SURYA NAMASKAR - Part 1

What is SURYA NAMASKAR, Why SURYA NAMASKAR, How SURYA NAMASKAR










Surya Namaskar is included in the regular routine of prayer and worship. Means it must be practiced regularly. Its greater importance has been described in the scriptures. As per the scriptures, a single day worship of the sun has virtues equivalent to the bestowal presentation of one lakh milk cows. Like worship, Surya Namaskaras too has their own significance. Surya Namaskara means prayer (Vandana) of Lord Surya.

Surya Vandana is short. Surya Namaskara is an ancient system of Indian exercise. Stand facing the east at dawn and peacefully chant the mantras to pray Lord Surya and offer red sandals, flowers, rice grains (Akshatas) with water of simply the water alone as ARGHE (libation) and perform Surya Namaskara.

This whole process must be performed before the sunrise. Take water in a metal pot and mix all the available veneration materials in it and hold the pot in your fingers alone keeping the thumbs aside and facing the east and chanting the following Mantra offer the libation thrice. EHI SURYA! SAHASTRANSHO! TEJORASHE! JAGATPATE ANUKAMPAYA MAM BHAKTYA GRIHANARGHYAM DIVAKARA ! Now recite the following Mantra to pray Lord Surya.

DHYEYAH SADA SAVITRI MANDALA MADHYAVARTI NARAYANAH SARSIJA SANA SANNI VISHTHAH ! KEYURVAN MAKAR KUNDALA VAAN KIRITI, HARI HIRANYA MAYA VAPUR DHRIT SHANKHA CHAKRAH || NAMASKARA There are twelve positions or a posture involves in Surya Namaskara.

With all of these twelve positions, each and every part of the body gets ample execrsie. Surya Namaslara also enhances the vision. Among these twelve positions, ten are Asanas only. The first one and the last one are two positions. All these Asanas and position are very easy to perform and can easily

be practised by the people of all ages. Together these twelve positions constitute the process of Surya Namaskara and twenty-five Namaskaras form one Avriti (frequency). Surya Namaskar must be performed at some open and airy place. Perform Surya Namaskara slowly without feeling tired (fatigue) or panting and puffing, changing the feet every time, it must be performed on each of the feet successively. The completely procedure of performing Surya Namaskara is thus: It begins with the Mantras, one each for all the twelve Namaskara. These Mantras are as follows:

1. OM MITRAYA NAMAH
2. OM RAVAYE NAMAH
3. OM SURYAY NAMAH
4. OM BHANAVE NAMAH
5. OM KHAGAYE NAMAH
6. OM PUSHNE NAMAH
7. OM HIRANYA GARBHAYE NAMAH
8. OM MARICHAYE NAMAH
9. OM AADITYAAYA NAMAH
10. OM SAVITRE NAMAH
11. OM ARKAYA NAMAH
12. OM BHASKARAYA NAMAH