List of asanas

Padmāsana, lotus pose, used for meditation. Gilt bronze statue of Bodhisattva Manjusri and Prajnaparamita, Nepal, c. 1575

An asana is a posture, whether for traditional hatha yoga or for modern yoga;^[1] the term is derived from the Sanskrit word for 'seat'. While many of the oldest mentioned asanas are indeed seated postures for meditation, asanas may be standing, seated, arm-balances, twists, inversions, forward bends, backbends, or reclining in prone or supine positions. The asanas have been given a variety of English names by competing schools of yoga.^[2]

The traditional number of asanas is the symbolic 84, but different texts identify different selections, sometimes listing their names without describing them.^[3][a] Some names have been given to different asanas over the centuries, and some asanas have been known by a variety of names, making tracing and the assignment of dates difficult.^[5] For example, the name Muktasana is now given to a variant of Siddhasana with one foot in front of the other, but has also been used for Siddhasana and other cross-legged meditation poses.^[6] As another example, the headstand is now known by the 20th century name Shirshasana, but an older name for the pose is Kapalasana.^[3][7] Sometimes, the names have the same meaning, as with Bidalasana and Marjariasana, both meaning Cat Pose.^[8][9]

Affixes[]

Variations on the basic asanas are indicated by Sanskrit affixes including the following:

Asanas[]

A single asana is listed for each main pose, whether or not there are variations. Thus for Sirsasana (Yoga headstand), only one pose is illustrated, although the pose can be varied by moving the legs apart sideways or front-and-back, by lowering one leg to the floor, by folding the legs into lotus posture, by turning the hips to one side, by placing the hands differently on the ground, and so on. Iyengar's 1966 Light on Yoga lists 15 variations on the basic headstand, including for instance the combined variation Parivrttaikapada Sirsasana in which not only are the hips revolved but the legs are apart front-and-back.^[10] Since then, variations of many other poses have been created; their names are not listed here.^[11] Yin Yoga names are for the equivalent Yin variants; these are usually somewhat different from the conventional (Yang) poses.

Indian texts are "notoriously difficult to date".^[12] The table shows the approximate date and abbreviated title of the earliest document or authority to describe that asana (not only naming it), as follows:

Asana	Sanskrit	English	Type	Effect on spine	Suitable for meditation	Described[c]	Yin Yoga variant[13][d]	Image
Adho Mukha Shvanasana[14]	अधोमुखश्वानासन	Downward-Facing Dog	Standing	Forward bend		20th C. TK[15] 18th C. HAP (in dynamic pose "Gajāsana")[16]
Adho Mukha Vrikshasana[17]	अधोमुखवृक्षासन	Downward-Facing Tree, Yoga Handstand	Balancing			18th C. HAP[18]
Akarna Dhanurasana[19]	आकर्णधनुरासन	Shooting bow, Archer, Bow and arrow	Sitting			19th C. ST[20] (as Dhanurāsana)
Anantasana[21]	अनन्तासन	Ananta's pose, Vishnu's Couch pose	Reclining			20th C. LoY[22]
Anjaneyasana[23]	अञ्जनेयासन	Crescent Moon[24]	Standing	Backbend		20th C.[24]	Dragon
Ardha Chandrasana[25]	अर्धचन्द्रासन	Half moon	Standing			20th C. LoY[26]
Ashtanga Namaskara[15]	अष्टाङ्ग नमस्कार	Eight-Limbed Salutation Caterpillar	Reclining			20th C. TK[15]
Astavakrasana[27]	अष्टावक्रासन	Aṣṭāvakra's pose, Eight-angled	Balancing			20th C. LoY[28]
Baddha Konasana[29] Bhadrasana[30]	बद्धकोणासन	Bound angle, Cobbler's pose	Sitting		Meditation[30]	15th C. HYP[30] 17th C. GhS[30]	Butterfly
Bakasana[31] Kakasana[32]	बकासन, ककासन	Crane (arms straight) Crow (arms bent)	Balancing			17th C. HR[33]
Balasana[34]	बालासन	Child	Sitting			20th C. TK[35] 19th C. ST Ananda Balasana (as Kandukasana)[36]	Child's
Bhairavasana Ankushasana[37]	भैरवासन अण्कुशासन	Formidable	Reclining			19th C. ST[37]
Bharadvajasana[38]	भरद्वाजासन	Bharadvaja's twist	Sitting	Twist		20th C. LoY[39]	Seated Twist
Bhekasana[40]	भेकासन	Frog	Reclining	Backbend		20th C. LoY[41]
Bhujangasana[42]	भुजंगासन	Cobra	Reclining	Backbend		17th C. GhS 2.42[43][44]	Seal, Sphinx
Bhujapidasana[45]	भुजपीडासन	Arm-pressing posture	Balancing			20th C. LoY[46]	Snail
Bidalasana[8] Marjariasana[9]	बिडालासन मार्जरीआसन	Cat	Kneeling	Backbend		20th C. T.K.V. Desikachar, Satyananda Saraswati[9]
Chaturanga Dandasana[47]	चतुरङ्गदण्डासन	Four-Limbed Staff Low Plank	Reclining			20th C. TK[48]
Dandasana[49]	दण्डासन	Staff	Sitting			08th C. PSV[50]
Dhanurasana[51]	धनुरासन	Bow	Reclining	Backbend		15th C. HYP 1.27
Durvasasana[52]	दुर्वासासन	Durvasa's Pose	Standing, Balancing			19th C. ST (as 'Trivikramasana')[53]
Garbha Pindasana[54]	गर्भासन	Embryo in Womb	Sitting			17th C. BaH[55]
Garudasana[56]	गरुडासन	Eagle	Standing, Balancing			19th C. ST[57][e]
Gomukhasana[58]	गोमुखासन	Cow-faced	Sitting		Meditation[59]	04th C. DU[60] 10th C. V[61] 15th C. HYP 1.20	Shoelace
Gorakshasana	गोरक्षासन	Cowherd Gorakhnath's pose	Sitting		Meditation	14th C. ShS 3.108-112 15th C. HYP 1.28-29 17th C. GhS 2.24-25
Halasana[62]	हलासन	Plough	Inversion	Forward bend		19th C. ST[63] (as Lāṇgalāsana, plough) 20th C. TB[64]
Hanumanasana[65]	हनुमनासन	Hanuman's Pose	Sitting			20th C. TK[66]
Janusirsasana[67]	जानुशीर्षासन	Head-to-Knee	Sitting	Forward Bend		20th C. TK[68][69]
Jathara Parivartanasana[70]	ञटर परिवर्तनासन	Belly twist	Reclining	Twist		20th C. LoY[70]
Kapotasana[71]	कपोतासन	Pigeon	Kneeling	Backbend		20th C. LoY[72]
Karnapidasana[73]	कर्णपीडासन	Ear-pressing	Inversion	Forward bend		20th C. TB[74] (as variant of Halasana); LoY[75]
Kaundinyasana[76]	कौण्डिन्यसन	Kaundinya's pose	Balancing			20th C. LoY[77]
Kraunchasana[78]	क्रौञ्चासन	Heron	Sitting			17th C. HR[33]
Kukkutasana[54]	कुक्कुटासन	Cockerel	Balancing			07th C. AS[55] 13th C. VS[79] 15th C. HYP 1.23 17th C. GhS 2.31[57]
Kurmasana[80][81]	कूर्मासन	Tortoise	Sitting	Forward bend		07th C. AS[55]
Lolasana[82]	लोलासन	Pendant	Balancing			20th C.[f][g]
Makarasana[85]	मकरासन	Crocodile	Reclining			17th C. GhS 2.40[h]
Malasana[87]	मालासन	Garland	Squatting	Forward bend		20th C. LoY[87]
Mandukasana	मन्दुकासन	Frog	Sitting			17th C. GhS[43]
Marichyasana[88]	मरीच्यासन	Marichi's Pose	Sitting	Twist		20th C. TK[89]
Matsyasana[90]	मत्स्यासन	Fish	Reclining	Backbend		17th C. GhS 2.21	Fish
Matsyendrasana[91]	मत्स्येन्द्रासन	Lord of the Fishes Matsyendra's pose	Sitting	Twist		15th C. HYP 1.28-29 17th C. GhS
Mayurasana[17]	मयूरासन	Peacock	Balancing			10th C. V[61] 15th C. HYP 1.33
Muktasana[6]	मुक्तासन	Liberated	Sitting		Meditation	10th C. V[61][i]
Natarajasana[92]	नटराजासन	Lord of the Dance Dancer Nataraja's Pose	Standing	Backbend		20th C. TK[93]
Navasana Naukasana[37]	नावासन, परिपूर्णनावासन नौकासन	Boat	Sitting	Forward bend		19th C. ST[37]
Padmasana[94]	पद्मासन	Lotus	Sitting		Meditation[95]	04th C. DU[96] 08th C. PSV[50]
Parighasana[97]	परिघासन	Gate	Standing			20th C. TK[48]
Parshvakonasana[98]	पार्श्वकोणासन	Side angle	Standing			20th C. TK[48][68]
Parshvottanasana[99]	पार्श्वोत्तनासन	Intense side stretch	Standing			20th C. TK[48][68]
Pashasana[100]	पाशासन	Noose	Squatting	Twist		19th C. ST[44]
Paschimottanasana[101]	पश्चिमोत्तानासन	Seated Forward Bend	Sitting	Forward Bend		15th C. HYP 1:28[20] 17th C. GhS 2:26[20]	Full Forward Bend, Caterpillar
Pincha Mayurasana[102]	पिञ्चमयूरासन	Feathered Peacock	Balancing			20th C. LoY[103]
Prasarita Padottanasana[104]	प्रसारित पादोत्तानासन	Wide Stance Forward Bend	Standing	Forward bend		20th C. TK[48][68]
Rajakapotasana[105]	राजकपोतासन	King Pigeon	Sitting	Backbend		20th C. LoY[106]	Swan, Sleeping Swan
Shalabhasana[107]	शलभासन	Locust	Reclining	Backbend		20th C. TB[108]
Sarvangasana[109]	सालम्बसर्वाङ्गासन	Shoulder Stand	Inversion			20th C. (this name); 19th C. as Viparita Karani in JP; 15th C. HYP
Samakonasana[110]	समकोणासन	Side splits	Sitting			20th C. TK[68]
Shavasana[111]	शवासन	Corpse	Reclining			15th C. HYP 1.32[112]	Corpse
Setu Bandha Sarvangasana[113]	सेतुबन्धसर्वाङ्गासन	Shoulder supported bridge	Inversion	Backbend		19th C. ST, called Kāmapīṭhāsana[114]
Siddhasana (men), Siddha Yoni Asana (women)[115]	सिद्धासन	Accomplished, The Adept's Pose	Sitting		Meditation[115]	10th C. GS 1.10-12
Simhasana[116]	सिंहासन	Lion	Sitting		Meditation[116]	04th C. DU[96] 10th C. V[61]
Shirshasana[117] Kapalasana[118]	शीर्षासन	Headstand, Yoga Headstand	Inversion			11th C. HY[119](called Duryodhanāsana or Kapālīkarana) 14th C. ShS 4.45-47 (as Viparita Karani)[120] 15th C. HYP 3.78-81 (ditto)[120] 17th C. GhS 3.33-35 (ditto)[120] 18th C. JP (as Kapala āsana)
Sukhasana[121]	सुखासन	Easy	Sitting		Meditation[122]	04th C. DU[123]	Easy
Supta Padangusthasana[124]	सुप्त पादाङ्गुष्ठासन	Big toe supine	Reclining			20th C. TK[48][68]
Surya Namaskar[125][126]	सुर्य नमस्कार	Salute to the Sun Sun Salutation	Standing	Forward bend, backbend sequence		20th C. Rajah of Aundh,[127] then TK[15]
Svastikasana[128]	स्वस्तिकसन	Auspicious Lucky mark	Sitting		Meditation[128]	08th C. PSV[50]	Square
Tadasana[129]	ताडासन	Mountain	Standing			20th C. TK[48]
Tittibhasana[130]	टिट्टिभासन	Firefly	Balancing			19th C. ST[44] (as Mālāsana)
Trikonasana, Utthita Trikonasana[131]	त्रिकोणासन, उत्थित त्रिकोणासन	Triangle	Standing			20th C. TK[132]
Trivikramasana[133]	त्रिविक्रमासन	Trivikrama's pose Standing splits Supta Trivikramasana (reclining variant)	Standing, Balancing			13th - 18th C. in Bharatnatyam dance statues of Eastern Gopuram, Nataraja Temple, Chidambaram[134]
Tulasana[135]	तुलासन	Balance / Scales	Balancing			20th C. LoY[136]
Upavishta Konasana[137]	उपविष्टकोणासन	Open Angle	Sitting			20th C. TK[68]	Dragonfly
Urdhva Dhanurasana[138] Chakrasana	ऊर्ध्वधनुरासन, चक्रासन	Upwards-facing bow, Wheel	Inversion	Backbend		19th C. ST[139] (as Paryaṇkāsana)
Urdhva Mukha Shvanasana[140]	ऊर्ध्वमुखश्वानासन	Upward-Facing Dog	Reclining	Backbend		20th C. TK[48]
Ushtrasana[141]	उष्ट्रासन	Camel	Kneeling	Backbend		20th C. LoY[142]
Utkatasana[143]	उत्कटासन	Awkward or Powerful	Standing			15th C. HYP (squatting)[144] 17th C. GhS[43] 20th C. TK[145] (chair-like)
Uttanasana[146]	उत्तानासन	Standing Forward Bend	Standing	Forward bend		20th C. TB (as Padahastasana)[147]; TK[48][68]
Utthita Hastapadangusthasana[148]	उत्थित हस्तपादाङ्गुष्ठासन	Standing Big Toe Hold (I: leg to the side; II: leg to the front[148])	Standing			20th C. TK[48][68]
Vajrasana[149]	वज्रासन	Thunderbolt	Kneeling		Meditation[150]	17th C. GhS[43] (may mean Virasana[112])
Vasishtasana[151]	वसिष्ठासन	Vasishta's pose, Side plank	Balancing			20th C. TK[152]
Viparita Dandasana[153]	विपरीत ��ण्डासन	Inverted Staff	Inversion	Backbend		20th C. TK?, LoY[153]
Viparita Karani[154] Uttanapadasana (variant)	विपरीतकरणि	Inverted practice Legs up the wall	Inversion			14th C. ShS 4.45-47[120] 15th C. HYP 3.78-81[120] 17th C. GhS 3.33-35[120] and other texts[132][j]	Legs-Up-the-Wall
Viparita Virabhadrasana[155]	विपरीतवीरभद्रासन	Reversed Warrior[k]	Standing			21st C. PL[155]
Virabhadrasana I[156]	वीरभद्रासन	Warrior I	Standing			20th C. TK[157][158]
Virabhadrasana II[159]	वीरभद्रासन II	Warrior II	Standing			20th C. TK[157][158]
Virabhadrasana III[160]	वीरभद्रासन III	Warrior III	Standing			20th C. TK[157][158]
Virasana,[161] Dhyana Virasana[162]	वीरासन, ध्यान वीरासन	Hero, Hero's Meditation	Kneeling		Meditation[162][163]	04th C. DU[96] 08th C. PSV[50] (these may refer to a different meditation pose)
Vrikshasana[164]	वृक्षासन	Tree	Standing, Balancing			17th C. GhS[43]
Vrischikasana[165]	वृश्चिकासन	Scorpion	Inversion	Backbend		20th C. LoY[166] (13th - 18th C. in Bharatnatyam dance statues of Eastern Gopuram, Nataraja Temple, Chidambaram but not yoga[134])
Yoganidrasana[167] Pasini Mudra	योगनिद्रासन	Yogic sleep Noose Mudra	Reclining	Forward bend		17th C. HR 3.70 17th C. GhS 3.84 as a Mudra 18th C. painting, Mysore[168]

See also[]

• Mudra – yoga gestures
• Pranayama – yoga breathing techniques
• Surya Namaskar – a foundational sequence of asanas

Notes[]

References[]

Sources[]

• Ayyangar, T. R. Srinivasa (trans.) (1938). The Yoga Upanishads. Adyar, Madras: The Adyar Library.
• Bernard, Theos (2007) [1944]. Hatha yoga : the report of a personal experience. Edinburgh: Harmony. ISBN 978-0-9552412-2-2. OCLC 230987898.
• Goldberg, Elliott (2016). The Path of Modern Yoga : the history of an embodied spiritual practice. Rochester, Vermont: Inner Traditions. ISBN 978-1-62055-567-5. OCLC 926062252.
• Iyengar, B. K. S. (1979) [1966]. Light on Yoga: Yoga Dipika. Thorsons. ISBN 978-1855381667.
• Krishnamacharya, Tirumalai (2006) [1934]. Yoga Makaranda. Translated by Lakshmi Ranganathan; Nandini Ranganathan.
• Larson, Gerald James; Bhattacharya, Ram Shankar (2008). Yoga : India's Philosophy of Meditation. Motilal Banarsidass. ISBN 978-81-208-3349-4.
• Lidell, Lucy, The Sivananda Yoga Centre (1983). The book of yoga. Ebury. ISBN 978-0-85223-297-2. OCLC 12457963.
• Mallinson, James (2004). The Gheranda Samhita: the original Sanskrit and an English translation. YogaVidya. ISBN 978-0-9716466-3-6.
• Mallinson, James; Singleton, Mark (2017). Roots of Yoga. Penguin Books. ISBN 978-0-241-25304-5. OCLC 928480104.
• Mehta, Silva; Mehta, Mira; Mehta, Shyam (1990). Yoga: The Iyengar Way. Dorling Kindersley. ISBN 978-0863184208.
• Murugan, Chillayah (20 October 2012). "Yoga Asanas for Health and Fitness". Silambam. Archived from the original on 3 October 2015. Retrieved 31 May 2013.
• Powers, Sarah (2008). Insight Yoga. Shambhala. ISBN 978-1-59030-598-0. OCLC 216937520.
• Saraswati, Swami Satyananda (1996). Asana Pranayama Mudra Bandha (PDF). Yoga Publications Trust. ISBN 978-8186336144. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2015-08-07. Retrieved 2018-11-10.
• Srinivasa, Narinder (2002). Gharote, M. L.; Devnath, Parimal; Jha, Vijay Kant (eds.). Hatha Ratnavali Srinivasayogi | A Treatise On Hathayoga (1st ed.). Lonavla, India: The Lonavla Yoga Institute. ISBN 81-901176-96.
• Singleton, Mark (2010). Yoga Body : the origins of modern posture practice. Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0-19-539534-1. OCLC 318191988.
• Sjoman, Norman E. (1999). The Yoga Tradition of the Mysore Palace. Abhinav Publications. ISBN 81-7017-389-2.

External links[]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Asana.

• Beyogi Library of Yoga Poses
• Jack Cuneo Light on Yoga Project