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THE TEN-POINT
WAY TO HEALTH
SURYA NAMASKARS
S ln im an t Balasahib Pandit Pratinidhi, I3.A.
R A J A H O F A U N D II
E D IT E D W IT H AN
IN T R O D U C T IO N BY
L O U I S E M O R G A N
20 IL L U S T R A T IO N S
J. M . D E N T A N D S O N S L T D
L O N D O N

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1
CONTENTS
CHAP. PACE
INTRODUCTION 7
I. THE HABIT OF HEALTH . - *9
II. THE MEANING OF SURYA NAMASKARS * 4
III. THE PRELIMINARIES • 3 4
IV. BREATH IS LIFE • 3 8
V. THE TEN POINTS - 4 3
VI. VALUE TO WOMEN . • 5 5
VII. WARDING OFF OLD AGE . 61
VIII. USE IN SCHOOLS . 66
IX. OUR OWN EXPERIENCE * 7 3
X. EVOLUTION OF SURYA NAMASKARS 7 8
XX. HEALTH THROUGH SPEECH . til
XII. THE SOUNDS THAT HELP . • 88
XIII. CURE OP CONSTIPATION . • 9 3
XIV. TUBERCULOSIS
• 9 7
X V. POINTS ABOUT DIET . IOJ
XVI. N2W LIFE FOR OLD . 108
PHOTOGRAPHS . between pages 12 a n il 13
d ia g r a m s . ,> „ 52 a n d 53
5

INTRODUCTION
i
A l i t t l e o v e r a y e a r a g o , in in y c a p a c it y as
jo u r n a lis t, I h a d th e p r iv ile g e o f ta lk in g w ith o n e
o f th e m o st v it a l h u m a n b e in g s I h a v e e v e r m et
— a n d I h a v e in te r v ie w e d h u n d re d s o f th e w o r ld ’s
o u ts ta n d in g m e n a n d w o m e n .
He is the Rajah o f Aundh, ruling prince o f
one o f the states in the Bombay Presidency, a
wise legislator and hum anitarian, who is rebuilding
his domain into a modern progressive state
from which old age, pain, disease, worry, and
economic ills arc being gradually eliminated.
I had discovered beforehand that the rajah
was over seventy, and knowing that Indians age
early, I was prepared for even more o f the
sagging muscles and profound wrinkles which
mark the vast majority o f ‘ old people* everywhere.
Im agine my astonishment, therefore, when
the rajah’s secretary presented me to him in the
drawing-room o f a suite at the Savoy H otel, to
see a m an with the agile, supple movements of
youth, eyes shining like a boy’s, strong, brilliantly
white teeth, firm muscles, radiant smile, and a
mind that worked like summer lightning.
7

8 INTRODUCTION
He looked a young m iddle-age. L ater he was
to tell me that he had known no illness, not even
a cold, for tw enly-eight years.
‘ You seem surprised not to find me the usual
docdcring old creatu re!’ he said, and his secretary
joined in our laugh. It was impossible to
resist the good hum our o f this young m an o f
seventy-one.
T h e rajah then told me a story o f healing and
the renewing o f the life force which sounded like
the discovery o f the long-sought Fountain o f
Y o u th .
But the secret was nothing so m iraculous; it
lay in a series o f exerciscs called ‘ Surya Xamas-
kari,’ literally translated ‘ Sun Prayers/
T h ey were sim plicity itself, he explained,
taking only five or six minutes to com plete a
round of twenty-five cycles and requiring no sort
o f equipm ent whatever.
Breathing was a fundam ental part o f Surya
Namaskars, three controlled breaths being taken
for each cycle o f ten positions.
A ny one could try them, o f an y age, men or
women alike. T h ey cost nothing, all that was
ncccssary lifting a flat floor space about two feet
by seven feet.
T he rajah had brought with him a film taken

INTRODUCTION’ 9
in his paJacc and in his slate schools showing
himself, his ranee, children, and subjects going
through the exercises, and I was shown ‘ stills'
from it.
T h e ranee, a charm ing w om an o f thirty-six
who has had eight children,, looked like a girl of
sixteen. H er body was slender, supple, and
delicatcly rounded. I was told she is extrem ely
strong and suffers practically no pain a t childbirth.
‘ T h e effcct o f Surya Nam askars on wom en is
even more astonishing than on m en,’ said the
rajah. ‘ O ur wornftn agr* very rapidly, but now
they can keep the vitality and beauty o f their
youth to an advanced age.’
A noiher woman actor in the film was the
sixty-ycar-old mother o f ten children, who had
suffered all her life from rheumatism and superfluous
fat. She began the Nam askars in 1925,
and had com pletely got rid o f her rheumatism
and was now ‘ as young-looking as her daughters.’
3
I was deeply impressed with the rajah's story,
but, being a sceptical newspaperwom an, not entirely
convinced. So when I returned to the
office o f m y paper, the N ews Chronicle> to write
the interview for the next day’s issue, I did not

IO INTRODUCTION
sign it, for to sign it w ould have implied more
crcdcncc than I felt.
A year earlier, and 1 should soon have forgotten
both rajah and story in the whirl o f Fleet Street,
where one event tops another in the coursc o f an
hour or even less.
But, as it happened, I had had a twelvemonth o f
unusual stresses and strains, and was for the first
time aware o f a possible drain on the abundant
capital o f energy with which N ature had sup­
plied me.
Also, I was on the eve o f m y holiday. T h e
im age o f the ageless m an went with me to the
Dorset coast, and there I found myself one
morning trying Surya Namaskars in the spirit
in which the rajah had described them to me.
From the very first I noted a reflow o f energy
back into m y being. Pursuing them with too
much vigour, I strained several musclcs, so that
I limped for days. But, in spite o f this, I persisted,
and in six weeks’ time I understood the
significance o f m any sayings o f the rajah which
had been obscure to me.
M eanwhile, letters h ad been pouring into the
jVews Chronicle office, requiring further information
in regard to the ‘ fountain o f yo u th ’ and
the ‘ ten -poin t w ay Co health'— the exercises
described in m y interview with the rajah, and

INTRODUCTION
as a result I was asked by the editor to write a
scries giving full particulars o f Surya Namaskars.
T h is brought me in touch with a twcnty-threc-
ycar-old son o f the rajah studying la w in London
for the purpose o f helping his father in his
state work.
Shrim ant Appasahib was a m agnificent physical
specimen, but there was about him a more
impressive quality than perfect bodily fitness,
l i e had, in the midst o f nerve-ridden London,
an O lym pian ealmncss and poise.
H e had practised Surya Namaskars since he
was a small boy, and to them he attributed the
fact that he had never bad an illness and never
known such a thing as fear. I watched him
pose for the photographs at the end o f this book,
and when he had finished the dozen or so
Namaskars necessary he was dripping and radiant
as i f he had risen out o f some eternal spring.
T h e great advantage o f these exercises, he told
m e, is that they do not strain any part o f the
body, or ovcr-dcvelop some muscles at the expense
o f others, but they search out every cell
and sinew, rousing them, and tuning them into
harm ony. T h ey ‘ make the body sing.’
In this w ay Shrim ant Appasahib used them as
a tonic immediately after a hard d a y’s sport, such
as ski-ing, to prevent soreness and fatigue.

12 INTRODUCTION
T hey had also kept his nerves in good condition
for his law examinations, he told me, removing
all trace o f uneasiness and clearing his brain.
4-
T h e News Chronicle scries illustrated with photographs
o f Shrimant Appasahib appeared in
August 1936, and now, over a year later, I still
receive letters regularly from people all over the
country and abroad who have been carrying out
the exercises and deriving benefit from them.
T hey have told me o f rem arkable cures, o f the
restoration o f faith and hope, and o f the intensification
o f emotional experience which made each
waking to a new day a delight.
These letters come from a representative scction
o f the readers o f a great national newspaper—
doctors, school teachers, bankers and bank clerks,
poets, saxophonists, newspaper vendors, charwomen,
typists, retired civil servants, writers,
engineers, actors, and dozens o f other types.
One letter touched me more than most, and
I reproduce it here, om itting only the name and
address:
D e ar Sir,
H avin g been a reader o f your paper for a num ber
o f years I should like to thank Louise M organ through
your paper for the Surya Nam askars.
First o f all, I have been a m iner and h ave worked

P H O T O G R A P H S
S U R Y A N A M A S K A R S D E M O N S T R A T E D
B Y A N E X P E R T , A P P A S A H IB , SO N O P
T H E R A JA H O F A U N D II

INTRODUCTION *3
at ------ C ollieries since the age o f 18 a n d am now 52,
n early a ll th at tim e h avin g been, spent cruttin g, that
is driving tunnels from o n e seam o f coal to another
u sing com pressed air engine w hich you hold against
the b o d y for borin g holes w h ich a r c afterw ard s changed
w ith P ow d er and then fired. Y o u clean up and carry
on til! C o a l is reached. Som etim es the rock is $0 h ard
it w ill take over an h our to bore it on e y ard . Ju st
thin k o f the dust w hich is not allow ed to settle ow ing
to the C a fllin g ab o u t o f the exhaust and w ith a ll the
latest devices. A m an must breath e a b ig percentage
o f dust. For every shot thats Jired th e concussion
picks up dust fifty yard s aw ay. N o w o n d er three o f
m y m ates h ave d ied before the a g e o f forty-three.
A b o u t m y ow n h ealth , on Fob 22nd [936 I h ad to
g iv e up w ork o w in g to Silicosis having been X -ra yed
and found w ell-established in bath lungs. I am
receivin g C om pensation w eekly for same.
W hen visiting m y Panel D octor w hich is one and a
h a lf m iles a w a y there is a steep ban k for about sixty
yards. E v e ry tim e I h ave gone th at w a y I have had
to stop h alfw ay for a few seconds to g et m y breath,
now I ca n w alk pretty sharp all the w ay to the Doctors
w ith ou t an y effect.
I h ap pen ed to read Louise M organ ’s first article o f
exorcises but d id n 't think a n y thing o f it till the next
m o n iin g as I la y in bed too tired to g et up thinking
and w ishing 1 could d o roo yards in tw enty seconds*
then I thought ab o u t lungs th a t w ere idle, could I get
them to w ork. S o I slipped out o f bed and stood in
position, now d ra w in co u n t seven, I d id , w hen up to
three I w as done but I kept on puffing ou t till I counted
four and after follow ing it up every m orning as soon
D

M
INTRODUCTION
as I get OXil o f bed I feel th a t m uch better I can COunc
nine now and instead o f tw o hours in the green fields
w hich used to knock me up I can do six w ithout being
extra tired. T h e doctor tells m e I shall be able to
work again in A few years time.
W ill fellow sufferers ju st think o f it, nerves better,
m ental w orry gone, ju st try the breathing exercises.
I f you w ould like to lake copy o f Certificate, will
forward it on to you.
Shake hands w ith Louise M organ for m e as I feci a
new matt. .. f ■ u r n
to u rs faithfully,
T h e testimony o f these unsolicited letters, covering
a period o f over a year, added to my own
personal experiment, has convinced me that
Surya Namaskars have a healing, strengthening,
and revitalizing effect on the entire being— on
mind and spirit as well as body.
T h e y help wom en eq u ally w ith m en because
their aim is to free to the fullest extent the
individual personality.
Som e explanation o f their power may be found
in the facc that they arc the concentration of
hundreds o f generations o f human experience.
The rajah emphasizes their ancient and traditional
origin; he himself has but improved and
adapted them.
T h ey include the full cycle o f human activity
since the casting-out from the Garden o f Eden;

INTRODUCTION 15
the thrusting down o f the treader of grapes and
the woman in childbirth, the proud stretch o f the
warrior and the eoqucttc, the swing o f reaper
and weaver, the tautness o f runner and mother
protecting her young, the bend o f the weeder,
the washer, and the human being at prayer.
In our mechanized times, these natural physical
movements have been lost or distorted, and
it restores something o f the primitive vigour and
oneness o f being to revive them.
W e westerners arc a young people. The East
goes back a very long w ay I
o
Sound is always associated with movement in
eastern exercises. T h e recitation o f the mantras,
which arc certain syllables so ancient that they
have lost their meaning, invariably accompanies
the ritual o f health or religion.
But the rajah desires most sincerely to have it
known that the furthest thing from his mind is
any kind o f proselytizing purpose.
T h e mantras are essentially non-religious, and
owe none o f their virtues to a religious sourcc.
Instead o f the mantras themselves [kram, krim, hrurn,
hrnim, kraum, hralt}, the separate vowels or consonants
o f which they arc compounded m ay be
spoken with exactly as good effect.

INTRODUCTION
T h e present edition «>f Surya Namaskars is the
fifth. T h e first three were published in India
in 1928, 1929, and 1931, and each edition was
out o f print a few m onths after publication.
So sure was the faith o f the rajah in Surya
Namaskans to im prove th e physical, mental, and
spiritual condition o f m ankind, that he published
6
the book out o f his private purse. W hatever
moneys accrued from the sale o f the book were
devoted to welfare w ork am ong the youth o f liis
state. T h e rajah’s share in the present edidon
will be devoted to the sam e object in this country.
I wish to thank M r G erald Barry, editor o f
the N ews Citronicie, for allow ing me to reprint the
photographs o f S lu im au t A ppasahib taken from
the series o f articles published in August 1936.
I should like also to express m y appreciation
o f the kind help given m e b y M r $- N. Dutt o f
India House in adapting the Indian terminology.
L. M .

THE TEN-POINT
WAY TO HEALTH

CHAPTER 1
THE HABIT OF HRALT1I
M ost people think th at if th ey d id more business,
th ey w ould enjoy life belter, b ut they do
not appreciate the fact that if they enjoyed life
better th ey w ould d o m ore business.
Unless they are healthy they can never enjoy
life.
M an’s first d u ly, therefore, is to acquire superb
health. Your succcss financially, socially, and
personally depends fundamentally on your health.
T h e annual loss to industry and commerce, not
to mention die privation entailed on individual
families, brought about b y illness and physical
inefficiency on the part o f workers is beyond
computation.
T h e philosopher Emerson says: ‘ T h e first
wealth is health. Sickness is poor-spirited and
cannot serve any on e; it must husband its resources
to live. But health or fullness answers
its own ends, and has to spare, runs over and
inundates the neighbourhoods and creeks a f other
men's necessities.'
T h e tim e has now come for some strenuous
«9

20 THE TEN-POINT WAY TO HEALTH
effort to be m ade in all seriousness to overcome
the national degeneracy, and econom ic inefficiency
all over the world, due to bad health.
Until now , a num ber o f different w ays and
methods have been trh:d with but small succcss.
In spite o f the advance o f m edical science, !• jvrfi'Clion, chonM flienjfbrc once he enforced
upon the younger generation in general,
and upon young people in particular in schools,
colleges, and universities.
There arc no short cuts or specifics for health.
It must be acquired and m aintained throughout
life by the observance o f a rigid regimen. From

THE HABIT OF HEALTH 21
our long observation and persona! experience
we art; convinced th at some sort o f persistent
effort is required on the pait o f the individual
for him or her to grow strong an d healthy, and
to rem ain so.
T h e great thing is to create the habit o f health
in youth.
Physical exercise has always been, and sii)l is,
necessary to the hum an being for health. It is
as necessary to life as water, food, air, and
sunshine. In the present terrible sLrugglc for
existence it is indispensable to every m odern
individual, so that he m ay be able to support
him self and his fam ily and be a help rather than
a hindrance to his eommunivy and to the world.
Alm ost all children, until they are about eight
years old., am use themselves b y running about
and rom ping and b y playing a variety o f out­
door and indoor gam es. T hey arc usually so
active that they keep their m uscular system in
fairly good tone and their various functions
fairly normal. W hen, however, children are
confined in schoolrooms for hours on end and
the chubbiness o f infancy begins to disappear
to m ake w ay for further bodily developm ent,
they must be m ade to take some methodical
exercise every d a y w ithout fail.
U ntil a boy or girl knows how absolutely

22 THE TEN-POINT WAY TO HEALTH
necessary regular cxercisc is for his or her bodily
and m ental developm ent — health, strength,
vigour, and fitness— systematic cxcrcises should
be enforced upon young people by their parents,
guardians, and school authorities.
T o leave this vitally im portant m atter to the
discretion or fancy o f the children themselves
w ill not do nowadays, especially when the succeeding
generation is getting appreciably weaker
than the preceding one in spirit, vitality, and
longevity. It is high time for us to take im m ediate
steps to check this grow ing degeneration.
W e cannot afford to proceed in the old, self-
satisfied m anner any longer.
In the words o f a Board o f Education handbook
prepared for tcachcrs in British schools:
P rim arily, o f course, health is a life to be lived and
not a snbjeet to b e taught. C h ild ren a re far m ore
likely to acqu ire habits o f h ealth y livin g through being
trained to perform the acts upon w h ich health depends
th a n through m erely receiving instruction w hich is
m ainly theoretical in character. L eft to them selves,
y o u n g children w ill not perform these acts by the light
o f nature. T h e y require to be initiated into the life
o f health. T h e y should accord in gly b e required to
perform certain acli as a m atter o f regular routine. . . .
T h e study and practice o f h ealth must form , from the
first, part o f the everyd ay life o f th e school. It should
he connected in the m ind o f the child not on ly w ith

THE IIABIT OF HEALTH 23
duties to his com rades, his school a n d his hom e, but
also w ith (he w elfare attd happiness o f (he nation
ac large.
But though it is b y far the best thing to rcccivc
this initiation into chc life o f health while still a
child, it is never too late to begin it— even up
to the age o f seventy.
W e cannot em phasize this fact too strongly.
W e have known men in the sixties and women in
their fifties in bad health, suffering from such
com plaints as rheumatism, poor com plexion,
falling hair, indigestion, cough, backache, and
a dozen other afflictions, becom e strong and well
through following the right type o f exerciscs.

CHAPTER II
TH E MEANING OF SURYA NAMASKARS
Is there a universal kind o f exercise, right for all
ages, for children and women as well as for men,
costing nothing, and capable o f bein g performed
in a short time, without accessories, at any
moment, anywhere?
T h ere is, and it is tailed Surya Namaskars.
O u r Indian readers would know at oncc what
we m ean. But to western readers w e must
explain.
‘ Surya Namaskars* arc literally translated ‘ sun
obeisances’ or ‘ sun prayers.’ T h ey go back
thousands o f years. Then, as now, m an looked
to the sun for light, warm th, health, hygiene,
and food. T h e sun purified things that had
festered or moulded or accum ulated disease-
germ s in the dark. T h e sun caused the growth
and ripening o f grain, fruit, and other foods by
which m an sustained life. T o early man, the
sun was the lifc-giver, and the thinkers and sages
of India thousands o f years ago showed their
gratitude by m aking obeisances (or doing exercises)
at the rising and the setting o f the sun.
24

MEANING OK SURYA NAW ASKARS 25
T h e y bowed to the sun as you w ould to-day to
one w ho had bestowed so m an y priceless #ifis
on hum anity.
‘ .Sun w orship’ is anathem a to m an y westerners
because they do not rightly understand it.. B ul
die great G erm an philosopher and scientist,
lim s t Haeckel, knew the reality w hich lies behind
the sun-symbol. H e w rote:
T h e sun is the deity o f light and warmth, on whose
influcncc all organic life insensibly and directly depends.
Sun-worship (solarism or heliothcisin) seems
to the modern sciential to be the best of all forms of
theism, and the one which may be most easily reconciled
with modem monism. For modern astrophysics
and gcogcuy have taughc us that the earth is a fragment
detached from the sun, and that it will eventually
return to the bosom of its parent. . . . Indeed the
whole of our bodily and mental life depends, in the
last resort, like all other organic life, 011 the light and
heat of the sun. . . . As a matter of fact the sun-
worsbippers attained thousands of years ago a higher
intellectual and moral standard than most of the other
theisU. When I was in Bombay in i88t I watched
with the greatest sympathy the elevating rites of the
pious Parsees, who standing on the seashore, or kneeling
on their prayer-rugs, offered their devotion to the sun
at its rise and setting.
L e t us e m p h a s iz e h e r e , fo r th o s e w h o w o u ld
b e in c lin e d to o b je c t to S u r y a N a m a s k a r s o n the

26 THE TEN-POINT WAY TO HEALTH
ground that they arc a religious rite, that they
have the appearance only o f a religiou s rite.
Bathing and deep breathing arc regarded by
the H indus as religious duties, b u t this docs not
result in their being shunned b y others. W e
m ust m ake a d e a r distinction betw een things
technically religious and things w hich, being
good in themselves, arc for chat reason in­
cluded b y som e people in their d a ily religious
duties, and w hich arc therefore o n ly apparently
religious.
Rules o f health have nothing to do w ith dogm a
or w ith blind religious faith.
W e should like also to address a special word
to those w h o hesitate to launch out on an y course
o f cxcrcises at all. It is a cause for constant
w onder to discover the enorm ous num ber o f
people o f all nations w ho creep through life,
w ith a grow ing m ountain o f achcs and pains on
their shoulders, never m aking the slightest physical
exertion in ease they m ight ‘ hurt themselves,’
o r even ‘ die o f heart-failure*!
G od m ade us all alike in fundam entals, with
the same sim ple hum an needs underneath all
our infinite diversities o f personality. A nd one
o f these sim ple hum an needs is exercise— the
d aily airing and use o f all the cells in our bodies,
w hich, for w ant o f this, atrophy and die. D ead

MEANING OF SURYA NAMASKARS 2 /
cells in a livin g organism are, as w e do not need
to em phasize, no help to that organism .
Let us assure these alarmists w ho have forgotten
w hat ic is like to feel the jo y and radiance
o f youthful m ovem ent that, i f they began slowly
and proceeded gradually but persistently, they
w ould within a m onth or six weeks be astonished
to realize th at they can , at the age o f forty-five
or sixty or seventy or even eighty, feel once more
the surge o f the clear, rapid blood o f youth in
their veins.
But, these fear-ridden people w ill say: ‘ Look
at the professional athletes and strong m en and
w om en w ho die o f all sorts o f diseases, and,
moreover, die young.’
W e reply th at none o f these evils is due to any
system o f exercise. T ake, for exam ple, the sim ple
case o f the Indian paidlwan or wrestler.
M ost pa/dlwans arc obsessed w ith the notion
that he w ho can do five hundred dands or J o t s is
necessarily stronger and healthier than lie who
can do only four hundred, though the latter m ay
be m uch the stronger and healthier o f the two.
D om inated by this w rong idea, the pahilwan
alw ays seeks to develop his m uscular system at
the expense o f his vital capacity, and as a necessary
and natural consequence, he suffers either
from heart-affections or from m uscle-binding.

28 THJfci TEN-POINT WAY TO HEALTH
A nother exam ple o f the pahilwan’s logic is that
the m ore food he can cat the stronger and
healthier he will be. W hile youth and vigour
continue, his faulty logic m ay appear quite convincing,
b u t when age comes on and forces upon
him the wisdom o f reducing his exercise, he still
goes on scuffing himself, with the necessary and
natural consequence o f indigestion.
Instances o f harm ful cfFcccs from excrcisc are
mostly due to over-exertion, ovcr-caCing, wrong
eating, o r 10 other devitalizing excesses.
It is this passion for excess that is responsible
for the ills from which the pakihvun— and m any
an ordinary person as well— suffers in later life.
Exercise has nothing to do with it.
Excess,, not athletics, kills the athlete.
Surya iNamaskars have m any advantages over
the usual types o f exercise.
A ll gam es, whether eastern or western, require
one or m ore companions. Even the great Indian
gam e o f wrestling needs an opponent, while
most other gam es need either m any players or
various accessories.
E xcrcisc w ith Indian clubs or dum b-bells cannot
be done without clubs or dumb-bells. For
riding, you need a horse or a bicycle. Y ou cannot
swim without water. W alking, though requiring
n o apparatus nor a com panion, takes a

MEANING OF SURYA NAMASKARS 2 Q
lot o f lime. A w alk o f eight or ten miles cannot
ordinarily be done in less than two hours or
two and a half, at the rate o f fifteen or twenty
minutes a mile. And almost all out-door exercises
depend on favourable weather.
A team-game requires a spacious ground,
w hich m ay not always be available. In large
towns there are not always sufficient playgrounds
to accom m odate all school, colleger, and univer­
sity student*. T a k e Poona as a n exam ple o f an
Indian city. It has over ten thousand pupils
attending municipal schools alone, with but four
playgrounds for them all, each ground affording
space for only tw o or three hundred children at
the most.
T h e ideal exercise should develop not only the
limbs, muscles, and internal organs o f the body,
but should also promote m enial and spiritual
developm ent. T o m ake such a physical cxcr-
cisc universally popular and Acceptable there
should be no necessity for apparatus or appliances;
it should be easy to d o ; it should take a short
tim e to perform ; it should be o f such a nature as
to en able it to be carried out anyw here and by
an ybody; and should not necessitate a partner
or com panion. Surya Namaskars fulfil all these
requirements.
M oreover, they make for all-round development,

3 0 THE TEN-POINT WAY TO HEALTH
w ith special tonic efl'ect on the three principal
working parts o f the body, on the propur
functio.ung o f w hich all health depends. W c
have found b y actual experience that Surya
Namaskars, if regularly and m ethodically per­
formed, render these three organs capable o f
resisting disease or diseasc-gcrm s:
(1) The digestive organs, including stom achs liver,
intestines, tic. A n a p p a llin g n u m b e r o f people
su ffer from stom ach ic an d in testin al disorders,
such as d yspepsia an d constipation . T h ese result
in liver trou b le, d rop sy, piles, diabetes, an d a
host o f oth er diseases.
(2) Heart and lungs. Colds, coughs, asihm a,
tubcrcclosis, palpitations and other com plaints
are symptoms o f heart and lung derangem ent.
(3) The nervous system , including the brain and
spinal cord. Brain affection is indicated by headache,
brain-fag, loss o f m em ory, insanity. A ilments
of the spinal cord are paralysis, myelitis,
sclerosis, fatigue after slight exertion, depression,
cold hands and feet, disturbed sleep.
Surya N am askars h ave a particularly notable
efleet on the nervous system, w here resides
chiefly the spring o f hum an pow er. It is from
here that energy is transm itted to the tissues and
organs o f the body. A personality is m ade
strong, com pelling, and active not so m uch by

MEANING OF SURYA NAM ASKARS 31
m uscle as b y the vital energy behind the
muscle.
Su rya Namnsknrs cUrcctly stim ulate the nerve
centres, acting on them in a dram atic and almost
visible w ay, as w e shall try to prov: in a later
chapter.
Children from eight to tw elve, with normal
health, should do from tw enty-five to fifty Surya
Nam askars d a ily ; boys and girls from tw elve to
sixteen should do gen erally from fifty to a
hundred. W e have observed tha; in some
schools and colleges physical training, such as
gym nastics, drill, etc., is given to students twice
or three times per w eek. Such spasmodic efforts
w ill never produce the desired benefits which we
all w ant every boy and girl to possess.
Persons above sixteen should gradually in ­
crease the num ber o f Surya Namaskars up to
three hundred d aily, according to their capacity.
A fter sixty-five or seventy, how ever, one should
du till death as m any as one's bodily condition
w ill allow.
T o do about a thousand Namaskars a d ay for
a few m onths and then to com e down to about
twenty-five, or to giv e them up altogether, is
positively harm ful, in the sam e w a y as it would
b e both foolish and dangerous to cat two or
three times the usual quantity o f food and then

32 THE TEN-POINT WAY TO HEALTH
to give up- eating altogether. T h e rules that
govern diet and pastim e apply to exercise as
well. A n cxercisc to be beneficial, should be
taken d aily, regularly, continuously, and proportionately
to one’s strength.
T o gain the desired end* therefore, Surya
Namaskars must be done system atically. T hey
arc not a rope-dancer’s antics. T h e y must be
so perform ed as to develop and strengthen every
part o f the body alike.
T h e rew ard which awaits those w ho perforin
Surya N am askars according to our instructions
w ill be the constant jo y in life which God intended
for all His creatures.
T o be free from w orry or tiredness and to keep
healthy an d fit for years together without an
ailm ent, w ithout even a slight cold, is a supreme
happiness. O n ce it is known, it is never re­
linquished at any price.
We m ust in this prelim inary chapter draw
attention also to the vital im portance o f speech
in connection with Surya Namaskars. T h e body
is not com pletely functioning if the vocal cords
arc left silent. M oreover, the vocal cords when
vibrating extend their influence beyond them­
selves to every corner o f the body.
In In d ia the V cd ic hym ns and names o f the
sun are rccitcd by Hindus when perform ing the

MEANING OF SURYA NAMASKARS 33
S u ry a Namaskars. T o non-Ilindus who on religious
grounds m ight objcct to reciting the hymns,
or w ho m ight consider that to repeat the names of
the son such as M itraya N am ah, R avayc N am ah,
w ould smack o f idolatry, w c recommend the use
o f the meaningless monosyllables, om, foam , h im ,
h u m , h a im , kraum, hrah, known as mantras.
T hese sounds possess an inherent health-giving
virtue, and arc too valuable in their physical
effccts on the body to omit, whatever the religious
faith o f the performer.

CHAPTER III
THE PRELIMINARIES
I n the form in w hich w e present them w c believe
S u rya N am askars to be the perfect instrum ent,
not only fcr keeping the body fit, b U for w arding
o f f old ag;; an d disease, invigorating the inind,
strengthening the ch aracter and w ill, and in ­
creasing to ius fullest lim it one’s capacity for
jo y o u s living.
Hut before you begin w e m ust g v e y o u a few
w arnings and hints.
First, and m ost im portant, consult your doctor
ab o ut y o u gen eral condition. Title it to m ake
sure that you arc fit to take an y exercise at all,
a n d lo enable you to m easure yo u r im provem ent
six months hence.
Secondly, though these exercises m ay look
alm ost absurdly sim ple, they arc extrem ely diffic
u lt to perfect. Unless you have been taking
your ‘ daily d o zen ’ regularly, it will be at least
a m onth jcfore you arc read y to put all the ten
positions together into single r.yr.lc o r N ainaskar.
T h ird ly, d o not forget th at one o f the finest
and most effective little com binations o f w histle
31

THE PRELIMINARIES 35
and red light w ith w hich N a tu re alw ays danger-
signals unthinking human beings )s fa tig u e. Y et
w c often disregard u is w arning and plunge hull-
head cd ly alon g the -oad o f dan ger— w h ich is the
ch ie f reason w h y thousands o f persons arc living
on the b o rd e r-lin e o f physical and nervous
collapse.
E very physical exercise should therefore be 30
taken that, w ith five to ten m inutes’ rest deer
finishing it, one should feel fresh, invigorated,
an d cheerful afterwards.
In other words, cxercisc only w ithin the limit
o f one’s strength. Be careful a t the beginning,
and add g ra d u a lly to the length o f the cxcrcise
period as o n e’s strength increases. T h is go.den
ru le applies most particularly to S u rya Xam askars.
F ive or ten minutes a flay, preferably before
breakfast, w ill be am ple for the fust few weeks,
u n til you g e t y o u n d f lim bered u p . A certain
am ount o f discouragem ent is inevitable at the
beginning o f all reconstructive systems o f physical
culture. T h a t pciiod m ust be lived through
persevcrm gly i f sncccss is to be won. But if
you w ill only stick to it, you w ill feel so full o f
new hope in a m onth’s tim e that you w ill never
w anr m give u p the exercises that h ave bestowed
this new life u pon you.
I f you wish to prove to yourself b y actual

36 THE TEN-POINT WAY TO HEALTH
facts how m uch good Surya Namaskars can do
you. have yourself weighed and measured and
keep the record in a small book. Put down
your weight and the following measurements:
height, chest deflated and expanded, waist, hips,
thigh, c a lf upper arm , forearm, waist, ankle.
T ake your weight and measurements again at
regular intervals o f six months. You will note
an astonishing difference. Y our weight will becom
e normal, your chest will fill out, your waist
t i r *
and hips will be more slender. W hatever part
of you is too thin or too fat will be autom atically
regulated to its proper size and weight.
Another prelim inary, at your own discretion,
is to have a piece o f cloth, twenty-two inches
square, o f woollen, silk, cotton, or linen material,
o f whatever colour and texture pleases you, to
place your hands on while you go through the
exercises. I f your floor is polished lino, a square
o f rubber would be best, to avoid slipping.
T h e hands will be placed Hat on this cloth anti
remain there fixed in the same spot for all positions
exccpt the standing ones.
T o aid concentration, which is a very important
part o f Surya Namaskars, have a picture
o f something or someone o f significance to you
hung up on the wall before you. O r on a piece
o f cardboard paint a sun or a star or a circle in

THE PRELIMINARIES 37
a vivid colour or colours and p u l that u p in
front o f you, so th at b y fixin g y o u r eyes on it
you w ill g rad u ally acq u ire Lhc pow er o f co n ­
cen tratin g yo u r m ind.
Tin: mind wields such a power in every human
action that nothing can be done satisfactorily
without it. Therefore, each performance o f the
Surya Namaskars should be permeated with the
active consciousness that one is being helped by
them. Concentrate on the idea that every move­
m ent is bettering a particular muscle or part of
the body, and let all your mind-force and willpower
radiate towards that spot. Conceive that
the special part is getting stronger, firmer, better-
shaped, more active, or thinner, or fatter, and
the object will be attained in a surprisingly short
time.
T h e full development o f every part, the
amelioration o f disease, or the removal o f pain,
cannot be brought about unless the whole weight
o f mind and will arc brought to bear upon the
part throughout the exercise.
In this w ay one begins to establish mental
control over one’s body, a vital principle in the
life o f the happy creative man or woman.

CHAPTER IV
BREATH IS LIFE
I t is also advisable, before beginning to learn
(he exercises, to lca m bow to breathe. Breathing
is difficult to learn for those w ho have never
really breathed since they were small children.
Som e never take a deep breach except once a
year, while on holiday, ancl then only a few.
T b e r i are ton positions in each Nam askar,
each following the other in an unbroken rhythm
to make a single N am askar. But rem em ber that
the tenth position is a return to the first position,
so th at it is also the beginning o f the second
Nam askar. W e explain this here because m any
are corfused over the num ber o f breaths taken
for each N am askar.
T h ere are three full breaths— three full in ­
halations, three holdings o f the breath, and
three complete exhalations— to cach >am askar.
W hen doing a ‘ ro u n d ’ o f twenty-five, the fourth
breath, taken In at the tenth positicn, is die
first breath in the first position o f the next
Namaskar.
R h yth m ic breathing is one o f the secrcts o f
■id
•*
S

BREATH IS LIVE 3 9
the wonderful pow er o f the cxcrcises 10 revitalize
the body. Y ou m ay, lo r practice, breathe rhyth­
m ically anyw here you happen to be— standing,
w alking, or sitting.
T h e significance o f the ‘ breath o f life’ has
been known since the earliest ages in die East.
T h is knowledge has never been lost, but it has
been handed dow n through untold generations.
R ecently, the W est seems to have discovered the
profound truth lhat air is the elixir o f life, and
that one o f the most precious sources o f health,
efficiency, and happiness costs nothing.
lr is tr.edically ascertained that w e take twenty
thousand respirations in tw enty-four hours. T h a t
is, we each have tw enty thousand chance; to drink
deep o f die elixir o f life. H ow m an y o f us d o so?
W atch yourself breathe. Y o u take niggling little
sips which fill only a very few o f the lv.ng cells.
T r y taking great deep draughts o f air. It is the
greatest tonic ever prescribed by any doctor.
W ithcot the breathing, Surya Namaskars w ould
lost: half or m ore o f their virtue. T h e y would act
like a sm ouldering raiher than a clearly burning
iirc, like the sun under a h eavy cloud raiher than
in a bright blue oky.
B ut first y o u m ist become aware o f yo.tr breath.
Tou cannot drink deep o f a healing draught that y o u
do not k\ow is there.

4 0 THE TEN-POINT W A Y TO HEAI.TH
Study your breathing. P robably your chest-
w all scarccly m oves w ith the intake o f air, because
it is so small in quantity. M ost likely
your abdomen does not m ove at all.
I f you try to breathe deep, your chest and
shoulders w ill lift, and your abdom en will be
draw n in. T h is is the w rong w ay.
T r y insiead to take the air first into the
bottom Df the lungs, letting your abdom en ex­
pand to its fullest exten t; open your ribs like a
fan, and lift your chest last o f all, w ithout raising
the shoulders. Y o u will be am azed to find how
m uch your lungs can really take in.
N ow try holding your breath for a few seconds.
T his m ay m ake you d izzy at first. But do not
be afraid ; it only m eans that you are so unused
to the ‘ h ead y’ effect o f the elixir o f life th at a
good drink o f it is too m uch for you.
As the air is held in the lung cells, it keeps
their walls stretched, exercising them and m aking
them strong. A s they strengthen, they will expand
10 air autom atically, thus helping you in
your effort to breathe correctly.
W hen after anything from three to sixty or
m ore seconds you exhale, do so com pletely,
m aking an aspirate sound such as hurt at the
end to ensure that the last particle o f used air
has beer: breathed out to m ake room for fresh

BREATH IS LIPR 4 1
air. E xhalation is every bic as important as
inhalation.
N ow for ;i w arning. A ll new things should
at the beginning be done gently and gradually.
Y ou w ill adjust yourself w ithout discomfort to
the new w ay o f breathing if you do so bit by
bit. Y o u r lungs, ribs, and chest m ay ache at
first. T his w ill be N ature’s w a y o f telling you
that you are driving your poor feeble ‘ bellows
to the flam e o f life’ too hard. T h e y have not
been used for years and they m ust strengthen
before they can blow the flam e into a bright,
steady, joyous glow.
T h e besl ‘ tune’ for your rhythm ic breathing
is seven-time. Count seven for each breath,
m aking the tem po quick at first, and later
lengthening it. Fill your lungs in two counts,
hold the breath for four, and em pty them in one.
W e d o not suggest that you always breathe in
seven-time. I f you do so for a total o f thirty
m inutes a d ay, it w ill b e enough to tune up the
rest o f your breathing. T h e more you breathe
rhythm ically the nasicr you w ill find it to breathe
correctly at all times, w hether you are aw are o f
breathing or not.
It will give you a wonderful sensation o f self-
control and self-awareness when you can m atch
the rhythm o f your breathing w ith the rhythm

42 THE TEN-POINT WAY TO HEALTH
o f the exercises. Y ou w ill feel rhythm ic all over,
and in accord with the great rhythm o f life and
the universe.
Y o u w ill b e aw are o f the wonder o f living, and
o f your pow er to .share in ic, as no am ount of
actual adventurous life in the external w orld can
teach you. Y o u w ill know more about yourself
than years o f jungle-hunting or dealin g with
international affairs, big business or w orldly
success would ever giv e you. Y o u w ill feel:
‘ I can do great things. 1 can and w ill live to
the utm ost capacity that G od ntended m e to.’
Y o u w ill, in fact, b e m eeting yourself for the
first time.
O n e further point before w e come to the cxcr-
ciscs themselves. T h e East and W est differ in
the m anner o f exhalation, though this is not a
very im portant distinction. W ; personally advocate
strongly exhalation as well as inhalation
through the nose only. It is generally the custom
in the W est to inhale tin vu gli ilxc nose and exhale
through the tnourh. D o which ever suits you
best.

CHAPTER V
TI1E TEN POINTS
W e give w h at is in fundam entals the age-old
m ethod o f perform ing Surya N am askars, and
the one followed by our revered father, the late
R ajah o f A undh. For fifty-five years he d id these
Surya N am askar,. W e follow the same m ethod,
bu t have developed and changed it in accordance
w ith m odern scicncc over a course o f nearly
thirty years’ practice and experim ent b y ourself
in person.
Nov\r, having learned to breathe, you are ready
to try the Ten-Point W ay to H ealth. But you
need not w orry about regulating and controlling
your breathing until you can, with practice, do
the movements correctly, alm ost autom atically.
T h e n y o u w ill find it e a sy to m a n a g e y o u r b re a th .
Positions arc illustrated at the end o f the hook.
P o s it io n O ne
Spread cloth on floor. W ear as litL le c lo th in g
as p o s s ib le , the less th e b e t t e r . Let that little he
lo o s e and a i r y . Stand in the sunlight i f t h e r e is
a n y , w ith feet andknees t o g e t h e r and to e s to u c h in g
43

44 THIS TEN-POINT WAY TO HEALTH
the edge o f the cloth. Join hands resting on
chcst an d press the palm s firm ly together.
R aise chcst and pull abdom en in and up as
far as possible. T his stomach m ovem ent, palling
in and u p and relaxing, is one o f the most im ­
portant 5n the w hole cycle, and is repeated
m any tim es. It not only reduces an unsightly
bulge, b u t makes stom ach and bowels function
properly.
S tan d so th at a p lu m m et line d ropped from
the top o f y o u r head should g o th rou gh shoulder,
h ip , k n ee, an d ankle.
T h is is the stance taught by the ancient Yogis
o f India, and is the stance which is being taught
to thousands o f school children in G reat Britain
to-day in accordance w ith the Board o f E duca­
tion’s m ost recent syllabus.
T h u s is the wisdom o f the ages rediscovered
in tim e o f need.
N ow , stiffen your w hole body, beginning with
the feet. Push them into the floor as if you were
taking root there. Stiffen especially your waist
at the back. Y o u w ill have trouble in stiffening
the stom ach flat if it is heavy and enlarged, but
in tim e y o u will be surprised to find how easily
you can control it. T h e first signs w ill be that
you feel the m iddle o f your spine m ove back,
and the base m ove forward. M ake your spine

THE TEN POINTS 45
as straight as possible, especially at the waist,
w ithout raising the shoulders.
It is w ell to begin the stiffening proccss with
the toes and m ove gradually up to the top o f chc
head, concentrating on each separate p art that
is being stiffened, doing it slowly and deliberately.
Y ou will thus becom e aw are o f every m uscle in
yo ur body. Proceed from the shoulder to the
tips o f the fingers, thinking your w a y to each
separate tip, stiffening join t by jo in t o f cach
separate finger.
Inhale as you d o so, and hold the breath.
T h is is Breath O ne.
W hen you com c to your face, senile gen tly,
lifting its muscles into happy lines.
W ith eyes fixed on the picture or draw ing on
the w all, conccntratc on the thought o f th e good
that is being done you. T h in k o f the life-giving
fresh a ir reaching lung cells that have n early
dried up for w an t o f it, o f your stretched spine
energizing the spinal cord and the ncrvc-ccntrcs
in your brain, o f your taut abdom inal muscles
rousing the colon to action, your heart sending
blood like a m ountain torrent instead o f a
sluggish backw atcr to all parts o f your system .
People with round shoulders or a stoop will
feel an appreciable strain in the back. But by
proceeding carefully, they should be a b le in a
T>

46 TIIE TEN-POINT WAY TO HEALTH
few weeks’ time to straighten out w ithout too
m uch effort., and the poor ‘ poker spine’ w ill
becom e the flexible instrum ent w hich N ature
intended it to be.
T h e sensation you should have is o f ‘ feeling
tall,’ ar.d it should rem ain w ith you throughout
the day.
W herever you feel a strain in doing an y of
the movements, it w ould be wise to return for
the time being to Position O n e and d o this only
for a few days, breathing in seven-tim e as you
hold the position? and concentrate.
P o s it io n Two
K eeping the knees straight, drop your bands
to the floor, placing them flat upon the cloth
ju si within the edge. A s you do so, exhale com ­
pletely, expelling every last atom o f used air.
T h is is the end o f Breaih O n e. I f your hands
net l re a c h m u c h b e lo w y o u r a n Lice »c first,
do not be depressed. In a few- weeks’ tim e, with
regular practice every m orning, you should be
able to £et the palm s dow n. U ntil then, bend
your knees; to g et y o u r palm s down. B u t aim
at straightening the knees as soon as possible.
T h e palms should b e placed alm ost parallel
to the sides o f the cloth o r at an inw ard angle

THP. TEN POINTS 47
o f about tw enty-tw o degrees. Some prefer a
forty-five degrees angle, w hile others place the
palms w ith fingers turned in at u right angle to
the body. W hatever be the angle, die balls o f
the thum bs should be on a line with the toc-s.
In bending, touch o r try to touch the knees
w ith the forehead or nose. Squeez ng in the
abdom en w ill help to attain this position as well
as 10 expel all the used air.
D o not confuse this position w ith the fam iliar
cxercisc o f 4touching the toes.’ It. is n u c h more
purposeful and stirring. Thousands who 4 touch
their toes’ religiously every d a y have no idea
w hat real exercise is like! H ow many people,
after touching their toes, feel the healthy sweat
com ing from every pore?
T h ro w your head down as a fisherman flings
his bait into a stream . A im your head at your
knees, and turn yo u r eyes upw ards towards your
waist. T h is w ill in tim e m ake your spine beautifu
lly supple and as clastic as a child’s.
A g ain , do not overdo this at first, or you will
strain your back and lim p for a while, and this
m ay p u t you o ff the exercises for gocd.
Unless you arc in prim e condition, you will
also feel d izzy at first. It w ill do you no harm,
however, and only goes to prove how badly
balanced you arc.

48 THE TF.N-POINT WAY TO HEALTH
A good plan is 10 try knitting Positions O ne
and T w o together with a kind o f pum ping
rhythm until m ovement and breathing follows
in a single -even flow— dow n-up, down-up, down-
up, cut-in, out-in, out-in. Y o u w ill now feel
the first sense o f rhythm ical well-being, as i f your
nerves had suddenly * tuned-in5 to the peaceful
rhythm o f the world o f natural things like the
stars, the tides, the changing o f the seasons.
You w ill find that in Position T w o the muscles
o f the calves, the rear part o f the thighs, hips,
waist, and almost all muscles o f the back and
spine receive a strain, which means the gradual
developm ent o f these parts and the elimination
o f uric acid and other toxins— the seeds o f
prem ature decay and decline.
T h e spine in this position is stretched— a fundam
entally im portant action. T h e animals know
the wisdom o f this. W atch your cat or d og; it
strctchcs its spine a dozen times a day.
P o s it io n T h r e e
Y o u r hands are still on the cloth, where they
should rem ain as fixed as roots until you take
Position T e n , which is the same as Position O ne.
T ry to feel your hands rooted, as were your feet
in Position O ne. T h ey are now your pivot.

THE TEN POINTS 49
Inhale deeply and hold your breath. T his is
Breath T w o . W ithout bending the arms, drop
to your right knee, and lift the head as high as
you can, looking upwards. T ouch the floor with
knee and toes, the other knee ju ttin g ahead o f
the vertical arm . Tress thigh as hard a

50 THE TEN-POINT WAY TO HEALTH
tuberculosis bacilli generally find a place. This
cxcrcisc also compresses the spine, and tlius
there is a special virtue in stretching it in other
positions.
P o s it io n F o u r
Still holding Breath T w o , and keeping arms
and hands as before, raise your body and push
leg which has been pressing against side to join
the other one. Bend your head into the neck.
Y our b o d y should form an inverted V . You
will know you have the right position when the
muscles behind knees and ankles feel as i f they
were going to crack. D o not at first try to force
yo u r heels o n to the floor or you will lam e yourself.
W ait until all sense o f undue strain in the
muscles and ligam ents behind knee and ankle is
eliminated.
By now yo u will be feeling the existence o f
muscles of w h ich you were never before aware.
T h e great advantage o f Surya Nam askars is that
they reach all sorts o f small and obscure parts
o f the body, tuning them all into harm ony.
Position Four is particularly beneficial to those
w ith thick or inflexible ankles. T h e stretching
and compressing of the musclcs m elt aw ay fat
and m ake the ankle light and supple ir* movement.

THE TEN POINTS 5 «
P o s it io n F i v e
K eepin g hands rooted, drop flat on the floor,
touching forehead, nose, chest, knees, toes, but
not the hips or abdomen. T r y to press the chin
in and dow n against the collar-bone. Exhale
Breath T w o w hile dropping, pushing the last
rem nant out o f the lungs w ith the movement o f
d raw in g in and up the abdom en.
T h e ch ief aim o f Position Five is to lift the
abdom en and hips as high o ff the floor as possible.
T h is squeezes every fraction o f useless fat off,
leaving the muscles clean and supple.
T h e bending o f the head exercises the muscles
o f neck an d throat, filling out the skin and preventing
the ‘ ro p y’ or ‘ crepey’ effect so common
in older women.
W e find it better to keep the nose also clear
o f the ground. This intensifies the action on the
neck muscles.
T h e whole o f the body above the knees is supported
by hands, wrists, and forearms. T h is
strengthens and limbers up the joints, especially
those o f the w rist, and gives flexibility and grace­
ful m ovem ent.
P o s i t i o n ' S i x
K e e p hands* toes, and knees as in l’ivc.
Straighten arms, inhale (Breath Three), throw

$ 2 THE TEN-POINT W A Y TO HEALTH
clicst out as far as possible, curve the back, and
look at coding, stretching ncck back to its fullest
extent. H old ihe breath.
In this posture p ractically the w hole weight o f
the body is carricd b y the arms. H cnce they
are gradually rendered shapely, strong, and
supple. T h e chest becomes wider and deeper.
T h e bust in wom en is improved and developed,
becom ing firm and elastic. In nursing mothers
this posture has been known to increase the
quantity o f m ilk. A s in Position Five, the throat
is filled out and im proved. A n y tendency towards
tonsillitis and other throat troubles is checked by
this exercise.
P o sit io n S e v e n
Y ou arc still holding Breath Three, which is the
last and longest breath in the cycle o ften positions,
and is held until you exhale it in Position Nine.
R ising from N ine to T e n , you take in Breath Four,
w h ich counts as Breath O n e o f tlie second cycle.
Beginning w ith Seven, the cycle is now com ­
pleted by repeating the first four positions in their
reverse order.
Position Seven = Position Four
Position E igh t = Position T h ree
Position N ine = Position T w o
Position T en *1 Position O ne

T o achieve balance, there is one slight variation.
In Eight, instead of kneeling on die right
knee, kneel on ;hc left, that is, if you arc in
normal health. If, as explained earlier, you
suffer from liver or spleen trouble, continue to
use the same knee.
T h e table given below w ill help you at first
to memorize positions and breaths. C opy it out,
paste it on cardboard, and keep iL where you can
see it easily.
(1) Stand (in)
(2) Double over (out)
(3) R iylx t le y b a d i (in)
(4) Inverted V (hold)
(5) Flat 011 floor (out)
(6) Trunk raised on arms (in)
(7) Inverted V (hold)
(8) Left leg back (hold)
(

54 t h e t e n - p o i n t w a y t o h e a l t h
A b ove all, do not be in a hurry. T a k e your
ten m inutes a day without fail, as regularly as
you catch the train to town ev ery morning.
Put your whole heart and mind into it. K n ow
that if yo u persist, seeming m iraclcs w ill happen
to you. W ork a t the different positions separately,
puttin g together first those th at com e most
easily to you. O n e day you will suddenly find
yourself goin g through the entire cycle autom
atically, and you will be rew arded with a
glorious sense o f freedom, power, an d happiness.

CHAPTER VI
VALVE T O WOMEN
As w c strongly recom m end Surya Nam askars for
women— young and o ld . maids and matrons (even
pregnant women or nursing mothers)— die following
instructions, based 011 actual cxpericncc,
will be found useful to womenfolk in special
conditions.
T h e X am askar exercise should be suspended
during the menstrual period, from the time the
menses actually begin to How until they stop,
the normal period being four to six days. At
the end o f the period the exercise should be
begun again w ithout delay.
A n expectant m other m ay continue the X'amas-
kar cxcrciscs as usual until she com pletes the
fourth month o f prcgnancy. From the fifth
month to the end o f the seventh the exercise
should be modified in accordance with her state
o f health. I f she is in any doubt, she should
consult her doctor. From the beginning o f the
eighth month until child-birth she should only
do the deep breathing and rcciting o f the manlras.
T h e n\c.ntiai are explained fully in Chapters X I
and X II.
55

56 THE TEN-POINT WAY TO HKALTII
Even after the suspension o f the Namaskars,
no pregnant wom an should sit or lie down in
laziness, but should d o light and pleasant work,
such as domestic duties, w alking, gardening, and
so on until the very hour o f child-birth.
Resum ption o f the cxcrcises after child-birth
should be undertaken on the advice o f the doctor.
Some women could d o them safely and with
gref.t advantage w ithin

VALVE TO WOMEN 57
A re the present generation o f our young girls
and women models o f physical perfection?
Is it not a fact that in m any cases they com e
o f parents who have rarely enjoyed normal
health?
Is it not a fact that m any young women arc
averse to marriage because o f the dudes o f
motherhood ?
Is it not a fact that there is a general dread o f
m otherhood in the minds o f young wives throughout
the w orld?
Is it not a fact that there is an appalling infant
m ortality amongst our cily-dwcllcrs?
Is it not a fact that very few young mothers
arc able to suckh their children and that the
w idely advertised ‘ foods’ have to be depended
upon m ainly because the m other is often a
mother when she is hardly fit to be one?
In his novel, The Silver Spoon, John G alsw orthy
described a modern young wom an as ‘ flat as a
board behind and before.’ This still holds true
o f the vast majority o f young women from C hina
to Peru.
T h e only remedy for this most deplorable
state o f things is to put our girls and women
through a scientifically designed coursc o f physical
culture. There ii no doubt at all that girls
and young women derive benefit from Surya

58 THE TEN-POINT WAY TO HEALTH
Nam askars. Indeed, eases arc know n o f matrons
o f fifty w h o only after a short course have almost
regained their youth.
T o chose readers w ho can afford it we recom ­
m end a i least a cursory perusal o f numerous
m agazines and books on physical culture that
have recently been published in In d ia, Europe,
and A m crica, and o f the large output o f literature
about the science o f eugenics. A ll who study
these carefully will be convinced that the same
w u rsc o f physical training as is prescribed for
men is also beneficial for w om en— w ith , o f course,
a few m inor adaptations.
Girls an d women in great num bers have benefited
from Surya Namaskars in bodily and mental
health and in general appearance. W e vouch
for this personally.
It m ight be of interest to know what Surya
Nam askars have done for our Ranisahib.
before she took up the cxcrciscs eleven years
ago, she had backache whenever she worked for
an hour o r so in a sitting position. N ow , though
she studies and works harder and longer in the
same position, she feels no pain whatsoever. It
has entirely disappeared.
She used to suffer occasionally from indigestion
and constipation. These ailments too have disappeared.
Pain above the waist used to afflict

VALUE TO WOMEN’ 59
her, but that has ccascd. A num ber o f menstrual
irregularities have also clcarcd up since she began
these cxcrcises.
Weakness subsequent to child-birth disappears
m ore rapidly than before, and parturition is practically
painless. O u r children are healthier and
stronger. T h e R anisahib looks younger, though
she is the m other o f eight children.
Even m ore convincing is the case o f Mrs
Saubhagyavati Sitabai K irloskar, wife o f the
tutor to the R anisahib. She is now aged sixty-
one and is the m other o f ten children.
W ithin six months o f beginning to do Surya
Namaskars system atically, most of the superfluous
fat from w hich she had suffered for m any years
and all her rheumatism and backache disappeared.
H er digestive system began to function
better, her hair stopped falling out and its
former lustre returned; her com plexion becam e
clearer and ruddier, even her nails showing a
redder tint. Perspiration lost its unwholesome
odour— an aw kw ard personal com plaint from
which she had suffered m uch. T h e muscles o f
her arms, legs, and bust bccam c firmer and
stronger. H er chest m easurem ent increased by
two inches, w hile that o f the abdom en decreased
by two inches.
Surya Namaskars h ave a peculiar importance

60 THE TEN-POINT WAY TD HEALTH
for women in so far as they m ore than men
depend upon physical attractiveness, and by the
harm onious action o f these exercises in toning
up rtll their physical processes they acquirc a
very bloom o f personality.

CHAPTER VII
W A R D IN G O PP OI.r> AGP.
P r e m a t u r e old age and prem ature death are
tragedies. The spirit o f youth is alw ays and
everyw here desirable, nay, absolutely necessary.
It is well said dial ‘ ii is better to w ear out Lhan
to rust o u t/ A n old m an or wom an, though
taking cxercisc, m ay not be quite as Springy or
nim ble as a youth or a m aiden, nor should one
expect to have a : tw enty-five lace on a seventy-
five b o d y5; but discontinuance o f all bodily
activities w ill invariably bring about rapid degeneration
and decay.
Tin: foliow irg conditions, am ong others, are
universally regarded as indispensable for ‘ m aking
old bodies yo u n g’ :
{i } A strong, Hraigiit, and flex ible spint. A straight
spine is one ch it enables you to carry’ your body
erect. T h e central nervous system consists o f
brain and spinal cord w ith nerve ramifications
radiating throughout the body, f t is the spinal
cord that represents life. I f it is diseased, death
w ill follow ; i f it is unhealthy, the body w ill be
unhealthy. I f the nervous system is not functioning
norm ally, all the involuntary actions o f
61

62 THE TEN-POINT WAY TO HEALTH
the heart, stom ach, liver, kidneys, and glands
w ill fail to w ork properly.
(2) A strong bach. A m an is as strong as his
back. Since most old people are seen w ith their
backs bex^t* it is generally thought that a curved
back and rounded shoulders arc inevitable in
one’s decline. T h is is, however, wrong. W ith
proper care and regular excrcise all men and
wom en not deformed from birth can carry them ­
selves lik e true soldiers o f life to the very end.
(3) A strong stomach. A fter the age o f about
fifty-five o r sixty a m an or wom an should have
only one m eal, o r at most two. in twenty-four
hours. O vereatin g, w rong eating, or taking
stim ulants and drugs, results in the accum ulation
o f undigested food in the colon, and this is
one o f th e contributor)' causes o f constipation,
which ‘ m others a brood o f diseases.’
(4) Colon cleanliness. M ost people are likely to
conclude th a t bccause their bowels m ove once a
d ay, they are therefore free from constipation.
But how th ey m ove is the question. Y o u must,
therefore, g e t your colon exam ined and see that
it is neither encrusted nor engorged.
(5} F lexibility o f jo in ts. A m ajority o f old folk
suffer from stiff joints— joints affected with rheumatism
or gout, as a result o f overeating or wrong
eating. A. jo in t in an y m echanism , w hether o f

WARDING OFF OI.D AGE 63
w ood, seed, o r flesh, v.ill function stiffly o r not
at all if neglected.
(6) Absence o f Obesity. Jc has been found that
obesity tends to shorten life. I f you w ish for
active longevity, the girth o f your abdom en m ust
be considerably less than that o f your chest.
{7) Active skin. It is not generally rccognizcd
that the greatest single cxcrctory organ is the
skin, upon the proper functioning o f w hich the
health to a large extent depends. N o real reason
exists ibr loading ourselves w ith a burden -of unnecessary
clothing in our country, or in any
country, for that m atter. A t a conservative
estim ate clothes must be responsible for more
than ten to fifteen per cent o f disease and for a
Considerable portion o f the cost o f living. D aily
exposure to fresh air and sun w ill render the
skin active and young.
(8) Youthful spirit. ' A m an is as old as h e feels ’
is an ad age that is applied w ith greater force to
those o f advanced age. T h e m inute a m an loses
faith in bis youthful spirit and begins to feel like
an old m an and adopts the m anner o f a n old
m an, he w ill rapidly becom e old. Faith is the
dom inant principle in man.
A s soon as a person retires from his usual
service o r w ork, he thinks th at he is old an d has
nothing to do in the world but to spend the rest

64 t h e TBN-rOINT WAY TO HEALTH
o f his life in laziness, under the groundless apprehension
that any bodily activity or exertion will
shorten his life. But he should rem em ber that
it is rusting out and not w earing out that causes
prem ature senility and death.
Y outhful spirit depends upon th e activity o f
b ody and m ind. B od ily activity and m ental
activity are interdependent. Therefore, be inoculated
w ith the feeling th at you w ill ever continue
young and active, and you w ill rem ain
young and active.
M ental activity is necessary to the best degree
o f health— and especially in old age. It is found
from statistics that professional men and mental
workers, such as scientists, philosophers, theologians,
etc., live longer than m anual workers
and those given to hard bodily labour.
I f you w an t your m ind and body to function
norm ally, they must both have regular occupation
or exercise.
It is but natural for m an to wish for a long
life and youthful spirit. But m any, instead o f
obeying the wise law s o f N ature, w aste their
tim e, m oney, and energy in the vain search for
some panacea, not realizing th at it is only to be
found in their ow n bodies. T h e m ad craze (or
countless specifics, patent m edicines, and drugs
in order to prolong life only shortens ii in the end.

WARDING OFF OLD AGE 65
There arc men w ho have reached old age after
a d e a n , plain, useful, and strenuous life, and to
such it is suggested that they subm it themselves
to a m oderate course o f Surya Nam askars in
order th ai their useful and active life m ay be
prolonged.
T h ere is another class o f old men on whom
senility is forced b y misfortune in the shape o f
com pulsory residence in crow ded cities, sickness,
bereavem ent, or other reverses in life: to such
S u rya N am askars arc useful in that they minister
not only to the body but to the spirit as w ell.
T h e third class o f prem aturely old m en consists
o f those w ho have played ducks and drakes
w ith their health and youth and have thoroughly
ruined their constitutions, being in consequence
given up by dociors. E ven to these can be held
out a promise o f redem ption, if they be like
children and follow faithfully the practice o f
Su rya Namaskars.
It has been said that m an begins to die the
m om ent he is born. T h e inevitable end, however,
can be postponed for a long, long tim e, if
only by proper exercise w e lid ourselves o f the
products o f decay. I f w e ever really learn to do
this, w e should, barring accidents, live far beyond
the lim it o f one hundred years.

CHAPTER VIII
USE IN SCH OOLS
W e h ave been fortunate enough to convince our
people at A undh o f the usefulness o f physical
education in general am i o f the S u rya Nam askars
in particular, and they have taken to them with
such enthusiasm as to dem and a stale regulation
to m ake S u rya Namaskars com pulsory in all the
schools.
It is our dearest wish that the students o f our
schools should extend the benefits o f the system
not only to their families* but to all with whom
they com e in contact.
Should our dream be realized, there w ill be
seen w ithin the short space o f five o r ten years
a vast im provem ent in the health, strength, and
spirit o f those who attend school and collegc.
W e w ill n ot, how ever, be fully satisfied if the
health o f our boys only i$ im proved, because
Society requires that the health o f our girls— the
mothers o f the racc— should be im proved even
before th at o f the boys.
O n e o f th e ch ief m erits o f S u rya Namaskars
is that it can he adapted to group or mass exercise.
U n d er proper supervision, hundreds o f
66

USE IN SCHOOLS 67
students— boys and girls— can be m ade to take
this exercise simultaneously, thus affording the
double advantage o f cffiticncy and econom y o f
time. T h e students m ay be grouped according
to age, height, or capacity.
W e are convinccd from our experience o f
group cxcrcises perform ed in all the prim ary
and m iddle schools as w ell as in the high school
o f the A u n d h State for the past tw elve years,
that Surya N am askars are the ideal cxcrcisc for
use in large groups.
It is hardly necessary to observe that the
daily practice o f S u rya N am askars, far from
interfering w ith any gam e or pastime requiring
physical exertion, actu ally adds to the enjoym ent
o f it.
W e arc not opposed to outdoor gam es, sports,
or gym nastics. Far from i t ! T h e m ain point
we want to em phasize is that, com bined w ith
the pursuit o f any sport or gam e, there must be
a daily exercise like Surya Nam askars, w hich can
be done singly or (ft m m e all the year round in
order to lay a real and lasting foundation o f
health and strength. For this cxcrcisc puts one
in condition to take part in any sport o r athletics
requiring strength and endurance.
A system atic daily perform ance o f Surya
N am askars forms a basis for all other bodily

6 8 TH E TEN-POINT W AY TO HEALTH
activities, bccausc it is found to g iv e in a m arked
degree the p ow er o f control over body and m ind
an d the capacity to use one’s strength to the best
ad van tage in gam es anti sports, especially those
w hich require prolonged exertion, w ithout inju
rious results. It m inim izes the risk o f overstrain,
especially o f the heart.
N o rm a l all-round health, acquired b y the daily
perform ance o f S u ry a N am askars, w ill enable
child ren to render a better account o f themselves
not o n ly in a n y sport or gam e b u t in everyd ay
life as w ell.
T h e experien ce o f tw o schoolm asters bears out
w h at w e h ave said. W e give their ow n account
below .
T h e E x p e r i e n c e o f Mr S h a n k a r H a r i J a v a -
d k k a r , H e a d M a s t p .r , M a r a t h i S c h o o l ,
I n d a p u r , P o o n a D i s t r i c t
In th e m onth o f M a y 1925, stom ach ache began
to afHict m e d aily at about two o ’clock in the
afternoon. T h e pain grad u ally increased to such
a pitch th at despite the varied treatm ent o f doctors
and physicians a l Indapur, I felt as though several
scorpions were stinging m e in the stom ach. T hen
I w ent to Poona, w here I placed m yself under
the treatm ent o f a w ell-know n m edical practi­

tioner for ten days. T h e r e w as slight relief, but
the pain persisted.
I returned hom e to In d ap u r and continued
to take m cdicinc and follow a regim en us pre­
scribed b y the Poona d octor, but all in vain.
T h e thought th at the disease m ight perm anently
sap m y energy and constitution had taken the
heart out o f m e, w hen th e book on S u rya N am askars
b y the C h ie f o f A u n d h cam e to hand. A
careful perusal o f the book induced me to try
the N am askar exercise for relief. I did try and
was able to d o fifty N am askars w ithin a week,
as I had alread y done a great deal o f gym nastic
work.
T h e w onderful alleviatio n o f m y disease, brought
about b y the exercise w ith in so short a lim e, encouraged
m e to continue. I gradually increased
th e num ber o f N am askars to tw o hundred, w hen
all pain vanished and I was restored to health.
I was very happy to find that S u ry a Nam askars
achieved w h at all m ed ical treatm ents and other
exercises failed to do. I h ave since then been
a staunch adherent o f S u ry a Nam askars.
H avin g been thus con vin ced o f the thera­
peutic and p rophylactic v a lu e o f the N am askar
exercise, 1 wished that a ll m y assistant tcachers
and pupils should also profit b y practising this
w onderfullv efficient exercise.
USE IN SCHOOLS 69

70 THE TEN-POINT WAY TO HEALTH
I accordingly convened a public m eeting, con­
sisting o f teachers, students, and a large num ber
o f townsfolk, and delivered a lecture on the
necessity and im portance o f Surya Namaskars
for keeping one alw ays fit and healthy. T he
lecture proved so effective that all the teachers
and students agreed w ith one voice to d o the
Namaskars in the school every day during school
time. T h e public, too, were so favourably impressed
that they im m ediately subscribed towards
a fund necessary to erect a spacious anil convenient
hail for doing this cxercisc.
T h e hall was soon built to the delight o f us
all. As m any as a hundred and fifty students
arc now taking this N am askar exercise simultaneously
in this hall under m y direction.
Another idea soon struck m e : 1 wished to find
by actual comparison i f Jors and Baiihaks, sys­
tems o f Indian gym nastics, if d aily and m ethodically
practised, would produce the sam e results.
I therefore m ade two batches, each consisting
o f twenty-five boys o f alm ost the same age,
strength, stature, and circum stances. T h eir individual
measurements an d weights w ere recorded
in a register specially kep t for the purpose, before
each batch com m enced its own form o f exercise.
T h e same period o f tim e was allotted to both
the parties to do their respective excreiscs. Tw elve

USE IN SCHOOLS 7 1
months’ regular practicc conductcd under inv
personal supervision proved the decided superiority
o f S u ry a Nam askars over Jors an d Baithaks.
T h e Experience o f M r G . K. G o k h a lb , M.A.,
S u p e r i n t e n d e n t , N e w E n g l is h S c h o o l ,
H u b l i, D h a k w a k D is t r i c t
H aving decidcd to give a trial to S u rya Namas-
kars 1 cam e to A undh from H ubli and put
m yself in th e hands o f an expert in Surya
Namaskars, who is also a great enthusiast. I
took m y first lesson on the 13th O cto b cr 1928,
and it required four or five days for m e to learn
the movements. I was doing only h a lf a dozen
Namaskars daily as m y body was stiff and the
various muscles were put to a considerable strain
in doing even such a sm all number o f Namaskars.
But grad u ally they appeared easier to do and in
a few days t could com plete twelve Nam askars
almost according to the rules laid d ow n . I could
increase by about six Nam askars every h alf week
or so. T o m y great surprise, on the seventeenth
day o f m y training, I could do fifty Nam askars
without being particularly fatigued or feeling out
o f breath. T h is I consider to be a great merit of
the mantras and hymns, which arc so graduated
that the period o f rest due to their recitation

72 THE TEN-POINT WAY TO HEALTH
goes on lengthening as the N am askars go on
increasing in num ber. I f the length o f the
mantras for the first twelve Nam askars be supposed
to be one unit the length o f the mantras
for ilie next six Namaskars is tw o units; for the
next three N am askars, it is four units, and for
the next three ic is tw elve units; so that you feel
quite fresh by the time you have finished the first
Cyr.lc nf fw cnty-four o r tw enty five Namn;kar&.
I can assure all those w ho m ay be thinking o f
taking tins N am askar cxcrcise that ii is easy to
learn and quite safe, as it docs not p ut any undue
strain or do any injury to any muscles or organs
o f the body. T o d o the movements exactly ac­
cording to the rules prescribed w ould involve
such a strain, but ihc beginner is not expected
to aim so h ig h ; it is better for him to attain
perfection gradually. In fact, some o f the posi­
tions arc so hard that they can only be done
perfectly after m onths o f practice.
Even w ith the little practice 1 have had I am
beginning to Teel the beneficial cffccts o f the
exercise. T h e extra fat on m y abdom en is
vanishing and m y chest seems to be expanding.
T h e constipative tendency, w hich had so far
appeared natural and inseparable from me, seems
within control, and 1 am feeling m ore buoyant
and cncrgetic.

CHAPTER IX
O U R O W N E X P E R IE N C E
W h e n young w c studied w restling under Im am
U ddin. a well-known professional wrestler from
the Punjab. W e also practised Jor, Baiihaks,
and Indian clubs, but, in accordance w ith the
acceptcd doctrines o f the old school o f wrestlers,
w e used to cat unnecessarily fatty foods, and
thus p ut on an excessive am ount o f fat.
In i% 7 w c read about Sandow , a famous
physical culturisc. W c purchased all his apparatus
and books.. and for fully ten years practised regularly
and continuously according to his instructions,
w ith the result that the chcst m easurement
rem ained the sam e, w hile that o f the w aist and
abdom en showed a m arked reduction. Since
190U. being influenced by the exam ple and
ad vice o f our esteemed friend Shrim ant Sir
G angad harrao, C h ie f o f M iraj, we have been
doing Surya Nam askars every d a y w ith mantras
and V ed ic hym ns, and the result has been a most
rem arkable lightness o f body, buoyancy o f m ind,
and a general feeling o f youthfulncss, w hich must
be experienced to be understood.
But the highest benefit o f all is that during the
73

74 THE t e n - p o i n t w a y t o HEALTH
past iv'enty-onc years, w e have been absolutely
free from fevers and other ailm ents, and have
never even suffered from a cold or cough, which
is regarded as inevitable even by m edical men.
But the most surprising proof o f the stam ina and
resisting pow er o f the body acquired through
S u rya Nam askars lies in the fact that, though
we submitted to plague inoculation no less than
four tin es, w e had no fever and experienced no
so n o f m uscular pain sufficient to prevent us
from d^ing our d a ily Namaskars.
W c submit that this twenty-seven years’ experience
and study have qualified us to state
w ith a measure o f authority that o f all the
systems o f physical exercise, Surya Namaskars
stand first and foremost in prom oting bodily and
mental health and in endow ing one w ith an
equanim ity o f m ind, which remains unruffled
even under the most trying conditions.
In tlic circum stances, it m ay be o f interest lo
know rhe daily program m e w hich at the ago
when most men ‘ sit a b o u t’ in a kind o f m ental
and bodily torpor, w c follow with all the vigour
and jo y o f youth.
W e rise each d ay at 3.30, w ith a sense o f
welcom e for the w ork before us. U ntil 6.15 the
tim e is spent in bathing, cxcrcising, and m orning
worship. Exercise includes an hour's Surya

O U R O W N E X P E R I E N C E Jj
Nam askars and a brisk clim b up a h ill six
hundred feet high.
O u r schedule then proceeds m ore or less as
follow s;
G.15-7.30. Breakfast w ith Ranisahib and
children.
7.30-9.3°. State affairs.
9.30-10.30. Painting w hile listening to the
reading o f newspapers.
10.30-11.30. Dinner.
11.30-12.30. R eading.
1a.30-1.30. Siesta.
1.30-3. L iterary work.
3-6. O fficial work. Correspondence,
disposing of petitions, examining
routine work o f the secretaries,
superintending sculptural, block-
m aking, and other works, and
so on.
6-.fi.3n. R ven in g worship.
6.30-7.30. E vening meal.
7.30-8.30. R eading co the Ranisahib and
children.
8-30-3.30. Sleep, which com es wi:hin five
minutes o f resting the head on
the pillow , and is sound and
dreamless.

76 THE TEN-POINT WAY TO HEALTH
T his has been our diet for m any years, and
was worked out after persistent trial:
Breakfast. T w o cups o f cow ’s milk, warm and
fresh from the udder, and a little cream mixed
with honey.
Dinner. A bout eight ounces o f boiled whole
brow n rice (rice w ith hull only rem oved and not
pearled or polished); between two and Sour
ounccs o f w h o le-w h eat b read ; a little pulse,
one or tw o raw or cookcd vegetables without
condim ents; a little milk or milk products,
such as curds, b u tter-m ilk, ghee; fruit and
nuts.
Supper. T h e same as dinner, hut m uch less in
quantity.
A ll fried articles are generally excluded from
our dietary.
W e drink fresh, cool, spring w ater, scented
with some fragrant flower, as rose or jasm ine.
W c never drink water at meals but alw avs an
*
hour after meals, and whenever w c feel thirsty
betw een meals.
M an y ignorantly think that i f a sufficient
quantity o f beverages other than w ater be consumed,
w aier as such m ay be dispensed with.
T h ere could be no greater fallacy. It must be
emphasized that from a therapeutic point o f view
there is 110 substitute for pure water.

O U R O W N E X P E R I E N C E 7 7
W e cat nothing between meals, not even fruit.
A ll stimulants and narcotics, such as tea, cofFce,
cocoa, tobacco, and so on, are absolutely avoided.
In addition to regular daily cxcrcisc and a
wholesome frugal diet o f vital foods, we practise
frequent fasting— com pleie or partial.

CHAPTER X
E v o r .x r n o N o f s u r y a n a m a s k a r s
W e arc often asked the question: 4 H as the method
o f Surya Nam askars w hich you arc now advocating
been followed by you from the beginning?’
In reply, w c shall try briefly to show how the
present system was gradually evolved from ihe
old method.
It was in jy o S that we first began to do Surya
Nam askars in th e old style. A ccording to this
the knees w ere not straightened w hile bending
over, nor was th e foot brought forward on a line
with the palms, and it was not necessary to stand
e r e a at the beginning o f earh N am askar or to
regulate the breathing in the w a y w c have
indicated.
A fter doing the Namaskars in this w ay for
about a year, w e tried one day to bring the toes
o f one leg forw ard on a line with the palms, and
found that it p u t a greater strain on the abdomen
and waist. T h is was the first im provem ent made
on the old style.
O n another occasion., w hile attem pting to
straighten the knees when bending over to place
78

EVOLUTION' OF SURYA NAMASKARS
the palms on the ground, w e cxpcricnccd a still
greater stretching sensation in the calves, thighs,
waist, abdom en, and throughout the back. A
m aterial im provem ent resulted.
Following the custom o f the old school of
wrestling and athletics, we ate freely o f fatty and
protcinaceous foods, such as crcam , butter, and
nuts, and consequently p u t on an excess o f fat
all over the body, especially round the abdomen.
A s w e fell it neccssary to reduce the girth o f the
abdom en, all such movements as gave a vigorous
stretch and compression to the abdom en were
gradually introduced.
T h e changes thus m ade in the m ode o f doing
Narnaskats vigorously strained and acted upon
the stomach and abdom en muscles, and gradually
got rid o f a tendency to constipation. T hough
ihe bowels sometimes fail to function the first
thing in the morning, they do open freely an
hour or so after the Namaskars.
W hen required to stand for a longer time than
usual in order to recite certain prayers and
hymns, we tried to stand crect, w ith chest inflated
and thrown forward, and felt an appreciable
strain in the abdomen and waist regions.
Since then we assumed this attitude in every
Namaskar.
When taking the right foot forward, a studied

80 THE TEN-POINT WAY TO IIEAI-TH
pressure on die right side o f the stomach, and a
sim ilar pressure on the left side in taking the
left foot forward, were found to stim ulate the
liver and spleen respectively.
W ith the introduction o f these improvements,
w c naturally stopped the old w ay o f doing four
or five Namaskars in one breath. D iscovering
as well that a com plete exhalation greatly facili­
tated the action o f pulling up the abdom en, we
m ade use o f this in the positions o f bending over
and touching die ground with chcst and forehead.
A t first we began to take one full breath lor
one Xam askar. Finally, we found it most useful
to accom pany each drawing-in o f the stomach
with a com plete exhalation, so that three full
breaths cam c at length to he included in perform
ing a single Namaskar.
W e have explained this a t some length, be­
cause we feel that w e have played our small
part in helping our fellow-m cn and in helping
to change matters.

CHAPTER XI
n E A I . n i T H R O U G H SPEECH
W e now com e to a part which will sceni obscurc,
and perhaps even childish and forbidding, to
m any western readers. D o not hurry to read
and ponder over tins chapter. T ake your time
with the cxercisc;? alone, and there w ill come a
moment when yo u w ill he prepared to understand
w hat w c h ave to say here sym pathetically,
and w ithout prejudice due to preconccivcd ideas.
T h en perhaps yo u w ill try the additional help o f
Speech in connection with the cxcrciscs.
Indian thinker-s and healers have known for
countless generations the secret o f gaining health
through speaking, and have brought it to a fine
art. T h e am azing thing is that it has not been
m ore universally recognized that the vocal cords
arc a pare o f the body which need exercise as
m uch as any other part. W hy leave them dead
and silent while a ll the rest o f the body is being
tuned up?
A n y one who has studied singing w ill know
w hat jo y and invigoration, as well as self-control,
come through singing, and in what good condition
it tends to keep the throat and chcst.
fii

82 THE. TEN-POINT WAY TO HEALTH
T h e natural thing for the m an o r wom an going
about the tasks o f the field and home is to whistle
or sing.
M illion s o f our In d ian people h ave experienced
the w onderfully healing and vitalizin g powers,
physiological as w ell as psychic, possessed by the
apparently meaningless sound om, known time
out o f m in d as the Pranava, and o f the six sounds
kratiiy firim, h u m , hraim, lira urn, and hr ah, known
as the Bija M antras.
T h e loud and clcar repeating o f these seven
sounds influences the vital organs such as the
heart, stom ach, and brain, and serve not only
as a prophylactic (preventive) but as a thera­
peutic (curative) as well.
T h e first sound om is pronounced w ith a prolonged
‘ o ’ and a prolonged ‘ in,’ rhym ing with
‘ hom e.5
N ext comc-5 hr am. In this all the sounds arc
long. T h e correct pronunciation is hraaamtnm,
rhym ing w ith ‘ calm .’ T h e aspirate sound ‘ h ’
proceeds from the heart. E v e iy tim e, therefore,
yo u say hram, the heart vibrates vigorously. T h e
proccss o f p urifying the blood takes place in the
heart, tor th e pure blood that runs to any affccted
p art o f the b ody is pum ped out by the heart. I f
th at blood is m ade pure bi;l'orc it reaches the
affected or diseased p ari o f the system, then only

HEALTH THROUGH SPEECH 83
the desired result will follow, i.e. the curc o f the
affection or m alady. Should im pure or toxic
blood circulate through the body the affected or
diseased part is likely to get worse instead o f
being cured. E very manlra, therefore, is m ade
to sound w ith the initial aspirate ‘ h ’ w ith a view
to vibrating and strengthening the heart so th at
it pum ps out pure blood only.
Just as each manlra begins w ith the aspirate ‘ b ’
ii ends w ith die labial nasal ‘ m.* Every' norm al
respiration has to be made through the nose. It
is this respiration that also helps to purify the
blood. T h e oxygen taken in w ith each in halation
com es in contact with the vcinous blood an d
renders it pure and red, and the carbon dioxide
from the im pure blood is breathed out. As
respiration is done through the nose and w ind­
pipe, both o f these organs should be kept free
from ailment o r disease. E ach mantra is m ade
to term inate in the continuous or prolonged
nasal ‘ m m m m ’ to vibrate and keep healthy the
nose and w indpipe.
Likew ise in each mantra there stands the lingual
V between the initial aspirate ‘ h ’ and the final
nasal ‘ m .’ T h e consonant V is held alm ost as
im portant as om. In uttering the consonant
V the tip o f the tongue strikes the front p alate
and tends to vibrate the brain. Ilcn cc the

84 THE TEN-POINT WAY TO HEALTH
proper utterance o f the psychic syllables hram,
/trim, ctc., vibrates and invigorates the heart,
w indpipe, and brain— three o f the vital organs,
the soundness o f w hich is neccssary to keep the
system strong and healthy.
In reciting the mantras one has to open the
m outh for ‘ h ’ and to shut it for ‘ m .’
T h ere is an elegant couplct in Sanskrit eulogizing
/tram w hich when freely translated m eans:
‘ T h e mere utterance o f “ r a ” in kram drives out
sin-toxin from the open m outh, and being afraid
o f its re-entrance, the consonant “ m ” serves the
purpose o f a door by closing the lips.’
T h e continuous long vowel ; a ’ in hr am
strengthens the ribs, purges the alim entary canal
o f toxins, drives aw ay lethargy, and cleanses the
upper portion o f the lungs by stim ulating them.
T h e mantra 'fo a m ' has proved a curative for
asthma, bronchitis, and for predisposition to
tuberculosis.
T h e long vowel sound ‘ i ’ in hrim (as fe e ’ in
‘ seen’) stimulates the action o f the throat, palate,
nose, and the upper part o f the heart. T he
repetition o f /trim clears the respirator)' and
digestive passages o f phlegm secreted or collected
there. In the first or second round of
Namaskars, done w ith the mantras, it is .sometimes,
if not often, necessary to eject the super-

HEALTH THROUGH SPEECH 85
fluous mucus fron» the nose, throat, or mouth,
but after about two rounds the respiratory passage
is thoroughly cleared.
T h e long vow el sound ‘ u ’ in h u m (as fo o ’ in
‘ room ’), effectively excites or stimulates the liver,
spleen, stomach, and intestines, and reduces the
abdom en. W om en suffering from chronic disorder
o f the lower l egion o f the abdom en w ill im ­
mensely profit by repeating hrum loudly and fully.
T h e com pound vowel sound o f the syllable
hraim (as l i ’ in ‘ tim e’) stirs up die kidneys.
T h e repeated utterance o f hraim in the Surya
Namaskars serves as a diuretic.
T h e compound vow el sound o f the numlra
'foaum * (as ‘ o u ’ in ‘ round’ ), acts on the rectum
and anus and helps them to function normally.
Last, but not the least, is hrah, w hich vibrates
the chest and throat.
Thus all these seem ingly meaningless sounds
produce vibration in different vital parts o f the
system, stim ulate them, purify the blood, and
consequently rem ove disorders, ailments, and
diseases in those regions.
This table will help you to rem em ber the pronunciations
o f these curative syllables:
om rhym es with ‘ hom e’
h a m rhym es with ‘ calm ’

36 THE TEN-POINT WAY TO HEALTH
h im rhymes with ‘ seem ’
h u m rhym es wit It 'r o o m ’
hraim rhymes w ith 1 lim e ’
hraum as in ‘ round’
hr ah as in ‘ hurrah’
These syllables should be repeated loudly and
d e a rly on assuming the first position in each
Namaskar.
This is the abbreviated mantra ch art which we
suggest for beginners. It is well to count the
N am askars as w ell, as in d icated :
N am askar ). Om hr am one
2. Om hrim two
3. Om h u m three
4. Om hraim four
5. Om hraum five
6. Om h a h six
7. Om h a m seven
8. Om hrim eight
9. Om hum nine
co. Om hraim ten
1 1. Om hraum eleven
12. Om h a h twelve
e 3. Om h a m hrim thirteen
14. Om hrum hraim fourteen
15. Om hraum hr ah fifteen
16. Om h a m hrim sixteen

HEALTH THROUGH SPEECH 87
17. Om hrum hraim seventeen
j8. Om hraum h r ah eighteen
19. Om hr am hrim hrum hraim nineteen
20. Om hraum h r ah hr am hrim twenty
21. Om hram hrim hrum hraim twenty-one
22. Om hraum hr ah hram hrim twenty-two
23. Om hrum hraim hraum hr ah hram
twenty-three
24. Om hrim hrum hraim hraum hrak
twenty-four.

CHAPTER XII
TUF. SOUNDS TIIAT HEL1*
I t will be noiiccd that the length o f the mantras
is increased towards the end o f che round of
Namaskars. T h is is to give longer periods o f
rest anti normal breathing, so that one never gets
out o f breath no m atter how m any rounds arc
don«.
As a m atter o f possible general interest we
explain the method used b y m any o f adding to
the tnanlras the tw elve names o f the sun in the
Sanskrit language, w hich gives a further lengthening
o f the period o f rest and further help from the
practice o f speech.
T hese names o f the sun are:
M ilraya Namah (‘ friend o f all, I bow to thee’).
Raoqye Namah (‘ praised b y all. I bow to th ee’).
Suiyaya Namah (‘ guide o f all, I bow to thee’}.
Hhanave Namah (‘ bcstower o f beauty, I bow to
thee’).
Khagaya Namak (‘ stim ulator o f the senses, 1 bow
to thee’}.
Pusfuw. Namah (‘ nourishcr o f life. I bow to thee’).
88

T I I E SO t.'N D S T H A T H E L P 8 9
Hiranyagarhhaya JVatima (‘ prom oter o f virility,
I bow to th cc’ ).
M arickaye jYakma (‘ destroyer o f disease, I bow
to thee’).
Adilyaya J't'aim a (‘ inspircr o f love, I bow to
thee’).
Savitre Jv'akma (‘ begetter of life, I bow lo thcc’) .
Arkaya N ahm a (‘ inspircr o f awe, I bow to th ee’).
Bhaskaraya Js'uhrrta (‘ refulgent one, I bow to
th cc’).
T h e following abridged m ethod o f using the
names o f the sun is suggested as being suitable
lor Christians, H indus, non-Hindus, Parsecs,
M oham m edans, an d members o f an y other
faiths alike:
Use om once o r twice or more w ith each
repetition o f sounds.
Prcccde each nam e o f the sun with one manlra,
two names o f the sun with two mantras, four,
with four, ami twelve with alt six mantras
twice over.
A round accom panicd by these vocal exercises
will take about eight minutes.
Before closing this chapter, w e should like to
say a few words o n the subject o f our ancient
learning.

9 0 T H K T F .V -P O IN T W A V TO H E A L T H
In these days, dom inated b y m achine-m ade
experience, people w ho have lost confidence in
their o w n creative powers arc fond o f railing at
the ancient culture o f their racc, w hether it be
In d ian or a n y other.
M a n y arc sw ayed b y the fallacicus argum ent
that h ad their ancient civilization been good and
sound, they w ould not b e reduccd to their present
deplorable condition.
O n the other hand, those w ho study our ancient
h eritage and arc fully aw are o f its valu e seem
unab le to m ake their teaching acceptable by
presenting it in terms o f modern m edical and
hygienic science.
It took C o u e to teach us the viitu c o f jafm,
or constant m editation upon a ccrtain idea, or
H addock to instruct us in the im portance o f w ill­
pow er, or W illiam Jam es to enlighten us on the
significance o f m en tal control. A ny one w ho
reads the works o f these m en even cursorily and
com pares their teachings w ith thos; o f ancient
Indian sages w ill not fail to be struck w ith
w onder at the resem blance.
Q u ite unarm ed as th ey w ere w ith the m echanical
appliances availab le to m odern science, our
sages m ade m an y discoveries far in ad van ce o f
their time.
It m ay be news to most o f our readers to be

THE. 30 UNI? 3 THAT HELP 91
told that the cathctcr is m entioned in the
A tlia rv a V e d a , the date o f w hich cannot be
later than 3000 b .c ., and that the surgeons o f
the linn; o f the R ig v cd a could fit up a m etallic
leg to a w om an so as to enable her to m ove
about.
T h e ancient rishis, or sages, ap p ear to have
know n som ething o f higher m athem atics also.
T h e y wore very fond o f using a phrase which
m ay be ren d ered: ; I f infinity be subtracted from
infinity, the rem ainder is infinity.’
T h e re is a story- in the Puranas th at Som a
m arried the twenty-seven daughters o fD aksh a and
that four o f them brought forth the four planets
— M ars, M ercu ry,Ju p iter,an d V enus. T h e great
astronom er B entley read into these m arriages a
concealed reference to t ie conjunction o f the
M oon w ith the several planets in those constellations.
B entley’s calculations w ere chcckcd by
Ilin d m an , and it m ay now he asserted that the
P u ran ic story refers to astronom ical phenom ena
w hich took place w ithin the coursc o f sixteen
m onths about 1424 and 1423 B.C.
W c learn from the testimony o f G reek historians
that at the tim e o f A lexander the G reat there w ere
vmdjfas, or physicians, in the P u njab w ho could
successfully cure eases o f snakc-bitc; these A lex­
ander w as perforce com pelled to engage when

92 THE TEN-rOINT WAY TO HEALTH
his M acedonian physicians confessed their inability
to deal w ith such cases.
W c could give m any further exam ples o f
ancicnc Indian truths, w hich h a v e been independently
discovered b y m odern scientists, but
this is hardly the place to do so.
Brahm ans have been, rig h tly or w rongly,
charged w ith deliberate concealm ent o f their
wisdom. It is not for m e to exam ine th e ju stice
o f this charge, but it cannot be loo deeply im ­
pressed that nothing would g iv e us a greater
happiness than to sec the entire w orld enjoying
the fruits o f our ancient civilization.

CHAPTER XIII
C U R E O F C O N ST IPATIO N
W e shall devote a n entire chapter to the subject
o f constipation, as w c consider it one o f the
greatest enemies o f the human race.
Constipation is a condition in which die
evacuations from the bowels arc o f insufficient
frequency and am ount, m ore or less faccal m ailer
being retained in th e intestines.
M odern civilization w ith all its conquest o f
N ature has m iserably failed to confer permanent
and lasting health on civilized man.
O n the contrary, the incidence o f disease is
appallingly great.
I f one is called upon to express in one w ord
the m an y and m ultifarious diseases from w hich
the m odern man is suffering, that one word will
be ‘ constipation.’
From constipation start more than ninety per
ccnt o f ills, inasm uch as toxins or poisons from
waste food m atter Hood the system and attack
you in your weakest point, w hatever th ai happens
to be.
Poisons set up b y constipation give conditions
favourable to can cer and other dread diseases.

94 THE t e n - p o i n t w a y t o HEALTH
B u t the inroads o f constipation arc so insidious
th at die sufferer often ignores them , finding
nothing very m uch out o f the ordinary.
There arc a thousand and one causes o f constipation,
practically all o f them being preventable
o r curable. But all this apparent m ultiplicity o f
causes can be traccd to w rong diet or overeating,
and to lack o f proper physical cxercisc.
F ew people ever enjoy com pletely perfcct
health. Y o u realize it in your ow n case. H ow
often you feel below p ar! N ot ill, yet not certainly
a hundred per cent fit. Science now tells
us w h y this is so. W rong diet or overfeeding
and lack o f exercise arc the cause.
H ow shall w c change this state o f affaiis? By
drugs? T h e tendency o f people suffering from
constipation is to turn to drugs for relief. But
drugs tend U> perpetuate the ailm ent instead o f
rem oving it. It is in our opinion sheer folly to
believe hat drugs cure diseases. T his b elief is
in itaclf a contributing factoi tu the building o f
the w o n t form o f constipation.
Proper bodily exercise, com bined w ith a
balanced diet, w ill prevent and curc constipation.
A s m ore unhappiness o f civilized folk is due to
constipation than to an y other ailm ent, it follows
that any form o f exercise that w ill prevent and
Cure constipation w ill be a priceless boon.

C U R E O F C O N S T I P A T I O N 9 5
Surya N am askars are. pre-em inently calculated
10 give those m ovem ents to the abdom inal inusclcs
and to the entire digestive canal tha: stim ulate
the peristaltic action o f die bowels, on which alone
depends a thorough evacuation o f waste m atter.
T h e muscles w hich arc o f p rim ary importance,
and which arc also most apt to be neglcctcd and
left unexerciscd by a norm al m an o r w om an o f
sedentary pursuits, are those o f the walls o f the
abdom en.
M ost o f die positions in Surya Namaskars are
specially designed to give to the abdom inal walls
those stretching and contracting movements which
best sccure elim ination from the colon A n d we
w ant to em phasize this p articu lar feature o f Surya
Nam askars. In n o other form o f cxcrcisc do we
find these system atic stretching and compressing
m ovements.
Y o u w ill, perhaps, ask: ‘ W hy shov.ld I need
the Surya Nam askars when I w ork hard all d ay
with plenty o f exercise?' T h e best answer to
this is for you to analyse your ow n bodily conditions.
R em em ber that the reason yen are not
in the best o f shape physically and mentally is
because you do not get the right kind o f cxcrcise.
Surva Nam askars not only norm alize the bowel
functions but build you a il over. N o daily em ­
ploym ent can d o this, as jill employments at best

96 THE TEN-POINT WAY TO HEALTH
develop and strengthen some parts o f your body
at the sacrifice o f others.
Constipation seemed in our case to be a fam ily
com plaint passed down from father to son. T h e
ailm ent ran throughout our fam ily.
W as it o n ly due to a continuation from genera­
tion to generation o f the same dietetic or hygienic
errors? In any ease, sincc w e suffered from the
com plaint w hile doing system atically and continuously
fo r several years other types o f exer­
cises than Surya Nam askars, we w ere convinced
w c hail to put up w ith it as a fam ily trait.
T h is constipation produced piles, w hich had
to be rem oved b y operation about 1909. T h e
rem oval o f the piles gave us great relief, but
constipation was still there.
Since w e com m enced Surya N am askars, however,
constipation- the arch-enem y— gradually
dim inished until it totally died a w a y within a
couple o f years. T o -d a y w c are quite free from
it, though it is a m atter o f general experience
that constipation has a firmer grip in advanced
age. W e should doubtless be in even more
vigorous health to-day i f w c had taken to Surya
N am askars from boyhood.

CHAPTER XIV
TU BERCU LO SIS
W e shall give another com plete chapter 10 the
second great scourge o f m ankind— tuberculosis.
W e use the term in the sense o f pulm onary o r
lung tuberculosis.
T h e germ-theorists hold that consum ption is
causcd by m icroscopic germ s, callcd tubercle
bacilli, because w henever any part o f the body
is attacked by tuberculosis vast numbers o f these
germs are found in it. B u t at the sam e tim e th ey
adm it that people w ith sufficiently strong resisting
pow er cannot be affected by these germ s.
Then it follows that i f the resisting pow er he
increased there would he no fear o f these bacilli
— hence no consum ption. A n increase in one’s
disease-resisting power can be attained by S u rya
Namaskars.
Only when the. soil is first prepared u/fon which the
tubercle bacillus can thrive w ill its depredations becom e
noticeable.
G erm s o f various kinds, such as those o f
diphtheria, typhoid, m alaria, or tuberculosis,
are found in the throats or spittle o f health y
97

98 THE TEN-POINT WAY TO HEALTH
persons. T h e average dw eller in a city breathes
and swallows millions o f disease gctms. Some
succumb, others resist.
W e therefore wish Co emphasize with all the
pow er we possess that if you have acquired and
retained vigorous health and resisting power by
doing Surya Namaskars, you need not be afraid
o f gcrns.
It has been estimated that one-fifth o f the
humar. race succum b lo tuberculosis.
‘ The greatest brains o f the medical profession
have sought a specific rem edy for y;ars. T hey
still seek it. H um anity waits.’
T h e habit o f sleeping out o f doors at night and
living out b y day does not bring about the results
sought for, though it helps considerably to cure
and prevent, consumption.
T h e only infallible remedy for the cure and
prevention o f tuberculosis lies in the correct
method o f breathing.
T h e expression ‘ deep breathing’ is generally
taken to mean filling one’s lungs wit.i air w ith a
view to increasing their capacity. Put the secret
o f deep breathing is not so m uch in the method
o f in itiatio n as in that o f exhalation. T he
m anna- o f exhalation as expounded b y all of
our authorities, such as Patanjali. Yajnavalkya,
Vasisiha, H ata-Yoga-Pradipica, Amrita-Bindu-

T U B E R C U L O S I S 9 9
Upanishad, and others, is to exhale slowly
through the nose Only and to press in or squeeze
the stomach as far as one car* do in order fn
expel all the toxin-laden air from the lungs.
Most modern Am erican and European authorities
on deep breathing agree wi h our principle
and method o f exhalation.
Just consider/ observes D r W. R . Lucas,
‘ what deep breathing w ill do for you. N o
m atter what your physical troubles are, deep
breathing w ill help to overcom e them. It helps
to cure cold feet b y bringing more oxygen into
the blood. It helps to drive a v a y constipation
b y givin g internal massage to the bowels. It
helps to overcom e torpid liver bv the exercise
given to that organ. It helps to cure rheumatism
by securing enough oxygen to burn up some o f
the foreign deposits in various parts o f the body.
It costs nothing and has only good aftcr-cficcts.’
T he am elioration and cure o f consumption and
the prevention o f pneum onia depend as much
on the ;iir you exhale as on the air you
inhale.
Y ou w ill notice how this scientific method of
exhalation is adopted in Surya Namaskars. In
performing one N am askar one has to squeeze
or pull in the stom ach three times to sccurc
complete exhalations.

IOO THE TEN-POINT WAY TO IIEAI.TH
Y o u thus do autom atically as m an y as seventy-
five deep breaths in performing’ one round o f
tw enty-five N am askars. In four rounds o f N am askars,
which an average m an or w om an can easily
do w ithin thirty m inutes, you actu ally com plete
three hundred deep breaths, i.e. three hundred
full inhalations, three hundred holdings o f breath,
and three hundred com plete exhalations!

CHAPTER XV
P O IN T S A B O U T D IE T
T h e results o f an exam ination o f the opinions o f
m odem A m erican and European dietitians and
o f the facts o f our ow n personal experience have
led us to placc great emphasis on die im portance
o f diet. W e do n o t wish, however, to dogm atize
on this subject; a few broad suggestions arc all
w e shall attem pt to offer.
T h e re should be an am ple supply o f fresh clean
m ilk in one’s d a ily dietary. E ach individual
should have at least a cup o f m ilk at each meal.
A ll m ilk-products— cheese, butterm ilk, butter—
m ay be eaten w ith benefit.
A liberal use o f fresh fruits and berries is always
desirable. A sm all quan tity o f nuts should form
part o f one’s meals.
It is vitally im portant that w ith grains the
w hole natural kernel be used, w ith husk or bran
unrem oved, as in w h ole brown rice (unpolished)
and w hole w heat. T hese grains w ill give better
results i f they be allow ed to germ inate a little
before being used.
Peas, beans, kidney beans, lentils w hen slightly
lOt

102 THE TEN-POINT WAT TO HEALTH
germinated and crushcd in a food-chopper,
seasoned to taste and mixed with grated coconut
and onion, w ill m ake a very tasty and sub­
stantial food, affording a goodly supply o f vitamins
and m ineral salts.
Fresh fruits arc not always available throughout
the year, except at very high prices, but
whole grains, peas, and the various kinds o f beans,
especially if germ inated, serve to a certain extent
the same purpose as fruits.
A ll leafy vegetables should be eaten whenever
possible uncooked, for cooking destroys p ari o f
their value.
Potato, carrot, and onion can be used in an
infinite variety o f ways— boiled, baked, steamed,
or raw .
Tom ato, a valuable vegetable from the nutritional
point o f view, is an im portant article of
the d ieta ry; lor the tomato yields large quantities
o f vitam ins, and m ineral sails.
Eggs or the yolks o f eggs aic next in im portance
to milk.
Refined sugar m ight, with advantage, be dis­
pensed with. It m ay be used very sparingly
when absolutely necessary. R a w sugar or honey
is better.
But whatever one cats, ons should regulate the
am ount according to the needs o f the body.

POINTS ABOUT DIET IO3
A manual w orker will consume larger quantities
than a clerk.
W ater should be drunk freely between meals.
A good plan is to drink a large glass o f w ater the
first thing in the m orning, and several glasses
between mcnla. A famous doctor o m c said iliaL
if all his patients drank, as lie did, eight glasses
o f water a day, none o f them would ever again
com e back to him.
This chapter on diet must include a word o f
warning, especially to the young enthusiast in
hcahh culture. D o not be led aw ay with the
idea that the true test o f your physical powers
is yoiu capacity to gorge large quantities o f
eatables. Emphasis is laid on this particular
form of weakness, because it is so common.
Anouier form o f weakness is the habit o f
‘ bolting.* Both these weaknesses should be
avoided. T h ey result in throwing an unwarranted
burden on the digestive organs and
product conditions favourable to the inception
o f diyeusc. Rem em ber that m any diseases arc
due to overeating or hurried eating. A good
rule is to eat less, and take more time to cat it.
I f you feel that your liver or stomach is not
working properly, do not drug yourself, but
observe a fast and take the extra load o ff your
stomach or liver.

1 0 4 THE t e n - p o in t w a y t o h e a l t h
T h e question is often ask ed : ‘ H o w m any meals
a d ay should be taken ?1 T h ough the answer
m ay depend on a num ber o f factors, such as the
capacity o f the cater, the life tic leads, the quality
and quantity o f the food he takes, w c venture to
say frcm our ow n experience and that o f others
that for an average m an or wom an, three meals a
day w i:h no snacks betw een areq u ite enough. T ea
should be a drin kin g, not an eatin g, ccrcm ony.
H ow ever careful we m ay be in selecting the
proper food and in regulating the quantity, some
undesirable and unnecessary edibles and liquids
find their w ay into our stomach, ow ing partly
to our ignorance, and partly to force o f habit,
and are likely to causc trouble.
T o counteract this unpleasant result, fasting,
as a remedial m easure, is absolutely ncccssary.
T h e Golden R u le is to fast w hen you lose
appetite. Loss o f appetite is N ature’s w arning
that no more burden should be laid on the
digestive organs. It is a good plan to set apart
for fasting a certain d ay each week or each
fortnight.
In m any religious orders ccrtain fast-days have
been set aside, as Lent, R oza, Ekadashi, etc.
A fast m ay be com plete or partial. In a com ­
plete fast, nothing but pure w ater is taken.
For a partial fast try an all-m ilk diet o f milk

POINTS ABOUT DIET IO5
diluted w ith w ater, or a honey-and-watcr m ixture,
or clear soup, or orange ju ice, or lemon
ju ice, or buteermilk. W ith the soup, orange,
lem on, or butterm ilk diet, plenty o f w ater should
o f course be taken as well.
A word or- tw o on cooking food the health w ay
will not be out o f place.
T h e ordinary methods oi’ cooking vegetables,
ccrMils, and other

106 THE TEN-POINT WAY TO HEALTH
T h ere arc m any excellent w ays o f cooking
foods, but the principle underlying a ll is exactly
the same.
Jn brief, it is : L et s learn do the w ork o f cooking.
T h ere are m any steamers on th e m arket, at
all sorts o f prices. O n e m ay cook an entire m eal
in some o f them. These waste not a single drop
o f the goodness in the foodstuff p u t into them.
O n e m ay also ‘ steam ’ all lands o f food by
putting v e ry liule w ater in the pot, covering it
so chat it is practically air-tight, and pulling
over a v c rv low flame.
For exam ple, to cook six m edium potatoes, put
them in an y kind o f saucepan o f a size to just
hold them . Put h alf a tca-cup o f boiling water
in, and covcr closcly. W hen they are done,
the w ater should have com pletely evaporated.
Potatoes should alw ays be cooked in their jackets
to preserve the goodness, being skinned only after
cooking.
A liu le shaking o f the pot over the flame
should m ake your potatoes fit for a king- -per­
fectly d ry, and full o f their own goodness.
O r, if you arc using the heat o f the oven for
baking, p u t the tightly covered dish with the
sm all am ount o f water into ihe oven , and the
potatoes or vegetables will cook there ju st as
successfully.

POINTS ABOUT DIET IO7
N ow that fire-proof glass is so readily obtain­
able, an cxcellcnt idea is to cover the cooking
vessels with a fire-proof glass plate. O ne may
then observe the progress o f affairs, and tell at
oncc when the water has boiled aw ay, without
lifting the cover.
A nother word o f cam ion! W e arc out for
health, happiness, efficiency, and longevity, and
w e are not out lor large, prom inent muscles.
Therefore, w e would advise you to find out for
yourself the q u ality and -quantity o f food that is
good for you as well as the am ount o f exercise,
work, recreation, and rest that you need.
O n e has personally tx> adjust the equation
between work and play, sleep and wakefulness,
food and fasting, exorcise and rest by careful
experim entation. G eneral directions arc all that
can be given here.
T h ere is a beautiful saying in M arathi which
means that men’s constitutions differ as their
faccs, and hcncc cach individual m ust find out
for him self his personal needs.
Proper selection o f d iet from vital foods, with
fasting a t regular intervals, w hen coupled with
systematic Surya Nam askars, should in a single
generation producc a w onderful im provem ent in
the health, strength, vigour, and bodily size o f
a people.
H

CHAPTER XVI
N E W L IF E FO R O LD
T h i s ch ap tcr w ill be in the nature o f a sum m ary.
W e shall bring together all the reasons which
m ake S u rya Nam askars a universally acceptable,
practical* and convenient system o f exercise.
T h e y can be taken by all persons without
exception.
T h e y can be done singly or in groups o f
hundreds or thousands.
T h e y can be done outdoors o r indoors, day
or night, at all seasons o f the year.
T h e y take only a few minutes to do.
T h e v are easy to learn and to rem em ber.
T h e y arc not spccial exercises for this or
th at part o f the body, but for the whole
body.
T h e y require n o outfit.
T h e y can be taken throughout one’s life,
from childhood to old age, and thus easily
becom e a habit.
T h ey can be taken anyw here at a m om ent’s
noticc w herever one goes.
lO'o

NEW LIFE FOR OLD 1OQ
T h e y cosc nothing and require no initial
outlay or upkeep.
T h ey strengthen the entire digestive system
and cure o r prevent constipation.
T h ey develop the lungs and prevent tuberculosis,
and w ill help to heal it to a g reat
degree.
T h e y invigorate the heart, and w ill rem edy
high blood pressure, palpitations, and other
derangem ents by im proving the circulation o f
the blood. A ctiv e circulation is a prim e la w
o f health.
T h e y tone up the nervous system , doing a w a y
w ith brain-fag, forgetfulness, w orry, and other
m ental troubles. T h ough shattered nerves
take a longer tim e and are m ore difficult to
repair than other cells, the correct perform ance
o f the exercises will slowly but surely restore
them to norm ality.
T h e y stim ulate glandular activity and g iv e
a new vigour to the glands. O w in g to the
strctching an d compressing m ovem ents of the
throat, the thyroid gland is stim ulated and
tendency to goitre is obviated. C o rrect
glandular functioning is vital for health and
attractiveness.
T h e y im prove the colour and function o f
the skin by enabling it to eradicate toxic

IIO THE TEN-POINT WAY TO HEALTH
im purities througli profuse perspiration and
to absorb vital energy from the atmosphere.
A d e a r skin glow ing with health and vigou r
is a w inning factor for men and w om en in
business and social life.
T h ey strengthen the neck, shoulders, arms,
wrists, fingers, back, waist, abdom en, thighs,
knees, calves, and ankles. Strengthening the
back is know n to be a simple but efficient
rem edy for kidney troubles.
T h e y im prove and develop the bust o f maids
and m atrons; keep it firm and elastic; restore
it to norm al functioning, and increase the
qu antity and im prove the quality o f milk in
nursing mothers.
T h e y stim ulate the uterus and ovaries;
rem ove menstrual disorders and consequent
pain and m isery; render child-bearing less
painful and less dangerous.
T h ey prevent the h air from falling out and
lessen its tendency to grcyncss.
T h e y counteract the bad effect o f high heels,
tight shoes, belts, collars, and other restrictive
clothing dem anded by custom or fashion.
T h e y reduce redundant fat, especially the
fac about the abdom en, hips, thighs, neck,
and chin.
T h e y rcduce the abnorm al prominence o f

NEW LIKE FOR OLD I I I
the A dam ’s ap ple by the forward bending o f
the neck.
T h e y destroy the offensive odour o f perspiration.
T h ey reduce bow-leggedness.
T h ey m ake you immune from disease by
giving a tremendous increase to your disease-
resisting power.
Besides norm alizing the functions o f the internal
organs, they give you external shapeliness,
grace, an d attractiveness.
T h ey arc the quickest method for increasing
and m aintaining youthful buoyancy. T he
spirit o f youth is an invaluable asset. It is
wonderful to kn ow that you are fit and can
get the most o u t o f life.
T h ey w ill generate in you good and optimistic
thoughts, and give a charitable and
sanguine turn to your disposition.
T h ey will, in short, unlock the door to the
glorious health, strength, efficiency, and long
life w hich every m an is heir to.
A n d it will cost you nothing to try them.
Surya Nam askars are capable o f giving all
these gifts to men and wom en because they
possess the unique feature o f co-ordinating the
action o f all the v ita l organs, muscles, and other

112 THE TEN-POINT WAY TO HEALTH
parts o f the system, w hich arc thus developed,
and strengthened sim ultaneously. W e do not
profess thai the Surya Namaskars are a panacea
for all the ills that the human flesh is heir to,
but w e have no hesitation in assuring our readers,
men and wom en, yo u n g and old, rich and poor,
strong and weak, that this system of' exercise, if
loyally and steadfastly followed, will reward the
perform er with superb health, vibrant energy,
and ‘ new life for old/
Life j§ a song o f happiness to me and mine
through Surya Namaskars. T his book is my
thank-offering.

T h e tea positions o f a
X a m a s k a r a r e r e p e a te d
here and m ay be dctachcd
without dam aging the book.
T h e pages arc perforated
for easy rem oval.