang or a weather app gives your exact sunrise time. When daylight saving time starts or ends, the clock time of sunrise jumps by an hour.

In cold weather you can make the offering from an open door or an east-facing window, into a bowl or a plant pot. If you live in an apartment, use a balcony railing planter or a bowl and do not pour onto the street below. A copper cup or lota is sold at Indian stores. A clean steel or glass cup is fine.

If you light a lamp or incense, check your lease and smoke alarm first. A small lamp on a steel plate is safest, and an electric lamp is a good substitute. Red flowers, kumkum and rice are not essential. Plain clean water is acceptable to many families.