Stable-and-easy posture. Patanjali, Yoga Sutra 2.46

The word asana means either that whereon a man sits [that is, a seat] or the manner in which he sits [that is, a
posture] (Vachaspati Mishra).

Commentators:
  • Vyasa (“Arranger”) (V), Yoga Bhashya - (Discussion on Yoga, 5th century CE): just names some poses
  • Shankara (attributed to) (S), Yoga Bhashya Vivarana - (Gloss on the Discussion on Yoga, 9th century CE?)
  • Vachaspati Mishra (VM), Tattva Vaisharadi - (Autumnal Clarity on the Categories [of existence],         mid-9th
    century CE)
  • Swami Hariharananda Aranya (HA), Yoga Philosophy of Patanjali, 1963
  • Swami Veda Bharati (VB), Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, 2007

Benefits:
  • Wards off illnesses (cf. 1.30)
  • Prevents other impediments, such as idleness and languor (cf. 1.30) and their accompaniments, such as
    unsteadiness of the limbs and erratic breath (cf. 1.31)
Sanskrit
English
Description
BHADRA
 Propitious
 This is what we call BADDHA KONASANA. Bring the soles together and the heels
close to the perineum. Make a hollow of the hands (right cupped above left,
palms facing, or back right hand resting in palm of left) and place them over
the feet in the shape of a tortoise (VM). Over the centuries Bhadra has been
described in countless ways: the toes are turned down and pressed to the
floor, or turned back so that the practitioner sits on the outside edges of the
feet (see Light on Yoga, #165), or the pose is performed much like what we
call BHARADVAJASANA II (see LoY, #113).  
DANDA
 Staff
 Sit down with the legs pressed together (VM, S). Like the previous pose, this
one has numerous variations: especially the practitioner lies supine on the
ground, arms stretched over head.
PADMA
 Lotus
 The lotus posture is well known (VM). Set the left foot on the right leg and the
foot on the left leg. Firm the hips, chest and neck, fix the gaze on the nose
tip, close the lips like the cover of a round casket, teeth not grinding, the
chin a fist’s breadth away from the chest, tip of the tongue resting against
the inside front teeth. Rest the joined hands on the heels in the position called
the Tortoise or the Brahma anjali (S).
PARYANKA
 Bed, Couch, Sofa
 1) Lie down with the arms stretched around the knees (VM).
2) Lie down stretching the thighs and hands; also called Shavasana (HA).  
3) Other versions describe the pose as similar to what we call SUPTA VIRASANA,
with the hands either resting on the navel, on the thighs, or the forearms
crossed over head, head resting on the crook where they cross. There’s also
a description of the pose that sounds very much like our URDHVA
DHANURASANA.
SAMA SAMSTHANA
 Even or Balanced Shape
 Press the soles against each other, place the hands on the respective knees.  
SOPASHRAYA
 Support
 1) Support the arms with a yoga table (yoga pattaka).
2) Squat or lie on your back and tie the back and the two legs with a piece of
cloth (HA).
pattaka = a board; bandage, ribbon, piece of cloth; an armrest (bairagin)
SVASTIKA
 Auspicious
 Insert the left foot between the contracted thigh and calf of the right leg, the
right foot between the contracted thigh and calf of the left leg (VM).
VIRA
 Hero
 1) Rest one foot on the ground and place the other over the partially
contracted knee (VM).
2) Bend one leg and rest the sole on the ground, rest the other leg from the
knee to the toes on the ground (S). Other texts describe numerous variations.
Some consider VIRA to be similar to PADMA. There are several other sitting
variations: one heel under the perineum, the other leg forward of the first,
knee bent and lying on the floor; legs crossed as for SIMHA; one leg extended
forward like DANDA, the other foot resting on the extended knee. There’s
even a standing variation in which one sole is placed against the opposite
knee.
KRAUNCHA
 Heron
 These seats may be understood by actually seeing a curlew         and the other
animals seated (VM).
HASTI
 Elephant
  
USHTRA
 Camel
  
Favorite (Stable-and-Easy, As-is-Easiest): That arrangement in which one finds entire stability and ease (S).
Practice with the Yoga Sutra
With only about 11 asanas–three of which aren’t described–practice with the Yoga Sutra can be very short. We’ll
have to make a few additions to make the practice interesting. We’ll include variations of Bhadra, Danda,
Paryanka, and Vira. Then we’ll have to include the three asanas that are named by Vyasa but not described:
Krauncha, Ushtra, and Hasti. The first two have well-known modern equivalents, so we’ll use those (or variations
of them) in our practice. As for the third asana, there is a modern equivalent that in some schools is called the
Elephant (but gaja, not hasti), but it’s much better known as Adho Mukha Shvanasana, Downward Facing Dog.
DANDA (1)
 Lie down with the arms stretched overhead
PARYANKA (1)
 Supta Vira with hands on navel, thighs, or forearms crossed
HASTI
 Down Dog
VIRA
 One leg in Half Hero, bend the other leg, stand the foot on the floor  
BHADRA (1)
 Bound Angle; kurma mudra
DANDA (2)
 Staff
KRAUNCHA
 Heron
HASTI
 Down Dog
PADMA
 Beginners substitute Svastika
HASTI
 Down Dog
USHTRA
 Camel  
BHADRA (2)
 Bharadvaja 2 (beginners substitute Bharadvaja 1)
SOPASHRAYA  
  
PARYANKA (2)
 Corpse
Asanas in the Yoga Sutra
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