Sanskrit Names of Yoga Poses & Their Benefits
Not all yoga classes use the Sanskrit names of poses. Most yoga poses in Sanskrit will end with the suffix "asana," which means pose, or literally, "to be established in a particular position." The term yoga is Sanskrit for "union" or "yoke." Performed correctly, yoga poses should lead a student to a balancing, or union, of the body and mind. The work of asanas includes balancing, strengthening, stretching, twisting and enduring. A full practice of yoga includes pranayama (breathing exercises) and meditation.
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History
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Sanskrit is often compared to Latin because it is a classical, root language for many other languages. The base of Sanskrit, Vedic Sanskrit, emerged around 1,500 B.C.in India. In 500 B.C., the scholar Panini perfected it. Many students of Sanskrit consider it a sacred language, because the syllables were created to resonate with the divine during meditation and chanting.
Significance
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The use of Sanskrit in yoga classes literally makes the practice of yoga accessible internationally. The thought is that an instructor can travel to any country and use the sacred sounds of yoga poses in their Sanskrit form to reach students without the need to speak their home language. Yoga instructors who use Sanskrit during class also eliminate some of the confusion surrounding the random naming of yoga poses from one culture to another, or even from one teacher to another.
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Types
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These are some of the most widely used yoga poses, in English, then Sanskrit. Sun Salutations A & B (Surya Namaskar A & B), Mountain (Tadasana), Forward Fold (Uttanasana), Half Standing Forward Bend/Half Way (Ardha Uttanasana), Four Limbed Staff Pose (Chaturanga Dandasana), Upward-Facing Dog (Urdhva Mukha Svanasana), Downward Facing Dog (Ardha Mukha Svanasana), Child's Pose (Balasana), Cobra Pose (Bhujangasana), Cow Pose (Bitilasana), Cat Pose (Marjaryasana), Lotus Pose (Padmasana), Boat Pose (Paripurna Navasana), Cow Face Pose (Gomukhasana), Plow Pose (Halasana), Shoulder Stand (Salamba Sarvangasana), Head Stand (Salamba Sirsasana), Chair (Utkatasana), Warriors I to III (Virabhadrasana Eka, Dvi and Tri), Seated Forward Fold (Paschimottanasana), Tree (Vrksasana), Triangle (Utthita Trikonasana) and Relaxation or Corpse Pose (Savasana).
Benefits
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The benefits of yoga are numerous. The sequence of poses that make up Surya Namaskar A & B work to warm up the body and get the student focused on the present. Poses that invert the body, like Uttanasana, Halasana, Salamba Sarvangasana and Salamba Sirsasana refresh the circulatory system, relieve menopausal symptoms, lengthen the spine and work the core muscles. Many yoga poses, such as Ardha Mukha Svanasana, Chaturanga Dandasana, Virabhadrasana Eka, Dvi and Tri; and Paripurna Navasana build endurance and strengthen muscles. Some yoga poses are more about stretching and restoration of the body like Bitilasana, Marjaryasana and Savasana.
Expert Insight
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Scholars consider Sanskrit a root language for Indo-European languages, particularly in relation to Indo-Iranian and Indo Aryan ones. A yoga student might hear the sounds of Sanskrit in English words like three or "dvi", binds or "bandhas;" and the "tri" in "Trikonasana, for Triangle Pose.
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References
Resources
- Photo Credit Misadlouhy: Wikimedia Commons
