Definition of Asanas

Patanjali Yoga Sutra • Sthiram Sukhamasanam

• Not affected by dualities
Gheranda Samhita • Dridhata – Strength
Hatha Pradeepika • Sthairyam – Steadines
• Aarogyam – Health
• Laghavam – Flexibility
Siddha Siddhanta • Sada Sva Sva Roopatve Samasannata –
Paddati Ever abiding completely in one's own
nature is asana
Trishikhi Brahmana • Sarva Vastunudaasina
Upanishad Bhavamasanamuttamam
 List of Asanas
GS HYP HR VS TBU
Siddhasana Siddhasana Siddhasana Siddhasana
Padmasana Padmasana Padmasana Padmasana Padmasana
Bhadram Bhadram Bhadram Bhadram Bhadram
Muktam Muktam Muktam Muktam
Vajram Baddha Padma
Svastikam Svastikasam Svastikam Svastikam Svastikam
Simham Simham Simham Simham Simham
Gomukham Gomukham Gomukham Gomukham Gomukham
Veeram Veeram Veeram Veeram Veeram
Dhanurasana Dhanurasana Dhanurasana
Mritam Shavasana
Guptam Sukhasana
Matsyasan Matsyasan
Matsyendrasan Matsyendrasana
Goraksha
Paschimotassan Paschimotasan Paschimotasan
Utkatam
Sankatam
Mayooram Mayooram Mayooram Mayooram Mayooram
Kukkutam Kukkutam Kukkutam Kukkutam Kukkutam
Koormam Koormam Koormam
Uttanakoorma Uttanakoorma Uttanakoorma
Uttana Mandookam
Vriksham
Mandookam
Garudam
Vrisham
Shalabam
Makaram
Ustram
Bhujangam
Yogasana Yogasana
 Goraksha
SS SSP Yoga Beeja
Satakam
Siddhasana Siddhasana Siddhasana Vajrasana
(Siddhasana)
Padmasana Padmasana Padmasana
Svastikasana Svastikasana
Ugrasana

Yoga
Yoga Kundalini Dhyanabindoo Yoga Tattva
Chudamani
Siddhasana Vajrasana Siddhasana Siddhasana
(Siddhasana)
Padmasana Padmasana Padmasana Padmasana
Simhasana Simhasana
Bhadram Bhadram
 Siddhasana
Gheranda Samhita
Hatha Pradeepika • Shambhavi Mudra
• Jalandhara Bandha
Shiva Samhita
• Liberation is attained
Hatha Ratnavalai
• Mitahara – Yama
Non violence – Niyama
Siddhasana – Asana
• Also known as Vajrasana, Muktasana,
Guptasana
Hatha Pradeepika • It purifies 72,000 nadis
• Practice 12 Years to attain perfection
• Flow of prana is stabilized
• Breath stops spontaneously (Kevala Kumbhaka)
• Unmani arises by itself
• Three Bandhas occur by themselves

Padmasan
Gheranda Samhita
Hatha Pradeepika • Nasagra Drishti
Vasishta Samhita • Jalandhara Bandha
Hatha Ratnavalai • Eradicates diseases
Shiva Samhita
• Bandha
• Kara
Hatha Ratnavalai • 4 Types of Padmasana
• Sampyutita
• Sudha

Bhujangasana
• The Fire of the body increases
Gheranda Samhita • Eradicates all Diseases
• Awakens kundalini
 Bhadrasana
• Nasagra Drishti
Gheranda Samhita
• Jalandhara Bandha
Hatha Pradeepika • Also called Gorakshasana
Gheranda Samhita
Hatha Pradeepika
• Eradicates Diseases
Vasishta Samhita
Hatha Ratnavalai

Swastikasana
• Also Known as Sukhasana
Shiv Samhita
• Destroys all pains and sufferings

Simhasana
Gheranda Samhita
Hatha Pradeepika • Nasagra Drishti
Vasishta Samhita
• Jalandhara Bandha
Gheranda Samhita
• Eradicates all diseases
Hatha Pradeepika • Faciliates the Three Bandhas

Mritasana/Shavasana
Gheranda Samhita • Shramaharam
Hatha Pradeepika • Chitta Vishranthi kaaranam

Matsyasana
Gheranda Samhita • Eradicates all diseases

Gorakshasana
Gheranda Samhita • Nasagra Drishti
• Jalandhara Bandha
 Matsyendrasana
Gheranda Samhita • Shambhavi Mudra
• Increases the digestive fire to such an
incredibility capacity that it is the means of
Hatha Pradeepika removing diseases
• Awakens Kundalini
• Bringing equilibrium in the bindu

Paschimottasana / Ugrasana
• Best among asanas
Hatha Pradeepika • Pranic Currents rise through Sushumna
• Digestive Fire Increases
• Abdomen becomes flat
Shiva Samhita • Eradicates all diseases and sufferings
• Removes body fatigue

Kukkutasana
• 5 Types of Kukkutasana
1. Pachauli
2. Ekapada
Hatharathnavali
3. Ekarita
4. Bandhchuli
5. Parsva Kukkutasana

Vrikshasana
Gheranda Samhita • Now commonly known as Vatayanasana

Makarasana
Gheranda Samhita • Activates the fire of the body

Yogasana
• Nasagra Drishti
Gheranda Samhita
• Chin Mudra
 Mayoorasana
• Eradicates all diseases like enlargement of the
glands, dropsy and stomach disorders.
• Rectifies imbalance of Vata, Pitta and Kapha
Hatha Pradeepika
• Reduces to ashes all food taken
• Kindles the gastric fire
• Destruction of kalakuta
Vasishta Samhita • Eradicates all Demerits
• 6 types of Mayoorasan
1. Danda
2. Parsava
Hatha Ratnavalai 3. Sahaja
4. Bandha
5. Pinda
6. Ekapada
 • Siddhasana
Shambhavi Mudra
• Matsyendrasana
• Padmasana
• Bhadrasana
Nasagra Drishti • Simhasana
• Goraksasana
• Yogasana
• Padmasana
• Bhadarasana
• Simhasana
Sarva Vyadhi Vinashanam / • Swastikasana
Sarva Roga Vinashanam • Matsyasana
• Paschimottasana
• Mayoorasana
• Bhujangasana
• Matsyendrasana
• Paschimottasana
Increases Digestive Fire • Mayoorasana
• Makarasana
• Bhujangasana
• Siddhasana
• Padmasana
Jaalandhara Bandha
• Bhadrasana
• Gorakshasan
• Siddhasana
Three Bandhas
• Simhasana
• Matsyendrasana
Kundalini Awakens • Paschimottasana
• Bhujangasana
 Asanas – Contraindications
• People with Back conditions
Padahastasana
• Cautions for Inverted Postures apply
• High BP
• Slipped Disc
Ardhachakrasana and • Vertigo
Chakrasana • Hernia
• Low BP
• Heart Problems
Veerasana • Weakness in Knees
• Slipped Disc
Paschimottasana • Sciatica
• Hernia
• Neck Problems
• Sciatica
Supta Vajrasana • Slipped Disc
• Sacral Ailments
• Knee Complaints
• Peptic Ulcer
• Hernia
Ardha Matsyendrasana • Hypothyroidsm
• Sciatica
• Slipped Disc
Vakrasana • Slipped Disc
• Sciatica
Baddhakonasana
• Sacral Ailments
• High BP
• Heart Ailments
Merudandasana • Slipped Disc
• Sacral Infections
• Sciatica
Bhujangasana and • Peptic Ulcer
Urdhvamukhosvanasana • Hernia
 • Intestinal Tuberculosis
• Hyper Thyroidism
• People with Weak Heart
• Coronary Thrombosis
• High BP
Shalabhasana
• Peptic Ulcer
• Hernia
• Intestinal Tuberculosis
• People with Weak Heart
• High BP
Dhanurasana • Peptic or Duodenal Ulcer
• Hernia
• Colitis
Makarasana • Exaggerated Lumbar Curve
• Hernia
• Slipped Disc
Halasana • Sciatica
• High BP
• Any serious back problem
• High BP
• Heart Conditions
• Inflammation of the ear
• Weak eye capillaries
• Severe near Sightedness
• Problems in Pitutary or thyroid Glands
• Arteriosclerosis
Sarvangasana
• Cerebral or other thrombosis
• Severe Asthama
• Tuberculosis
• Cold or Sinusitis
• Excessive Impure Blood
• Slipped Disc
• Weak Spine or Vertigo
Matsyasana • Heart Disease
 • Peptic Ulcers
• Hernia
• Back Conditions
• Arthritis
Vrikshasana
• Vertigo
• Knee Problems
Namaskarasana
• Sciatica
• Hernia
• Slipped Disc
• Sciatica
Tittibhasana
• High BP
• Any serious back problem
• Weak Heart
• Hernia
• Peptic or Duodenal Ulcers
• Vertigo
Natarajasana • High BP
• Weak Heart
• Colitis
• Any serious back problem
 Contra Indications – Asanas
• Chakrasana
• Pachimottasana
• Supta Vajrasana
• Ardha Matsyendrasana
Slipped Disc • Vakrasana
• Merudandasana
• Halasana
• Sarvangasana
• Tittibhasana
• Pachimottasana
• Supta Vajrasana
• Ardha Matsyendrasana
Sciatica
• Baddha Konasana
• Merudandasana
• Halasana
• Pachimottasana
• Chakrasana
• Ardha Matsyendrasana
• Bhujangasana
• Shalabasana
Hernia
• Dhanurasana
• Halasana
• Matsyasana
• Tittibhasana
• Natarajasana
• Vakrasana
• Ardha Matsyendrasana
• Bhujangasana
• Shalabhasana
Peptic Ulcers
• Dhanurasana
• Matsyasana
• Natarajasana
 • Meru Dandasana
• Chakrasana
• Shalabhasana
• Dhanurasana
High BP
• Halasana
• Sarvangasana
• Tittibhasana
• Natarajasana
• Chakrasana
• Merudandasana
• Shalabhasana
• Dhanurasana
Heart Ailments
• Sarvangasana
• Matsyasana
• Tittibhasana
• Natarajasana
• Pada Hastasana
• Halasana
Back Problems • Matsyasana
• Tittibhasana
• Natarajasana
• Vrikshasana
• Natarajasana
Vertigo
• Sarvangasana
• Chakrasana
• Supta Vajrasana
Sacral Ailments • Baddhakonasana
• Merudandasana
• Dhanurasana
Colitis
• Natarajasana
• Bhujangasan
Intestinal Tuberculosis
• Shalabhasana