How to do Surya Namaskar – Sun Salutation Steps & Postures

Morning is the right time to practice Surya Namaskar as the early morning sunrays are rich source of Vitamin D which is required for strong bones and clear eyesight. You can use a carpet or a small piece of cloth for doing this. There are twelve mantras for each of the twelve postures and these mantras are to be recited for each posture.

Following are the different postures in Surya Namaskar

First Posture – Namaskarasana
You should be in a standing position with palms folded in front of your chest, feet together and toes touching each other. Breathe as usual and recite the mantra.

Mantra – Om Mitrayah Namaha
Advantages – The mind and body turn out to be healthy

Second Posture – Parvatasana
Lift your arms over your head and shoulders, with palms touching each other. The biceps should touch the ears. Inhale and stretch your abdomen to the maximum extent and tilt backwards.

Mantra – Om Ravaye Namah
Advantages – A good exercise for the shoulders and the food pipe (Esophagus). Vision is also enhanced.

Third Posture – Namaskara Hastapadasana
Breathe in deeply and hold the breath. Bend forward without folding the knees and keep the palms on the floor. Touch your knees with the forehead and exhale deeply. Initially, if you are not able to keep the palms on the floor, you can just touch it with the fingers.

Mantra – Om Suryaya Namaha
Advantages - This exercise is a remedy for belly and digestive
ailments. The chest and hands become strong and your body grows to be well balanced. Also, diseases of the feet and fingers are set right.

Fourth Posture – Ekapada Prasaranasana
Breathe in and drag your right leg backward, with the knee and fingers of the foot touching the floor. Press hard the abdomen and belly such that they touch the left leg. Now raise your head as high as possible and look upward. Hold breath and resume in the posture for sometime.

Mantra – Om Bhanave Namaha
Advantages – As this exercise stretches the small intestine and the seminal vesicles, it is a good remedy for constipation and diseases of the liver. Besides, thinness of the semen and diseases of throat are also corrected.

Fifth Posture – Bhudharasana
Breathe in deeply and hold it. Pull both the legs backwards and keep the thumbs of the feet, ankles and knees touching each other. Keep the head, waist, the back and the elbows in a line and bend forward with the palms on the floor. Your body looks like a bow now.

Mantra – Om Khagaya Namaha
Advantages – This movement helps to relieve from the pains – especially of arms, legs and the knees. It is also good for the abdominal disorders.

Sixth Posture – Ashthanga Pranipatasana
Inhale and hold the breath. Keep the knees on the floor and make the chest and forehead to touch the floor. The palms are to be placed on the side of the chest. Ensure that the abdomen should not touch the floor and drag it.

Mantra – Om Pusane Namaha
Advantages – This exercise makes the arms strong and if ladies perform this Asana before getting pregnant, the child could be prevented from many diseases.

Seventh Position – Bhujangasana
Inhaling the breath, lower your waist and raise your upper body. Now look upwards and keep the arms straight.

Mantra – Om Hiranya-Garbhaya Namaha
Advantages – Apart from toning up the body and the back muscles, this Asana improves eyesight. Disorders related to the reproductive system and the irregularities in female’s menstrual cycle are corrected. Also improves blood circulation.

Eighth Posture – Bhudharasana
This position is the same as that of Bhudharasana, explained in fifth position.

Mantra – Om Marichiye Namaha

Ninth Posture – Ekapada Prasaranasana
Repeat the process of fourth position.

Mantra – Om Adityaya Namaha

Tenth Posture – Namaskara Hastapadasana
The position is same as that of the third one.

Mantra – Om Savitre Namaha

Eleventh Posture – Parvatasana
The procedure is same as that of step two.

Mantra – Om Arkaya Namaha

Twelfth Posture – Namaskarasana
Same as that of first position

Mantra – Om Bhaskaraya Namaha

This full round of Surya Namaskar can be repeated as many times as possible.
“Om Sri Savitra Soorya Narayanaaya Namah”