Bharadvajasana

Bharadvajasana (Sanskrit: भरद्वाजासन; IAST: Bharadvājāsana) or Bharadvaja's twist is a twisting asana in modern yoga as exercise.

Bharadvajasana I from the front

Etymology and origins

The asana is dedicated to the sage Bharadvāja^[1] who was one of the Seven Great Sages or Rishi.^[2] He was the father of Drona, a master of military arts and the royal guru to Kauravas, Pandavas and the Devastras,^[3] the princes who fought the great war of the Mahabharata.

A different asana is illustrated under the name Bharadvajasana in the 19th century Sritattvanidhi; it somewhat resembles Mayurasana with the legs in Padmasana, but as drawn it would be impossible to perform.^[4]

The pose currently known by the name Bharadvajasana is a modern one, first seen in the 20th century.^[5] It is described in the works of two of Krishnamacharya's pupils, B. K. S. Iyengar's 1966 Light on Yoga^[6] and Pattabhi Jois's Ashtanga (vinyasa) yoga.^[5]

Description

Bharadvajasana II

Bharadvājāsana is a seated spinal twist. Bharadvajasana I is the basic form, with the legs as in Virasana (hero pose), one foot on the floor and the other ankle cradled in the arch of the foot below.^[7] Baddha Konasana and Marichyasana can be used to prepare for Bharadvajasana.^[8] Utthita Trikonasana, extended triangle pose, is a suitable counter pose to Bharadvajasana.^[9]

Variations

Bharadvajasana II is an advanced form requiring high hip mobility; one leg is bent as in Padmasana (lotus position), while the other leg is bent as in Virasana.^[10]

Bharadvajasana on chair is a variant performed sitting sideways on an armless chair. This does not require hip mobility; the arms grasp the back of the chair to assist with the twist.^[11]

See also

• Marichyasana, a sitting twist with one leg straight
• Matsyendrasana, a sitting twist with one knee up