Surya Namaskār Surya Namaskār Surya Namaskar (Sanskrit: सूर्यनमस्कार ; IAST: "Sūrya Namaskāra"), Salute to the Sun or Sun Salutation, is a Yoga practice incorporating a sequence of gracefully linked asanas. The nomenclature refers to the symbolism of Sun as the soul and the source of all life. Mark Singleton argues that the sun salutation is relatively a modern practice that developed in the 20th century. Some scholars attempt to attribute modern Surya namaskar practice to a student of Tirumalai Krishnamacharya, the yoga teacher K. Pattabhi Jois. It includes modern day Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga and the Visesha Vinyasa Sun Salutation subroutine from Vinyasa
Ashtanga vinyasa yoga of a pose (e.g., Janu Sirsasana A, B, and C were done together, then a vinyasa. Likewise Baddha Koṇāsana, Upavishta Konasana, and Supta Konasana were also grouped together without vinyasa between them, as were Ubhaya Padangusthasana and Urdhva Mukha Paschimottanasana. According to Gilgoff, Pattabhi Jois prescribed practicing twice a day, primary and intermediate, with no vinyasa between sides in Krounchasana, Bharadvajasana, Ardha Matsyendrasana, Eka Pada Sirsasana, Parighasana, and Gomukhasana in the intermediate series. Shalabhasana to Parsva Dhanurasana were done in a group, with a vinyasa only at the end. Ushtrasana through Kapotasana also were done all together. The same went