Sanskrit Ashtanga Asana Names (Primary Series)

A set of slide arranging the Primary Series Asanas into logical grouping aimed to make the names easier to remember.

1. Ashtanga Chatur anga Danda sana Ardha Baddha Padma Paschim ottana sana Tri anga Mukha Eka Pada Paschim ottana sana Ardha Baddha Padmottana sana Urdhva Upavistha Kona sana Bhuja Pid asana Padma sana   Yoga Mudra Kukkut asana   Asana Names Updated 8 th August 2015

2. Body Parts Mukha Face Karna Ear Anga Limb Janu Knee Foot Pada Sirsa Head Hasta Hand Bhuja arm Padangustha Big Toe

3. Purva FRONT East Paschima BACK West Adhos DOWN Urdhva UP Directions

4. Spatial Terms (sort of) U Utthita - Extended Ubhaya - Both Urdhva – Upwards Upavishtha - Seated P Parshva - Side Paravritta - revolved Parasarita - wide stance B Baddha - Bound A Ardha - half K Kona - Angle U Uttana – Intense stretch This is can be morphed into ottana or attana on a random basis Paschim attana sana Parasarita Pad ottana sana

5. Urdhva Mukha Paschim ottana sana Upwards Face Back Intense Stretch Tri Anga Mukha Eka Pada Paschim ottana sana Three Limb Face One Foot Back Intense Stretch Paschim - ot -tana sana   Back Intense Stretch Ardha Baddha Padma Paschim ottana sana Half Bound Lotus Back Intense Stretch Intense Back Stretch

6. Janu Sirs asana   Knee Head Knee Head Marichy asana   Marichi (a Sage) NOT Intense Back Stretch

7. Purv - ottana sana   Front Intense Stretch Intense Front Stretch

8. Baddha Padma sana   Bound Lotus Ardha Baddha Padma Paschim ottana sana Half Bound Lotus Back Intense Stretch Yoga Mudra Yoga Seal Bound Postures Ardha Baddha Padmottana sana Half Bound Lotus Intense Baddha Kona sana Bound Angle

9. Angles Utthita Trikona sana Extended Triangle Paravritta Trikona sana Revolved Triangle Utthita Parshva Kona sana Extended Side angle Paravritta Parshva Kona sana Extended Side angle Upavishtha Kona sana Seated Angle Supta Upavishtha Kona sana Sleeping Seated Angle Urdhva Upavistha Kona sana Upwards Seated Angle

10. Not Angles? Parshv ottana sana Side Intense Parasarita Pad ottana sana Wide Stance Foot Intense Wide Stance Forward Bend

11. Pada = Foot Padanghusta = Big Toe Uttana Pada sana   Intense Foot Padangusth sana   Big Toe Pada Hasta sana   Foot Hand Uttita Hasta Padangusth sana   Extended Hand Big Toe Supta Padangusth sana   Sleeping Big Toe Ubhaya Padangusth sana   Both Big Toe

12. Pinda = Embryo Bhuja Pid asana Arm Pressure Pid = Pressure Garbha Pind asana Womb Embryo Pind asana Embryo Karna Pid asana Ear Pressure

13. Urdhva Vrksa sana Upward Tree Upwards Urdhva Padma sana   Upward Lotus Urdhva Dhanura sana Upward Bow Urdhva Mukha Shvan asana   Upward Face Dog Urdhva Upavistha Kona sana Upwards Seated Angle Urdva Danda sana   Upwards Staff Pose

14. Padma sana   Lotus Baddha Bound Urdhva Upward Lotus

15. Straightness Sira sana Head (stand) Urdhva Vrksa sana Upward Tree Sama sthiti Even Standing Salamba Sarv anga sana Supported All Limbs

16. Danda sana   Staff Pose Staff or Stick Chatur anga Danda sana Four Limb Staff Urdva Danda sana   Upwards Staff Pose

17. Kurm asana   Turtle Kurma Supta Kurm asana   Sleeping Turtle z z z Z Z Supta Kurma Matsya sana   Fish Marine Animals

18. Kukkut asana   Rooster Adho Mukha Shvan asana   Down Face Dog Urdhva Mukha Shvan asana   Upward Face Dog Noisy Animals Shvana Dog Shvana Dog Kukkuta Cockerel

19. Nav asana   Boat An Object

20. Hala sana   Plough Chakra sana   Wheel More Objects Hala Plough Chakra Wheel

21. Setu Bandh asana   Bridge Lock Urdhva Dhanura sana Upward Bow Even More Objects Setu Bridge Dhanu Bow

22. Utkat asana   Fierce Virabhadr a sana A Warrior Fierce and Not Fierce Bal asana   Child

23. Sava sana   Corpse Utplutih   UpLift Random ones at the End Uttana Pada sana   Intense Foot

24. http://www.ashtangayoga.info/practice/ Closing Credits / References http://www.ashtanga-yoga-victoria.com/support-files/AYVic-Primary-sm.pdf Want a more compact primer? - Download a Cheat Sheet Many thanks to Ronald Steiners Website – from where I harvested most of the pictures