Surya Namaskara

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Hasta Uttanasana (Raised Arms pose)
Hasta Uttanasana (Raised Arms pose)
For the chapter from the holy text Taittirīya Āranyaka, see Surya namaskara chapter.

Surya Namaskara (IAST: Sūrya namaskāra) or Sun Salutation (lit. "salute to the sun"), is a common sequence of Hatha yoga asanas. Its origins lie in a worship of Surya, the Hindu solar deity. This sequence of movements and poses can be practised on varying levels of awareness, ranging from that of physical exercise in various styles, to a complete sadhana which incorporates asana, pranayama, mantra and chakra meditation.

The physical base of the practice links together twelve asanas in a dynamically performed series. These asanas are ordered so that they alternately stretch the spine backwards and forwards. When performed in the usual way, each asana is moved into with alternate inhalation and exhalation (except for the sixth asana where the breath is held in external suspension). A full round of Surya namaskara is considered to be two sets of the twelve poses with a change in the second set to moving the opposite leg first through the series.

Proponents of the use of Surya namaskara as part of the modern yoga tradition prefer to perform it at sunrise, which the orthodox consider to be the most 'spiritually favourable' time of the day.

Contents

[edit] Origins

Main article: Surya Namaskar Origins
Vedic
There are numerous references to praising the Sun to enhance good health and prosperity, in the Vedas. Some of these Vedic hymns were incorporated into Nitya Vidhi (Daily mandatory routine for a Hindu). These daily procedures were termed Surya Namaskara (literally translates as "sun salutations"). Physical prostration to Sun, showing complete surrender of oneself to God, is the main aspect of these procedures. The forms of Surya Namaskar practiced vary from region to region. Two such popular practices are Trucha Kapla Namaskarah and Aditya Prasna.
Puranic
Aditya Hridayam [1] [2] is another ancient practice which involves surya namaskar. It is a procedure of saluting The Sun, taught to Sri Rama by Sage Agastya, before his fight with Ravana. It is described in the "Yuddha Khanda" Canto 107 of Ramayana.
Old English References
Early English publications record some of the ancient ways of sun salutation. In "A Catalogue raisonnée of oriental manuscripts" [3]. (Year: 1860, Page 246) Rev. William Cooke Taylor, noted that a short book with 71 leaves with "Tricha calpa vidhi" from "Aditya Puranam" was preserved. He describes the vidhi as "Modes of rendering homage to Sun, with praise and spells; the object being health or delivery from disease". He further notes the presence of Arghya Pradana, Surya Stotaram, Aditya dvadasa namam - 12 names of the Sun according to the monthly signs of zodiac, Surya Narayana cavacham, Saurashtacshari mantram, and many other elaborate rituals as the part of the vidhi. In Page 148 of the same book he describes a shorter version called "Laghu tricha kalpa vidhi".

[edit] Practice

  • Surya Namaskara is practiced only after a gap of 2 hours of having food, generally in the morning time or evening.
  • Surya Namaskaras are performed on a mat, not on the floor.
  • Generally 12 Surya Namaskaras are performed at one practice. If starting practice for the first time, it is generally started with fewer (3 to 6) Namaskaras per day, and then gradually increased to 12 Namaskaras in a week's time.[4]
  • Shavasana is practiced at the end of practice for rest.
    Shavasana is practiced to take rest after Surya namaskara
    Shavasana is practiced to take rest after Surya namaskara
  • Breathing(pranayamas) is synchronised with asanas as mentioned in the table below.
  • Mantras are pronounced at start of each Surya namaskara as mentioned in table below.
  • Some asanas are repeated twice in the same cycle of a Surya Namaskara, there are total of 8 postures in the sequence of 12 postures of Surya namaskara.
  • Practice of yoga postures (asanas) generally follows a surya namaskara practice. [5]

[edit] Series summary

Video
Video
Asana Breath Images
1 Pranamasana
(Prayer pose)		 exhale
2 Hasta Uttanasana
(Raised Arms pose)		 inhale
3 Uttanasana
(Standing Forward Bend pose)		 exhale
4 Ashwa Sanchalanasana
(Equestrian pose)		 inhale
5 Adho Mukha Svanasana
(Downward Dog pose)		 exhale
6 Ashtanga Namaskara
(Salute with the Eight Limbs pose)		 suspend
7 Bhujangasana
(Cobra pose)		 inhale
8 Adho Mukha Svanasana
(Downward Dog pose)		 exhale
9 Ashwa Sanchalanasana
(Equestrian pose)		 inhale
10 Uttanasana
(Standing Forward Bend pose)		 exhale
11 Hasta Uttanasana
(Raised Arms pose)		 inhale
12 Pranamasana
(Prayer pose)		 exhale

[edit] Mantras to pronounce

The following mantras are pronounced at start of each Surya Namaskara when in Pranamasana.

Mantra Chakra
Seed Salutation
1 om hrām (ॐ ह्रां) om mitrāya namaḥ (ॐ मित्राय नमः) Anahata
2 om hrīm (ॐ ह्रीं) om ravaye namaḥ (ॐ रवये नमः) Vishuddhi
3 om hrūm (ॐ ह्रूं) om sūryāya namaḥ (ॐ सूर्याय नमः) Swadhisthana
4 om hraim (ॐ ह्रैं) om bhānave namaḥ (ॐ भानवे नमः) Ajna
5 om hraum (ॐ ह्रौं) om khagāya namaḥ (ॐ खगाय नमः) Vishuddhi
6 om hraḥ (ॐ ह्रः) om puṣṇe namaḥ (ॐ पूष्णे नमः) Manipura
7 om hrām (ॐ ह्रां) om hiraṇya garbhāya namaḥ (ॐ हिरण्यगर्भाय नमः) Swadhisthana
8 om hrīm (ॐ ह्रीं) om marīcaye namaḥ (ॐ मरीचये नमः) Vishuddhi
9 om hrūm (ॐ ह्रूं) om ādityāya namaḥ (ॐ आदित्याय नमः) Ajna
10 om hraim (ॐ ह्रैं) om savitre namaḥ (ॐ सवित्रे नमः) Swadhisthana
11 om hraum (ॐ ह्रौं) om arkāya namaḥ (ॐ अर्काय नमः) Vishuddhi
12 om hraḥ (ॐ ह्रः) om bhāskarāya namaḥ (ॐ भास्कराय नमः) Anahata

[edit] See also

[edit] References

  1. ^ sanskrit.safire.com, Aditya Hrudayam with English translation
  2. ^ Translation of Ramayana by Griffith
  3. ^ William Cooke Taylor, A Catalogue raisonnée of oriental manuscripts, H. Smith, (year 1860)
  4. ^ [1] if you are new, start with 2-3
  5. ^ Hatha Yoga