Sanskrit Counting

Do you find yourself avoiding eye contact with your Astanga teacher at all costs for fear that he or she will call on you to count a sun salutation? Breathe. Then print yourself a copy of our cheat sheet! It provides English and Sanskrit translations for the numbers and poses of Surya Namaskar (that's sun salutation in English) and even reminds you what breath, inhale or exhale accompanies each movement. Practice a bit, and you'll be volunteering to count before you know it

Sanskrit Counting/Poses for Surya Namaskar A

1 ekam ūrdhva hastāsana upward salute inhale
2 dve uttānāsānā forward fold exhale
3 trīṇi ardha uttānāsānā spine extension inhale
4 catvāri chaturaṅga daṅḍāsana plank to low plank exhale
5 pañca ūrdhva mukha śvānāsana upward facing dog inhale
6 ṣaṭ adho mukha śvānāsana downward facing dog exhale
7 sapta ardha uttānāsānā spine extension inhale
8 aṣṭau uttānāsānā forward fold exhale
9 nava ūrdhva hastāsana upward salute inhale
10 daśa samasthitiḥ standing upright exhale

Sanskrit Counting/Poses for Surya Namaskar B

1 ekam utkaṭāsana fierce pose inhale
2 dve uttānāsānā forward fold exhale
3 trīṇi ardha uttānāsānā spine extension inhale
4 catvāri chaturaṅga daṅḍāsana plank to low plank exhale
5 pañca ūrdhva mukha śvānāsana upward facing dog inhale
6 ṣaṭ adho mukha śvānāsana downward facing dog exhale
7 sapta vīrabhadrāsana warrior A inhale
8 aṣṭau chaturaṅga daṅḍāsana
plank to low plank exhale
9 nava ūrdhva mukha śvānāsana
upward facing dog
inhale
10 daśa adho mukha śvānāsana downward facing dog exhale
11 ekādaśa
vīrabhadrāsana warrior A inhale
12 dvādaśa chaturaṅga daṅḍāsana plank to low plank exhale
13 trayodaśa ūrdhva mukha śvānāsana upward facing dog inhale
14 caturdaśa adho mukha śvānāsana downward facing dog exhale
15 pañcadaśa ardha uttānāsānā spine extension inhale
16 ṣoḍaśa uttānāsānā forward fold exhale
17 saptadaśa utkaṭāsana fierce pose inhale
18 aṣṭādaśa samasthitiḥ standing upright exhale

Created with love by Astanga Vinyasa student and teacher, Amanda Manfredi.  Namaste!

Update! The lovely and brilliant Cheryl Oliver was kind enough to provide me with the diacriticals (those funky markings around the letters that help us figure out how to pronounce this stuff!) and reminds us: "Remember -- all "e"s sound like "ay" & get 2 beats, and all "o"s also get 2 beats (even though they don't have aline over them! :)" Cheryl is a phenomenal teacher of Sanskrit, chanting, and yoga. To catch up with her, visit www.authenticyogascottsdale.com