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] 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.

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	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
Avalokiteśvara अवलोकितेश्वर	Goddess of mercy pose or Guanyin		Reclined medial and lateral hip rotation.Avalokiteśvara (अवलोकितेश्वर) is the Goddess of mercy pose.
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 Dhanurasana 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
Mandalasana 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
Muktahasta-śīrṣāsana मुक्तहस्तशीर्षासन	"Hands-Free" Head stand		Inverted asana (Viparita Sthiti)
Muktāsana मुक्तासन	The liberated Pose

Sanskrit transliteration	English	Image	Classification
Naṭarājāsana नटराजासन	Dancer or Lord of the Dance		Backbend (Purva Pratana Sthiti)
Nāvāsana नावासन	Boat		Sitting asana
Nirālamba-sarvāṅgāsana 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
Pindola Bharadvaja प्रसारितपादोत्तानासन	Deer Sitting Pose		Advanced toe stand. "Deer Sitting Pose" in sanskrit is Pindolabharadrāja ( हरिण आसन ) The pose is dedicated to Pindola the Lohan (Artat) an Enlightened disciple of the Buddha.
Prasārita-pādottānāsana 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)
Setubandha-sarvāṅgāsana 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)
Suptabaddha-koṇāsana 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)
Ūrdhvamukha-śvānāsana 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)
Utthitaha-stapādāṅguṣṭhāsana उत्थितहस्तपादाङ्गुष्ठासन	Standing Big Toe Hold		Standing asana (Uttihista Sthiti)
Utthita-pārśvakoṇāsana 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 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)

Dilution in standards of asana practice

The emergence of commercialisation in training of yogasana has resulted in attempts at patenting various asanas, and this led to Government of India documenting these asanas as traditional knowledge of India, so that they are available as public knowledge. Commercialsation, branding and giving yoga training with focus only on physical aspects, especially in the west, while not emphasising on the yamas and niyamas of the yoga sutras of Patnajali, has led to the yoga asana practice being referred to as a 'body show' and 'soft porn', and unworthy to be referred as training in yoga.

See also

• Mudra
• List of mudras

References

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.