Bharadvajasana

Bharadvajasana (Sanskrit: भरद्वाजासन; IAST: Bharadvājāsana) or Bharadvaja's twist is a twisting asana in modern yoga as exercise.

Etymology and origins

The asana is dedicated to the sage Bharadvāja^[1] who was one of the Seven Great Sages or Rishi.^[2] He was the father of Drona, a master of military arts and the royal guru to Kauravas, Pandavas and the Devastras,^[3] the princes who fought the great war of the Mahabharata.

A different asana is illustrated under the name Bharadvajasana in the 19th century Sritattvanidhi; it somewhat resembles Mayurasana with the legs in Padmasana, but as drawn it would be impossible to perform.^[4]

The pose currently known by the name Bharadvajasana is a modern one, first seen in the 20th century.^[5] It is described in the works of two of Krishnamacharya's pupils, B. K. S. Iyengar's 1966 Light on Yoga^[6] and Pattabhi Jois's Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga.^[5]

Description

Bharadvājāsana is a seated spinal twist. Bharadvajasana I is the basic form, with the legs as in Virasana (hero pose), one foot on the floor and the other ankle cradled in the arch of the foot below.^[7] Baddha Konasana and Marichyasana can be used to prepare for Bharadvajasana.^[8] Utthita Trikonasana, extended triangle pose, is a suitable counter pose to Bharadvajasana.^[9]

Variations

Bharadvajasana II is an advanced form requiring high hip mobility; one leg is bent as in Padmasana (lotus position), while the other leg is bent as in Virasana.^[10]

Bharadvajasana on chair is a variant performed sitting sideways on an armless chair. This does not require hip mobility; the arms grasp the back of the chair to assist with the twist.^[11]

References

^ Iyengar 1979, p. 251—252.
^ Inhabitants of the Worlds Mahanirvana Tantra, translated by Arthur Avalon, (Sir John Woodroffe), 1913, Introduction and Preface
^ Hopkins 1915.
^ Sjoman 1999, pp. 74 and plate 5 (pose 28).
^ ^a ^b Sjoman 1999, p. 100.
^ Iyengar 1979, pp. 251–254.
^ Mehta 1990, p. 72.
^ Dehnke 2012.
^ Dehnke, Andrea (28 August 2007). "Bharadvaja's Twist". Yoga Journal. Retrieved 31 October 2022.
^ Mehta 1990, p. 77.
^ Mehta 1990, p. 71.

Sources

Dehnke, Andrea (2012). "Bharadvaja's Twist". Yoga Journal.
Hopkins, Edward Washburn (1915). Epic Mythology. Noble Offset Printers. ISBN 978-0819602282.
Iyengar, B. K. S. (1979). Light on Yoga. Schocken. ISBN 978-0-8052-1031-6.
Mehta, Silva; Mehta, Mira; Mehta, Shyam (1990). Yoga: The Iyengar Way. Dorling Kindersley.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
Sjoman, Norman E. (1999). The Yoga Tradition of the Mysore Palace. Abhinav Publications. ISBN 978-81-7017-389-2.

[FOOTNOTEIyengar1979251—252-1] Iyengar 1979, p. 251—252.

[2] Inhabitants of the Worlds Mahanirvana Tantra, translated by Arthur Avalon, (Sir John Woodroffe), 1913, Introduction and Preface

[FOOTNOTEHopkins1915-3] Hopkins 1915.

[FOOTNOTESjoman1999pp._74_and_plate_5_(pose_28)-4] Sjoman 1999, pp. 74 and plate 5 (pose 28).

[FOOTNOTESjoman1999100-5] Sjoman 1999, p. 100.

[FOOTNOTEIyengar1979251–254-6] Iyengar 1979, pp. 251–254.

[FOOTNOTEMehta199072-7] Mehta 1990, p. 72.

[FOOTNOTEDehnke2012-8] Dehnke 2012.

[9] Dehnke, Andrea (28 August 2007). "Bharadvaja's Twist". Yoga Journal. Retrieved 31 October 2022.

[FOOTNOTEMehta199077-10] Mehta 1990, p. 77.

[FOOTNOTEMehta199071-11] Mehta 1990, p. 71.

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