suryanamaskara

Hiranmayena Patrena Satyasya Apihitam Mukham

Tatvam Pushan Apavrunu Satya Dharmaya Drustaye.

 

English Translation:

Similar to the way the golden-looking ( covered by light) vassal, covers all of the celestial bodies of outer space,

Oh, Pushan, the Sun, please uncover for me, so that it enables me to see Satya Dharma, the truth, which will follow Dharma, rightousness.

 

This 15^th sloka of the Isvasya Upanishad of Sukla Yajur Veda has been widely accepted and adopted as the prayer to the Sun God prior to the practice of Sun Postures.   This acceptance comes from the meaning of the sloka, or verse.  It is not only a prayer to the Sun, but it also conveys a philosophical message;   it is a prayer, not for material gains, but for the unveiling of truth through knowledge and for the will to practice this truth regardless of circumstance.

 

The sun is the light to our physical world and without it, we would live in complete darkness.   The moment the sun begins to rise on the horizon, all objects become clear in their true physical form and life begins: activities commence, we become energized, and the reality of the physical world is revealed.   The sun integrates all of creation according to their nature (or Dharma).

 

Beyond the physical world that is revealed, the sun ignites life and energy within plants and animals.   Medical studies have shown that those people who have prolonged periods without sunlight (i.e. those who live close to the poles of the earth) have an increased propensity towards depression.   Similarly, when the sun is absent from animals or plants, it causes them to go into prolonged hibernation, or even, suffocation.  Hence, it is the sun that reveals our physical world and ignites the life within our world.

 

It is the physical world that is lit up for us by the sun, but the same sun hides the rest of the universe from our sight.   All of the celestial objects, such as stars, planets, milky ways, and star clusters become invisible to us with the rise of the sun.  These beautiful details of the universe are hidden from us by the sun, but those details are trivial and insignificant to our daily existence.   The sun hides these unnecessary details and reveals the picture of the world in front of us; the world in which we must live and function and thus, must be able to see.

 

Ironically, the sun which allows us to see the world and ignore the unnecessary details of the universe, does not allow us to look at it.   If we try to look directly at the sun, we will be blinded.  The light which is suppose to give us sight, takes away our vision.   This irony is further exemplified by the simple act of going to a movie theater or dark studio.  When you step out into the sunlight after being inside a dark room, your eyes cannot see clearly.   We find that our eyes are blinded, not by the darkness, but by the light outside.  If we try to force ourselves to see in the light, we will damage our eyes.   If the light itself blinds us, what can help us come out of such blindness?

 

The only solution is to succumb to the light.  Do not try to fight the force of light and slowly allow your eyes to adjust by closing your eyes, relaxing, and slowly opening them, allowing them to assimilate to the light.   Respect the light and the sun and approach it with a high degree of humbleness and gentleness. 

 

This analogy has been effectively applied to knowledge by an Upansadic sage.  The sun is also known as "Arya" which is the respectful address for a wise person, who is elevated spiritually and can help deliver knowledge.  Hence, the sun depicts knowledge.   This knowledge allows for the world around us to be clearly revealed, shattering confusion and resolving fear.  This light of knowledge removes the ignorance of darkness.

 

Knowledge provides us with the opportunity to unveil the secrets of creation.  The technological developments and the comforts of modern day society have all been created based on increased knowledge.  There is a vast amount of knowledge that is available and this knowledge will continue to grow with the passage of time.   It becomes clear that knowledge is infinite.  Hence, the saying, that the more we know, the more we will come to realize what we do not know.   Knowledge is the tool which can ultimately provide us with peace and harmony.

 

It is in recognizing that regardless of the amount of knowledge we obtain, there is more that we do not know, that allows for humility.   Humility is the litmus test to determine whether knowledge has made you wise.  Wisdom and arrogance do not go together.   When one becomes humbled by knowledge, knowledge has served its purpose and transformed a person.

 

Knowledge which has not transformed a person is not true knowledge, as it did not really become part of you.   You may be able to quote from scriptures or regurgitate facts, but that only allows the knowledge to become an addition to you, like an attachment.  All such knowledge which we do not absorb, contributes to our   "ego" which can be very dangerous.  The knowledge which is light removes our blindness, but a knowledge which becomes our ego, blinds us, much like the sun we may try to look directly at.

 

The knowledge which we do not absorb becomes a burden (of knowledge) which tends to pull us more towards material gains such as fame, popularity, praise, awards, position and authority.   All of these facets seem to be good, but that is how we are blinded or disillusioned.  If the eyes are blinded by ignorance, knowledge can help us come out of it, but if our eyes are blinded by knowledge itself, what can help us come out of that darkness?   Much like the sunlight which gives us clarity, can also blind us.

 

This is the difference between a scholar (pundit) and a spiritual seeker (sadhaka).   A scholar has arrogance of knowledge, while a seeker has humility because of knowledge.  A scholar believes that he can intellectually resolve all issues, whereas a seeker believes in the power of prayer.   A prayer is really a heart to heart with divinity acknowledging that 'I am nothing, you are everything.  I am ignorant and you are knowledge.   Knowledge does not belong to me, I belong to knowledge.'  When we surrender our ego completely in humbleness, where God leads us is the path of truth in the way of righteousness.

 

A wonderful story depicts this belief simply: 

A child, while walking on the sand, said to god, "I saw behind me four foot prints while walking. And I felt assured that you are walking with me because I thought the other two foot prints belong to you. But now I don't see the foot prints, I am worried where did you go, leaving me alone?"

God replied to her "Don't worry when you don't see the two extra foot prints it is only because I am carrying you and the foot prints you see are mine."

 

God will lead and carry us on the path of righteousness.  Humbleness, innocence, wisdom, and the path of truth and righteousness, all go hand in hand, one helping the other. In humility the sage prays, 'Oh God Pushan, the nourisher, Lord Surya, I do not see but you show me.'

 

Of the various forms of arrogance, the arrogance of knowledge is the most difficult to conquer.   The arrogance of beauty lives for a few years of youth.  The arrogance of wealth must be sustained through hard work and then leads to a life full of people who are also greedy, and thus is short lived.   All other arrogances are associated with some materialism which will make you realize that it is short term, while the arrogance of knowledge is something which is difficult to recognize and abandon.

 

A humble posture and a prayerful mood immediately makes one slow and contemplative, allows for the consideration of others' point of views, and gives the opportunity to respond suitably, rather than react emotionally.   With humbleness, it becomes apparent that reaction is futile and that understanding the issue and then responding appropriately is the only effective means of response.   Swami Vivekananda made the observation that self confidence is often mistaken as arrogance and humbleness as weakness.  Humbleness is born out of strength, the strength of true knowledge, not out of weakness.

 

This sun mantra is meant to remind us and acknowledge that it is God's work that is consistently going on and not ours.   He is the knowledge and we belong to that knowledge, the knowledge does not belong to us.  It is our responsibility to use this knowledge and not abuse it.

 

In the scriptures, when the pandavas were in the aranyavasa (the life of the forest) Krishna convinces Arjuna not to waste time but to go to earn special weapons powered by Mantra Shakti, the power of the mind.   Arjuna returns with the most powerful weapon known as the Pushupatastra.  When he told others of his achievement, they asked him to demonstrate it.   Arjuna was about to charge the weapon by uttering the necessary mantras.  Suddenly, a celestial voice told Arjuna that these are very special gifts and to be humble to this knowledge of the weapon and not to use it in order to show off or for entertainment.   The voice instructed Arjuna to utilize the power only when it is extremely necessary and for the good of mankind. 

 

In the same regard, the distribution of knowledge should not be with the intent of arrogance but rather to distribute information and promote learning.   A good example of this distribution of knowledge is Professor Sastry.  Although he has a wealth of scriptural knowledge            in his memory, he always uses simple language for everyone to understand and grasp what he is saying. 

 

It is this concept of obtaining knowledge and making it an integral, transforming part of ourselves, not our egos, that we are to take from the mantra as we say it.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

--
charity done with an idea that it will give you heaven is like business. it is from head- calculation.
charity done with satisfaction is from heart -  compassion.
..... Raghuram

suryanamaskar reg

A have received some questions and I will try to answer them in this thought stream.

Shri Bothi wrote:

If it is correct what you say here, one should need to know Sanskrit to do Suryanamaskaras and to raise KUNDALINI SHAKTI...If these MANTRAS are so substantial in acting Suryanamaskaras. , as a result, it seems no way for a person who does not pronounce Sanskrit letters correctly... On the other hand, as far as I know, KUNDALINI SHAKTI has no relation with mantras at all...

Ans: several ways sages thought and formed various aspects of Suryanamaskaras so that they aimed the progress from various angles. This was done for the society which had these mantra chanting or Sanskrit as part of the culture. But now a days even in India many do not know Sanskrit but practice suryanamaskaras and derive benefit. So my intention is to say that if you do sincerely without knowing Sanskrit or the deep meaning of mantras you will derive benefit but if you know the meaning you can have added advantage as you can feel the richness. I am trying to explain the ideas so that even people who do not have the knowledge can also appreciate and start feeling the mantras as they chant. Our own sincerity is the over riding factor and all other factors are secondary.

Anjali Vale of Yoga-bhrati -Detroit group wrote:

Could you please guide on all the names or mantras before Suryanamaskaras and their relation to each chakras. I think that will be really helpful.

Ans: I shall try to explain now the aspects of these mantras.

1. Aum hraam mitrayanamah mooladhara

Mitra = friend of all, one who is in service; friendship is the basis for the growth in collectiveness. To befriend is our nature and is based on the feeling that basically every one is good and is friend. Since the friendship is the basis where intellect is not born it is the position of mooladhara or the base chakra.

2. Aum hreem ravaye namah swadhisthana

Ravi = sahasraguna mutsrastunadatte hi rasam ravih; one who is the essence of all elements is absorbed by the stomach and lower abdomen in beings its position is swadhistana, the next chakra.

3. Aum hroom sooryaya namah manipura

Surya = constant beholder of good and bad; all seeing; we hold good and bad in our heart center so it denotes the manipura

4. Aum hraim bhaanave namah vishuddha

Bhanu is brightness bhaa is light splendor luster etc. our vishuddha chakra voice whose rightful sound indicates our brightness

5. Aum hraum khagaaya namah ajna

Kha= Sky or space it denotes the space in the mind which is the primordial state so it denotes space between eyes in third eye position

6. aum hrah pooshne namah sahasrara

Pooshnah = Rays of light or radiation or having the radiation of knowledge!

7. Aum hraam hiranya garbhaaya namah mooladhara

Hiranya garbha= golden womb its seat therefore is the lower end of the spine culminating in genital organs

8. Aum hreem mareecye namah swadhistana

mareechi = a particle of light and energy which is from the abdominal region

9. Aum hroom aadityaaya namah manipura

Aaditya = A son of aditi divinity in general; all samskaras or impressions of last life or lives is the

10. Aum hraim savitrye namah vishuddha

savitr = generating, producing , yielding which is the function of heart which integrates us inside with out side s

11. Aum hraum arkaya namah ajna

Arka = a big flash of lightening like the spark of knowledge – intellect in the brain centers of us.

Thus the Suryanamaskara mantras denote the centers systematically.

The mantras such as hraam, hreem etc are known as beeja mantras and as I said earlier ‘h’ alone not a sound it is when you exhale keeping the mouth and air column fully open and then when we say r r r r is not a single sound but a sound of beating or percussion which is combined together with the a,e,i,o etc which when we chant create resonance at the centers in the body. This will bring the alertness at that center. Now after developing inner awareness don’t disturb and just use that awareness to go to deeper relaxation. Once we are aware it automatically takes us to deeper relaxation and we can go to subtle level. This is what people call as kundalini rising.

Another question by the sadhaka was these mantras are in Sanskrit and there are lot of people who practice but they do not know Sanskrit. do they not derive benefit of these practices? It does not matter. Knowing Sanskrit and the meaning and idea behind the practices may help one to develop greater dedication and helps them to practice with more mindfulness! So if some one without knowing the meaning and idea but having mindfulness such a person will get equal or more benefit but a person who has all the knowledge of Sanskrit but has no shraddha or mindfulness he will not be enjoying full benefit in these practices. All these explanations are given to show to the person practicing the Suryanamaskara should be able ot appreciate the great wisdom our sages have used in these practices. Their concern was for elevating the mind of sadhaka towards spiritual peaceful states which in classical terms known as chitta shuddhi.

Raghuram

suryanamaskara reg

Hiranmayena Patrena Satyasya Apihitam Mukham

Tatvam Pushan Apavrunu Satya Dharmaya Drustaye.

Like the way the Hiranmayam Jyotirmayam = goldenlooking (covered by light) vassal, covers the salya = aditya mandala = the whole celestial bodies of the outer space, Oh Pushan, the Sun, please (apaavrunu) = uncover for me so that it enables me to see Satya Dharma the truth which will be following the Dharma, righteousness.

This is the fifteenth sloka of Isavasya Upanishad of Sukla Yajur Veda. This sloka has been adapted widely as a preyar for Sun god before we practice the Sun postures because in addition to the prayer of sun it has a very important philosophical message. Here the prayer is not for any material gains but prays sun god for the knowledge of the truth and also for the ‘will’ to practice that truth in all situations.

Sun reveals us the reality and without the sun we are in darkness; we can not see the things around, the moment sun rises on the horizon all the objects become clear in their true form, at once. With the sun rise the life will start, activities take place, energization happens. This Sun is the cause for revealing the truth of the nature, he is the cause for manifestation of activity and also he integrates the whole creation according to their nature (Dharma).

You can never imagine the world without Sun. Medical studies show in the parts of the globe where they have large spans of night or darkness – namely the countries near poles, when the sun does not appear for long period of time there is high incidence of depression in people. When Sun is absent even animals and plants also go into hibernation or suffocation. Life becomes impossible without sun. Therefore sun is life giver for us.

You can see all objects under sun light but most interesting thing is all the celestial objects like the stars and the planets, milky ways and star clusters, all of them go into hiding the moment sun rises. They are there but they become invisible the moment sun rise occurs. The beautiful details that you perceive in the darkness of the sky, all the treasure that is there which the fascinating universe is and in front of that sight of the celestial objects, the details that you see on the earth are absolutely trivial and insignificant! But sun does hide the sight of the universe and brings the picture of the world in front of us!

The sky that you see in the night is the real or true picture of the universe. The light is in the form of small little tiny dots which are separated by huge space of darkness. Though proportionately the darkness is several billion times greater than the light even then strangely we feel the light is more than the darkness. That way light gives illusion. The light misleads us! The sun which rises in the sky not only takes away the details in the sky like stars and planets. But you can not even see the sun. You will be blinded and your eyes will be damaged. The light which is supposed to give us sight takes away our vision – and blinds us. Isn’t this is very strange?

Especially when you come out of a cinema theatre or a dark studio, you find that your eyes are blinded not because of the darkness but because of the light outside. Your eyes are adjusted to darkness or very negligible light, and when you come from the darkness into light, your eyes will be blinded for some time.

If the outside is not visible because of lack of light all that we need to do is to open the flash light so that that it will light up and will enable us to see things clearly. But in the case of blindness we experience when we come out of the theatre, that blindness is caused by the light. If light itself blinds you what can help us to come out of such blindness? In addition, if you try to force your eyes to see in that light, it is not only impossible to see but your eyes will be permanently damaged. The only solution at that time is, don’t fight with that light; don’t fight with your eyes and the brain centers. Close your eyes relax and open it slowly, little by little. Try to slowly assimilate the light after some time your eyes will get adjusted. Respect the light, respect the sun and approach it with very higher degree of humbleness and gentleness.

This analogy has been very effectively used for knowledge by the Upanisadic sage. Sun is also known as “Arya” which in other wards is the respectful address for somebody who is wize, who is elevated spiritually and who can help on with knowledge. Therefore sun is depicting knowledge. This knowledge helps us to understand things around us. With such an understanding we start seeing things clearly. Confusion will be shattered fear will be resolved. The light of the knowledge removes the darkness of ignorance.

Knowledge takes away our fear and confusion, knowledge open the vision of the world for us, knowledge is giving us an opportunity if unravel the secrets of the creation. All this technological developments and increase in comforts in the life have been possible because of this knowledge. This small little tiny knowledge can give us so much. One can imagine the vast knowledge that is available and this knowledge keep on growing with the passage of time. Knowledge is infinite. That is why it is said that the more we know we will come to understand how much we really do not know. In fact that is the true learning where it gives us an idea how much we do not know. Knowledge is the one ultimately which gives us peace and harmony.

From Prashanti Kutiram our residential campus, a couple was posted as yoga teachers in Indonesia. Before going to Indonesia they came to me and asked that they have one more month to improve their knowledge before they actually take the flight to Jakarta. They said, they can perform few postures, do some Pranayama and can give instruction for various meditation aspects of yoga. But they expressed that they are not confident enough to give lectures on philosophy of yoga. So they requested if I can give them few talks on the philosophy of yoga. So for a small group which included them too I was giving every day two to three hours of talk for next thirty days. Listening to the whole series very attentively at the end of the series, they touched my feet with tears of humility in their eyes and they said “Raghuramji, you are international yoga teacher and we are also going internationally to teach yoga. But you have opened our eyes. We realized after listening to the talks how much we do not know”. Thus, knowledge is that which gives us humility.

Humility is the true litmus test to see whether the knowledge has made you a wise person, or not. Wisdom and arrogance do not go together. When one becomes humble with knowledge then knowledge has served its purpose of transforming one and making him a different person.

A knowledge which does not transform you did not really enter into you. But you may remember it very clearly you may quote from the scriptures. Such knowledge has only become like an addition – or like an attachment to you. All such knowledge which forms our addition becomes our “ego”, which is very dangerous. The knowledge which is light removes our blindness but a knowledge which becomes our ego and the ego of knowledge blinds us further like the way light makes us blind when we come out of a theater. Knowledge which does not transform us becomes burden (of knowledge). This burden of the knowledge gravitates us more and more towards material gains such as name fame, popularity praises and honors, position and authority. They all appear to be good and real but that is how our eyes are blinded. If the eyes are blinded by darkness or ignorance knowledge can help us to come out of that blindness. If we are blinded by knowledge itself, then what else can help us to come out of that darkness, it is like we give a medicine for killing unwanted bacteria but the bacteria within us is using the medicine itself for its growth then we will be in greater trouble. Similarly light is supposed to give us clarity but we are blinded by the light itself. In the same way if knowledge which is supposed to make us humble, will become our arrogance, then what can save us, you will not be able have any knowledge which can save you like the way. When your eyes are blinded by light no other light can help us.

This is the difference between a scholar [pundit] and a sadhaka [spiritual seeker]. A scholar has arrogance of knowledge and a seeker has humility because of knowledge. A scholar feels he can intellectually solve all issues. On the other hand a sadhaka will be prayerful. Prayer really means a heart to heart talk with divinity that I am nothing and you are everything. I am ignorant and you are knowledge. All my knowledge belongs to you rather knowledge does not belong to me but I belong to knowledge. When we surrender our ego completely in humbleness, what god shows us, leads us is the path of truth in the way of righteousness.

A child while walking on the sand said to god, “I saw behind me four foot prints while walking. And I felt assured that you are walking with me because I thought the other two foot prints belong to you. But now I don’t see the foot prints, I am worried where did you go, leaving me alone?”

God replied her “don’t worry when you don’t see the two extra foot prints it is only because I am carrying you and the foot prints you see are mine.”

Humbleness, innocence, wisdom, and the path of truth and righteousness, all of them go hand in hand one helping the other. In humility the sage prays Oh God Pushan, the nourisher, Lord Surya, I do not see but you show me.

Of the various forms of arrogance than arrogance of knowledge is most difficult to conquer. The arrogance of beauty lives for few years of youth, to preserve arrogance of wealth one has to work hard, and that arrogance gathers people who are only greedy. So all other arrogances are associated with some thing which will make you realize that it is short lived where as the arrogance of knowledge is some thing which will be most difficult to come out of it.

A humble posture and a prayerful mood at once makes one slow contemplative, gives due consideration for others view point, appreciates others way of looking and in addition it provides one an opportunity not to react but to respond suitably. With humbleness one will come to exercise the idea it is futile to react but to make one to understand is the only issue and therefore who is humble will not react but to properly respond. Swami Vivekananda said self confidence is often mistaken as arrogance and humbleness for weakness. Spiritual way is to be humble which is born out of knowledge and strength and not out of weakness.

This is a mantra to make us feel and experience that it is god’s work going on and not ours. He is the knowledge and we belong to knowledge and not otherwise – not the knowledge belongs to us. Utilize the knowledge and don’t misuse this knowledge.

When pandavas were in the aranyavasa [the life of forest] during that time Krishna convinces Arjuna not to waste time but to go to earn special weapons powered by Mantra Shakti, the power of mind. Arjuna returns with most powerful weapon called the Pashupatastra. When he told others about his achievement they asked him to demonstrate it! Arjuna was about to charge this and was about to utter the necessary mantras. Immediately the celestial voice told them that these are very special gifts and be humble to this knowledge of the weapon and not to use it for entertainment and for showing off. Utilize the power only when it is very much necessary and for the good of the mankind. Same way the arrogance of knowledge will be manifesting in the form of misuse of knowledge and humility of knowledge will make us not to exhibit. We can come across talks of some people the purpose of such talks is to show how much the speaker knows but the right way of talk takes care of the listeners and the need for their learning. I always found Prof. Sastry would always use such simple language though he has wealth of scriptural knowledge in his memory. He used to use the knowledge which is required to convince the listener but not to show his erudition.

Let this mantra from Isavasya Upanishad remind us this valuable concept every day when we chant this mantra before doing suryanamaskaras.