What are the seven rays of the sun?

Question

In Chapter 45, Uttarabhaga of Kurma Purana, seven rays of sun is mentioned

सप्तरश्मिरथो भूत्वा समुत्तिष्ठन्दिवाकरः।
असह्यरशिमर्भवति पिबन्नम्भो गभस्तिभिः॥ १४॥

Thereafter, the sun with his seven rays, while rising becomes unbearable with the blazing heat. Through them he drinks up all water present on the earth.

What are the seven rays of sun and what do they signify? In some autobiographies of saints, it is mentioned that yogis can manifest various things due to their mastery over different types of sun rays.

Answer 1

References to the seven(principal) rays of the Sun are to be found in multiple places including Vayu, Linga, Matsya puranas according to the Vishnu Purana. Here is what the footnotes from Vishnu Purana(translated by Horace H Wilson) says about it:

The Váyu, Linga, and Matsya P. specify several of the rays of the sun from amongst the many thousands which they say proceed from him. Of these, seven are principal, termed Sushumna, Harikeśa, Viśwakarman, Viśwakárya, Sampadvasu, Arvavasu, and Swaráj, supplying heat severally to the moon, the stars, and to Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn.

Thus, we can see that these seven principal rays of the sun are intimately connected with the process of supplying heat to the celestial bodies mentioned respectively.