Symbolism in Numbers – No 7 (Part 1)

Seven – Seven is a sacred number representing the union of divinity (number three) and earth (number 4). The meaning of seven reminds us that there is symmetry, reason, and order within the structure of the Universe.

1. SAPTADVIPAS (SEVEN ISLANDS). – The seven islands are Jambudvipa, Plaksadvlpa, Salmalidvlpa, Kusadvipa, Krauncadvipa, Sakadvipa and Puskaradvipa.
2. SAPTANAGA (Seven serpents) – The Saptanagas are Ananta, Taksaka, Karka, Padma, Mahapadma, Sankhaka and Gulika.
3. SAPTARSIS. (The seven hermits) – Marlci, Angiras, Atri, Pulastya, Vasistha, Pulaha and Kratu.
4. SAPTASVAS. The seven horses of the Sun –  Surya, the Sun God, rides on a chariot pulled by seven horses, each corresponding to a particular day of the week – They are Gayatri, Brhati, Usnik, Jagati, Tristup, Anustup and Parikti.
5. Saptamegha – Samvartham, avartham, pushkalavartham, samhridam, dronam, kalamukhi and neelavarunam.
6. Seven sections of Patala – The seven sections are : Atala, Vitala, Sutala, Talatala, Mahatala, Rasatala, Patala.
7. Seven Heavens – Bhuloka, Bhuvarloka, Svarloka, Maharloka, Janarloka, Tapoloka, and Satyaloka,
8. Saptarishi – . Brahma’s sons, Marlci, Angiras, Atri, Pulastya, Pulaha, Kratu and Vasistha are known as the Saptarsis.
9. Sapta Gurus (seven Preceptors) of Kubera – Kasyapa, Vasistha, Atri, Gautama, Bharadvaja, Visvamitra and Jamadagni.
10. ‘Saptasuryas’ (seven suns) – In the language of Yogic treatises the seven life-winds in the human head are called the saptasuryas.
11. SAPTAJANASRAMA – A holy place where seven hermits called the Saptajanas, went to heaven by standing head downwards in water. This was the place through which Sri Rama and Sugriva went to Kiskindha.
12. SAPTAMATR (S). (SEVEN MOTHERS) – Saptamatrs are the seven goddesses named Brahmani, Vaisnavi, Mahesvari, Kaumari, Varahi, Indrani and Camundi.
13. Sapta Pitrs (Seven Manes) – The Sapta Pitrs are Vairaja, Agnisvatta, Somapa ; Garhapatya, Ekagrnga, Caturveda and Kala.
14. Seven days in the week – Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday.
15. Seven colors in the rainbow – Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue, Indigo and Violet.
16. Saptasamudra – According to scriptures there are seven seas. They are Lavanasamudra( ocean of salt water), ikshusamudra (ocean of sugarcane juice), surasamudra(ocean of wine), sarpis-samudra(ocean of ghee), dadhi-samudra(ocean of curds), kshirasamudra(ocean of milk) and jalasamudra(ocean of water).
17. Seven Seas – There are many versions of the seven seas. A common one is as follows – the Black Sea, the Caspian Sea, the Arabian Sea, the Indian Ocean, the Red Sea, the Mediterranean Sea and the Adriatic Sea. After Europeans ‘discovered’ North America, the concept of the Seven Seas changed again. Mariners then referred to the Seven Seas as the Arctic, the Atlantic, the Indian, the Pacific, the Mediterranean, the Caribbean, and the Gulf of Mexico. The modern Seven Seas include the Arctic, North Atlantic, South Atlantic, North Pacific, South Pacific, Indian, and Southern Oceans.
18. Seven Continents – : Asia, Africa, North America, South America, Antarctica, Europe, and Australia.
19. The Seven Virtues: chastity, temperance, charity, diligence, kindness, patience, and humility.
20. There are seven primary chakras are in a human body as explained in Tantric and Yogic traditions. They are Muladhara, Base or Root Chakra, Swadhisthana, Sacral Chakra (last bone in spinal cord, the coccyx), Manipura, Solar Plexus Chakra (navel area), Anahata, Heart Chakra (heart area), Vishuddha, Throat Chakra (throat and neck area), Ajna, Brow or Third Eye Chakra (pineal gland or third eye) and Sahasrara Crown Chakra (top of the head; ‘soft spot’ of a new-born).
21. Each of the four phases of the moon last seven days, 7×4 = 28, number of days in a Lunar month.
22. There are seven wonders in the ancient world.
23. Seven stages of human life cycle –Infant, childhood, teenager, youth, adulthood, middle age and old age.
24. Seven things to do to attain a happier life – do good deeds, donate only to deserving people, control internal sense organs, control external sense organs, be ashamed to commit unethical deeds, be kind to all and lead a clear life.
25. There are seven gates through which admission may be gained to heaven. They are asceticism, benevolence, and tranquility of mind, self-control, modesty, simplicity and kindness to all creatures.
26. In ancient kingdoms, these were the seven principle officers of the state – the Governor of the Citadel, the commander in chief, the Chief Judge, the chief priest, the general in interior command and the chief astrologer. 
27. Saptaswaras – There are seven basic swaras in Indian Carnatic music or seven octats (sa re ga ma pa dha ni) which are basics of music, using which hundreds of Ragas are composed. They are – Shadjam (shortly – Sa), Rishabham (Ri), Ghandaram (Ga), Madhyamam (Ma), Panchamam (Pa), Dhaivatham (Dha) and Nishadham (Ni)
28. Seven days of Creation (Genesis 1) e.g., God rested on and sanctified the seventh day (Sabbath)
29. Seven deadly sins – lust, gluttony, greed, sloth, wrath, envy, and pride
30. Seven spiritual acts of Mercy – clothe the naked, visit the sick, visit the imprisoned, bury the dead, give drinks to the thirsty, feeding the hungry, sheltering the homeless.
31. Saat phere (“seven circumambulations”) – is one of the most important features of the Hindu wedding, involving seven rounds around a pious fire lit for the purpose amidst the Vedic mantras. The bride and groom circumambulate a consecrated fire seven times, reciting specific vows with each circuit. Vows made in the presence of the sacred fire, to never get separated. The vows are considered unbreakable, with Agnideva held as both witnessing and blessing the couple’s union. Every phera(round) has a specific meaning.
    1. In the first round or phera, the couple prays to God for plenty of nourishing and pure food. They pray to God to let them walk together so that they will get food.
    2. In the second round, the couple prays to God for a healthy and prosperous life. They ask for the physical, spiritual and mental health from God.
    3. In the third Phera the couple prays to God for wealth. They ask God for the strength for both of them so that they can share the happiness and pain together. Also, they pray so that they can walk together to get wealth.
    4. In the fourth round the couple prays to God for the increase in love and respect for each other and their respective families.
    5. The bride and groom together pray for the beautiful, heroic and noble children from God in the fifth step.
    6. In the sixth holy round around the fire, the couple asks for the peaceful long life with each other.
    7. In the final seventh round the couple prays to god for companionship, togetherness, loyalty and understanding between themselves. They ask God to make them friends and give the maturity to carry out the friendship for lifetime. The husband says to his new wife that now they have become friends after the Seven Vows/Sat Phere and they will not break their friendship in life.
32. Seven Blunders of the World that cause violence – According to Mahatma Gandhi’s there are seven blunders that can cause violence in the world. They are: Wealth without work, pleasure without conscience, knowledge without character, commerce without morality, science without humanity, religion without sacrifice and politics without principle.
33. 7 – A neutral pH value between acidity and alkalinity (water)
34. Seven attributes of physicality – Height, Width, Depth,  Top and bottom (limits height),  Front and back (limits width), Left and right (limits depth),  The connecting of the other six. Nothing can exist in the physical world without these seven attributes.
35. Seven In The Body – The body, according to our Sages, is composed of seven major parts, namely: head, torso, right arm, left arm, right leg, left leg, and the sex organ.
36. Seven commandments of the Children of Noah (Noachide)
    1. Belief in God.
    2. Respect God and praise Him.
    3. Respect human life – do not murder.
    4. Respect the family – do not commit immoral acts.
    5. Respect for others’ rights and property – do not steal.
    6. Respect all creatures – do not eat the flesh of an animal while it is still alive.
    7. Creation of a judicial system – pursue justice.
37. There are seven visible moving celestial objects: Mercury, Venus, Mars, Saturn, Jupiter, Moon, and Sun.
38. Seven hills at Tirumala also known as ezhu malaiyan means Sevenhills  –  Seshadri, Neeladri, Garudadri, Anjanadri, Vrushabadri, Narayanadri and Venkatadri.
39. A woman’s fertile period during her menstrual cycle, on average, lasts about seven days.
40. The seven-year itch – is a psychological term that suggests that happiness in a relationship declines after around year seven of a marriage. Divorce rates show a trend in couples that, on average, divorce around seven years. Around the seventh year, tensions rise to a point that couples either divorce or adapt to their partner.
41. The seven historical and ancient monuments or wonders of the world – the Pyramids of Egypt, the Walls of Babylon,  the Suspended gardens of Babylon, the Statue of Olympian Jupiter, the Temple of Diane to Ephesus, the Colossus of Rhodes, the Tomb of Mausole.