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