List of asanas

Asanas collectively constitute the physical aspect of worship in ancient Yoga and various stretches and meditative poses of modern Yoga. The poses and stretches are thought to have physical and mental health benefits and can lead to injury in roughly 1 in 20 practitioners a year in the U.S.[8]^{[1][2][3][4][5][6][7]} Different authors or schools of yoga may have different names for an asana. Many asanas have multiple names or one name may refer to multiple asanas.^[8]

Affixes

Many asana names include the following Sanskrit words as affixes:

English	Sanskrit	Meaning
Adho	अधो	downward
Ardha	अर्ध	half
Eka	एक	one
		single
Bandha	बंध	lock
Dhánus	धनुः	bow
Dvī	द्वि	two
Parivṛtta	परिवृत्त	revolved
		twisted
Supta	सुप्त	supine
		reclining
Tulā	तुला	balance
Upaviṣṭha	उपविष्ठ	seated
Ubhaya	उभय	both, together
Ūrdhva	ऊर्ध्व	upward
Utthita	उत्थित	extended

Modern Asanas

Sanskrit transliteration	Sanskrit	English	Image	Classification
Adho Mukha Śvānāsana	अधोमुखश्वानासन	Downward-Facing Dog Pose		Arm Balance and Forward Bend.
Adho Mukha Vṛkṣāsana	अधोमुखवृक्षासन	Downward-Facing Tree (Full Arm Balance)		Arm Balance
Ākarṇa Dhanurāsana	आकर्णधनुरासन	Bow posture up to ear		Forward Bend (Paschima Pratana Sthiti)
Anantāsana	अनन्तासन	Ananta's pose		Supine Leg stretch
Anjaneyasana	अञ्जनेयासन	Honorable Pose, Crescent Moon, Crescent Lunge		Standing asana (Hip opener)
Ardha Candrāsana	अर्धचन्द्रासन	Half moon		Standing asana (Uttihista Sthiti)
Ardha Matsyendrāsana	अर्धमत्स्येन्द्रासन	Half lord of the fishes pose		Twisting (Parivrrta Sthiti)
Ardha Navāsana	अर्धनवासन	Half boat posture		Abdominal asana (Udara Akunchana Sthiti)
Aṣṭāvakrāsana	अष्टावक्रासन	Aṣṭāvakra's pose		Arm SECe
Baddha Koṇāsana	बद्धकोणासन	Bound angle		Sitting asana/Forward Bend (Upavista Sthiti/Paschima Pratana Sthiti)
Bakāsana	बकासन	Crane		Arm Balance
Bālāsana	बालासन	Child's Pose		Kneeling forward bend
Bharadvājāsana	भरद्वाजासन	Bharadvaja's twist		Twisting (Parivrrta Sthiti)
Bhekāsana	भेकासन	Frog		Backbend (Extension) (Purva Pratana Sthiti)
Bhujaṅgāsana	भुजङ्गासन	Cobra		Backbend (Purva Pratana Sthiti)
Bhujapīḍāsana	भुजपीडासन	Arm-pressing posture		Arm balance
Biḍālāsana	बिडालासन	Cat Pose		Kneeling
Caturaṅga Daṇḍāsana	चतुरङ्गदण्डासन	Four-Limbed Staff		Arm Balance
Chakrāsana or Urdva Dhanurāsana	चक्रासन	Wheel		Backbend (Purva Pratana Sthiti)
Daṇḍāsana	दण्डासन	Staff pose		Sitting asana (Upavista Sthiti)
Dhanurāsana	धनुरासन	Bow		Backbend (Purva Pratana Sthiti)
Dvi Pāda Śīrṣāsana	द्विपादशीर्षासन	Both feet behind head (lit: two-footed head pose)		Forward Bend (Paschima Pratana Sthiti)
Dvi Pāda Viparīta Daṇḍāsana	द्विपदविपरीतदण्डासन	Two-Legged Inverted Staff Pose		Backbend (Purva Pratana Sthiti)
Eka Pada Kauṇḍiṇyāsana I	एकपादकौण्डिण्यासन	Kauṇḍiṇya's pose, twisted one legged arm balance		Arm balance
Eka Pada Kauṇḍiṇyasana II	एकपादकौण्डिण्यासन	Kauṇḍiṇya's pose, one legged arm balance with straight legs		Arm balance
Eka Pāda Rājakapotāsana I	एकपादराजकपोतासन	One-Legged King Pigeon		Backbend (Purva Pratana Sthiti)
Ekapādaśīrṣāsana	एकपादशीर्षासन	Foot behind Head Pose		Forward Bend (Paschima Pratana Sthiti)
Eka pāda śīrṣāsana	एकपादशीर्षासन	One legged supported head balance		Inverted asana (Viparita Sthiti)
Garbhāsana	गर्भासन	Fetus
Garuḍāsana	गरुडासन	Eagle pose		Standing asana (Uttihista Sthiti)
Gomukhāsana	गोमुखासन	Cow faced pose		Sitting asana (Upavista Sthiti)
Guptāsana	गुप्तासन
Halāsana	हलासन	Plough		Inverted asana (Viparita Sthiti)
Hanumanāsana	हनुमनासन	Monkey Pose		Leg Stretch
Jānuśīrṣāsana	जानुशीर्षासन	Head-to-Knee Forward Bend		Forward Bend (Paschima Pratana Sthiti)
Jāṭharaparivṛttāsana	जाठरपरिवृत्तासन	Belly-revolving posture
Karṇapīḍāsana	कर्णपीडासन	Ear-pressing		Inverted asana (Viparita Sthiti)
Krāuñcāsana	क्रौञ्चासन	Heron
Kukkuṭāsana	कुक्कुटासन	Cockerel		Arm Balance
Kūrmāsana	कूर्मासन	Tortoise		Forward Bend (Paschima Pratana Sthiti)
Lolāsana	लोलासन	Pendant
Mahāmudrā	महामुद्रा	The great seal posture		Forward Bend (Paschima Pratana Sthiti)
Makarāsana	मकरासन	Crocodile
Mālāsana	मालासन	Garland[9]
Maṇḍalāsana	मण्डलासन	Circle
Mārjāryāsana	मार्जार्यासन	Cat pose
Matsyāsana	मत्स्यासन	Fish		Supine backbend
Matsyendrāsana	मत्स्येन्द्रासन	Lord of the Fishes		Twisting (Parivrrta Sthiti)
Mayūrāsana	मयूरासन	Peacock		Arm Balance
Muktahastaśīrṣāsana	मुक्तहस्तशीर्षासन	"Hands-Free" Head stand		Inverted asana (Viparita Sthiti)
Muktāsana	मुक्तासन	The liberated Pose
Naṭarājāsana	नटराजासन	Dancer or Lord of the Dance		Backbend (Purva Pratana Sthiti)
Nāvāsana	नावासन	Boat		Sitting asana
Nirālambasarvāṅgāsana	निरालम्बसर्वाङ्गासन	Unsupported shoulder stand		Inversion (Viparita Sthiti)
Pādahastāsana	पादहस्तासन	Standing Forward Bend		Standing asana (Uttihista Sthiti)
Padma Pinyamayūrasana	पद्मपिन्यमयूरासन	Peacock Feather Pose with legs in Padmasana/Elbow Balance		Arm Balance
Padmāsana	पद्मासन	Lotus		Sitting asana (Upavista Sthiti)
Paripūrṇanāvāsana	परिपूर्णनावासन	Full Boat		Abdominal asana (Udara Akunchana Sthiti)
Parivṛtta Baddha Pārśvakoṇāsana	परिवृत्तबद्धपार्श्वकोणासन	Revolved Bound Side Angle		Asymmetrical standing twist with hand lock
Parivṛtta Pārśvakoṇāsana	परिवृत्तपार्श्वकोणासन	Revolved Side Angle		Twisting (Parivrrta Sthiti)
Parivṛttatrikoṇāsana	परिवृत्तत्रिकोणासन	Revolved Triangle		Twisting (Parivrrta Sthiti)
Parśvottanāsana	पर्श्वोत्तनासन	Intense stretch to the side		Standing asana (Uttihista Sthiti)
Paryaṅkāsana	पर्यङ्कासन	Couch Pose		Sitting asana (Upavista Sthiti)
Pāśāsana	पाशासन	Noose		Twisting (Parivrrta Sthiti)
Paścimottānāsana	पश्चिमोत्तानासन	Extension of the posterior (western) part of the body		Forward Bend (Paschima Prattana Sthiti)
Pincha Mayūrāsana	पिन्चमयूरासन	Feathered Peacock Pose, forearm balance		Arm Balance
Prasāritapādottānāsana	प्रसारितपादोत्तानासन	Wide Stance Forward Bend		Standing asana (Uttihista Sthiti)
Rajakapotāsana	रजकपोतासन	King Pigeon		Backbend (Purva Pratana Sthiti)
Śalabhāsana	शलभासन	Locust		Backbend (Purva Pratana Sthiti)
Salamba Sarvāṅgāsana I	सलम्बसर्वाङ्गासन	Shoulder Stand		Inversion (Viparita Sthiti)
Salamba Śīrṣāsana I	सलम्बशीर्षासन	Supported Headstand		Inversion (Viparita Sthiti)
Samakoṇāsana	समकोणासन	Straight angle
Samasthitiḥ	समस्थितिः	Equal Standing		Standing asana (Uttihista Sthiti)
Śaśakāsana	शशकासन	Rabbit
Śavāsana Shavasana Sarvasana Mrtasana	शवासन	Corpse Pose		Resting asana (Visranta Karaka Asana)
Setubandhāsana	सेतुबन्धासन	Bridge Pose		Backbend (Purva Pratana Sthiti)
Setubandhasarvāṅgāsana	सेतुबन्धसर्वाङ्गासन	Shoulder supported Bridge		Backbend (Purva Pratana Sthiti)
Siddhāsana	सिद्धासन	Siddhi's Pose		Sitting asana (Upavista Sthiti)
Siṁhāsana	सिंहासन	Lion
Sukhāsana	सुखासन	Auspicious (Easy) Pose		Sitting asana (Upavista Sthiti)
Suptabaddhakoṇāsana	सुप्तभद्धकोणासन	Reclining Bound Angle		Resting asana (Visranta Karaka Asana)
Suptakoṇāsana	सुप्तकोणासन	Angle		Inversion (Viparita Sthiti)
Supta Pādaṅgustāsana I	सुप्तपादङ्गुस्तासन	Catching the big toe supine pose		Supine Leg stretch
Suptavajrāsana	सुप्तवज्रासन	Thunderbolt
Suptavīrāsana	सुप्तवीरासन	Reclining Hero		Resting asana (Visrana Karaka Asana)
Svastikāsana	स्वस्तिकासन	Cross Pose		Sitting asana (Upavista Sthiti)
Tāḍāsana	ताडासन	Mountain Pose		Standing asana (Uttihista Sthiti)
Ṭiṭṭibhāsana	टिट्टिभासन	Insect Pose		Arm balance
Trikoṇāsana	त्रिकोणासन	Triangle		Standing asana (Uttihista Sthiti)
Tulāsana	तुलासन	Balance posture		Arm Balance
Uḍḍīyānabandha	उड्डीयानबन्ध	The abdominal lock
Upavesāsana	उपवेसासन	Squatting Pose		Squatting asana
Upaviṣṭakoṇāsana	उपविष्टकोणासन	Open Angle		Forward Bend (Paschima Pratana Sthiti)
Ūrdhva Dhanurāsana	ऊर्ध्वधनुरासन	Upwards-facing bow		Backbend (Purva Pratana Sthiti)
Ūrdhvamukhaśvānāsana	ऊर्ध्वमुखश्वानासन	Upward-Facing Dog		Backbend (Purva Pratana Sthiti)
Uṣṭrāsana	उष्ट्रासन	Camel		Backbend (Purva Pratana Sthiti)
Utkaṭāsana	उत्कटासन	Awkward Pose/Powerful pose		Standing asana (Uttihista Sthiti)
Uttanakūrmāsana	उत्तानकूर्मासन	Inverted Tortoise
Uttānāsana	उत्तानासन	Standing Forward Bend		Standing asana (Uttihista Sthiti)
Utthitahastapādāṅguṣṭhāsana	उत्थितहस्तपादाङ्गुष्ठासन	Standing Big Toe Hold		Standing asana (Uttihista Sthiti)
Utthitapārśvakoṇāsana	उत्थितपार्श्वकोणासन	Extended Side Angle		Standing asana (Uttihista Sthiti)
Vajrāsana	वज्रासन	Thunderbolt		Sitting asana (Upavista Sthiti)
Vasiṣṭhāsana	वसिष्ठासन	Vasista's pose/Vasista is the name of a sage		Arm Balance (Side Plank Pose)
Vātāyanāsana	वातायनासन	Horse		Standing asana (Uttihista Sthiti)
Viparītakaraṇi	विपरीतकरणि	Legs-up-the-Wall		Inverted asana (Viparita Sthiti)
Vīrabhadrāsana I	वीरभद्रासन	Warrior I		Standing asana (Uttihista Sthiti)
Vīrabhadrāsana II	वीरभद्रासन II	Warrior II		Standing asana (Uttihista Sthiti)
Vīrabhadrāsana III	वीरभद्रासन III	Warrior III		Standing asana (Uttihista Sthiti)
Vīrāsana	वीरासन	Hero		Sitting asana (Upavista Sthiti)
Vṛkṣāsana	वृक्षासन	Tree		Standing asana (Uttihista Sthiti)
Vṛścikāsana	वृश्चिकासन	scorpion		Backbend (Purva Pratana Sthiti)

See also

• Mudra
• List of mudras

References

1. "The Five Mental and Psychological Benefits of Yoga". Retrieved 22 June 2015.
2. "Yoga for anxiety and depression". Harvard University. Retrieved 22 June 2015.
3. "38 Health Benefits of Yoga". Yoga Journal. Retrieved 22 June 2015.
4. "Yoga Health Benefits: Flexibility, Strength, Posture, and More". WEBMD. Retrieved 22 June 2015.
5. "Yoga and Spirituality". Art of Living. Retrieved 22 June 2015.
6. "Spiritual Benefits of Yoga". Retrieved 22 June 2015.
7. "101 Benefits of Yoga". Retrieved 22 June 2015.
8. Master Murugan, Chillayah (20 October 2012). "Yoga Asanas for Health and Fitness". Silambam. Retrieved 31 May 2013.
9. Iyengar 2000.

Other sources

• Hatha Yoga Pradipika by Swami Svatmarama
• The Complete Illustrated Book of Yoga by Swami Vishnu-devananda
• Devereux, G. (1998) Dynamic yoga: The ultimate workout that chills your mind as it charges your body (Thorsons, London)
• Farhi, D. (2000) Yoga mind, body and spirit: A return to wholeness (New leaf: New Zealand)
• Hewitt, J. (1977) The Complete Yoga Book (Rider, London)
• Iyengar, B. K. S. (2000), Light on Yoga, Thorsons
• Iyengar, B.K.S (2001) Yoga: The path to holistic health (Dorling Kindersley, London)
• Mira, S. and Methta, S. (1990) Yoga: The Iyengar Way (Dorling Kindersley, London)
• Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Centre (1996) Yoga, Mind and Body (DK, London)
• Sturgess, S. (1997) The Yoga Book (Element)
• Swami Muktibodhananda (1993) Hatha Yoga Pradipika (Yoga Publications Trust, Munger, Bihar, India)
• Swami Satyananda Saraswati (1996) Asana, Pranayama, Mudra, Bandha (Yoga Publications Trust, India)
• Swenson, D. (1999) Ashtanga yoga: The Practice Manual (Ashtanga yoga production, Houston)

• [8] Broad, William J. (7 February 2012). The Science of Yoga The Risks and the Rewards (hardcover) (1st ed.). Simon & Schuster. p. 336. ISBN 978-1-4516-4142-4.