Updated by : Sejal Shah
Have you ever tried the Sun Salutation mantra? If not, add this prayer to the Sun in your yoga routine and experience the difference today!
Is Sun Salutation one of your favorite yoga sequences?
Next time you do it, add the attitude of gratitude to your Sun Salutation practice with the sun salutation mantra. That's when through Surya Namaskar, you can honor not only the Sun but also the whole of Nature. Honoring the creation brings in a sense of sacredness to your yoga practice.
This is how I practice
I stand on my yoga mat, getting ready to start my Sun Salutation practice. I fold my hands in front of my chest, in a prayer position. I gratefully acknowledge all the things Sun does for nourishing our lives. With the heart filled with gratitude, I chant the first mantra for Sun Salutation, then my hands go up as I recite the second sun salutation mantra. The hands come down and touch the floor as if bowing to this higher power - the Sun, I recite the third mantra. With a gentle smile on my face, I carry on with each Sun Salutation (Surya Namaskar) posture and coordinate it with chanting a mantra. This makes this routine practice so beautifully sacred and deep. 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 How do I know the 12 Sun Salutation mantra?
A mantra refers to a combination of syllables, sounds, or phrases, which can be chanted or sung. In the case of Sun Salutation, they are sung in praise and honor of the Sun. Chanting mantras extends Sun Salutation benefits; it has subtle yet penetrating effects on both mind and body. There are 12 mantras that praise different qualities of the Sun and add a profound spiritual touch to the entire practice.
Sun Salutation at a glance along with mantras
Download our FREE e-book on Sun Salutation: Your Full Guide to Master the Age-old Yoga Sequence and learn how you can prepare yourself for doing the 108 Sun Salutations!
How to chant the Sun Salutation mantra?
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 Mitraya Namaha, where we look at this glowing sun like our friend.
How to include the mantra 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 - 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 - 2 or 4 - 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.
Play this Sun Salutation Mantra Audio during your practice
Enjoy your practice and make it even deeper with Surya Namaskara mantras chanted beautifully by Sahil Jagatiani, an Art of Living teacher, from India. Either you chant one mantra at the beginning of each round or one mantra with each step of the sequence, both options are great ways to incorporate these powerful mantras into your practice. I personally enjoy chanting one mantra with each step. Each morning as the Sun rises, play this audio and practice 6 sets (12 rounds) of Sun Salutations facing the Sun. Enjoy a perfect start to your day!
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 audio.
Include these 12 mantras in your daily practice of Surya Namaskar and feel a sense of oneness with the Sun.
Sejal Shah, E-RYT 500 Sri Sri Yoga Teacher, YACEP, C-IAYT, Meditation Teacher, SKY Instructor, NYU Post Graduate Medical School approved Yoga-CME retreat facilitator, Mind-Body Wellness Writer, Homeopath. She can be followed on YouTube, Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.
