Why is it necessary to worship Lord Surya and sixth mother in this festival? Who is the sixth mother?

The biggest festival of Bihar, Jharkhand and eastern Uttar Pradesh is Chhath Puja on 10 November. In it the sixth mother is worshiped and arghya is offered to the sun. This is the only festival in Bihar, which is celebrated by people of all classes together. It is a festival of gratitude to the sun and nature.

Why worship of Sun God is important?

Surya is considered as a direct deity in the scriptures i.e. a God that we can see ourselves. The sun is a source of energy and its rays provide the body with elements like vitamin D. Second, the Sun is the planet driving the atmospheric cycle. Astrologically, the Sun is considered to be the planet of the soul. Surya Puja is done to instill confidence.

From the point of view of the Puranas, Surya is considered as one of the Panchadevas. These panchadevs are Brahma, Vishnu, Shiva, Durga and Surya. Sun worship is required at the beginning of any auspicious work. The position of the Sun is also observed at the time of marriage. From Bhashya Purana, in Brahma Parva, Shri Krishna has told his son Samb the importance of sun worship. It is a popular belief in Bihar that Sita, Kunti and Draupadi also performed this fast in ancient times.

The sixth mother is the sister of Suryadev

It is believed that the sixth mother is the sister of Sun God. Those who offer water to Surya, the brother of the sixth mother on this tithi, their wishes are fulfilled by the sixth mother. The sixth mother is the goddess who protects children. By doing this vrata, the child gets long life. The Markandeya Purana mentions that nature has divided itself into six parts. His sixth dimension is identified as the supreme mother goddess, the Psyche daughter of Brahma. It is also believed that the sixth form of Goddess Durga is the sixth Maya of Katyayya.

A person fasting for the sixth puja remains dehydrated for about 36 hours. On the seventh morning, after Surya Puja, Vrat is broken and food and water are consumed

The house is cleaned in bathing and eating

Two days before the sixth day, the entire house will be cleaned on the fourth day. Which is called Nahay-Khay. On this day pure sattvic food is served after puja-recitations. It is believed to be the beginning of the sixth Parva.

A 36-hour fast is performed without food and water

An Nirjala Vrat is observed for the sixth mother, meaning that those who fast cannot drink water for about 36 hours. Mostly women do this fast. It begins on the fifth tithi after Kharna. Kharna means purification of body and mind. In it, the fasting person has to eat jaggery and pumpkin pudding in the evening.

After that the food is eaten only after completing the sixth puja. On the sixth tithi, the sixth mother is sacrificed in the morning and water is offered to the setting sun in the evening. After that, on the morning of the seventh tithi again, arghya is offered to the sun. In this way the 36 hours fast is completed.

The story of the sixth vow is like this

This is the story of Satyuga. At that time there was a king named Sharyati. The king had many wives but only one daughter. Her name was Sukanya. One day the king went hunting. Sukanya was also there. A sage named Chyavan was doing penance in the forest.

The sage had been doing penance for a long time, due to which termites had formed a rag around his body. Sukanya playfully put a few sprigs of dry grass in the basket. In that place was the eye of the sage. Rishi’s eye burst with that spark. So the sages got angry and their penance broke.

When the king came to know about this, he approached the sage to apologize. The king handed over his daughter Sukanya to the service of the sage. After that Sukanya started serving sage Chyavan.

One day in the month of Kartak, when Sukanya was going to draw water, she met a dragon girl. Nagakanya asked to perform sun worship and fast on the sixth tithi of Sud Paksha in the month of Kartak. Sukanya performed the sixth vow with full ritual and true heart. Chyavan’s eyes were cured by the effect of the vow. Since then the festival of Chatth Puja is celebrated every year.

Sun is the king of the planet

In astrology, Sun is considered as the king of planets. According to science, all the nine planets revolve around the Sun. Life on Earth is possible only because of Sun. In the scriptures Shivaji, Ganeshaji, Vishnuji, Goddess Durga and Surya are said to be Panchadev. It is a tradition to worship all these five daily. Surya is the only visible deity.

Yamaraj, Yamuna and Shanidev are children of Surya

Suryadev was married to a god girl named Sanjna. Yamaraj and Yamuna are children of Surya-sign. It is believed that Sangya could not bear the glare of the sun, so she cast her shadow in the service of the sun god. Shanidev is the child of sun-shadow. Shanidev is black in color as he is the child of shadow.

Sun god is Hanumanji’s guru

When Hanumanji became fit to receive Shiksha, he died
approached V and said that I have come to get knowledge from you. Make me your disciple. Hearing Hanumanji’s words Suryadev said that I do not stay at any one place, and I can never even get off my chariot.

After listening to Sun God, Hanumanji said that I will gain knowledge by walking with you. You just make me your disciple. Suryadev agreed to this. After that Lord Surya gave Hanumanji the knowledge of all the Vedas and Hanumanji gained knowledge by walking with him.