Ashtanga Yoga Advanced A series: Sthira Bhaga - for advanced only

Ashtanga Yoga for advanced practitioners: 35 tough Asanas of third series (Advanced A) play with gravity. The reward: Sthira Bhaga, sublime serenity.

Traditional Practice Series

Durvasana

दुर्वासन

Durvāsana

Info about sequence|Asana overview|Vinyasa overview
Kasyapasana [thumb mini] Chakorasana [thumb mini] Bhairavasana [thumb mini] Skandasana [thumb mini] Durvasana [thumb mini solar] Way into the Position [thumb mini] Urdhva Kukkutasana [A] [thumb mini] Way into the Position [thumb mini] Urdhva Kukkutasana [B] [thumb mini] [thumb mini]
Durvasana


Durva (दुर्व, Durva) = literally: naked, dressed badly; name of a Rishi (ऋषि, R̥ṣi) and Saint. He was the son of Atri (अत्रि, Atri) and Anasuya (अनसुय, Anasuya) and is said to be an incarnation of Shiva (शिव, Śiva). Loosing his temper easily made him a legend. His curse dispossessed the Gods of their immortality. Only by stirring up the Milk Ocean they could regain it. He is descibed as an insane Saint (Unmatravrata, उन्मत्रव्रत, Unmatravrata).
Asana (आसन, Āsana) = pose, posture, seat
Durvasana (दुर्वासन, Durvāsana) = Pose dedicated to Durva.

Vinyāsa breath Dr̥ṣṭi explanation of movement
1 IN añguṣṭhamadhye raise arms overhead
2 EX nāsāgre spread fingers, hinging at the hip fold forward, hands to ground Uttanasana (उत्तानासन, Uttānāsana)
3 IN bhrūmadhye come half-way up with straight spine, lift head
4 EX nāsāgre hands down, float back, ellbows close to chest Chaturanga Dandasana (चतुराङ्ग दण्डासन, Caturāṅga Daṇḍāsana)
5 IN bhrūmadhye roll on tops of feet, open the chest, straighten arms, Urdhva Mukha Shvanasana (ऊर्ध्व मुख श्वानासन, Ūrdhva Mukha Śvānāsana)
6 EX nābicakre tuck toes, push back, lift hips, straight arms Adho Mukha Shvanasana (अधो मुख श्वानासन, Adho Mukha Śvānāsana)
7 IN jump forward balancing on straight arms, bend legs in the air
(EX) during descend, swing right leg over right arm and then behind the head
(IN) lift up into Chakorasana (चकोरासन, Cakorāsana)
8 (EX) nāsāgre swing through into Skandasana (स्कन्दासन, Skandāsana)
IN balancing on left leg, stand all the way up while right leg remains behind head, hands come into prayer in front of the heart
5BR ūrdhvadr̥ṣṭi Durvasana (दुर्वासन, Durvāsana)
(EX) nāsāgre hands back onto floor Skandasana (स्कन्दासन, Skandāsana)
9 IN swing back into Chakorasana (चकोरासन, Cakorāsana)
10 EX nāsāgre lower down slowly, elbows close to the body, Chaturanga Dandasana (चतुराङ्ग दण्डासन, Caturāṅga Daṇḍāsana)
11 IN bhrūmadhye roll on tops of feet, open the chest, straighten arms, Urdhva Mukha Shvanasana (ऊर्ध्व मुख श्वानासन, Ūrdhva Mukha Śvānāsana)
12 EX nābicakre tuck toes, push back, lift hips, straight arms, Adho Mukha Shvanasana (अधो मुख श्वानासन, Adho Mukha Śvānāsana)
13 IN jump forward balancing on straight arms, bend legs in the air
(EX) during descend, swing left leg over left arm and then behind the head
(IN) lift up into Chakorasana (चकोरासन, Cakorāsana)
14 (EX) nāsāgre swing through into Skandasana (स्कन्दासन, Skandāsana)
IN balancing on the right leg, stand all the way up while left leg remains behging head, hands come into prayer in front of the heart
5BR ūrdhvadr̥ṣṭi Durvasana (दुर्वासन, Durvāsana)
(EX) nāsāgre hands back onto floor Skandasana (स्कन्दासन, Skandāsana)
15 IN swing back into Chakorasana (चकोरासन, Cakorāsana)
16 EX nāsāgre lower down slowly, elbows close to the body, Chaturanga Dandasana (चतुराङ्ग दण्डासन, Caturāṅga Daṇḍāsana)
17 IN bhrūmadhye roll on tops of feet, open the chest, straighten arms, Urdhva Mukha Shvanasana (ऊर्ध्व मुख श्वानासन, Ūrdhva Mukha Śvānāsana)
18 EX nābicakre tuck toes, push back, lift hips, straight arms, Adho Mukha Shvanasana (अधो मुख श्वानासन, Adho Mukha Śvānāsana)
19 IN bhrūmadhye jump feet between hands, straighten the spine half way up, lift your head,
20 EX nāsāgre bring chest all the way in, Uttanasana (उत्तानासन, Uttānāsana)
- IN bhrūmadhye lift the head again, straighten spine, palms or finger tips remain on the ground
EX nāsāgre stand all the way up, arms on sides, Samasthitih (समस्थितिः, Samasthitiḥ)

legend for the Vinyāsa table:

  • The grey part of the table is performed in Aṣṭāṅga-Yoga practice.
  • Yellow marked is the position depicted on the photo.
  • Vinyāsa:1 = ekam; 2 = dve; 3 = trīṇi; 4 = catvāri; 5 = pañca; 6 = ṣaṭ; 7 = sapta; 8 = aṣṭau; 9 = nava; 10 = daśa; 11 = ekādaśa; 12 = dvādaśa; 13 = trayodaśa; 14 = caturdaśa; 15 = pañcadaśa; 16 = ṣoḍaśa; 17 = saptadaśa; 18 = aṣṭadaśa; 19 = ekonavimśatiḥ; 20 = vimśatiḥ; 21 = ekāvimśatiḥ; 22 = dvāvimśatiḥ; 23 = trayovimśatiḥ; 24 = caturvimśatiḥ; 25 = pañcavimśatiḥ; 26 = ṣoḍavimśatiḥ; 27 = saptavimśatiḥ; 28 = aṣṭovimśatiḥ
  • breath: IN = Inhalation; EX = exhalation; 5BR = five breaths
  • Dr̥ṣṭi: nāsāgre = to the nose; añguṣṭhamadhye = to the middle of the thumb; bhrūmadhye = in the middle of the eye brows; nābicakre = to the navel; ūrdhvadr̥ṣṭi = upwards; hastāgre = to the tip of the hand; pādayoragre = to the tip of the foot; pārśvadr̥ṣṭi = sidewards
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