Bharadvajasana
Seated twisting posture in modern yoga
Bharadvajasana (Sanskrit: भरद्वाजासन; IAST: Bharadvājāsana) or Bharadvaja's twist is a twisting asana in modern yoga as exercise.
Etymology and origins
The asana is dedicated to the sage Bharadvāja[1] who was one of the Seven Great Sages or Rishi.[2] He was the father of Drona, a master of military arts and the royal guru to Kauravas, Pandavas and the Devastras,[3] the princes who fought the great war of the Mahabharata.
A different asana is illustrated under the name Bharadvajasana in the 19th century Sritattvanidhi; it somewhat resembles Mayurasana with the legs in Padmasana, but as drawn it would be impossible to perform.[4]
The pose currently known by the name Bharadvajasana is a modern one, first seen in the 20th century.[5] It is described in the works of two of Krishnamacharya's pupils, B. K. S. Iyengar's 1966 Light on Yoga[6] and Pattabhi Jois's Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga.[5]
Description
Bharadvājāsana is a seated spinal twist. Bharadvajasana I is the basic form, with the legs as in Virasana (hero pose), one foot on the floor and the other ankle cradled in the arch of the foot below.[7] Baddha Konasana and Marichyasana can be used to prepare for Bharadvajasana.[8] Utthita Trikonasana, extended triangle pose, is a suitable counter pose to Bharadvajasana.[9]
Variations
Bharadvajasana II is an advanced form requiring high hip mobility; one leg is bent as in Padmasana (lotus position), while the other leg is bent as in Virasana.[10]
Bharadvajasana on chair is a variant performed sitting sideways on an armless chair. This does not require hip mobility; the arms grasp the back of the chair to assist with the twist.[11]
See also
- Marichyasana, a sitting twist with one leg straight
- Matsyendrasana, a sitting twist with one knee up
References
- ^ Iyengar 1979, p. 251—252.
- ^ Inhabitants of the Worlds Mahanirvana Tantra, translated by Arthur Avalon, (Sir John Woodroffe), 1913, Introduction and Preface
- ^ Hopkins 1915.
- ^ Sjoman 1999, pp. 74 and plate 5 (pose 28).
- ^ a b Sjoman 1999, p. 100.
- ^ Iyengar 1979, pp. 251–254.
- ^ Mehta 1990, p. 72.
- ^ Dehnke 2012.
- ^ Dehnke, Andrea (28 August 2007). "Bharadvaja's Twist". Yoga Journal. Retrieved 31 October 2022.
- ^ Mehta 1990, p. 77.
- ^ Mehta 1990, p. 71.
Sources
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Bharadvajasana.
- Dehnke, Andrea (2012). "Bharadvaja's Twist". Yoga Journal.
- Hopkins, Edward Washburn (1915). Epic Mythology. Noble Offset Printers. ISBN 978-0819602282.
- Iyengar, B. K. S. (1979). Light on Yoga. Schocken. ISBN 978-0-8052-1031-6.
- Mehta, Silva; Mehta, Mira; Mehta, Shyam (1990). Yoga: The Iyengar Way. Dorling Kindersley.
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - Sjoman, Norman E. (1999). The Yoga Tradition of the Mysore Palace. Abhinav Publications. ISBN 978-81-7017-389-2.
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Asana • Kriya • Mudra • Drishti • Pranayama • Sun Salutation • Vinyasa • Yoga as exercise • Yoga as therapy • Hatha yoga • Yoga
- Anantasana (Vishnu's couch)
- Ashtanga Namaskara (eight-limbed)
- Bhekasana (frog)
- Chaturanga Dandasana (low plank)
- Dhanurasana (bow)
- Jathara Parivartanasana (belly twist)
- Makarasana (crocodile)
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- Vasishtasana (side plank)
- Yoganidrasana (yogic sleep)
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