Surya Namaskar or the Sun Salutations is a wonderful daily yoga practice.
If you chant the 12 mantras of the Sun before the 12 rounds of Sun Salutations,
It will activate and illuminate the practice even more.
These 12 mantras all start with Om and end with Namaha.
Namaha means salutations or I bow down or I salute to the Sun.
Each of these 12 mantras includes the Bija mantras or seed sounds which are Ham,
Hreem,
Hroom,
Hrime,
Hraum,
And Hraa.
These six Bija mantras are repeated in the first six salutations and then repeated in the second set of six salutations as well.
And then the 12 names of the Sun are chanted.
So the first mantra is Om Hram Mitraya Namaha.
Salutations to the Sun who is the friend of all.
Second is Om Hreem Ravaaya Namaha.
Salutations to the Sun who is praised by all.
Third mantra is Om Hroom Surya Namaha.
Salutations to the Sun who is the stimulator.
Fourth mantra Om Hreem Banave Namaha.
Salutations to the Sun who is the giver of lustre and beauty.
Fifth mantra Om Hraum Kagaya Namaha.
Salutations to the Sun who is the stimulator of the senses.
Sixth mantra Om Hraa Pushney Namaha.
Salutations to the Sun who is the nourisher of all.
The second set of six mantras now begins.
Om Hram Hiranyagarbaya Namaha.
Salutations to the Sun who possesses the power to develop energy and vitality.
Eighth mantra Om Hreem Marichaye Namaha.
Salutations to the Sun who is the destroyer of disease.
Ninth mantra Om Hroom Adityaya Namaha.
Salutations to the Sun who is the attractor.
Tenth mantra Om Hraim Savitrei Namaha.
Salutations to the Sun who is the begetter of all.
Eleventh mantra Om Hraum Arkaya Namaha.
Salutations to the Sun who is fit to be revered.
And twelfth mantra Om Hraa Bhaskaraya Namaha.
Salutations to the Sun who is refulgent.
These are the twelve mantras of the Sun using the twelve names for the Sun.
As you chant this and as you perform your Sun salutations you should always be facing east towards the rising Sun.
Here is the chanting and the correct pronunciation of these twelve mantras.
Om Hram Mitraya Namaha.
Om Hram Mitraya Namaha.
Om Hroom Ravaaye Namaha.
Om Hram Ravaaye Namaha.
Om Hroom Suryaya Namaha.
Om Hroom Suryaya Namaha.
Om Hram Bana Vena Maha.
Om Hram Bana Vena Maha.
Om Hram Kagaaya Dhamaha.
Om Hram Kagaaya Namaha.
Om Hram Pushneya Namaha.
Om Hram Pushneya Namaha.
Om Hram Hiranyagarbaya Namaha.
Om Hram Hiranyagarbaya Namaha.
Om Hram Marichaya Namaha.
Om Hram Marichaya Namaha.
Om Hroom Adityaya Namaha.
Om Hroom Adityaya Namaha.
Om Hram Savitreya Namaha.
Om Hram Savitreya Namaha.
Om Hram Arkaya Namaha.
Om Hram Arkaya Namaha.
Om Hram Bhaskaraya Namaha.
Om Hram Bhaskaraya Namaha.
Om Shanti Shanti Shanti.
Chanting these 12 mantras to the sun before each round of your sun salutations is one of the most glorious ways to start your day.
I hope you will enjoy your practice.
