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Understanding Sanskrit Names
For Yoga Postures

Sources: light on Yoga by B.K.S. Iyengar

Dancing the Body of Light, the Future of Yoga by Dona Holleman

To facilitate understanding the names of poses in yoga is most helpful to gain an understanding of what the root words are that forms the construct of each. The names can be broken down into similar categories and then observed how they can be combined. When we see the separate names that combine to create a pose the logic of how they are formed easily leads to the understanding of other combinations/pose names, for many roots are shared. Listed below is a categorization of most of these elements. By looking at each category and examining the definition and examples the pattern begins to become ever more clear.
                   
Categories

Numbers and Quantity                                                               Top of Page

Ananta

Infinite

Anantasana

Ardha

Half

Ardha Chandrasana

Chatur

Four

Chaturanga Dandasana

Dwi

Two

Dwi Hasta Bhujasana

Eka

One

Eka Hasta Bhujasana

Laghu

Little, small, easy, lovely

Laghu Vajrasana

Panca

Five

 

San

Six

 

Sarva

All, whole, entire

Sarvangasana

Tri

Three

Supta Trivikramasana

Ubhaya

Both

Ubhaya Padangusthasana


Body Parts                                                                                   Top of Page

Anahata

Heart

Anahata Chakra

Anga

Limb, body

Chaturanga Dandasana

Bhuja

Arm or shoulder

Bhujapidasana

Ganda

Cheek, the whole side of the face

Ganda Bherundasana

Hasta

Hand

Eka Hasta Bhujasana

Janu

Knee

Janu Sirsasana

Jathara

Stomach, belly

Jathara Parivartanasana

Kapala

Skull

Kapalabhati

Karna

Ear

Akarna Dhanurasana

Kundalini

The divine cosmic force in our bodies

 

Loma

Hair, (grain, natural order)

Anuloma Pranayama

Manipura

Naval

Manipuraka Chakra

Meru-danda

Spine

 

Mukha

Mouth

Adho Mukha Svanasana

Nadi

Energy channel in the body

Nadi Shodhana

Pada

Foot

Eka Pada Sirsasana

Padangustha, angustha

Big toe

Padangusthasana

Parsva

Side or flank

Parsvakonasana

Pinda

Embryo

Pinda Sirsasana

Prana

Life force energy, breath

Pranayama

Sava

Corpse

Savasana

Sirsa

Head

Janu Sirsasana

 

Alignments                                                                                       Top of Page

A

Sense of near to, towards

Akarna Dhanurasana

Adho

Having the face downward

Adho Mukha Svanasana

Baddha

Bound, caught, restrained

Baddhakonasana

Baddha

Bound, restrained, caught

Baddhakonasana

Bahya

Restraint following exhalation

Bahya Kumbhaka

Kona

Angle

Baddha Konasana

Kumbhaka

Retention of breath

Antara Kumbhaka

Mudra

Closing, sealing

Yoga Mudrasana

Paripurna

Complete, entire

Paripurna Navasana

Paripurna

Entire

Paripurna Navasana

Parivartana

Turning or rolling about

Jathara Parivartanasana

Parivrtta

Revolved, turned round or back

Parivrtta Janu Sirsasana

Parsva

Sideways, side, flank

Parsvakonasana

Paschima

West, backside

Paschimottanasana

Prasarita

Expanded, spread, extended

Prasarita Padottanasana

Puraka

Inhalation

 

Purva

East, front

Purvottanasana

Rechaka

Exhalation

 

Sa

Together with, accompanied by

Salamba Sarvangasana

Salamba

Supported

Salamba Sirsasana

Sama

Same

Samakonasana

Supta

Lying down

Supta Virasana

Tan

To stretch out, extend

Uttanasana

Uddiyana

Flying up

Uddiyana Bandha

Upavistha

Seated

Upavistha Konasana

Urdhva

Upright, above, mouth upwards

Urdhva Mukha Svanasana

Uttihita

Extended

Utthita Trikonasana

Vikrama

Step, or a stride

Supta Trivikramasana

Viparita

Reverse, contrary, inverted

Viparita Karani

 

Sensations                                                                                                Top of Page

Anuloma

With the grain (hair), in regular gradation

Anuloma Pranayama

Bandha

Fetter, bond, or posture

Mulabandhasana

Bhairava

Terrible

Bhairavasana

Bhati

Light, luster

Kapalabhati

Bherunda

Terrible, formidable, type of bird

Ganda Bherundasana

Jaya

Conquest, victory, success

Ujjayi Pranayama

Lola

Tremulous, dangling

Lolasana

Mula

Root, cause, source

Muladhara Chakra

Nidra

Sleep

Yoga Nidrasana

Pida

Pain or pressure

Karnapidasan

Pratiloma

Opposite grain (hair)

Pratiloma Pranayama

Sama

Same, identicle

Sama Vrtti Pranayama

Sodhana

Purifying or cleansing

Nadi Sodhana

Sukha

Easy

Sukhasana

Swastika

Auspicious

Swastikasana

Ut

Deliberation or intensity

Utkatasana

Utkata

Powerful, fierce, uneven

Utkatasana

Uttana

Intense or deliberate stretch

Uttanasana

Viloma

Against the grain (hair)

Viloma Pranayama

Visama

Irregular, difficult

Visama Vrtti Pranayama

Visuddha

Pure

Visuddha Chakra

Vrtti

Action, movement

Sama Vrtti Pranayama

 

Animals                                                                                     Top of Page

Asva

Horse

Asvini Mudra

Baka

Crane

Bakasana

Bheka

Frog

Bhekasana

Bhujanga

Serpent, cobra

Bhujangasana

Chakora

Partridge

Chakorasana

Garuda

Eagle

Garudasana

Go

Cow

Gomukhasana

Hamsa

Swan

Hamsasana

Kapinjala

A kind of partridge

Kapinjalasana

Kapota

Dove, or pigeon

Kapotasana

Krouncha

Heron

Krounchasana

Kukkuta

Cock

Kukkutasana

Kurma

Tortoise

Kurmasana

Matsya

Fish

Matsyasana

Mayura

Peacock

Mayurasana

Nakra

Crocodile

Nakrasana

Nara

Man

 

Salabha

Locust

Salabhasana

Simha

Lion

Simhasana 1

Svana

Dog

Urdhva Mukha Svanasana

Tittibha

Firefly-like insect

Tittibhasana

Ustra

Camel

Ustrasana

Vatayana

Horse

Vatayanasana

Vrschika

Scorpion

Vrschikasana

 

Plants                                                                                   Top of Page

Padma

Lotus

Padmasana

Vrksa

Tree

Vrksasana

 

Objects                                                                                         Top of Page

Alamba

Prop, a support

Salamba Sarvangasana

Bhastrika

Bellows

Bhastrika Pranayama

Chakra

Wheel, nerve center

Chakrasana

Chandra

Moon

Ardha Chandrasana

Danda

Staff

Chaturanga Dandasana

Dhanu

Bow

Dhanurasana

Hala

Plow

Halasana

Jala

Net, web, latice or mesh

Jalandhara Bandha

Kanda

Bulbus root, knot

Kandasana

Mala

Garland

Maalasana

Mandala

Wheel, ring, circumference

Mandalasana

Mula

Root, base, beginning

Mulabandhasana

Nava

Boat

Navasana

Parigha

Beam, or gate latch

Parighasana

Paryanka

Bed, couch, sofa

Paryankasana

Pasa

Noose or cord

Pasasana

Pincha

Feather, chin

Pincha Mayurasana

Setu

Bridge

Setu Bandhasana

Siddha

Sage

Siddhasana

Surya

Sun

Surya Namaskar

Tada

Mountain

Tadasana

Tola

Pair of scales

Tolasana

Vajra

Thunderbolt

Laghu Vajrasana

 

Sages                                                                                                      Top of Page

Astavakra

Spiritual preceptor to King Janaka (Eight-Crooks)

Astavakrasana

Bharadvaja

The father of Drona

Bharadvajasana

Buddha

Enlightened one

Buddhasana

Durvasa

The name of a saint

Durvasana

Galava

One of Visvamitra’s pupils

Galavasana

Gheranda

Author of the Gheranda Samhita

Gherandasana

Hanuman

Son of the wind god, a monkey general

Hanumanasana

Kapila

Founder of the Sankhya philosophy

Kapilasana

Kasyapa

Son of the sage marichi

Kasyapasana

Koundinya

Founded the Koundinya sect

Dwi Pada Koundinyasana

Marichi

The son of Brahma

Marichyasana 1

Matsyendra

Lord of the Fishes

Matsyendrasana

Nataraja

Siva, Lord of the Dance

Natarajasana

Ruchika

A Sage

Ruchikasana

Siddha

Semi-divine being, inspired sage

Siddhasana

Skanda

Kartikeya, the god of war

Skandasana

Vamadiva

A name for Shiva

Vamadevasana

Vamanavatar

The dwarf incarnation of Visnu

 

Vasisthasana

Author of several Vedic hymns

Vasisssthasana

Vira

Hero

Virasana

Virabhadra

One of Shiva’s hero warriors

Virabhadrasana I

Visvamitra

King of Kanyakubja, father of Sakuntala

Visvamitrasana

 

Combining Terms (examples)                                                               Top of Page

Shoulder Stand

Salamba Sarvangasana

With+support+all the body (limbs)+pose

Pigeon

Eka Pada Rajakapotasana

One+foot+Royal+Pidgeon+pose

Half-bound lotus intense stretch

Ardha Baddha Padmottanasana

Hald+bound+lotus+intense stretch+pose

Upside down staff

Eka Pada Viparita Dandasana

One+foot/leg+inverted+staff+pose

 

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