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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
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Ananta |
Infinite |
Anantasana |
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Ardha |
Half |
Ardha Chandrasana |
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Chatur |
Four |
Chaturanga Dandasana |
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Dwi |
Two |
Dwi Hasta Bhujasana |
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Eka |
One |
Eka Hasta Bhujasana |
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Laghu |
Little, small, easy, lovely |
Laghu Vajrasana |
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Panca |
Five |
|
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San |
Six |
|
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Sarva |
All, whole, entire |
Sarvangasana |
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Tri |
Three |
Supta Trivikramasana |
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Ubhaya |
Both |
Ubhaya Padangusthasana |
Body
Parts
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Anahata |
Heart |
Anahata Chakra |
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Anga |
Limb, body |
Chaturanga Dandasana |
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Bhuja |
Arm or shoulder |
Bhujapidasana |
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Ganda |
Cheek, the whole side of the face |
Ganda Bherundasana |
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Hasta |
Hand |
Eka Hasta Bhujasana |
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Janu |
Knee |
Janu Sirsasana |
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Jathara |
Stomach, belly |
Jathara Parivartanasana |
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Kapala |
Skull |
Kapalabhati |
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Karna |
Ear |
Akarna Dhanurasana |
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Kundalini |
The divine cosmic force in our bodies |
|
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Loma |
Hair, (grain, natural order) |
Anuloma Pranayama |
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Manipura |
Naval |
Manipuraka Chakra |
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Meru-danda |
Spine |
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Mukha |
Mouth |
Adho Mukha Svanasana |
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Nadi |
Energy channel in the body |
Nadi Shodhana |
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Pada |
Foot |
Eka Pada Sirsasana |
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Padangustha, angustha |
Big toe |
Padangusthasana |
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Parsva |
Side or flank |
Parsvakonasana |
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Pinda |
Embryo |
Pinda Sirsasana |
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Prana |
Life force energy, breath |
Pranayama |
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Sava |
Corpse |
Savasana |
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Sirsa |
Head |
Janu Sirsasana |
Alignments
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A |
Sense of near to, towards |
Akarna Dhanurasana |
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Adho |
Having the face downward |
Adho Mukha Svanasana |
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Baddha |
Bound, caught, restrained |
Baddhakonasana |
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Baddha |
Bound, restrained, caught |
Baddhakonasana |
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Bahya |
Restraint following exhalation |
Bahya Kumbhaka |
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Kona |
Angle |
Baddha Konasana |
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Kumbhaka |
Retention of breath |
Antara Kumbhaka |
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Mudra |
Closing, sealing |
Yoga Mudrasana |
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Paripurna |
Complete, entire |
Paripurna Navasana |
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Paripurna |
Entire |
Paripurna Navasana |
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Parivartana |
Turning or rolling about |
Jathara Parivartanasana |
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Parivrtta |
Revolved, turned round or back |
Parivrtta Janu Sirsasana |
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Parsva |
Sideways, side, flank |
Parsvakonasana |
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Paschima |
West, backside |
Paschimottanasana |
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Prasarita |
Expanded, spread, extended |
Prasarita Padottanasana |
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Puraka |
Inhalation |
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Purva |
East, front |
Purvottanasana |
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Rechaka |
Exhalation |
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Sa |
Together with, accompanied by |
Salamba Sarvangasana |
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Salamba |
Supported |
Salamba Sirsasana |
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Sama |
Same |
Samakonasana |
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Supta |
Lying down |
Supta Virasana |
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Tan |
To stretch out, extend |
Uttanasana |
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Uddiyana |
Flying up |
Uddiyana Bandha |
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Upavistha |
Seated |
Upavistha Konasana |
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Urdhva |
Upright, above, mouth upwards |
Urdhva Mukha Svanasana |
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Uttihita |
Extended |
Utthita Trikonasana |
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Vikrama |
Step, or a stride |
Supta Trivikramasana |
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Viparita |
Reverse, contrary, inverted |
Viparita Karani |
Sensations
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Anuloma |
With the grain (hair), in regular gradation |
Anuloma Pranayama |
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Bandha |
Fetter, bond, or posture |
Mulabandhasana |
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Bhairava |
Terrible |
Bhairavasana |
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Bhati |
Light, luster |
Kapalabhati |
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Bherunda |
Terrible, formidable, type of bird |
Ganda Bherundasana |
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Jaya |
Conquest, victory, success |
Ujjayi Pranayama |
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Lola |
Tremulous, dangling |
Lolasana |
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Mula |
Root, cause, source |
Muladhara Chakra |
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Nidra |
Sleep |
Yoga Nidrasana |
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Pida |
Pain or pressure |
Karnapidasan |
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Pratiloma |
Opposite grain (hair) |
Pratiloma Pranayama |
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Sama |
Same, identicle |
Sama Vrtti Pranayama |
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Sodhana |
Purifying or cleansing |
Nadi Sodhana |
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Sukha |
Easy |
Sukhasana |
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Swastika |
Auspicious |
Swastikasana |
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Ut |
Deliberation or intensity |
Utkatasana |
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Utkata |
Powerful, fierce, uneven |
Utkatasana |
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Uttana |
Intense or deliberate stretch |
Uttanasana |
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Viloma |
Against the grain (hair) |
Viloma Pranayama |
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Visama |
Irregular, difficult |
Visama Vrtti Pranayama |
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Visuddha |
Pure |
Visuddha Chakra |
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Vrtti |
Action, movement |
Sama Vrtti Pranayama |
Animals
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Asva |
Horse |
Asvini Mudra |
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Baka |
Crane |
Bakasana |
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Bheka |
Frog |
Bhekasana |
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Bhujanga |
Serpent, cobra |
Bhujangasana |
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Chakora |
Partridge |
Chakorasana |
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Garuda |
Eagle |
Garudasana |
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Go |
Cow |
Gomukhasana |
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Hamsa |
Swan |
Hamsasana |
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Kapinjala |
A kind of partridge |
Kapinjalasana |
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Kapota |
Dove, or pigeon |
Kapotasana |
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Krouncha |
Heron |
Krounchasana |
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Kukkuta |
Cock |
Kukkutasana |
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Kurma |
Tortoise |
Kurmasana |
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Matsya |
Fish |
Matsyasana |
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Mayura |
Peacock |
Mayurasana |
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Nakra |
Crocodile |
Nakrasana |
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Nara |
Man |
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Salabha |
Locust |
Salabhasana |
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Simha |
Lion |
Simhasana 1 |
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Svana |
Dog |
Urdhva Mukha Svanasana |
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Tittibha |
Firefly-like insect |
Tittibhasana |
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Ustra |
Camel |
Ustrasana |
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Vatayana |
Horse |
Vatayanasana |
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Vrschika |
Scorpion |
Vrschikasana |
Plants
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Padma |
Lotus |
Padmasana |
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Vrksa |
Tree |
Vrksasana |
Objects
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Alamba |
Prop, a support |
Salamba Sarvangasana |
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Bhastrika |
Bellows |
Bhastrika Pranayama |
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Chakra |
Wheel, nerve center |
Chakrasana |
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Chandra |
Moon |
Ardha Chandrasana |
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Danda |
Staff |
Chaturanga Dandasana |
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Dhanu |
Bow |
Dhanurasana |
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Hala |
Plow |
Halasana |
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Jala |
Net, web, latice or mesh |
Jalandhara Bandha |
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Kanda |
Bulbus root, knot |
Kandasana |
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Mala |
Garland |
Maalasana |
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Mandala |
Wheel, ring, circumference |
Mandalasana |
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Mula |
Root, base, beginning |
Mulabandhasana |
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Nava |
Boat |
Navasana |
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Parigha |
Beam, or gate latch |
Parighasana |
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Paryanka |
Bed, couch, sofa |
Paryankasana |
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Pasa |
Noose or cord |
Pasasana |
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Pincha |
Feather, chin |
Pincha Mayurasana |
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Setu |
Bridge |
Setu Bandhasana |
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Siddha |
Sage |
Siddhasana |
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Surya |
Sun |
Surya Namaskar |
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Tada |
Mountain |
Tadasana |
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Tola |
Pair of scales |
Tolasana |
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Vajra |
Thunderbolt |
Laghu Vajrasana |
Sages
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Astavakra |
Spiritual preceptor to King Janaka (Eight-Crooks) |
Astavakrasana |
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Bharadvaja |
The father of Drona |
Bharadvajasana |
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Buddha |
Enlightened one |
Buddhasana |
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Durvasa |
The name of a saint |
Durvasana |
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Galava |
One of Visvamitra’s pupils |
Galavasana |
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Gheranda |
Author of the Gheranda Samhita |
Gherandasana |
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Hanuman |
Son of the wind god, a monkey general |
Hanumanasana |
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Kapila |
Founder of the Sankhya philosophy |
Kapilasana |
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Kasyapa |
Son of the sage marichi |
Kasyapasana |
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Koundinya |
Founded the Koundinya sect |
Dwi Pada Koundinyasana |
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Marichi |
The son of Brahma |
Marichyasana 1 |
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Matsyendra |
Lord of the Fishes |
Matsyendrasana |
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Nataraja |
Siva, Lord of the Dance |
Natarajasana |
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Ruchika |
A Sage |
Ruchikasana |
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Siddha |
Semi-divine being, inspired sage |
Siddhasana |
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Skanda |
Kartikeya, the god of war |
Skandasana |
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Vamadiva |
A name for Shiva |
Vamadevasana |
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Vamanavatar |
The dwarf incarnation of Visnu |
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Vasisthasana |
Author of several Vedic hymns |
Vasisssthasana |
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Vira |
Hero |
Virasana |
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Virabhadra |
One of Shiva’s hero warriors |
Virabhadrasana I |
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Visvamitra |
King of Kanyakubja, father of Sakuntala |
Visvamitrasana |
Combining
Terms (examples)
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Shoulder Stand |
Salamba Sarvangasana |
With+support+all the body (limbs)+pose |
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Pigeon |
Eka Pada Rajakapotasana |
One+foot+Royal+Pidgeon+pose |
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Half-bound lotus intense stretch |
Ardha Baddha Padmottanasana |
Hald+bound+lotus+intense stretch+pose |
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Upside down staff |
Eka Pada Viparita Dandasana |
One+foot/leg+inverted+staff+pose |
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