Sun Salutation Mantras
– Love Song to the Sun

Add the attitude of gratitude to your Sun Salutation practice with sun salutation mantras. That's when through Surya Namaskar, you can honour not only the Sun but also the whole Nature. (honouring the creation brings in a sense of sacredness to your yoga practice.)

I stand on my yoga mat, getting ready to start my Sun Salutation practice. My hands are folded in front of my chest, in prayer position. I chant the first mantra for Sun Salutation, my hands go up and then as I recite the second sun salutation and mantra, they come down and touch the floor, as if bowing to this higher power and ndash; the Sun. I have a gentle smile on my face as I carry on with each Sun Salutation (Surya Namaskar) posture and coordinate it with a mantra recital. My whole Surya Namaskar practice turns sacred. This is what mantra chants can do to the Sun Salutation practice, which can otherwise seem like a physical exercise intended to lose weight or stretch and tone the muscles.

Sure, sounds good, you say. But what are 12 Sun Salutation mantras?

Mantras refer to a combination of syllables, sounds, or phrases, which can be chanted or sung. In case of Sun Salutation, they are sung in praise of the Sun. Chanting mantras extends Sun Salutation benefits; it has subtle yet penetrating effects on both mind and body. There are 12 mantras which praise different qualities of Sun and add a profound spiritual touch to the entire practice.

How to chant the Sun Salutation mantras?

The only rule to remember is to chant them with gratefulness. Each sun salutation mantra has a specific meaning, but it is not important to delve into what each mantra means.

For instance, Om Bhaanve Namaha means 'one who brings light'. When you recite this mantra, feel a sense of deep gratitude to the Sun for giving us light and making life possible on Earth. Similarly, addressing the Sun as a friend with the chant, Om Mitraaya Namaha, where we look at this glowing ball as our friend.

How to include mantras in Surya Namaskar?

You can either chant the sun salutation mantras verbally or in your mind.

Now let's see how you can chant the mantras while doing the Sun Salutation sequence. One set of Sun Salutation comprises two rounds and ndash; one with the right leg, one with the other. It is ideally recommended to practice 12 sets of Sun Salutation daily. But you can choose your own number, according to what seems comfortable. If you choose to do 6 sets or more, chant one mantra each at the start of every new sequence. Recite the first mantra as you start one set, finish the two rounds in that set and then start the next set with the second mantra and so on. This way, you would have chanted 12 mantras with 12 sets of Sun Salutation.

If you practice less than 12 rounds of Sun Salutation and ndash; 2 or 4 and ndash; you can recite one mantra each with every posture in the sequence. This would make it 12 Sun Salutation mantras corresponding to 12 poses of Surya Namaskar which are

• Pranamasana (Prayer pose)
• Hastauttanasana (Raised Arms pose)
• Hasta Padasana (Hand to Foot pose)
• Ashwa Sanchalanasana (Equestrian pose)

and

1

Pranamasana (Prayer pose)

and

What to chant:

Om Mitraaya Namaha

and

Meaning:

Who is friendly to all

2

Hastauttanasana (Raised Arms pose)

What to chant:

Om Ravaye Namaha

and

Meaning:

The shining one, the radiant one

and

3

Hasta Padasana (Hand to Foot pose)

What to chant:

Om Suryaya Namaha

and

Meaning:

Who is the dispeller of darkness and responsible for bringing activity

4

Ashwa Sanchalanasana (Equestrian pose)

What to chant:

Om Bhaanave Namaha

and

Meaning:

One who illumines, the bright one

and

5

Dandasana
(Stick pose)

and

and

What to chant:

Om Khagaya Namaha

and

Meaning:

Who is all-pervading, one who moves through the sky

6

Ashtanga Namaskara
and and and (Salute With Eight Parts Or Points)

What to chant:

Om Pooshne Namaha

and

Meaning:

Giver of nourishment and fulfillment

and

7

Bhujangasana (Cobra pose)

What to chant:

Om Hiranyagarbhaaya Namaha

and

Meaning:

Who has golden color brilliance

8

Parvatasana (Mountain pose)

What to chant:

Om Mareechaye Namaha

and

Meaning:

The giver of light with infinite number of rays

and

9

Ashwa Sanchalanasana (Equestrian pose)

What to chant:

Om Aadityaaya Namaha

and

Meaning:

The son of Aditi and ndash; the cosmic divine Mother

10

Hasta Padasana (Hand to Foot pose)

What to chant:

Om Savitre Namaha

and

Meaning:

One who is responsible for life

and

11

Hastauttanasana (Raised Arms pose)

What to chant:

Om Aarkaaya Namaha

and

Meaning:

Worthy of praise and glory

12

Tadasana

and

and

What to chant:

Om Bhaaskaraya Namaha

and

Meaning:

Giver of wisdom and cosmic illumination

and

It is a good idea to chant these 12 Sun Salutation Mantras with the proper intonations. You could learn the correct mantra chanting along with the video.

Include these 12 mantras in your daily practice of Surya Namaskar and feel a sense of oneness with the Sun.

(Based on inputs by Krishan Verma and Dinesh Kashikar. Written by Pritika Nair.)