Surya Namaskar History

Definition

Surya means “sun” and namaskar comes from the root namas which means “to bow” or “to adore”. The familiar phrase, namaste, also comes from this root word;  along with “te” meaning “you”. Namaskar is a common form of greeting in India.  Namaste is more commonly used in ashrams and spiritual settings as a greeting.

Sri K. Pattabhi Jois on Suryanamaskar

"…No asana practice is complete without sun worship. Without its focusing of mental energies, yoga practice amounts to little more than gymnastics and, as such, loses meaning and proves fruitless. Indeed the Surya Namaskara should never be mistaken for mere physical exercise – for something incidental, that is, that simply precedes the asanas of yoga. Therefore, it is necessary, before beginning the sun salutations, to pray to Surya…to bestow upon us the good fortune of having only good thoughts, of hearing and speaking only good words, and of attaining a sound and strong body, so that we may have a long life and, one day, achieve oneness with God."

Cultural References

In cultures and traditions across the globe, the sun has been worshiped since time immemorial as the source of light, life, and happiness. In ancient Egypt, the sun was worshiped as Ra. Through his tears, man and animal were said to have come into being. The king was believed to be the son of Ra and would be reunited upon his death. In Roman mythology, sol. In Greek mythology, the sun was personified as Helios, the brother of Selene, the moon, and Eos, the dawn. Helios was also referred to as Titan. By Hellenistic times, Apollo became connected to the cult of the sun-god. In Mesopotamia, Shamash literally means sun. Shamash’s primary quality was considered justice, shedding light on wrongs and injustices. According to scholars, sun worship is considered an ancient precursor to monotheism.

Vedic References

In Hinduism, Surya is the preeminent solar deity, son of Indra. He is depicted with hair and arms of gold, three eyes, and four hands holding water lilies – the flower that longs for the dawn. His sculpture is invariably portrayed in the atibhanga posture, the immobile erect stance of perfection representing the god who is the pillar and support of the universe. In Hindu religious literature, Surya is mentioned as the visible form of God that one can see every day.  Followers of Shiva and Vishnu refer to the sun-god as an aspect of those deities. Followers of Vishnu call the son-god Surya Narayana. In Shiva philosophy, one of the eight faces or representations of Shiva (Astamurti) is the sun-god, Surya.

His various names depicting his aspects and functions are many…

• Savitur – the Source of Light and Life
• Pushan – the Messenger and Knower of the Ways
• Vivasvat – the Brilliant
• Bhaskara – the Light-maker
• Dinakara – the Day-maker
• Loka-Chakshuh – the Eye of the World
• Karma-Sakshi – the Witness of the Deeds
• Graharaja – King of the Constellations
• Aryaman – clear and discerning aspiration
• Bhaga – Spontaneous Happiness dispelling the dream of error, sin and suffering

The sun, sun-god, and light is the source of inner enlightenment as the famous Gayatri Mantra suggests…

Om bhur bhuvah suvah
Tat savitur varenyam
Bhargo devasya dheemahi
Diyo yo nah prachodayat
“O splendid and playful sun, we offer this prayer to thee
enlighten this craving mind, be our protector
may the radiance of the divine ruler guide our destiny
wise men salute your magnificence with oblations and words of praise”

Vinyasa

For thousands of years, yogi’s have revered the sun, or Surya, as the creator and sustainer of life itself. Facing east in the morning, and bowing to the sun, this time honored tradition is a ritual that has ancient origins and deep effects on one’s mental, energetic, and mental/emotion well-being. Vinyasa is used in several ways in the Astanga Yoga practice of Sri K. Patabhi Jois of Mysore, South India. In the first regard, Pattabhi defines vinyasa as “breath synchronized movement”. In the sun salute, each upward movement is associated and synchronized with an inhale, and each downward movement is associated and synchronized with an exhale. A special transcendental energy is released when sun salutes are performed in rhythm with the breath. This energy develops one-pointed attention and creates a deep sense of focus, freedom, and tranquility. The sun salute is considered a moving meditation and can be used to develop the faculty of concentration when practiced regularly with devotion and faith. Secondly, vinyasa is also referred to as a set sequence of asanas arranged in a particular order. The pose sequence of sun salute A is considered a full vinyasa. The poses of chaturanga, urdhva mukha svanasana, and adho mukha svanasana are considered a half vinyasa. Thirdly, each movement associated with a pose is also called a vinyasa. Moving into the pose with the breath has numerous benefits and helps one to understand the definition of yoga as “skill in action”.

Benefits of Sun Salutes

• general tonic
• used as a warm-up for the entire body
• considered a complete practice on its own
• removes bodily/mental tension and stress
• improves circulation
• stimulates the nervous system
• tones muscles and builds strength
• opens the body and develops flexibility
• adjusts and improves skeletal alignment
• regulates and develops breath capacity
• develops focus and concentration
• liberates one from the gunas
• balances and equalizes ones body and mind
• teaches breath synchronized movement
• teaches bandhas
• teaches dristi