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Akarna Dhanurasana

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Akarna Dhanurasana
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Akarna Dhanurasana (Sanskrit: आकर्ण धनुरासन; IAST: Ākarṇa Dhanurāsana), also called the Archer pose,[1] Bow and Arrow pose,[2] or Shooting Bow pose[1] is an asana in hatha yoga and modern yoga as exercise. The posture resembles an archer about to release an arrow.

Etymology and origins

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The name of the pose is from Sanskrit कर्ण Karṇa, "ear" with the prefix Ā, "towards" or "near". धनुर Dhanura means "bow" and आसन asana means "posture" or "seat". The name alludes to a myth in the Ramayana in which the infant Sita is able to lift Shiva's enormous bow, and when she reaches marriageable age, only Rama is able to wield it, and so become her husband.[3]

The asana is described but not named in the 18th century hatha yoga text Haṭhābhyāsapaddhati. Its description of asana no. 51 runs "Grasping the toes of the feet with both hands, [the yogin] should touch the big toes, one at a time, on the ears."[4]

The pose is shown as Dhanurāsana in the 19th century Sritattvanidhi.[5] The manuscript uses the description from the Haṭhābhyāsapaddhati, giving it a name.[4] The asana's modern name was created by B. K. S. Iyengar in his 1966 Light on Yoga.[6][4]

Description

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Akarna Dhanurasana involves pulling the foot towards the ear from a seated position with the legs outstretched. [6][7]

The pose can be prepared for with Marichyasana; Baddha Konasana is sometimes used to lead into Akarna Dhanurasana.[7]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b "Akarm Dhanurasana – Archer Pose, The shooting bow pose". Yogaasan. 2016. Archived from the original on November 15, 2018. Retrieved 15 November 2018.
  2. ^ Thomas, Dr. Tommijean; B.S., Benjamin A. Thomas (2008). Iyengar Yoga the Integrated and Holistic Path to Health: The Effective and Scientifically Investigated System of Yoga. Xlibris. p. 499. ISBN 978-1-4628-4365-7.
  3. ^ Newell, Zo. "The Mythology Behind Akarna Dhanurasana (Shooting Bow Pose)". Yoga International. Retrieved 15 November 2018.
  4. ^ a b c "An Indian person of high rank in a yogic posture (the bow pose, or dhanurāsana). Gouache painting by an Indian painter". Wellcome Collection. Retrieved 17 March 2025.
  5. ^ Sjoman, Norman E. (1999) [1996]. The Yoga Tradition of the Mysore Palace (2nd ed.). Abhinav Publications. Plate 18: Figure 109. ISBN 81-7017-389-2.
  6. ^ a b Iyengar, B. K. S. (1979) [1966]. Light on Yoga: yoga dipika. Schocken Books. pp. 177–179. ISBN 0-8052-1031-8.
  7. ^ a b Schumacher, John (November 2010). "Take Aim". Yoga Journal.
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