Surya Namaskar

Surya Namaskar (Sanskrit: सूयनम कार IAST:

Sūrya Namaskār), Salute to the Sun or Sun
Salutation, is a practice in yoga as exercise
incorporating a sequence of some twelve gracefully
linked asanas.[2][3] The asana sequence originated
in the Hatha Yoga tradition on 9th century in India.
The basic sequence involves moving from a
standing position into Downward and Upward Dog
poses and then back to the standing position, but
many variations are possible. The set of 12 asanas
is dedicated to the vedic-hindu solar deity Surya. In
some Indian traditions, the positions are each
associated with a different mantra.
Sculpture of the 12 asanas of one form of Surya
Variant sequences called Chandra Namaskar Namaskar[a] in Indira Gandhi Airport, Delhi.[1] (figures
sculpted by Nikhil Bhandari)
(Moon Salutation) have also been created.

Contents
Etymology and origins
Description
Mantras
Variations
Inserting other asanas
Chandra Namaskar
As exercise
Muscle usage
In culture
Notes
References
Sources
External links

Etymology and origins

The name Surya Namaskar is from the Sanskrit सूय Sūrya, "Sun" and नम कार Namaskār, "Greeting" or
"Salute".[6] Surya is the Hindu god of the sun.[7] This identifies the Sun as the soul and source of all life.[8]
Chandra Namaskar is similarly from Sanskrit च Chandra, "Moon".[9]
The origins of Surya Namaskar are vague;
Indian tradition connects the 17th century
saint Samarth Ramdass with Surya
Namaskar exercises, without defining what
movements were involved.[10] In the 1920s,
Bhawanrao Shriniwasrao Pant Pratinidhi, the
Rajah of Aundh, popularized and named the
practice, describing it in his 1928 book The
Ten-Point Way to Health: Surya
Namaskars. [4][5][11][12] It has been asserted
that Pant Pratinidhi invented it,[13] but Pant
stated that it was already a commonplace
Marathi tradition.[14]

Ancient but simpler Sun salutations such as

Bhawanrao Shriniwasrao Pant Pratinidhi provided this double-
Aditya Hridayam, described in the "Yuddha
page guide to Surya Namaskar at the back of his 1928 book
Kaanda" Canto 107 of the
The Ten-Point Way to Health: Surya Namaskars as well as in
Ramayana,[15][16][17] are not related to the the body of the text, stating that it could be removed for use
modern sequence.[18] The anthropologist without damaging the text of the book.[4][5]
Joseph Alter states that Surya Namaskar was
not recorded in any Haṭha yoga text before
the 19th century.[19] At that time, Surya Namaskar was not considered to be yoga, and its postures were not
considered asanas; the pioneer of yoga as exercise Yogendra wrote criticising the "indiscriminate" mixing of
sun salutation with yoga as the "ill-informed" were doing.[5]

The yoga scholar-practitioner Norman Sjoman suggested that Krishnamacharya, "the father of modern
yoga",[20][21] used the traditional and "very old"[22] Indian wrestlers' exercises called dands (Sanskrit: द ड
daṇḍ, a staff), described in the 1896 Vyayama Dipika,[23] as the basis for the sequence and for his
transitioning vinyasas.[22] Different dands closely resemble the Surya Namaskar asanas Tadasana,
Padahastasana, Caturanga Dandasana, and Bhujangasana.[22] Krishnamacharya was aware of Surya
Namaskar, since regular classes were held in the hall adjacent to his Yogasala in the Rajah of Mysore's
palace.[24] His students K. Pattabhi Jois,[25] who created modern day Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga,[26] and B. K.
S. Iyengar, who created Iyengar Yoga, both learnt Surya Namaskar and flowing vinyasa movements
between asanas from Krishnamacharya and used them in their styles of yoga.[24]

The historian of modern yoga Elliott Goldberg writes that Vishnudevananda's 1960 book Complete
Illustrated Book of Yoga "proclaimed in print" a "new utilitarian conception of Surya Namaskar"[27][28]
which his guru Sivananda had originally promoted as a health cure through sunlight. Goldberg notes that
Vishnudevananda modelled the positions of Surya Namaskar for photographs in the book, and that he
recognised the sequence "for what it mainly is: not treatment for a host of diseases but fitness exercise."[27]

Description
Surya Namaskar[29] is a sequence of around twelve yoga asanas connected by jumping or stretching
movements, varying somewhat between schools. In Iyengar Yoga, the basic sequence of asanas is Tadasana,
Urdhva Hastasana, Uttanasana, Uttanasana with head up, Adho Mukha Svanasana, Urdhva Mukha
Svanasana, Chaturanga Dandasana, and then reversing the sequence to return to Tadasana; other poses can
be inserted into the sequence.[6]
In Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga, there are two Surya Namaskar
sequences, types A and B.[30] The type A sequence of asanas is
Pranamasana, Urdhva Hastasana, Uttanasana, Phalakasana (high
plank), Chaturanga Dandasana, Urdhva Mukha Svanasana, Adho
Mukha Svanasana, Uttanasana and back to Pranamasana.[30] The
type B sequence of asanas (differences marked in italics) is
Pranamasana, Utkatasana, Uttanasana, Ardha Uttanasana,
Phalakasana, Chaturanga Dandasana, Urdhva Mukha Svanasana,
Adho Mukha Svanasana, Virabhadrasana I, repeat from Sun Salutation at a public yoga event
Phalakasana onwards with Virabhadrasana I on the other side, then in Katni, India
repeat Phalakasana through to Adho Mukha Svanasana (a third
time), Ardha Uttanasana, Uttanasana, Utkatasana, and back to
Pranamasana.[30]

A typical[b] Surya Namaskar cycle is:

1: 2: Hasta
Pranamasana 3. Uttanasana
Uttanasana

12: Back to 1 4. Anjaneyasana

5. Adho Mukha
11. Hasta Svanasana
Uttanasana

6. Ashtanga Namaskara
10. Uttanasana

9. 7.Urdhva
8. Adho Mukha Mukha
Anjaneyasana, Svanasana
opposite foot Shvanasana
Mantras
In some yoga traditions, each step of the sequence is associated with a mantra. In traditions including
Sivananda Yoga, the steps are linked with twelve names of the God Surya, the sun:[31]

Step (Asana) Mantra (name of Surya)[31] Translation[31]

Tadasana ॐ िम ाय नमः Om Mitrāya Namaḥ affectionate to all

Urdhva Hastasana ॐ रवये नमः Om Ravaye Namaḥ cause of all changes

Padahastasana ॐ सूय य नमः Om Sūryāya Namaḥ who induces all activity

Ashwa Sanchalanasana ॐ भानवे नमः Om Bhānave Namaḥ who diffuses light

Parvatasana ॐ खगाय नमः Om Khagāya Namaḥ who moves in the sky

Ashtanga Namaskara ॐ पू णे नमः Om Pūṣṇe Namaḥ who nourishes all

Bhujangasana ॐ िहर यगभ य नमः Om Hiraṇya Garbhāya Namaḥ who contains everything

Parvatasana ॐ मर चये नमः Om Marīcaye Namaḥ who possesses raga

Ashwa Sanchalanasana ॐ आिद याय नमःOm Ādityāya Namaḥ God of Gods

Padahastasana ॐ सिव े नमः Om Savitre Namaḥ who produces everything

Urdhva Hastasana ॐ अक य नमः Om Arkāya Namaḥ fit to be worshipped

Tadasana ॐ भा कराय नमः Om Bhāskarāya Namaḥ cause of lustre

Indian tradition associates the steps with Bījā ("seed" sound) mantras and with five chakras (focal points of
the subtle body).[32][33]

Step (Asana) Bījā mantra[33][32][c] Chakra[33] Breathing

Tadasana ॐ Om Hrāṁ Anahata (heart) exhale

Urdhva Hastasana ॐ  Om Hrīṁ Vishuddhi (throat) inhale

Padahastasana ॐ ूं Om Hrūṁ Swadhisthana (sacrum) exhale

Ashwa Sanchalanasana ॐ Om Hraiṁ Ajna (third eye) inhale

Parvatasana ॐ  Om Hrauṁ Vishuddhi (throat) exhale

Ashtanga Namaskara ॐ ः Om Hraḥ Manipura (solar plexus) suspend

Bhujangasana ॐ Om Hrāṁ Swadhisthana (sacrum) inhale

Parvatasana ॐ  Om Hrīṁ Vishuddhi (throat) exhale

Ashwa Sanchalanasana ॐ ूं Om Hrūṁ Ajna (third eye) inhale

Padahastasana ॐ Om Hraiṁ Swadhisthana (sacrum) exhale

Urdhva Hastasana ॐ  Om Hrauṁ Vishuddhi (throat) inhale

Tadasana ॐ ः Om Hraḥ Anahata (heart) exhale

Variations
Inserting other asanas

Many variations are possible. For example, in Iyengar Yoga the sequence may intentionally be varied to run
asanas Tadasana, Urdhva Hastasana, Uttanasana, Adho Mukha Svanasana, Lolasana, Janusirsasana (one
side, then the other), and reversing the sequence from Adho Mukha Svanasana to return to Tadasana. Other
asanas that may be inserted into the sequence include Navasana (or Ardha Navasana), Paschimottanasana
and its variations, and Marichyasana I.[6]

Chandra Namaskar

Variant sequences named Chandra Namaskar, the Moon Salutation, are sometimes practised; these were
created late in the 20th century.[35] One such sequence consists of asanas Tadasana, Urdhva Hastasana,
Anjaneyasana (sometimes called Half Moon Pose), a kneeling lunge, Adho Mukha Svanasana, Bitilasana,
Balasana, kneeling with thighs, body, and arms pointing straight up, Balasana with elbows on ground, hands
together in Anjali Mudra behind the head, Urdhva Mukha Svanasana, Adho Mukha Svanasana, Uttanasana,
Urdhva Hastasana, Pranamasana, and Tadasana.[36] Other Moon Salutations with different asanas have been
published.[35][37][38]

As exercise

The energy cost of exercise is measured in units of metabolic equivalent of task (MET). Less than 3 METs
counts as light exercise; 3 to 6 METs is moderate; 6 or over is vigorous. American College of Sports
Medicine and American Heart Association guidelines count periods of at least 10 minutes of moderate MET
level activity towards their recommended daily amounts of exercise.[39][40] For healthy adults aged 18 to 65,
the guidelines recommend moderate exercise for 30 minutes five days a week, or vigorous aerobic exercise
for 20 minutes three days a week.[40]

Surya Namaskar's energy cost ranges widely according to how energetically it is practised, from a light 2.9
to a vigorous 7.4 METs. The higher end of the range requires transition jumps between the poses.[d][39]

Muscle usage
A 2014 study indicated that the muscle groups activated by specific asanas varied with the skill of the
practitioners, from beginner to instructor. The eleven asanas in the Surya Namaskar sequences A and B (of
Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga) were performed by beginners, advanced practitioners and instructors. The
activation of 14 groups of muscles was measured with electrode on the skin over the muscles. Among the
findings, beginners used pectoral muscles more than instructors, whereas instructors used deltoid muscles
more than other practitioners, as well as the vastus medialis (which stabilises the knee). The yoga instructor
Grace Bullock writes that such patterns of activation suggest that asana practice increases awareness of the
body and the patterns in which muscles are engaged, making exercise more beneficial and safer.[41][42]

In culture
The scholar of religion Shreena Niketa Gandhi notes that some Christians in America, such as St. Andrew's
Lutheran Church, Minnesota, name the asana sequence "Son Salutation", transferring the object of devotion
from Surya (God of the Sun) to Jesus (the son of God), in a practice they call "Yogadevotion".[43]

The founder of Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga, K. Pattabhi Jois, stated that "There is no Ashtanga yoga without
Surya Namaskara, which is the ultimate salutation to the Sun god."[44]
In 2019, a team of mountaineering instructors from Darjeeling climbed to the summit of Mount Elbrus and
completed Surya Namaskar there at 18,600 feet (5,700 m), claimed as a world record.[45]

Notes
a. Incorporating Ashtanga Namaskara in place of Caturanga Dandasana
b. As shown in the Indira Gandhi Airport sculpture, above.
c. The Bījā mantras are sounds, not translatable words.[34]
d. Haskell, curious about the wide range of METs in Surya Namaskar, repeated the study (Mody)
which gave the highest value; using "transition jumps, and full pushups", he obtained
"agreement" with 6.4 METs.[40]

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External links
Dep't of Posts, Gov't of India releases stamps on Surya Namaskara (http://postagestamps.gov.
in/NewsPage.aspx?uid=107) on International Yoga Day 2016.

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