List of asanas


An asana is a posture, whether for traditional hatha yoga or for modern yoga; the term is derived from the Sanskrit word for 'seat'. While many of the oldest mentioned asanas are indeed seated postures for meditation, asanas may be standing, seated, arm-balances, twists, inversions, forward bends, backbends, or reclining in prone or supine positions. The asanas have been given a variety of English names by competing schools of yoga.
The traditional number of asanas is the symbolic 84, but different texts identify different selections, sometimes listing their names without describing them. Some names have been given to different asanas over the centuries, and some asanas have been known by a variety of names, making tracing and the assignment of dates difficult. For example, the name Muktasana is now given to a variant of Siddhasana with one foot in front of the other, but has also been used for Siddhasana and other cross-legged meditation poses. As another example, the headstand is now known by the 20th century name Shirshasana, but an older name for the pose is Kapalasana. Sometimes, the names have the same meaning, as with Bidalasana and Marjariasana, both meaning Cat Pose.

Affixes

Variations on the basic asanas are indicated by Sanskrit affixes including the following:
EnglishSanskritMeaningExample
AdhoअधोdownwardAdho Mukha Shvanasana
Ardhaअर्धhalfArdha Padmasana
Baddhaबद्धboundBaddha Konasana
Dviद्विtwoDvi Pada Kaundinyasana
EkaएकoneEka Pada Shirshasana
Parivrittaपरिवृत्तrevolvedParivritta Trikonasana
Prasaritaप्रसारितspread outPrasarita Padottanasana
Salambaषलम्बsupportedSalamba Shirshasana
Suptaसुप्तsupine, recliningSupta Virasana
Upavishtaउपविष्ठseatedUpavishta Konasana
Urdhvaऊर्ध्वupwardsUrdhva Dhanurasana
Utthitaउत्थितextendedUtthita Parsvakonasana
ViparitaविपरीतinvertedViparita Dandasana

Asanas

A single asana is listed for each pose, whether or not there are variations. Thus for Sirsasana, only one pose is illustrated, although the pose can be varied by moving the legs apart sideways or front-and-back, by lowering one leg to the floor, by folding the legs into lotus posture, by turning the hips to one side, by placing the hands differently on the ground, and so on. Iyengar's 1966 Light on Yoga lists 15 variations on the basic headstand, including for instance the combined variation Parivrttaikapada Sirsasana in which not only are the hips revolved but the legs are apart front-and-back. Since then, variations of many other poses have been created. Yin Yoga names are for the equivalent Yin variants; these are usually somewhat different from the conventional poses.
Indian texts are "notoriously difficult to date". The table shows the approximate date and abbreviated title of the earliest document or authority to describe that asana, as follows:
The asanas are here named in English, spelt conventionally as in English books on yoga without diacritics, to facilitate free text search through the list using the 'Find in page' box.
AsanaSanskritEnglishTypeEffect on spineSuitable for
meditation		DescribedYin Yoga variantImage
Adho Mukha Shvanasanaअधोमुखश्वानासनDownward-Facing DogStandingForward bend20th C. TK
18th C. HAP
Adho Mukha Vrikshasanaअधोमुखवृक्षासनDownward-Facing Tree,
Yoga Handstand
Balancing18th C. HAP
Akarna Dhanurasanaआकर्णधनुरासनShooting bow,
Archer,
Bow and arrow
Sitting19th C. ST
Anantasanaअनन्तासनAnanta's pose,
Vishnu's Couch pose
Reclining20th C. LoY
Anjaneyasanaअञ्जनेयासनCrescent MoonStandingBackbend20th C.Dragon
Ardha Chandrasanaअर्धचन्द्रासनHalf moonStanding20th C. LoY
Ashtanga Namaskaraअष्टाङ्ग नमस्कारEight-Limbed Salutation
Caterpillar		Reclining20th C. TK
Astavakrasanaअष्टावक्रासनAṣṭāvakra's pose,
Eight-angled
Balancing20th C. LoY
Baddha Konasana
Bhadrasana
बद्धकोणासनBound angle,
Cobbler's pose		SittingMeditation15th C. HYP
17th C. GhS
Butterfly
Bakasana
Kakasana
बकासन,
ककासन
Crane
Crow
Balancing17th C. HR
BalasanaबालासनChildSitting20th C. TK
19th C. ST Ananda Balasana 		Child's
Bhairavasana
Ankushasana
भैरवासन
अण्कुशासन
FormidableReclining19th C. ST
Bharadvajasanaभरद्वाजासनBharadvaja's twistSittingTwist20th C. LoYSeated Twist
BhekasanaभेकासनFrogRecliningBackbend20th C. LoY
BhujangasanaभुजंगासनCobraRecliningBackbend17th C. GhS 2.42Seal, Sphinx
BhujapidasanaभुजपीडासनArm-pressing postureBalancing20th C. LoYSnail
Bidalasana
Marjariasana
बिडालासन
मार्जरीआसन
CatKneelingBackbend20th C. T.K.V. Desikachar, Satyananda Saraswati
Chaturanga Dandasanaचतुरङ्गदण्डासनFour-Limbed Staff
Low Plank		Reclining20th C. TK
Dandasanaदण्डासनStaffSitting08th C. PSV
DhanurasanaधनुरासनBowRecliningBackbend15th C. HYP 1.27
Durvasasanaदुर्वासासनDurvasa's PoseStanding, Balancing19th C. ST
Garbha Pindasanaगर्भासनEmbryo in WombSitting17th C. BaH
GarudasanaगरुडासनEagleStanding, Balancing19th C. ST
GomukhasanaगोमुखासनCow-facedSittingMeditation04th C. DU
10th C. V
15th C. HYP 1.20
Shoelace
Gorakshasanaगोरक्षासनCowherd
Gorakhnath's pose
SittingMeditation14th C. ShS 3.108-112
15th C. HYP 1.28-29
17th C. GhS 2.24-25
HalasanaहलासनPloughInversionForward bend19th C. ST
20th C. TB
HanumanasanaहनुमनासनHanuman's PoseSitting20th C. TK
Janusirsasanaजानुशीर्षासनHead-to-KneeSittingForward Bend20th C. TK
Jathara Parivartanasanaञटर परिवर्तनासन​Belly twistRecliningTwist20th C. LoY
KapotasanaकपोतासनPigeonKneelingBackbend20th C. LoY
Karnapidasanaकर्णपीडासनEar-pressingInversionForward bend20th C. TB ; LoY
Kaundinyasanaकौण्डिन्यसनKaundinya's poseBalancing20th C. LoY
Kraunchasanaक्रौञ्चासनHeronSitting17th C. HR
Kukkutasanaकुक्कुटासनCockerelBalancing07th C. AS
13th C. VS
15th C. HYP 1.23
17th C. GhS 2.31
Kurmasanaकूर्मासनTortoiseSittingForward bend07th C. AS
LolasanaलोलासनPendantBalancing20th C.
MakarasanaमकरासनCrocodileReclining17th C. GhS 2.40
MalasanaमालासनGarlandSquattingForward bend20th C. LoY
Mandukasanaमन्दुकासनFrogSitting17th C. GhS
Marichyasanaमरीच्यासनMarichi's PoseSittingTwist20th C. TK
Matsyasanaमत्स्यासनFishRecliningBackbend17th C. GhS 2.21Fish
Matsyendrasanaमत्स्येन्द्रासनLord of the Fishes
Matsyendra's pose		SittingTwist15th C. HYP 1.28-29
17th C. GhS
MayurasanaमयूरासनPeacockBalancing10th C. V
15th C. HYP 1.33
Muktasanaमुक्तासनLiberatedSittingMeditation10th C. V
NatarajasanaनटराजासनLord of the Dance
Dancer
Nataraja's Pose		StandingBackbend20th C. TK
Navasana
Paripurna Navasana
Naukasana
नावासन,
परिपूर्णनावासन
नौकासन		Boat,
Full Boat
SittingForward bend19th C. ST
Padmasanaपद्मासनLotusSittingMeditation04th C. DU
08th C. PSV
ParighasanaपरिघासनGateStanding20th C. TK
Parshvakonasanaपार्श्वकोणासनSide angleStanding20th C. TK
Parshvottanasanaपार्श्वोत्तनासनIntense side stretchStanding20th C. TK
PashasanaपाशासनNooseSquattingTwist19th C. ST
Paschimottanasanaपश्चिमोत्तानासनSeated Forward BendSittingForward Bend15th C. HYP 1:28
17th C. GhS 2:26
Full Forward Bend, Caterpillar
Pincha Mayurasanaपिञ्चमयूरासनFeathered PeacockBalancing20th C. LoY
Prasarita Padottanasanaप्रसारित पादोत्तानासनWide Stance Forward BendStandingForward bend20th C. TK
RajakapotasanaराजकपोतासनKing PigeonSittingBackbend20th C. LoYSwan, Sleeping Swan
ShalabhasanaशलभासनLocustRecliningBackbend20th C. TB
Sarvangasanaसालम्बसर्वाङ्गासनShoulder StandInversion20th C. ; 19th C. as Viparita Karani in JP; 15th C. HYP
SamakonasanaसमकोणासनSide splitsSitting20th C. TK
ShavasanaशवासनCorpseReclining15th C. HYP 1.32Corpse
Setu Bandha Sarvangasanaसेतुबन्धसर्वाङ्गासनShoulder supported bridgeInversionBackbend19th C. ST, called Kāmapīṭhāsana
Siddhasana,
Siddha Yoni Asana
सिद्धासनAccomplished,
The Adept's Pose		SittingMeditation10th C. GS 1.10-12
SimhasanaसिंहासनLionSittingMeditation04th C. DU
10th C. V
Shirshasana
Kapalasana		शीर्षासनHeadstand,
Yoga Headstand
Inversion11th C. HY
14th C. ShS 4.45-47
15th C. HYP 3.78-81
17th C. GhS 3.33-35
18th C. JP
SukhasanaसुखासनEasySittingMeditation04th C. DUEasy
Supta Padangusthasanaसुप्त पादाङ्गुष्ठासनBig toe supineReclining20th C. TK
Supta Virasanaसुप्त वीरासनReclined heroReclining20th C. TKSaddle
Surya Namaskarसुर्य नमस्कारSalute to the Sun
Sun Salutation		StandingForward bend,
backbend sequence		20th C. Rajah of Aundh, then TK
Svastikasanaस्वस्तिकसनAuspicious
Lucky mark		SittingMeditation08th C. PSVSquare
TadasanaताडासनMountainStanding20th C. TK
Tittibhasanaटिट्टिभासनFireflyBalancing19th C. ST
Trikonasana,
Utthita Trikonasana		त्रिकोणासन,
उत्थित त्रिकोणासन		TriangleStanding20th C. TK
Trivikramasanaत्रिविक्रमासनTrivikrama's pose
Standing splits
Supta Trivikramasana 		Standing, Balancing13th - 18th C. in Bharatnatyam dance statues of Eastern Gopuram, Nataraja Temple, Chidambaram
TulasanaतुलासनBalance / ScalesBalancing20th C. LoY
Upavishta Konasanaउपविष्टकोणासनOpen AngleSitting20th C. TKDragonfly
Urdhva Dhanurasana
Chakrasana
ऊर्ध्वधनुरासन, चक्रासनUpwards-facing bow,
Wheel		InversionBackbend19th C. ST
Urdhva Mukha Shvanasanaऊर्ध्वमुखश्वानासनUpward-Facing DogRecliningBackbend20th C. TK
Ushtrasanaउष्ट्रासनCamelKneelingBackbend20th C. LoY
Utkatasanaउत्कटासनAwkward or PowerfulStanding15th C. HYP
17th C. GhS

20th C. TK
Uttanasanaउत्तानासनStanding Forward BendStandingForward bend20th C. TB ; TK
Utthita Hastapadangusthasanaउत्थित हस्तपादाङ्गुष्ठासनStanding Big Toe Hold

Standing20th C. TK
Vajrasanaवज्रासनThunderboltKneelingMeditation17th C. GhS
Vasishtasanaवसिष्ठासनVasishta's pose,
Side plank
Balancing20th C. TK
Viparita Dandasanaविपरीत दण्डासनInverted StaffInversionBackbend20th C. TK?, LoY
Viparita Karani
Uttanapadasana 		विपरीतकरणिInverted practice
Legs up the wall
Inversion14th C. ShS 4.45-47
15th C. HYP 3.78-81
17th C. GhS 3.33-35 and other texts
Legs-Up-the-Wall
Viparita Virabhadrasanaविपरीतवीरभद्रासनReversed WarriorStanding21st C. PL
Virabhadrasana Iवीरभद्रासनWarrior IStanding20th C. TK
Virabhadrasana IIवीरभद्रासन IIWarrior IIStanding20th C. TK
Virabhadrasana IIIवीरभद्रासन IIIWarrior IIIStanding20th C. TK
Virasana,
Dhyana Virasana
वीरासन,
ध्यान वीरासन
Hero,
Hero's Meditation
KneelingMeditation04th C. DU
08th C. PSV
Vrikshasanaवृक्षासनTreeStanding, Balancing17th C. GhS
Vrischikasanaवृश्चिकासनScorpionInversionBackbend20th C. LoY
Yoganidrasana
Pasini Mudra		योगनिद्रासनYogic sleep
Noose Mudra		RecliningForward bend17th C. HR 3.70
17th C. GhS 3.84 as a Mudra
18th C. painting, Mysore