Hatha Yoga Asanas-2
The comprehensive text “Haá¹hayogapradipika” 1.56
explains the sequence of Hatha Yoga practices as follows,
Physical postures (“Asanas”),
Shatkarma
kriyas (“Purification of body”) and "Pranayama" (Breathing practices),
Mudras
(“Gestures”) and Bandhas (“Locks” or “Knots”),
Samadhi
(“Meditation”).
Asanas are defined as a state of being physically and mentally
stable, calm, relaxed and comfortable for long periods of time.
Hathayogapradipika 1st Chapter 16th
verse says that,
“Hathasya pradhamangathwa dharanam poorvamuchyathe kuryathhadasam
sthairyamarogyam cha laghavam”
This says that Asanas brings steadiness and consistency, good health,
lightness and flexibility. There are 15 Asanas prescribed by Sage Swatmarama
even though there are 84 lakhs asanas.
On
other hand another text Gheranda Samhitha prescribed 32 Asanas. The 15 asanas
are given below,
Swastikasana (Auspicious pose),
Gomukhasana (Cow’s face pose),
Virasana (Hero’s pose),
Koormasana (Tortoise’s pose),
Kukkutasana (Rooster’s pose),
Utthana Koormasana (Stretching tortoise pose),
Dhanurasana (Bow’s pose),
Matsyendrasana ((Spinal twist pose),
Paschimothanasana (Back stretching pose),
Mayurasana (Peacocks’s pose),
Shavasana (Corpse’s pose),
Siddhasana (Adept’s pose or pose of
perfection),
Padhmasana (Lotus),
Simhasana (Lion’s pose),
Bhadhrasana (Gracious pose).
Hathayogapradipika 1st Chapter 34th verse says that, out of these 15 asanas 4 are most important because it is the postures for meditation. These are Siddhasana (Adept’s pose or pose of perfection) for men and Sidha Yoni Asana for women, Padhmasana (Lotus), Simhasana (Lion’s pose) and Bhadhrasana (Gracious pose).
Nos. |
Name of Posture (Asanas) |
Name of Asanas in Sanskrit |
Name of Asanas in English |
1 |
Yoganidrasana or |
योगनिद्रासन |
Yogic sleep |
2 |
Pasini Mudra |
|
Noose Mudra |
3 |
Vrischikasana |
वृश्चिकासन |
Scorpion |
4 |
Vrikshasana |
वृक्षासन |
Tree |
5 |
Virasana |
वीरासन, |
Hero, |
6 |
Dhyana Virasana |
ध्यान वीरासन |
Hero's Meditation |
7 |
Virabhadhrasana 3 |
वीरà¤à¤¦्रासन
III |
Warrior III |
8 |
Virabhadhrasana 2 |
वीरà¤à¤¦्रासन
II |
Warrior II |
9 |
Virabhadhrasana 1 |
वीरà¤à¤¦्रासन |
Warrior I |
10 |
Viparitha Virabhadrasana |
विपरीतवीरà¤à¤¦्रासन |
Reversed Warrior |
11 |
Viparitha karani |
विपरीतकरणि |
Inverted practice |
12 |
Variant of Utthanapadasana |
|
Legs up the wall |
13 |
Viparitha Dhandhasana |
विपरीत दण्डासन |
Inverted Staff |
14 |
Vasishtasana |
वसिष्ठासन |
Vasishtasana’s pose, |
15 |
Vasishtasana |
वसिष्ठासन |
Side plank |
16 |
Vajrasana |
वज्रासन |
Thunderbolt |
17 |
Utthishta Hasthapadadangushtasana |
उत्थित हस्तपादाङ्गुष्ठासन |
1.Standing Big Toe Hold |
18 |
Utthishta Hasthapadadangushtasana |
उत्थित हस्तपादाङ्गुष्ठासन |
2. Leg to the side |
19 |
Utthishta Hasthapadadangushtasana |
उत्थित हस्तपादाङ्गुष्ठासन |
3. leg to the front |
20 |
Uthkadasana |
|
Standing Forward Bend |
21 |
Uthkadasana |
|
Awkward or powerful |
22 |
Ushtrasana |
उष्ट्रासन |
Camel |
23 |
Urdhwa Mukha svanasana |
ऊर्ध्वमुखश्वानासन |
Upward-Facing Dog |
24 |
Urdhwa dhanurasana |
ऊर्ध्वधनुरासन, |
Upwards-facing bow, |
25 |
Chakrasana |
चक्रासन |
Wheel |
26 |
Upavishta conasana |
उपविष्टकोणासन |
Open Angle |
27 |
Thulasana |
तुलासन |
Balance / Scales |
28 |
Thrivikramasana |
त्रिविक्रमासन |
Trivikrama's pose |
29 |
Supta Trivikramasana |
|
Standing splits |
30 |
Navasana |
नावासन |
|
31 |
Trikonasana |
त्रिकोणासन, |
Triangle |
32 |
Utthishta Trikonasana |
उत्थित त्रिकोणासन |
|
33 |
Tittibhasana |
टिट्टिà¤ासन |
Firefly |
34 |
Tadasana |
ताडासन |
Mountain |
35 |
Swasthikasana |
स्वस्तिकसन |
Auspicious |
36 |
Swasthikasana |
स्वस्तिकसन |
Lucky mark |
37 |
Surya Namaskar |
सुर्य नमस्कार |
Salute to the Sun |
38 |
Supthapadangushtasana |
सुप्त पादाङ्गुष्ठासन |
Big toe supine |
39 |
Sukhasana |
सुखासन |
Easy |
40 |
Simhasana |
सिंहासन |
Lion |
41 |
Siddhasana for men |
सिद्धासन |
Accomplished, |
42 |
Siddha Yoni Asana for women |
|
The adept’s Pose |
43 |
Shirshasana |
शीर्षासन |
Headstand, |
44 |
Kapalasana |
|
Yoga Headstand |
45 |
Shavasana |
शवासन |
Corpse |
46 |
Shalabhasana |
शलà¤ासन |
Locust |
47 |
Sethubandha Sarvangasana |
सेतुबन्धसर्वाङ्गासन |
Shoulder supported bridge |
48 |
Salamba Sarvangasanna |
सालम्बसर्वाङ्गासन |
Shoulder Stand |
49 |
Samakonasana |
समकोणासन |
Side splits |
50 |
Rajakapothasana |
राजकपोतासन |
King Pigeon |
51 |
Prasaritha Padhothanasana |
प्रसारित पादोत्तानासन |
Wide Stance Forward Bend |
52 |
Pincha mayurasana |
पिञ्चमयूरासन |
Feathered Peacock |
53 |
Pashasana |
पाशासन |
Noose |
54 |
Paschimothanasana |
पश्चिमोत्तानासन |
Seated Forward Bend |
55 |
Parshothanasana |
पार्श्वोत्तनासन |
Intense side stretch |
56 |
Parshva konasana |
पार्श्वकोणासन |
Side angle |
57 |
Parighasana |
परिघासन |
Gate |
58 |
Padmasana |
पद्मासन |
Lotus |
59 |
Paripoorna Navasana |
परिपूर्णनावासन |
Boat |
60 |
Naukasana |
नौकासन |
Boat |
61 |
Naukasana |
नौकासन |
Boat |
62 |
Natarajasana |
नटराजासन |
Lord of the Dance |
63 |
Natarajasana |
नटराजासन |
Dancer |
64 |
Natarajasana |
नटराजासन |
Nataraja's Pose |
65 |
Mukthasana |
मुक्तासन |
Liberated |
66 |
Mayurasana |
मयूरासन |
Peacock |
67 |
Matsyendrasana |
मत्स्येन्द्रासन |
Lord of the Fishes |
68 |
Matsyendrasana |
मत्स्येन्द्रासन |
Matsendrasana’s pose |
69 |
Matsyasana |
मत्स्यासन |
Fish |
70 |
Marichyasana |
मरीच्यासन |
Marichi’s Pose |
71 |
Mandukasana |
मन्दुकासन |
Frog |
72 |
Maalasana |
मालासन |
Garland |
73 |
Makarasana |
मकरासन |
Crocodile |
74 |
Lolasana |
लोलासन |
Pendant |
75 |
Kurmasana |
कूर्मासन |
Tortoise |
76 |
Kukkutasana |
कुक्कुटासन |
Rooster |
77 |
Kraunchasana |
क्रौञ्चासन |
Heron |
78 |
Kaundinyasana |
कौण्डिन्यसन |
Kaundinya’s pose |
79 |
Karnapeedasana |
कर्णपीडासन |
Ear-pressing |
80 |
Kapotasana |
कपोतासन |
Pigeon |
81 |
Jathara Parivarthanasana |
ञटर परिवर्तनासन |
Belly twist |
82 |
Jaanu Shirshana |
जानुशीर्षासन |
Head-to-Knee |
83 |
Hanumanasana |
हनुमनासन |
Hanuman’s Pose |
84 |
Halasana |
हलासन |
Plough |
85 |
Gorakshasana |
गोरक्षासन |
Cowherd |
86 |
Gorakshasana |
गोरक्षासन |
Gorakhnath's pose |
87 |
Gomukhana |
गोमुखासन |
Cow-faced |
88 |
Garudasana |
गरुडासन |
Eagle |
89 |
Garbha Pindasana |
गर्à¤ासन |
Embryo in Womb |
90 |
Dhurvasana |
दुर्वासासन |
Dhurvasana’s Pose |
91 |
Dhanurasana |
धनुरासन |
Bow |
92 |
Dhandasana |
दण्डासन |
Staff |
93 |
Chaturanga Dhandasana |
चतुरङ्गदण्डासन |
Four-Limbed Staff |
94 |
Chaturanga Dhandasana |
चतुरङ्गदण्डासन |
Low Plank |
95 |
Bidalasana |
बिडालासन |
Cat |
96 |
Marjariasana |
मार्जरीआसन |
Cat |
97 |
Bhujapidasana |
à¤ुजपीडासन |
Arm-pressing posture |
98 |
Bhujangasana |
à¤ुजंगासन |
Cobra |
99 |
Bhekasana |
à¤ेकासन |
Frog |
100 |
Bharadwajasana |
à¤à¤°à¤¦्वाजासन |
Bharadwaj’s twist |
101 |
Bhairavasana |
à¤ैरवासन |
Formidable |
102 |
Ankushasana |
अण्कुशासन |
|
103 |
Balasana |
बालासन |
Child |
104 |
Bhakasana |
बकासन, |
Crane (arms straight) |
105 |
Kakasana |
ककासन |
Crow (arms bent) |
106 |
Baddha konsana |
बद्धकोणासन |
Bound angle, |
107 |
Bhadrasana |
|
Cobbler's pose |
108 |
Ashtavakrasana |
अष्टावक्रासन |
Ashtavakra’s pose, |
109 |
Ashtavakrasana |
अष्टावक्रासन |
Eight-angled |
110 |
Ashtanga Namaskara |
अष्टाङ्ग नमस्कार |
Eight-Limbed Salutation |
111 |
Ashtanga Namaskara |
अष्टाङ्ग नमस्कार |
Caterpillar |
112 |
Ardha Chandrasana |
अर्धचन्द्रासन |
Half moon |
113 |
Anjaneyasana |
अञ्जनेयासन |
Crescent Moon |
114 |
Anantasana |
अनन्तासन |
Ananta’s pose, |
115 |
Anantasana |
अनन्तासन |
Vishnu’s Couch pose |
116 |
Akarna Dhanurasana |
आकर्णधनुरासन |
Shooting bow, |
117 |
Akarna Dhanurasana |
आकर्णधनुरासन |
Archer, |
118 |
Akarna Dhanurasana |
आकर्णधनुरासन |
Bow and arrow |
119 |
Adho Mukha Vrikshasana |
अधोमुखवृक्षासन |
Downward-Facing Tree |
120 |
Adho Mukha Vrikshasana |
अधोमुखवृक्षासन |
Yoga Handstand |
121 |
Adho Mukha Svanasana |
|
Downward Facing Dog |