llw Yoga l'ridilionoftheMysorc Palace

IIJ% Pp IZH
S1/1 IH 1111 '2-cm
llhho'Ph\
CoL Yoga Poses 122
B/W 1llus 14
Index
"'J lw ' oga Tradition of the Mysore
P.li.H.L'" traces the developments in
I lw yog. tradition that has led to the
strongest yoga tradition practised in
tlw world today, from Krishna
lll.l('<HiM to Pattabhi Jois' Astanga
yoga system and the Iyengar system.
I he spread of these yoga systems all
ovtr the modern world is unparal
leled in the history of yoga; it
partakesof thenatureofa mass move
ment. The introduction traces the
dlvelopment farther back by looking
1nto a hbtory of asanas itself, garer-
1 ng evidence from different periods
in Indian hi<tory and relating this to
the basic h'ts of yoga philosophy.
I he book requires us to view the his
tory and development of yoga from
.111 entirely new perspective. The in
troduction centres around a transla
tiOn of the yoga section of the
RITA TTY ANIDHI, the oldest text
,\Vailable at present substantiating a
developed asana practice. This text,
written in the 1880's, foreshadows
our own period.
R< 350
Te Yo
g
Trdton of te M
y
ore Pace
i
'
For th e wh i stl e
blowi ng yogi ns
j
The Yoga Tradton of te
M
y
ore Palace
N.E. 8jomm
m
PUBLICTIONS
obhiNOV publicaTiONS
First Edition 1996
Second Edition 1999
N.E. Sjoman
All rights resered. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmit
ted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including
photocopying, recording or by any information storage and retrieval
sstem, without permission i writng from the publishers.
Pblih
Shakt Mai
Ahinav Publicatons
E-37 Hauz Ka
New Delhi-110016
Phones: 6566387, 6524658, 6562784
Fax: 91- 1 1-6857009
e-mail: shakti@nde.vsnl.net.in
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Website: http/ /ww .abhinavexports.com
ISBN 81-701 7-389-2
Phototeetting and Pocssing b
Ta Chand Sons
Naraina
New Delhi
Pnte at
D.K. Fine Art Press P. Ltd.
Ashok Vhar
Delhi
CON1EN1b
Foreword by His Highness, Srikantadatta
Narasimharja Wadiyar
Preface to the Second Edition
Preface to the First Edition
Mysore Yoga Painting
Synopsis of Painting by Swami Sivapriyananda
Illustatons of the
A
sanas from the SRATANIHI
Introduction
The Yoga Traditon of the Mysore Palace 35
The Nature of Indian Trditon 36
The Yoga Traditon 36
Textual Surey of the Yoga Tradition 37
Modem Practces of Yoga 39
The Subject and Source of the Present Study 40
Development in the Philosophical Yoga Tradition
from Patafjali 41
The
A
sana Tradition 43
The Modem
A
sana Traditions 48
B.KS. Iyengar's
A
sana Teaching 49
Pattabhi Jois's
A
sana Teaching 50
B.KS. Iyengar's Reformation of the
Jois/Krishnamacariar Series 50
Krishnamacariar's Yoga Teaching 50
Krishnaraja Wodeyar - Student and Paton of Yoga 52
The Mysore Palace Gymnastcs Traditon 53
The Mysore Palace Wrestling Traditon 56
The Yoga Section of the SRATANIHI 57
Conclusions 59
1
3
5
9
1 3
1 4
1 5
35
2 The Yoga Traditio ofthe Mysoe Palc
Translaton of the SRATANIHI Text 69
Appendix 1-Alphabetcal list of asanas from
The Complt llustratd Book of Yoga 87
Appendix II-Alphabetical list of asanas from Firt Stes
t Hig Yoga 90
Appendix III-Alphabetcal list of asanas fom the
H THRiIK, GHRl ASA,
SIVASIA and GORKSIA 98
Appendix IV-List of asanas in the order taught by
Pattabhi Jois at his tga Yoga Research
Institute in Mysore 100
Appendix V-Alphabetical list of asanas fom
Kishnamacariar's YOGKA 102
Appendix VI-Yoga section of the MSUU MS 1 03
Appendix VII-Photographs fom the W AYAiIK 1 06
Appendix VIII-Photographs from Kishnamacariar' s
YOGAMKA 1 08
Appendix IX-Alphabetical list of asanas from the
SRATVANIHI 1 10
Bibliogaphy 1 1 3
Index 1 1 7
r
ORWOB
THE PALACE
MVSORE-570 001
{ 2601
Phone
520601
(here is a continuous record of involvement and patronage of Yoga
at the Mysore Palace for over 200 years. The oldest records found
are in the SRATANIHJ, the most complete document in the His
tor of Yoga Aanas found todate. This work was compiled-by Mummadi
Krishnaraja Wodeyar himself and is translated with the illustrations here.
The introduction taces other infuences in the Yoga System. It
documents the educational interests and efforts of Nalwadi Krishnaraja
Wodeyar in installing Krishnamacariar at the Palace and in the Yoga Sala,
teaching Members of the Royal Family and the Public at large through
the Royal Pathasala.
That Yoga System, a synthesis of many different schools of exercise,
some almost defunct, has spread over the entire World through its pri
mar preceptors Krishnamacariar, B.K.S. Iyengar and Pattabhi Jois.
It is gratifing to look back at the farsightedness of my ancestors and
know that, through them, countless students of Yoga, all over the World,
in ever single countr, have been able to share in the benefts and
secrets of Yoga.
1 . 3. 1995
*
ERACE 1O 1 bECOND WON
(he response to the book has been grating and refreshing for the
most part. It is a privilege to be able to bring out the second edition.
In this second edition, there are a number of minor errors or omis
sions that have been corrected. B.K.S. Iyengar has stated that he was
never Pattabhijois' student. This has been incorporated in the text. There
have been some minor additons to the bibliography that bring up to
date recent material on the Yogasitram of Pataijali. My own study of the
Yogasitam is now complete and brings to a conclusion my studies of
the histor of yoga as such. This has been hastened, actually made largely
unnecessar, by the excellent comparison of Buddhist meditation prac
tices with the meditation prctces in Patijali's sitras published by S.
Tandon. Occasions remain for studies to amplif sketchy parts and re
claim transfgured parts of this reconsttuted yoga histor.
The criticism that the Indian schoolmen make of wester thinkers
is that they are unaware of their presuppositons. The presuppositons,
which here are actually the reasons why people do yoga-why ver difer
ent people in diferent times have done yoga, have been careflly exem
plifed in this book. Literature indicating animistic beliefs, a search for
power, sympathetic magic appropriaton, deliberate delusionar tactics,
therapeutics and health, social groupings, a gradated spiritual discipline,
a basic metaphysical understanding and so on have been presented a
diverse points of view. This is an attempt to understand an underlying
motivation for following the teaching of yoga and thus, to understand
why yoga has surived. This appears to have passed unnoticed by most
readers. This is not surprising as there has not even been any attempt at
understanding the implications of the fact that the book brings into
queston the partcular narrative histor of yoga as it is known and drawn
on by trying to tace an outline of the important developments in the
practice tradition. It would seem to be a serious problem i our history,
which presumably forms the basis for our acton, is shown to be largely
fabrication.
5
6 The Yoga Tradition of the Mysore Palc
Yoga as a spiritual discipline is discussed in the context of Indian
metphysical systems. Linkages have been made to the Yogasitram and
I have gone on, as mentioned above, to write articles examining frther
the sitras of Pataijali. This examination has not been academic, but
technical in terms of the philosophy, and speculative. This examination,
interdisciplinar by nature, draws on and includes the work of practi
toners of meditation ... the work of people who have practsed yoga and
meditation as a spiritual discipline.
Interestingly enough, in our own time, yoga has become a social
phenomenon. This might be partly because the most recent innovative
practtoners of yoga have been Vaishnavas who seem to be oriented
more towards social organization-social systems, status, economics,
however one wants to see it, than the Saivites who have had their heydy
more than one hundred years ago and have formerly been on the fringes
of social apparatus. Of course, the whole guru-sia tradition is part of a
scial bonding complex and is particularly attractive at present to people
who are alienated fom family complexes; one of the most difcult a
pects of our perilous modernism. I have heard a yoga student say,
"Pattabhijois is like a father to re". With such emotive social complexes
one i invariably entangled in all the moralizing, status seeking and so
on that goes with the territor. And the territor is social loyalt or group
ing, competition and economics.
In fact, most of the yoga people who have commented on the book
have been interested in the partcular status of their teacher or have
wated to elicit some gossipy ttbit fom me. I have been ver carefl to
avoid this with fll awareness that the world runs on gossip. I have been
ver careful to excise such elements from the work presented. These
sorts of statements perhaps sere the "hagiographical imperatve" quite
efciently. My interests, though, have been the partcular and not the
general. A I try to avoid generalites leaving my mouth, I have for the
most part failed to live up to these interests. I have also avoided respond
ing when reproached with generalities. All the same, I have tried to be
generous with my information and have let, as far as possible, the re
search speak for itself Because of this, the reader can form his own con
clusions. Pattabhi Jois, when asked what he thought of this book, told
one of his students that I had written it just to make money of of him.
The few academics that have commented have been mostly inter-
Peac to th Seco Edition
7
ested in the preface where they are referred to and have told me repeat
edly that academics are "just like that" but they were never able to say
such things themselves. In other words, they have copted my indepen
dence and made me one of them. Others, who I won't mention by name
as they are not part of this stor, have said that the book is "not quite
academic". Others again have proclaimed my research "may be flawed".
It is not possible to address these statements since no details are given,
for example, as to the nature of the "flaws". Indeed, one might suspect
that such statements are maliciously intended in that they question the
credibility of what ha- been ofered without ofering specifc critique,
opportunit for dialogue, for rejoinder, correction or modifcation of
views. The carefl documentation of my statements, however, speak for
itself This kind of critique is power tripping. And that has been impor
tant in our own scholastics, our history and the histor of yoga.
Yoga spread into China primarily because of the promise of super
natural powers. The mythology of Superman is the American counter
dream. And there is a dream batte going on, a batte of mythology and
metaphysics. I tend to think of the American Superman dream as more
adolescent. The Indian yogi fgure is more practical in some senses
attractive to people who have already abandoned Superman and maybe
even Santa Claus (economics?) . But the Indian yogi fgure, in spite of
the Vaishnavite socialization, is an outlaw by nature, specifcally, by the
nature of his sadhana. The power dream although dubious at best, is a
fantasy to work by, a rite of passage, but perhaps ultimately unsustan
able to a keen student of yoga. The serious pursuit of yoga is a touch
stone that .allows us to generate our own individual understanding fom
a corporeal base. But dream worlds have the imprint tenacit of delu
sion based advertising. Yoga has been around a few more years than
Superman; indeed, it is probably the mythological source complex of
the latter and is, in a very individual or personal way, the archetpal
mythical hero journey. The continued interest of the wester world in
yoga, in advertising and the ideas of purit, tradition, superiorit, the
ideas of privileged and powerful secret knowledges that one can acquire
like 1s and cars all belong to that same complex and inform the gur
si complex as understood today. One can witness the success of the
term "power yoga" that has so recently appeared and come into vogue.
B.K.S. Iyengar, in a remark he probably does not remember, said to
me once, "Everything has come to me but nothing stays. "
8 The Yoga Tradition ofthe Mysoe Palc
Pataijali has said that a word, once spoken, sets up a vibraton that
continues on into infity. He also says that one single word, corectly
spoken, is sufcient to achieve enlightenment. The vibration that is the
primal desire to speak, is the vibraton that originated this universe. The
realizaton of that primal vibration was a mystical experience. All this
might point to the fact,
.
among other things, that we ought to be careful
what we say.
People have misinterpreted my dedication. The "whistle blowing
yogis" are the Nathas according to Briggs. But he made a mistake, it was
not a whistle they carried but a chillum. Why woulyogis want a whistle?
Mysore, 1999
N.E. Sjoman
ERACE 1O 1 W1 WON
/need to explain the point of view taken in this work wth the aim of
distnguishing it from much of current academics. This is necessar
because I am partially a product of academic leaing and use academic
formats. There have been other stronger influences on my leaing
which are not academic; which would indeed be excluded from aca
demic consideraton. Secondly, since relocatng to Canada, my personal
experience is that academics are irrevocably involved with politcs. In
variably this reflects in academic work at all levels. The result: one be
comes highly suspicious of academics and their work. It is not enough
to accept the "format" or discourse of the work; one needs to see the
person behind the work, his background and to evaluate his personal
integrit. Ofcial credentals are not a reliable measure of integrit.
Much of what passes .for a "critcal atttude" desirable in "scientfc"
understanding is an agenda for exercising dominance, a closet
legitmisaton of appropriaton.
In order to explain the point of view of this work, I have to explain
the issues I have brought to it and thus speak of my own education. I
do this in order that the reader may understand the preparaton I bring
to the work and as an acknowledgement of the many teachers that have
shared their wisdom and their leaing with me.
I began studying philosophy and mathematical logic at the Univer
sity of British Columbia in Canada. Quine's deductive logic w disap
pointing for me because it was not possible to arrive at any further
knowledge than what was contained inthe premise. Godel 's proof seemed
to me to state that no mathematcal system was complete or possible to
complete unless you postulated "one". Because of disappointent with
this, I switched to English literature and language.
The study of literature at that time in Canada w basically the co
lonial syllabus of English classics with a developing branch of American
literature. I was fortunate at this tme to have as a mLntor Dr. Craig
Miller. He treated me as if I were special and, because of that, I wanted
9
10 The Yoga Tradition of the Mysoe Palc
to be special for him. I felt though that English literature was boring and
began to read whatever European literature. in tanslaton that I could
get my
h
ands on. I remember thinking when I graduated that I ought
to have known something about something. I did not feel I did.
I then went to Sweden where I began the study of European (called
world literature there) and Scandinavian literatre. My mentors here,
through difcult tmes, were Boel and Cl Reinhold Smedmark. They
helped me, often in spite of my fagging will, through Scandinavian
language, literature and culture. My leaing here was in the "old sys
tem", the French and German learning system. Eventually I studied
Histor of Religion and began an intensive study of Indo logy specializing
in Sanskrit. Sanskrit became my consuming interest and passion-an
inner urge which had no logical or rational source. Here, Chandrakant
Desai taught me to memorize and somehow or other awakened my
memor to many things. Mter seven years of study I was disappointed
with Euopean leaing. My teachers, philologues, kw all the irregu
larites of the language, but could not speak the language. This always
seemed like an artcial intellectual exercise to me. The study of religion
w really a study of European attitudes towards religion at diferent
periods in histor. Subsequently, I considered this the "orientalist" phase
of my educaton.
I beganstudyinginindiaat theCenteofAdvcedStudies in Sanskit
at Pune Universit. In Pune though, the main part of my leaing w
with Indian traQitonal leaing, eventually with paQQits and sastis. I
w ostacized for this; the Universit w considered progressive. The
Indian taditonal leaing system is a 2000year-ld apprentce system
which is, even in subjects such as l
o
gic and grammar, a metaphysical
system of learning. I have spoken of this in my paper "The Memor Eye".
That system has virtually disappeared today and I consider myself privi
leged for being able to share in that leaing in the small way I did. Mter
Pune, I studied with sastris in Mysore for another fourteen years. There
were many highly specialized paQQits and sstris there because of royal
patronage. For me, learning in this way w somehow a partcipation in
"mainstream" leaing. From that perspective, Wester leaing looked
like the soluton of pseudo-problems by means of ego assertion.
I remember with afecton many of the geat paQQits who gave their
tme to me -Sivakrishna Sasti, Srinivaa Sasti, Vighnahari Deo,
Peac t th Firt Editio 1 1
Ramasastri, S.N. Varadacarya, K.S. Varadacarya, Visvesvara Diksita,
Rmacandra Rao and others.
I began studying yoga in Sweden with a young Frenchman who had
recovered his body usage fom a crippling car accident. I studied with
B.KS. Iyengar in Pune during the fve years I w there. I felt that my
learing in.Sanskrit would never have been possible without the leamin g
in yoga from him. At present, I could not think of living itself without
the intangible beneft of the teachings in yoga.
In repect of this partcular work, I want to menton tat I applied
for grants from the Social Science and Humanites Research Council in
Canada a number of times in order to search in the libraries of Nata
maths, in private palace libries and so on in order to obtain materials
that might have added to this history of asanas. I had as embled a team
that could travel wit me covering nine languages and able to participate
in virtually any circumstnce -the circumstnces would have required
us to visit a ascetc yogins rather than scholars. The Social Science and
Humanites Research Council never saw ft to give that grant and I was
unable to carr out tat search. It alwys seemed to me that this w a
unique project, something that would give baic materials for research
and something that no one except myself would have been able to do.
I want to point out a well that this study is far fom complete. Apart
fom the possible materials that I have not been able to search for, there
is a wealth of literature-PUAS, AGAMS, independent studies that
have barely been noticed, Buddhist material and so on, all of which have
something to contribute to this history. It has been neglected because
o
f
the idea that Pataijali is the defnitive end of yoga, virtually the source
and the end of the tadition. That view is a superimposed orientalist
textual-based view.
Many fiends have supported me while I worked on this material.
Sr Dattatreya has asisted and supported me at all tmes. Without him
this book would not exist. I also wish to menton Suzanne and the late
Perez Meranji, )ette Zerfa, Swami Sivapriyananda, Carmel Berkson,
and Ktie Ohe.
Srikantadatta Narasimharaja Wadiyar permitted me to take
photographs of the yoga section of the SRATANIHI from the
Maharani's manuscript in the Sarasvati Bhandar Library. P.
Maribasavaradhya at the Oriental Institute in Mysore transliterated the
12 The Yoga Traition of the Mysoe Palc
Old Kanna<a script into danagar. Venkatacala Sasti at the KannaQa
Institute in Mysore translated MSUU MISIR for me and directed
me to varous other sources of information. Dr. Bill Walker went through
the text repeatedly making it "readable".
A work of this nature is perhaps abrasive to particular interests.
While awe of this, my intention has been to look as closely as I could
at the astounding development of this particular taditon and to exam
ine the yoga tradition as a whole through that. I consider, as many
people do, that yoga embodies a great mystery. I hope that what little
materal I have been able to collect will be of interest to the readers of
the work.
I am a participant in this tradition -a participant with rare prepa
ration and access to Indian scholastics. I have had intense taining in
yoga and a sustained interest in spiritual disciplines. I personally con
sider academics or knowledge an art of clear thinking rather than a
career. Thus, I place myself distnctly in the realm of the arts. The
academic objective viewpoint is a logical fallacy based on domination as
opposed to understanding. I feel that the only possible way of commu
nicatng any meaningfl sense of justice in this world is through one's
personal sense of order, one's aesthetc. The a, being a manifestation
of the human spit and love, are one of the few things that remain with
us in this world; one of the only things that have any value.
Mysore, 1995 N.E. Sjoman
/lysorc Pai111ing of lhc Eigln Yoga Cokras
Photogr:1ph: Swami Sivlpriyananda
Synopsi: Swmti Sivapriyananda
The presiding deities. of cakras :uc rcpresemed on each side of the ckras. There is an unknown cakra hdow the miimkrt which consists of two
haf moons or crescents that contain bia mamras and fgure of deilies that arc not clearly visible.
Around the figure. there nine yogis and three deities, alof ccm performing isanas. The isan:ts arc named in six CC.The upper lef
figure looks < if he is doing pamorrfnim111l The isanas is not named (the unmarked 3san:ts an nanllxl :lcording to Iyengar' nomcncl:uurc). The
deity beside him is doin
g
kinavl r-runi. The deity to the right of the fgure is doing gm1imu. nc figure in the upper riglu hand corner is
doing kapiliunmr. Below him is mnlrndr. The figure in the bottom right corner is doing dluwnmman' iiJmur. nu figure to the lt.ft of him is marked and
:tppcar to rnd _o.None of Lhe others arc marked. The middle figure appear to be doing mnJfirinwr. ll1c next 1 the left .]_1cr
to be doing a t./otoor prcpar.uion for th:u. The lef comer is not dt:ar a. an u.una. \n the left side the top figure .1ppca to he d()ing M ftmn
of garb!Jflpi;tii samr and the next one down is doing)'ognnidrtisnnn.
The p>inoing is probably dl>blc to the 18l cenH]by the style.
) d` . 3 . . g
l ..
..
, - - . . * ~
===1 d~.=-=
^ v .;. . .:
: @ .--
'. e.
^

c: =<~ _=r~
.
...... * "
(.:'1.,C"o c 'oo
- .

["'' , _- ..
!...-"
eo"-;u-

uo " = " t
&
^* .. _
~. _ ..
+

to--=
. Anantana
V.
3. A>i huJtann
5. Pn'ankasana
2. Ullintana
4. Naukimw
6. KnndukiimJn
" `
=+q3

Pl. 2
a
7.
9.
,
Dhvajasarw 8. Narakilarrn
Vttrasarra 10. l'rlctisarra
Parighasarw 12. Sarpasarra
13. Giana 14. Mnliana
Pl. S
15. Tarafiarw 16. Paradhiua11a
17. Ltlrigaliuarw 18. iana
19. ,radisa11a 20. Lut{hiwwa
. 9
21. Trikuiisn11a 22. .Sailkvtilnow
23. Rnthiana 24. Saiiisa11n
25. Ajiiaull 26. Citnkthann
Pl. 5
27. 1tikiana 21. llluimdt'tijiisflnfl
2!. 1itti)tisa 1a 30. /nkf Ha11n
-:- c ^~ ': g
W
#
" t= E "\=<-
"
. "
:~~
31. Knpilia nn
Pl. 6
33. Batlthapatlria na
35. LktuuH
32. Mayiri ana
!H. KhatgiJnna
36. Ktkkufiana
7: -: .. 0 <rx
e t . f
--_?=<7, :"
;
* c_
_a _ ~ &
c=<Q

.
Pl. 7
37.
39.
41.
\tnariisana
Ganfilalla
Pitiukim11a
<==
-0 c~Kg
&

_-.,-
<

38. Syntisann
40. Siiimw
42. Smpiia11a
'13. Parvatasarw
Pl. 8 45. HariiJana
47. Pi.isarw
_-,
. .. +=^

v

: r

-
c

44. Milisana
46. Dviir$isana
18. Uchi1akiisana
= oU 1
u
a

--
V @" % 9: e ..

=^T4-;__~-,J : (~1g
\J-c f

Ce=_L77
t~6= 18
'

g` _:- L~A--

e _-
-z .. u:. : -
"
- ;.-- o Co<r: c ..o:"
. :: .

c..

9. Onrnuibiislnn
Pl. 9
51. vmu03utm
53. Utpiliiwtw
_"
50. Gmhimtw
52. 1ubtislllfl
54. llfrrmtw
5:1. 'til(ntffifflllfl
Pl. 10
57. 1njJOiiJnnn
59. St'fJtiJnnn
?^P- " =-u
&
'
_ * -. :lo S!t
C ..
. e t .
z-;_>oT\
~

56. DhnwiJaun
58. htnHI'Stltld
60. 7nrnjaluki.nlla
61. Mia/ana 62. Truilramia1a
Pl. II
63. JarHIJimuz 61. YogiJarra
65. Daufiirma 66. Varnluisotw
GC[ ~ C =M
K
m );Cc
Ue - _ c
-
I.XOp-_=-~
67. Krartiaimna
. Z
O. 1/ar'IDlntJ
71. .ukrnua
_uo
\ 8
(
.
<;
..., 0 -
,,
.
68. \'fiYfijlfiQ
70. .mtsnnn
72. \'plliilfl
73. A.ladhaniana 74. Uuanapadiana
Pl. 13
75. Sukharw 76. Sirr hiana
77. Bhadriisana 78. Vr.mna
!
79. Padriana
Pl. 14
81. l'rapadalctiarw
L'~+t!~
-.~:;:; 'o ; T
<
- - -
,:d ~ @ 0
80.
82.
RA
Siddhasana
Mararttaniana
Jin+nsc`nn
4
4
85. UttOnakitruisnna 86. Viratisana
Pl. 15
Si. J\lt/ismw 88. Kukku{otnii.ana
HH mmnriitnkiictmn Vitw,ilnnrl\'ii.cnnn
Pl. 16
91. Kmlambiwna
93. Pnrpn{twna
O Ardharandriana
94. P,,hhi10na
96. +ilw
x
iiana
97. Biililitigiisana 98. 1ultilarakri.ana
Pl. 17
99. Bhiiriisana 100. Siwdtiann
101. St,nrgi.ana 102. .1lal.nrmlwpi{luisa m1
IO:. )"tm_tisnnn 101. l'tka{thatw
105. SukiJtnlla 106. Vtthiinolthincalla
Pl. 18
107. Ardhapaicimottiimisana 108. UrdllvopaiclmottGnlisana
109. Dharwrcana I 10. 1aufJinihnna
Ill. PangmraJia11a I 12. lnllguhuhkrt(tilalla

113. L0mhu50nn 114. \Q010hn

Pl. 19
115. '0d00050500 116. ffn+Iun@Hmddhm0nn
117. ff1jlllllSOIJI.\O(fH010 lit /7rlkluwltll
119. ('dunu1nnn 120. 1\UflfltUIIIf\fiWIIfl

.
.. . - C . .. c\. * `
o-:-o ---
- ooo '"".-
Q
"' ..
W

- ~~ q D :-

~
1 4
=77<'"" a.?
<~ . .

: (
.. _.. '" .: 1.
-~

0
---
q;y
'
-v '
=mi s
"r _ q 1 _ . .

r!-
.
Pl. 20 121. l'ogapn!!frWIn 122. .tijalrkiJtma
INTRODUCTION
T YOGA TmON OF TE
MSOR PACE
( he yoga tradition that evolved through the patronage and partici
pation of the Wodeyar royal family, rajas of the kingdom of Mysore,
has today supplanted or afected a majorit of the yoga teaching tradi
tions primarily through the teachings of B.KS. Iyengar and his students.
This tradition is strongly preoccupied with the practice of asaas or yoga
positions, appears to be distinct from the philosophical or textual tradi
tion, and does not appear to have any basis as a tradition as there is no
textual support for the asanas taught and no lineage of teachers. A tras
lation of the "SRATANIH"1 manuscript from the Mysore Palace
from somewhere beteen 1811 and 1868 containing 121 illustrations of
asanas presented here indicates some sort of textual basis. A attempt t<
trace the tradition historically indicates a much older tradition ad gives
us a glimpse into the actual evolvement of the teachings of yoga from the
time ofPataijali. This enables us to examine our ideas of"tradition" and
the treatment of tradition by the adherents of the textual tradition, the
ancient practitioners of yoga and the modern student of yoga who claim
ancient authorit. The attempt to study the asana tradition by comparing
names of asanas with older sources and other traditions reveals a com
mon fund and considers material that should give us a surprising ad
direct insight into dynamic living tradition-into the very essence of
tradition that makes it a living tradition rather tha a lineal historic
tradition create
d
and substantiated by academic tradition. Through the
understanding gained in this process, it is p

ssible to evaluate modern

practices of yoga which have evolved towards therapy within a dynamic
historical background. Through that, and the understanding gained from
actual practices, it i
s
possible to retur to the oldest source, Pataijali, and
re-interpret one of his sitras in what must be a more complete manner;
it makes the sitta meaningful.
35
36 The Yoga Tradition of the Mysore Palc
TH NATU OF II TRmON
In order to understand the development of the yoga tradition, the nature
of tradition itself within the context
o
f Indian arts and scholarship must
be examined. The term "tradition" evokes meanings or presuppositions
that are often not quite applicable in the Indian context. For example,
South Indian Music in its present form is more or less assumed to be a
standard form that has origins in a distant past. But forms that were
distinctly diferent, the thaye, which were performed less than f years
ago have totally disappeared such that the nature of their performance
is completely unknown today. However a manuscript exists in the Madras
Music Academy of ninet-ight thayes in full notation. The !kaye again is
the source of the modern tanam. Therefore a statement that South In
dian Music is ffteen hundred years old could be made and the contrary
statement that South Indian Music is less than fft years old could be
made with equal justice.
This point can be further illustrated in a more general context.
There are students of music who are repositories of centuries-old musical
performance traditions, there are scholars whose learning is based on
the textual tradition and devotees/ scholars of music, rasikas, whose
learning is based on musical theor connected With the performance
tradition. Technical texts on music that were written only a few hundred
years ago are now largely unintelligible. Historical scholarship based on
the textual tradition gives a substantially diferent picture from the body
of scholarship based on the performance tradition-but it is the perfor
mance tradition which is the "survivor" and not the textual taditon.
In other words, authorit must be qualifed according to point of
view and learning. But the term "tradition" has been invested with a sense
of the absolute. Lineal or historical tradition tends to superimpose its
authorit over dynamic or performance tradition. Performance tradition
draws on the inert lineal tradition for authenticit. Where historical ta
dition is unable to superimpose its authorit, it tends to exclude to maintain
its own integrit.
TE YOGA TRITION
The yoga tradition is a illustration of the above noted point. The San
skrit textual tradition from Patanjali, primarily based on Vyasa's com
mentary, has had some serious commentary work but nothing compared
Introduction 37
to Vedanta, for example. Even if the later haPa texts are considered to
be part of that traditon, the amount of philosophic or scholastic activit
around this school of thought is sparse. However, the philosophical school
of yoga has attracted Indologists in the West who have examined the
principles of the school and presented translations of the original works
and their commentaries. james Haughton Woods' translaton
2
-it could
almost be said that this is the standard translation-is done on the basis
of an exact word correspondence. In other words, it was not necessary to
know the intention, perhaps even the meaning of the original, in order
to make a meaningful translation. Bengali Baba did a translation
2
" using
a number of psychological terms trying to explain the concepts in the
sitas in psychological terms. Hariharananda
A
aiya
3
tried to realize the
principles of the doctrine as a spiritual/philosophical discipline and
translated taking account of his meditation experience. These transla
tions and others, whose relation to the practice tradition can be quite
tenuous, have been used carelessly by moder students of the yoga prac
tce taditon as authorit for their practices. Only Hariharananda
.
ya' s
translation, which is the least known amongst students of yoga, has any
relation to actual practice, and that practice is largely a revival based on
leaed philosophical contemplation of that text.
TA SUV OF T YOGA TmON
The textual tradition from Patafjali from an estimated 150 BC is a dead
textual tradition. Vyasa, the frst commentator on Pataijali, is generally
considered to have lost touch with the tradition already-i there was
one. There are well-founded opinions that the sitras themselves are not
the teaching of a complete consistent philosophical discipline but a col
lection of aphorisms of the different yoga practices in vogue at
that time. Some scholars4 refer to indications of an older "$$TIAR"
that was the "authentic" yoga text of which there is no extant manuscript.
It is specifcally brought up in response to the philosophical inadequa
cies of Patafjali's text. The classical commentators, sometimes with subtle
qualifcations, have treated Pataijali's YOGASOR as a philosophical
whole. There has been one documented attempt to put the teaching of
Patafjali into practice by Swami Hariharananda
A
ya5 who has written
his own commenta on the sitr. His contributon is an insistence on
a philosophical whole and a "perormance tradition". Since the distinc
tion has been made beteen a perormance and a textual or scholastic
38 The Yoga Tradition of the Jsore Palce
tradition, it might imply that we could make a distinction between a
philosophical tradition and a spiritual discipline tradition. Swami
Hariharananda's work is in specifc contadiction to that. Vacaspati Misra,
the most renowned commentator on the YOGASOR, was reputed to
be a great yogin and thus, at least according to legend, in specifc con
tradiction of such a distinction as well.
The ha!ha yoga tradition is equally enigmatc. The main texts appear
to date beteen 1400 to 1800.6 The HATHAPRi has the favour
f a text written_ by someone actually practisin_ g a spiritual discip]ine. The
SIA SAMITA/' the G// A SITA/' the GORKSTAK
1
11
and other texts have a distinctly literary or philosophical favour. There
is no tradition of actual practice coming from these texts although there
have been serious attempts at revival or creation of a practice tradition
based on these texts by Swami Kuvalayananda, founder of the Lonavla
school.11
.
The Natha or Kanpha yogins are often said to be the origin of the
ha!ha yoga tradition.
1
2 The legends about them, however, are replete
with magical practices, narcotic drugs, rejection of societ and initiation
with a mantra. The Natha tradition is difcult to reconcile with the ha!ha
yoga tradition which is commonly taken to refer to an intensive physically
oriented discipline. Many of the great Natha yogins, such as Matsyendra
nath, are also claimed as Buddhist yogins.
A fascinating documentation of hafha yoga or tantric yoga practices
does exist in the book Ha{ha Yoga
1
:\ by Theos Berhard which documents
his learning that took place sometime in the 1940's. In his book, he
supplements a traditional oral teaching with illustrative quotations from
the standard hafha yoga texts. The content of the teachings he learned
will be examined later. There are distinct similarities with the Natha
tradition and with ideas that developed in puralic times presumably
from the Pataijali tradition. This is virtually the only documentation of
a practice tradition and it is linked to the textual tradition by Theos
Bernhard who supplements his oral teachings with the appropriate tex
tual source for them.
Two collections of various texts on yoga are available - the
YOGACTA!J
1
'1
composed by the Royal Preceptor ( rijagur) of
Gajapati Pratparudradeva of Orissa ( 1497-1539) , which is rich in puralic
references and the YOGIKA1: entitled "An Ancient Treatise on
Yoga" which draws primarily on tantrc sources.
Introduction 39
MODE PRACC OF YOGA
The practice of yoga fourishes i almost ever corner of the world today
but not necessarily in the forms that might be expected. The meditation
practices and spiritual disciplines practised today do not appear to look
back to ancient traditon. Rather, they seem to be some sort of response
to modem civilizaton. While practice of prfuayama appears to be super
fcial and in decline, the practice of aanas has blossomed. B. K. S. Iyengar
has been the vital force 'in the popularization ofasanas all over the world.
His book, Light on Yoga, 16 frst published in 1960 gives over to hundred
asanas with illustrations. This book sered the popularization of asanas
as no other book did before that because of the number of asanas shown,
the clear no-nonsense descriptions and the obvious refnement of the
illustrations. He dedicates his book and his learning to his guru,
Krishnamacariar. The asanas shown in this book can be traced to
Krishnamacariar but not beyond him (this will be examined in detail
later) .
The asanas themselves are not unknown, for a similar set of asanas
with different names Ji was shown by Swami Vishnudevaanda, published
in his book Th Complte Ilustrated Book of Yoga. x He was a student of
Swami Sivananda, a dravidian belonging to the Diksitar family, the tra
ditional custodians of the Cidambaram temple. He must have inherited
their traditions.
Swami Yogesvarananda brought out a book in 1970 entitled First Stes
to Highe Yoga1 9 containing 264 asanas.211
Where do these asanas come from? Legend speaks of 84,00021 asanas.
Pataijali, the traditionally accepted and oldest source of the yoga tradi
tion, has none. The H THRiIK, the basic text on ha\ha yoga, has
only 15 asanas and the other text have only a few more.22 This total
absence of connecton beteen the taditional sources and modern tra
ditons does not help us to understand the continuit of the yoga tradi
tion.
The yoga textual tradition is not the basis of modem practices of
yoga. In fact, scholars of the textual tradition distinctly denigrate or
ignore modern yoga practices. But there is a strong, continuous and
diverse movement of serious yoga practice which does demand atten
tion: The modern traditin, as mentioned, is strong on asanas. Ae the
asanas really p

t of
t
he yoga system or are they created or enlarged upon
40 The Yoga Tradition of th Mysore Palce
in the ver recent past in response to moder emphasis on movement?
Modern practitioners of yoga have not been of much help. Most of them
have indiscriminately alleged the support of ancient authorities in order
to lend authenticic to their own practice. In fact, their practices have
no real textual justifcation and there is
n
o
c
ontinuous tradition of prac
tice that can be traced back to the texts on yoga.
THE SUJCT A SOUCE OF T PRE STUY
The asana tradition is the subject of this study. A study of the evolution
of the asana tradition, its relation to older yogic textual traditions, to yoga
practice taditons and to exercise systems curent during the period of
our study that have contibuted to that tradition as well as its relation to
the particular textual tradition to be traced here provides insight into the
history of the asana tradition. Through that a further insight into the
history of yoga itelf is inevitable as the pattern of evolvement unfolds.
The histor of yoga lacks virtually any kind of historical continuit apart
from that of the sparse texts on yoga which are far apart in tme, lacking
in substantial idea content beteen them, and without the context of a
suriving practice or scholastic tradition. Perhaps this is why this area has
not attracted serious historical attention.
The obvious direction to tur to is the performance taditon i the
hope of establishing some sort of meaningfl continuity through a re
examination of sources and through the reconstructon of performance
tradition. Until now, no textual source for seriously documenting an
asana tradition has been uncovered. The textual source presented here
is a part of the "
S
RATAIHI" manuscript i the Mysore Oriental
Institute. The illustrations are from the Maharani' s copy of the
"
S
RATAIHI" and fom the "HTHAYOGA PRiIK"23 both
manuscript from the Sarti Bhandar Librar, the private librar of His
Late Highness Sri jayachamarajendra Wodeyar, and presented here by
the grace of His Highness Srikantadatta Narasimharaja Wadiyar. The
il lustrations are of 122 asanas found in the yoga section of the
"
S
RATAIHI" The "
S
RATAIHI" is attributed to Mummadi
Krishnaraja Wodeyar who lived from 1794 to 1868. The illustations of
asanas are tken from the "HA THYOG PRiIK ", a compilation of
diferent yoga text. The date of this manuscript is not ascertainable. 24
The illustratons of the yoga asanas in the "
S
RATAIHI" at the
Oriental Institute are unfnished.25 The fgures have not been shaded
and colour has not been added to the seat and the vibhuti marks as in
Introduction 41
the other manuscripts. This text provides a unique documentation of a
diversity of asanas fom an earlier date than the modem texts -approxi
mately 150 years earlier. It is unique in its concentration on asanas.
The Mysore Palace is not merely the repositor of tis important text
on yoga; the Mysore Palace also patronized Krishnamacariar from whom
the most popular yoga tradition and practices of modem times have
arisen. This did not come directly through him but primarily through
the teachings of B.KS. Iyengar, his student.
This textual source and the historical material provide a vital link for
the student of the histor of yoga. However, they raise more questions
than they answer.
Before beginning a more detailed examination of the histor of yoga
and asanas, a descripton of the
S
RATANIHI and its origins is
necessar. The manuscript is a compilation of dhyinalkas, meditation
verses, probably compiled fom the PuraQas, describing the iconographic
details of deities that are worshipped or meditated upon. In addition, it
contains sections on games, animals, music, ragas, yoga and so on. The
manuscript, attributed to Mummadi Krishnaraja Wodeyar, initiates the
Mysore School of Painting.
Mummadi Krishnaraja Wodeyar w the greatest patron of- the arts
in Mysore. The artisans and scholars of the Viayanagara kingdom had
fed to Mysore and Tanjavur with the collapse of that empire. During the
reign of Mummadi Krishnaraja Wodeyar there was a renaissance in Mysore
of painting, music, literary productions and architecture. Over sixt
literary productions, many of them artistically illustrated, were attributed
to the Maharaja alone. He assumed the throne at the age of fve years and
was deposed in 1831 by the British for incompetence. His predecessors
and his successors all contributed to this period of intense artistic activit.
The
S
RATANIHiis one of the fnest product of the Mysore Royal
Court. Standards of music and art initiated there continue even today.
The Mysore court patronized Krishnamacariar whose yoga system, through
B. KS. Iyengar, has spread over the entire world. The
S
RATANIHI
is indicative of a long tadition of interest in yoga prior to Krishnamacariar.
DEOPM I T PIOSOPHC YOGA
TmON FOM PATAA
Yoga is one of the traditional orthodox philosophical disciplines in In-
42 The Yoga Tradition of.the Mysore Palce
dian thought. If its development as a school is to be considered, then the
evolution or line of thought in other sastras or philosophical disciplines
could be examined to compile a set of expectations for the yoga sastra
a well.21i Each sastra, in it4 beginning stages, tied to present a complete
metaphysical system. For exampl, nyiya, or logic, presented a range of
categories from gross matter to divinity. A this school of thought devel
oped, however, many of these categories became mere appendices; the
real concentration of the logic school w on the process of inference
itelf In the case of Vedanta, the proofs of Brahman and the various
corollaries of that dwindled in importance beside the establishment of
mithyitva or illusoriness or absurdity of any conditional proposition.
In the scheme of the sas as a whole, yoga enjoyed a unique position.
It was regarded as a metaphysical school or distinct philosophical posi
tion but it was also regarded as the means for pursuing virtually any
metaphysical discipline. A a means t
h
ough, the metaphysics of yoga,
specifcally the acceptance of duality in the form of pra and prakri,
was rejected by Vedanta27 and Nviya. The limbs or constituent parts of
this yoga were given by Pataijali as:
yamaniyamasanapi1iyamapratihiradhira1ihyinaamidhayals
[the eight limbs of yoga are yama (restaints) , niyama (obserances) ,
asana (yoga positions) , pra1ayima ( breathing practces) , pratyihira
(wthdrawal of the-senses) , dhira1i (concentration) , dhyina (medi
tation) , and samidhi (realization) ]
Speculation on the nature of the reducton to essential elements in
the yoga sasta comparable to the evolution in the other sastas as out
lined above, would remove yama and niyam, the restraints and obser
vances, frst.
A
sana, or movement ad stillness,
2
9 which involves both
the voluntar and the autonomic nerous system, would make yama and
niyama superfluous. :io They are contained in the idea of movement it
self. :u When the idea of movement is extended in this fashion, pri1iyi
'l
2
would probably either be considered as part of the concept of asana or
the culmination of asana evolvement having as its scope the refnement
of movement in the process of breathing. The other categories, pratihara,
dhara1i, dhyina, and samidhi, could be subsumed under samadhi as, in
fact, they are to a large extent in the text itself. In the text, they are treated
as contributor practices to samidhi ad ultimately become part of it.:
The next step would be the elimination of asanas since priTiyama would
Introduction 43
be the conclusion or fnal stages of movement. A we have seen, from the
very lack of textual information on them, from their treatment as subsid
iar to either pritiyima or samidhi, asanas have had a doubtful status in
the history of yoga as a whole. Then, if samidhi is the end of yoga, asanas
too could be eliminated and samidhi's causal factor (yoga is, tradition
ally, a means after all) , priTayima, could be considered the very essence
of yoga.
YOG CAby Sivananda Sati states pritiyima eibhyisa
kramea pratihiradhiratidhyinaamidhisabdenocate, 3 pritiyima, merely
by increasing its practice intensity, is called by the name pratyihira,
dhirati, dhyina, and samidhi. This is quoted in the commentary JYOTNA
on the HTHRDiIK.35 YOGACAlgives as its support for
this VASI$THA, 36 DA TATRYA, s; and SKAPlA3x and goes on to
quote exact measures and details for when pri1i yima becomes pratihira,
dhirati and so on according to these puraQic sources. These measures
refer to the length of the kumbhaka or retention of breath in pritiyima.
Viiana Bhiu in the YOGA VATIK39 on YOGASOR 3. 1, 2 and 3
refers to these ideas in his commentary on Patafjali on these terms and
quotes the GARUAPlA40 as authority for these exact measures. In
Hatha Yoga, Theos Bemhard41 makes reference to actual practices in
which he was required to suspend the breath for one hour, the minimum
requirement for samidhi. Theos Berhard goes on to say " .. .it is easy to
understand why samidhi is so seldom achieved. The discipline is too
severe. " The tradition of pritiyima has largely died out in modern times
since yoga has obtained the popularity of the masses: the decline in
practice is due to the spread of an exacting discipline into the general
population. However, the one limb that has fourished is the asana ta
dition.
T AAA TmON
If asanas are going to be the culmination of the yoga tradition or the
touchstone through which the tradition has been presered, they will
have to be examined in detail, shown to have a solid basis and shown to
have some sort of "mystique" that enables them to be considered as the
legitimate vehicle of a tradition that must be taken seriously either by the
mere fact of its surval or by the compelling nature of its present evolve
ment. A glance at the pictures in almost any of the myriad books on
aanas or yoga should be enough to make anyone suspect that they might
4 The Yoga Tradition of the Mysoe Palc
not make it to heaven or anywhere else they might be going on the asanas
illustated there.
Furthermore, records of asanas will need to be cross referenced in
order to try and trace some kind of historical continuity that would sere
as the basis for documentation of a historical tradition of asanas. This will
require tracing names and comparing the asanas themselves, where
possible, independently of the names.
What other sources could sere for such an investigation?
The vayamils, literally gymnasiums, are the indigenous exercise
arenas in the older cities of India run by the ascetic orders and by the
garti or wrestler orders. These continue to be popular even today
and represent a whole substrata of exercise that would be worthwhile
examining. These viyimils are places of exercise routines that are
primarily aerobic in nature. The movements practised in these places
incorporate muscular contraction and repettion. The exercise systems
of the West, coming from Grecian athletics, are based on muscular con
taction. Grecian athletics itself had military origins; its aim was the de
velopment of musculature on a movable limb in order to impel a weapon
efectively beyond the limits of the body. But the yogic system of move
ment is not based primarily on muscular contraction. It is based on
stretching. Furthermore, it centres on the spine and not on the limbs.
Muscular contraction does play a part in it, but only an initial part. Yogic
movement requires that the initial movement develops into stretching
and culminates in balance and relaxation.

The word for exercise in Sanskrit is viyam ( sal in vayam{j

literally means "hall") . Etmologically, the word consists of two parts, the
prefx vi which indicates separation and the root i, which means "to go".
Thus the word literally means something like "to go apart", something
like "stretching". Is the distinctive nature of yogic movement inherited
from an indigenous exercise system which preseres the clue to its basic
nature only in its name today?
This concept of stretching can be examined through Pataijali' s
sitram prayatnaaithilyinantaamapattibhyam:42 (asanas are accomplished)
by relaxing or loosening the efort and by meditating on the endless.
Efort or muscular contraction is required initially to acquire the posi
tion. This involves the conscious willing of the mind, the voluntar ner
vous system and then, in the accomplishment of that movement, the
Introduction
45
autonomic nerous system, the unconscious, takes over. Every movement
requires conscious volition and the uconscious content which deter
mines exactly how that movement is accomplished.
A an aside, to extend the idea of the unconscious further, it might
be added that the prime determinant of movement patter is habit; habit
is primarily the efect or consequence of all past infuences on the body I
mind and matures as unconscious.
In order to get rid of or transcend these conscious and unconscious
applications-of the mind or nerous system on movement capacities, the
sitra, after referring to them through the word prayatna (desire to move
being conscious and the action of moving being largely unconscious) ,
calls for saithila, loosening, relaxing or letting go, for stretching beyond
the tmels of the mind until we fnd balance, the awreness that is not
w verted through constrictions or object but is our basic nature, the state
of unhindered perfect balance, Pati jali' s anantaampatti or medita
tion on the endless. This is the only wy that one can trscend the
conditioning of past habit recorded i the unconscious or involutay
nerous system. The prerequisite for relaxation is efort, of course, as
only a muscle that is worked is able to relax (that is, there is a distncton
beteen dormancy and relaxation) .
In other words, each movement begins with efort, matures into
stetching to reach an ultimate position, then recedes fom that to attn
balance which is thus a form of transcendence or revelation. The basis
of this conception of movement is the revelational method of leaing
employed in all Indian metaphysical philosophical systems. 43 The met
physical presuppositions that have made such an idea of movement
possible are basic to most Indian religious-philosophical thought.
Pataijali' s sitra explains the basic principle of yogic movement. It is a
fnctional defnition rather than descriptive or exclusive. Here "tran
scendence" seres as the necessar "mystique".
The ver word "asana", etymologically, means to sit, rest, to come to
rest. 44 It is formed from the verbal root a meaning to sit. But the wor
d
"asana" has been used far more promiscuously than this basic etmologi
cal sense. It is used to refer to positions i archer and wrestling. 45 It
_
is
also used generally to refer to a seat and occasionally to thrones. In fact,
even i respect of yoga, only a few asanas are referred to i older text
and most of these are asanas that are conducive to meditation or seated
46 The Yoga Tradition of the Mysoe Palc
worship. However, the force of the word payatna, in Pataijali' s sitra,
seems to indicate something contrary to the idea of "coming to rest".
However, it could not be construed as being in confict with the defni
tion given in the previous sitra. Therefore the word would suggest a
system of asanas which includes more asanas than the sedentary medi
tation positions found primarily in later texts.
The HTHARlJK46 does refer to asanas that would not be
used merely for meditation. But the general thrust seems to be towards
meditaton in that work. It is not possible to postulate a developed asaa
practice from that text or other texts from which the hatha yoga tradition
is assumed to have arisen. Theos Bernhard47 used the asanas to build up
skills in sustained efort and concentration that were related to later
meditation practices. The asanas, extended for long periods of time,
were used as thresholds. That is, a time limit or repetition limit was set
for a specifc practice; when that was accomplished one entered on the
next practice. Often, a particular limit was presented as proof of the
requisite strength, both physical ad psychological, to contnue on in the
next phase of teaching. The extensions of time referred to in the
puraQa-s in regard to fririyima are here applied to asanas as well.
Bernhard's book is our only document of a yoga system in actual practice.
Theos Berhard lays the basis for the mystique of yoga, the powers and
the meditation states, in the physical as one would expect in haha yoga.
The asanas become a vehicle or means for building up will power or
determination, used as a goal that one must transcend by extraordinar
physical and mental determination.
The Nathas add an interesting dimension to the mystique:
What is the good of begging if a man has no belief Only those in
love with death can acquire jog. Good men subdue the passions by
riding on the horse of patience and holding the reins of remem
brance. Jog means to be dead when alive. One has to sing the song
of nonentit using one's meagre body as an instrument. One's self
has to be entirely absorbed. You will never be able to undergo jog.
What is the use of asking for it? Child, listen, God has made his
abode in this body of dust. He is in everything as a thread through
beads. He is the breath of life in the living. He is, as it were, the spirit
of bhang and opium. He is the life in the world as the (blue) colour
in the indigo. He permeates everyhing as blood runs through all
the bodies of men.-
Introduction
47
One point should be noted here. It is the body which is the instrument
through which spiritual aims are achieved. This is hatha yoga. The Natha
statement is an uncompromising insistence on a spiritual discipline. But
the suggestions and viewpoints are ver diferent from those of righteous
and enthusiastic practitioners of hatha yoga today who treat the asanas
as a symbolic-magic complex under a pseudo-scientifc garb.
It seems that the concept of asanas as a medium of exploration of
the conscious and unconscious mind has been lost sight of A illustrated,
Patafjali and the Nathas seem to use that as the main vehicle of their
doctrine. Theos Berhard documents the practice of this concept giving
descriptions and details of each of the thresholds as the puralic sages
did. He even went one step further and gave his own evaluations after
successfully completing each practice assigned to him.
One would have expected the development of yoga to have contin
ued the direction of the thresholds as that set standards for the ultimate
achievements of samdhi and the intermediar stages. Furthermore, in
the natural evoluton, one would have expected some kind of refnement
in that practice. The most obvious concentration of the refnement would
have been towards precision in asanas. Even if the thresholds would have
been abandoned because of their seemingly extreme demands or be
cause of the loss of standards in the kaliyuga, precision in asanas would
have been an expected dimension of study for those still interested in
yoga as a spiritual discipline. But we fnd few records indicating refne
ment, although a case for that could be made by critically considering the
photographs of asanas found in Theos Bernhard' s book.
It is only recently, through the work of B.K.S. Iyengar, that this di
rection has been taken up. In fact, his work is a reformaton of the asana
system that he was originally taught. He has re-rdered the asanas con
sidering the physiological nature of the movement in each asana indi
vidually and insisted on a principle of precision that is not found or
cannot be determined from the older texts on yoga or even in the mod
em books of his contemporaries. His western students have gone even
further with the concept of precision drawing on the understanding of
movement, muscle fnction and anatomy built up in the physiotherapy
and functional anatomy schools of the West.
In other words, the asanas become complete in their own right, they
have their own indigenous "mystique". The realization of that "mystique"
48 Th Yo
g
Traitio of the Mys(e Palc
will be in the complexities of the movement itself -a suitable object
considering the complex psychophysical nature of movement, stllness
and balance. This is in distinction to, but at the same time partakes of,
the earlier mentioned symbolic-magic teatment of asanas, the use of
them as a means of exploration of the conscious and the unconscious
and the use of them as thresholds or vehicles of tanscendence.
In most popular books on yoga today there are persistent references
to the therapeutc value of asanas. It is eas to understand why the thera
peutic value of asanas has attained a place of prominence. Obyously,
people will be attacted to a particular asana which promises certain
curative results to say nothing of the religious concept of the healer. But
this presupposes a direct cause-fect relaton beteen an illness d an
asana. If asanas are considered fom a therpeutc point of view at all,
then they must be considered within a holistc fework. The therapeu
tic cause-fect relation is a later superimpositon on what w originally
a spiritual discipline only. In a holistic system, instead of working with a
particular symptom, the many asanas are used to cleanse the body and
strengthen its defence system in order to eradicate sickness. Any attempt
to use a specifc asana to alleviate a certain symptom is another use
altogether of the asana system; it applies it with psychological placebo
efects which, indeed, cannot entirely be discounted either. The many
textual indications of therapeutic values and the experience of serious
practitioners of yoga make this a prominent feature in yoga practices of
today. The listing of therapeutic values in connecton with asanas is really
part of the phalti tradition of sastric and popular Indian thought; it
supplies a good reason for doing some partcular thing. There are much
older yogic connectons with medicine through such concepts as the
prara doctine. 49
T MODE AAA TmONS
Why is there such a paucity of textual information or any information on
asana taditions? It is possible to trace a sketchy line of evoluton of the
praQayama tradition through puratic times noting trends of refnement,
classifcation and precision. But the asana tadition is not so dear. A rich
modern asana school exists which has been refned, is carefully classifed
and has developed a precision which is manifest only when something
is considered as meaningful in its own right But beteen the modem
schools and the textual material we have only Theos Bernhard's record.
Introducion 49
B.KS. IGA'S A TCG
B.KS. Iyengar in Light on Yogt lists two hundred asanas. Many of these
asanas however are vaatons within a posture and by grouping such
variants under a single asana the list could be reduced quite easily to
about f principal asanas.51 Twent-three asanas are named after dif er
ent objects like mountain, tee and so on. Aother thirt-three are named
after deities or legendar fgures. Twent-two are named after animals
and eleven are named after dif erent states of the mind. Seventeen are
named after birds. Three are meditation positions. A overhelming
eight-three asanas are simply descriptive of a partcular positon as "one
foot in the air bow posture".52 This is only a rough classicaton because
some of them belong to one categor but their variants have descriptions
added that would mae them belong to some other categor. It would
be expected that an emphasis on asanas and precision would favour mere
descriptive names. Many of the animal or object names might be used
to indicate a particular power in that being that is acquired fom taking
the position named thus. It would also be probable that legend names
and other names would be retained to give authenticit and respect from
an older tadition. This would lead one to suspect that the simple de
scriptive names might represent asanas that have been developed later.
How are we to tace our asana system? Pattabhijois in Mysore teaches
the same asanas as B.KS. Iyengar. The systems are diferent; B.KS. Iyengar
thoroughly reformed the system that he learned though the asana con
tent is common. Pattabhijois claimed that he, not Krishnamacariar, was
Iyengar's guru. Krishnamacariar did have many dif erent teachers work
ing for him. They would have been teaching his yoga system though,
therefore he would receive acknowledgement for that. Pattabhi Jois
leaed from T. Krishnamacariar for 18 years and claims to teach the
same asana system that he originally learned.
But, asanas similar to tho$e that Iyengar teaches occur in the book
by Swami Vishnudevananda.53 Swami Vishnudevananda claims Swami
Sivananda as his guru. Ad there are asanas in other traditions that are
common with this fund as well.
Aside from that, there is a certain amount of historical material from
the Palace that indicates older sources. These materials do not necessar
ily indicate a continuous tditon preceding Krishnamacariarfom which
he would have descended but they must be examined together with the
modern books that seem to derive from other traditions.
50 The Yoga Tradition of the Mysore Palc
PATAI JOIS'S AANA TCIG
The asana system taught by Pattabhijois is an argement of asanas into
three distinct groupings of primary, intermediate and advanced asanas:4
with their vinyasrs.55 The vinyasas are movements beteen asanas. The
frst six vinyasrs are part of the suranamakara ( sun salutation move
ment) , the next few are the. asana itself. The reversal of the frst ones
follows and then a repetition for both sides (for an asana done working
on one side and then the other) adding up to a number of vinyaas that
varies depending on the particular asana. 56 These vinyasas become more
elaborate in advanced asanas. The asanas are held for counts of breath
which increase with skill and endurance. There is an elaborate and con
fusing system of inhalation and exhalation with each asana. Students
learn the series and repeat the same aanas ever day with their vinyaa
and breath routines adding a new asana when capable. This usually in
volves about to and a half hours of continuous movement to complete
one of the series and is ver strenuous. Pattabhijois published a book in
Kanna<a called the YOG
A.
. 5i The asanas have virtually the same
names as those given by I yen gar in his Light on Yoga. 5x
B.KS. INGA'S RFORTON OF T
JOIS/KSHAC SES
Iyengar re-arranged the series into groups of standing asanas, (lateral
movements of the spine) , forard bends, backbends, tistings, hand
balancings and inversions. He discarded the vinyisa systems and the
breathing routines commenting in his book on pra'ayama that they
distracted from the asana itself 59 He held the aanas for extended peri
ods of time. He eliminated the "continuous movement" sequences built
up through the vinyisas which were a prominent feature of the old
system. He introduced ideas of precision, penetration and introspection
into the asana system.
KISHAMC'S YOGA TCIG
Krishnamacariar was appointed at the Mysore Palace in the early 1930's
to teach yoga to the Arasu boys, the materal relatives of the royal family.
Through the patronage of Nalvadi Krishnaja Wodeyar, he opened a
Yogasala or Yoga School which contnued until 1950. He worked inten
sively on this and on the promotion of yoga (called "propaganda work"
Introduction 51
at that time) . Aready in 1945 there ae complaints of lack of interest in
the yoga school recorded in the Palace archives. The numbers of stu
dent declined until fnally the school was closed.
During that tme Krishnamacara wote his frst book on yoga called
YOGKA, 6 the publicaton of which was paid for by His Late
Highness. There are no indications of where he originally leaed yoga.
However, in the Palace archives, there exist a copy of the original preface
to his book. This preface w subsequently scrapped and replaced. It
reads:
The author, while yet an urchin, had the unique privilege of being
taught 24 asanas and blessed by his Holiness, the late Sri Narasimha
Bharati Swamigalavaroo ofSpgeri Mun. What he had learnt during
his boyish days the author kept in his memor and practice and in
later years he had an opportunit of being trained in Yoga Sastra in
accordance with the prescribed canons of Pr3ayama and the sev
eral vinyasas by Sjt Ramamohan Brahmacari Guru Maharaj ofMukta
Narayan Ketra (Banks of the Gandaki61 ) .
(Mysore Palace Archives) 62
The Srngeri Matha was defnitely a place of leaing in those days.
Krishnamacariar may have attended the Pataala, the taditional San
skrit school there and there may have been courses in yoga. One would
not have expected serious yoga teachings though in this advaitin centre.
The series of over to hundred asanas found with Iyengar and Pattabhi
Jois are not shown in this book nor in his subsequent books.63 Thirt
eight asanas are illustated.6 Simple asanas are shown together with ver
complex advanced asanas. Pattabhi Jois also mixes asanas indiscrimi
nately in this way. Krishnamacariar shows standing asanas, balancings,
backbends and forard bends but not all that must have been known to
him. It is stated in this book that this is the primar book on asanas
suggesting that he knew many more asanas. 6
He gives the therapeutc result6 distngishing the result for men
and women. He gives details of the vinyaa.61 to be done with each asana
and these compare wth those given by Pattabhijois and with the breath
ing instructions. He states the length of time asanas are to be held;
sometimes ten minutes, sometimes ffteen. 6 This is a signifcant point as
this becomes systematized to a single repetitive breath tme common for
all asanas wth Pattabhi Jois and with Krishnamacariar's later teaching.
52 The Yoga Tradition of the Mysore Palc
Part of Iyengar's reform consists of holding individual aanas for e;
tended periods of time. The aanas in his book do not compare with the
primary series of Pattabhijois. Therefore it seems logical to assume that
the form that we fnd in the series of asanas with Pattabhijois w devel
oped during Krishnamacariar' s period of teaching. It was not an inher
ited format.
He gives a bibliography in his book. 69
KSHAJA WODEY-STUENT AD
PATRON OF YOGA
The Wodeyars were closely connected with the British at that tme. The
British had restored the ancient Wodeyar royal family who had been
livng in seclusion in Mysore to the throne again in 1799 and they were
politically indebted to the British as well as culturally impressed. They
were particularly interested in reform of the education system and in the
arts and music in an Indian context. They were impressed with Britsh
prowess and superiority. The exercise system prescribed for the develop
ment of the Crown Prince, Krishnaraja Wodeyar, was a combination of
the indigenous Indian exercise system and wester gymnastics. This seems
to set the tone for the synthesis that will be i)lustrated later on
and allow us to examine the previous records, specifi cally the
"SRlATANIHI" manuscript, with this concrete example in mind.
In order to understand the development and continuance of this
yoga school or tradition, we must now tum to its foremost paton, Nalvadi
Krishnaraja Wodeyar, the Maharaja of Mysore, at the time of the incep
tion of the Yogasala in 1930.
Krishnamacariar was his yoga guru. Initially, he had been installed
to teach yoga at the Palace. Eventually, as mentoned, Krishnaraja Wodeyar
appointed him to establish and operate the Yogaala, an independent
yoga institution. Subsequently Krishnamacariar taught yoga in the
Pahasala, the traditional Sanskrit college in Mysore.
AIASWAMYA V ARU;o describes the regular exercise routine of
the Crown Prince, Krishnaraja Wodeyar, as a child. There are pictures of
him with a set of parallel bars with his companions and a description of
the exercise and gymnastcs that he attended regularly. One further
record of Krishnaraja Wodeyar' s yoga practice exists; it is an eye witness
account of his routine found in MJSORU MISJRi1 an artcial verse
Introduction 53
biography ofKrishnaraja Wodeyar from 1933. It contains a description of
asanas done before Krishnamacariar' s time. Unfortunately, there are no
details or records of his learing under Krishnamacariar.
In fact, there are no Palace records earlier than 1897 of patronage
or practice of yoga because of the fre of Februar 28, 1897 when large
portions of the old Palace, including all the Palace archives, were de
stroyed. Therefore, even though the "SRATANIHI" manuscript
comes from an earlier period, the accompanying records that would have
documented an accompanying tradition, patronage or even the circum
stances connected with the manuscript do not exist.
It appears that Krishnamacariar w given the old gymnastics hall
containing gymnastic apparatus and ropes hanging from the "ceiling as
his yogasala. 7 The Palace archive records show that Krishnaraja Wodeyar
was interested in the promotion of yoga and continually sent
Krishnamacariar around the countr to give lectures and demonstra
tons. These lectures often included information on health and the
therapeutic aspects of asanas. Testimonials of persons cured were pre
sented and such records are still found in the Palace archives. Krishnaraja
Wodeyar provided funds for the publication of Krishnamacariar' s book
and fnds as well for to thousand feet of flm to be shot ofB. KS. I yen gar
in Pune by Captain V. B. Gokhale. Iyengar w eventually deputed by the
Maharaja to teach in Pune.
T MSORE PACE GYATCS TmON
Fortunately, a manual of the gymnastics exercise system surives today,
the WAYAMDlPIK,;3 Elements of Gymnastic Exercises, Indian System
by S. Bharadwaj. Bharadwaj acknowledges the help of Veeranna, previ
ously mentioned, in the Knna<a introduction (it is not mentioned in
the English intoducton) and it is probable that Bharadwaj was Veeranna's
student. N alvadi Krishnaraja Wodeyar' s gymnastcs teacher w Veeranna,
installed at the Palace from 1892 to 1901 . Bharadwaj claims the book is
an attempt at the revival of Indian exercises. ;4
The WAYAM DlIK is a compilation. Under the divisions of
exercise Bharadwaj states that English exercise consists of gymnastics,
trapeze, parallel bars and so on whereas the Indian system consists of
bodybuilding, wrestling and the use of weapons.;5 In contradistnction
to indigenous texts on exercise found in the Indian wrestling community
54 Th Yoga Traditio ofth Mysoe Palc
which tend to stress strengthening efects on diferent parts of the body
in isolation,76 Bharadwaj stesses the efects on body and mind of exerce
and the specifc efects of particular exercises. In other words he gives
therapeutic results. Chapter 1 of the VYAYA DiIK is on walking,
running, hopping and jumping. Chapter 2 is on the da4aexercises. The
dafa exercises are variations of push-ups. They are a very old series of
exercises and occur in yoga as suranamakarts. They can be broken
down to include individual asanas such as tatasana, padahastiana,
caturangaafiana, and bhujangiana. They appear to be the primar
foundation for Kshnamacariar's vinyits. They are used by Indian
wrestlers and are probably the core of indigenous Indian exercise. Chap
ter 3 is a series of kee bends or squatting exercises. Chapter 4 is a series
of sitting leg exercises for stengthening the kees. Chapter 5 is a series
of exercises "to make the body light" and Chapter 6 contns fnger
exercises, dumbbell exercises and calisthenics. Chapter 7 deals with
parallel bars.
The text is a refection of the spirit of the time which tried to draw
the best from as many sources as it had access to and to give them some
kind of reasonable explanation which followed the imported metaphysic
of a sound mind in a sound body.n It is a compilation attemptng to be
a synthesis.
Chapter 5 of the VYAYA DiIK is of particular interest here. It
illustrates to variations of an exercise called valvarae, exercise against
the wall. The frst of these is called urdhvahanuriana1K in Iyengar' s book
and is a backbend done against the wall in Iyengar's system as a prepa
ration for advanced backbends. The second variation does not have a
specifc name in Iyengar's book but is an exercise taught by him called
'\alking down the wall".79 It is another of his preparator exercises for
advanced backbends. These are not shown in his book but are part of his
actual teaching. There are to variations called nelml kalpa'i and
godel kalpaiRo which are named mafali ana in Iyengar' s book but
are done disparately on each side rather than continuously as in Iyengar's
book, one from the foor and one from the wall. These probably origi
nate from the wrestler's exercises done on an oiled post. The text also
mentions a handstand against the wall called adhoukhaviana by
Iyengar. The text lists mayuriana by that name. Mayuriana is one of the
asanas referred to ver early in yoga literature on asanas. RJ The text men-
Introduction 55
tions a kattar varae which is referred to by Iyengar in balacings and
other places as 1variana, this exercise being a half !vakriana
repeated on each side. Manga112 is dropping back fom a handstand
and coming back up. This is one of the ver important backbend move
ment taught by Iyengar but not shown separately in his book. Beside that
is hinga11U,R the renowed vipartacariana of Iyengar' s system. This
movement is perhaps the fnest of Iyengar's movements and forms al
most the cente of his teachings on backbends. Needless to say, it is not
found in any other yoga book that shows asanas. The illustration in the
VYAYAM DiIK shows a student helping another in the movement.'H
This is exactly the way that the movement is taught by Iyengar. Sidhivarae
is known as bakiana in the yoga sstem and is included in the series of
movements caled baacings; jhil is lli ana. The da?4a movements
illustrated in the text, as mentioned before, are most reminiscent of
Krishnamacariar' s vinyias and Iyengar's series called "jumpings".
It is quite clear that the yoga system of the Mysore Palace from
Krishnamacariar is another sncretism drawing heavily on the gmnastic
text, but presenting it under the name of yoga. Signifcantly, specifc
movements found in that text are taught in the yoga sstem but are not
named - they form part of the preliminar, or "opening", exercises
done before the main aas in the series. Politically, the yoga exercise
system is an exercise sstem that is indigenous like the da'a exercises
but less obviously foreign than the gymnastics sstem. Furthermore it has
incororated into it the major part of the gmnastcs sstem. But there
is a more exotc element in the yoga sstem than the da'4a exercises
popular amongst the wrestlers and quite as dull and out of vogue as push
ups and sit-ups in the West. On the yoga exercise sstem, the whole
metaphysics and myster of yoga can be grafted on without question. This
grafting had already occurred when Krishnamacariarwrote his frst book.
He drew on yoga literature as if it were part of his practice and his expe
rience.
There is great distance beteen the intense reform movement pre
sented here -the movement toward making yoga something for ordi
nar people and the tditional ideas of the ancient yogi superman.
Pehaps one should recall the searches ofDayananda Sat who spent
9 years in the late 1800's wndering through the Himalays searching for
yogis of the second sort without any success and having come across the
56 The Yoga Tradition of th Mysore Palc
HATHRlIK and other texts threw them away considering them
pererse. R5.
T MSOR PACE WTG TfON
Before discussing the asanas in the "SRATANIHr, we should look
briefy into the exercise systems of the westlers. One of the few older
texts on the wrestlers is the MLUA.86 The manuscript of that
text is dated 1 640 but the text, according to the manuscript editors, is of
a much older date, from the telfth or thirteenth centur. The wrestlers,
originally armed brahmins from Gujarat, migrated to places where royal
patronage w available, especially since they partook in royl ritual at the
time of the dasara festval. Mysore w one of the places to which the
wrestlers migrated and a community of je{{i. settled in Mysore.8; The
MLPUA gives the exercises that were done at that time, some of
whose names can be traced to later texts and practices.
Chapter 1 0 of the ML UA gives details of sixteen groups
of exercises called sramas. These are 1) Rangafama or wrestling itself;
. 2) Stambha$ramaor exercises on a pole or pillar. Four types of pole move
ments are listed; one group is on a large pole fxed in the ground and
oiled, another on a pole which is like a stick, a third group is on a pole
system with to more poles suspended from that and the fourth is with
a long cane. These seem to have fallen into disuse in Mysore except for
the large oiled pole in the ground which is used for practising grips in
the garai. today. 3) Bhirama1ikaama (unknown) ; 4) Sviapreaikaama
are exercises for stamina such as running, skipping and so on;
5) Sthapita5rama, perhaps exercises done erect; 6) Uapoha$ama is said
not to be an exercise; 7) & 8) Gr (heavy) and lghu (light) Gitakarama
are stone rings or weights fastened on poles that are trled around the
body in various ways; 9) Pramada is exercises wth the use of clubs;
10) Amardanki$ama seems to be a form of massage; 1 1 ) Asthadanaka is
a da'a exercise for the lower parts of the body; 1 2) Ku'akaank is
some sort of calisthenics with circular movements; 13) Anyakrkara$rama
(unknown) ; 14) jalrama is swimming; 1 5) Soaniroha1a is climbing
steps and pyramid building;A 16) Bhoanodhavabhram7ikais assumed to
be another type of calisthenics.
Of great interest in the ML URA is a list of asanas in Chapter
eight.89 One plus seventeen asanas are listed here making a total of eigh-
Introduction 57
teen (a manuscript confusion is mentioned in the notes to the text) . This
list contains asanas found in the SRATANIH/and nowhere else. It
also refers to Sraana, 90 the headstand, which is not refered to in the
HTHARiIK and is not only one of the most important asanas in
modern yoga systems but is claimed to be the very essence of yoga itself.
This reference is doubly interesting because, in the midst of a text on
indigenous exercise systems dating from the twelfth to sixteenth centu
ries, there is a distinct reference to asanas. Aanas have been refered to
injaina and Veerasaiva texts from the twelfth century but not in such an
extensive form as this. 91
T YOGA SECON OF T 8RAFAH
The divisions in the SRATANIHI are curious. First of all, there is
a section of eighty asanas separated from the rest. The asanas over and
above the eighty asanas are given as "additional asanas". It is unlikely that
the frst could be considered a basic set as many of the established or
traditional asanas are found in the later section. Another text, a lexicon,
the SK A TA.found only in manuscript in the Oriental
Institute which originally came from the Palace Library, lists its items on
the basis of number. Under the number eighty, it lists asanas but gives
the HA THAYOGARiIK, mentioned earlier, as its source. But the
HTHYOGARiIK, a compilation of yoga texts in an illustrated
manuscript in the Palace Library, contains the one hundred and twenty
one asanas found in the SRATANIHI as well as others.
There are other divisions in the SR A T ANIHI txt that are
demarcated. Aanas 1 to 1 1 are "from the back". Aanas 1 2 to 15 and 1 8
are "from the stomach". Asana 52 and onward are called "standingasanas".
More divisions could be made from the text itself such as asanas involving
movement, asanas done on ropes, asanas which involve repetitive move
mnt, asanas with bird names and so on.
There are confusions in the text. Asanas are referred to in the text
that are part of an asana that is illustrated. But the earlier base asana is
not shown as in asana 1 1 1 . Here, mayuraana, a very old asana, is referred
to but not shown in the text. In asana 1 07, ardhapa.cimottinaana is men
tioned but not pa.cimottinaana, presumably prior to that by virtue of its
name. Even more confsing, asana 1 08 illustrates what is known as
pa.cimottinaana today but calls it garbhaana. Asanas 94 and 1 18, difer
ent asanas, have the same name. Asana 23 mentions rijaana but that
58 The Yoga Traition of the Mysoe Palc
asana is not explained separately i the text. .sana 34 mentons sarali ana
and 35 mentons arhyasana neiter of
;
hich are mentioned elsewhere.
The text is sometimes not understandable without the picture and is
often less detailed than desirable. It should be mentioned that earlier
text that describe asanas give a minimal description probably because
they sered more as mnemonic devices to direct teaching than as teach
ing manuals. But there appea to be even greater defect in the text here
that would lead one to assume that the scribe might not be familiar with
the asana practices. Obviously more asanas must have been known and
a part of common heritage. Our text represent a ver rich asana tradi
tion but it is not meant to be a complete expositon of all known asanas.
Many of the movement asanas are explained as a movement from
one asana to another and remind one of the vinyaa movement. A series
of asanas involve repetitions, walking and crawling in particular positons
which are reminiscent of the indigenous exercise system used by the
westers. The siranamkara or dT exercises are found in the text.
There is a large number of bird asanas and a number of asanas per
formed on ropes.
The rope asanas are particularly interestng. As mentioned earlier,
the wester's stambhorama included four kd of pole props, one of
which was suspended. There is an ancient at connected with the wes
ters called mlhambha which is basically movement on a pole. Asso
ciated with this are asanas done on a rope. These have been lost in Mysore
but were revived in Maharastra under the Peshva Bajirao II by Balambhatta
Dada Deohar. The origins are taced to a text MASOLAS from
1 1 35 A (unseen by author) . The traditon has surived up to present
time in Maharastra and competitions are held ever year. 92 Furthermore,
the photograph of the yoga.ala at the beginning of Krishnamacariar's
book shows to ropes suspended from the ceiling.93 There is no refer
ence to ropes in any of the gymnastcs text. To the author's knowledge,
it is not used in kalrpayau, the martal a tditon fom Krala. Where
it might have been used, however, is for practce in scaling walls of fort
which must have constituted a part of Britsh milit taining and pos
sibly indigenous taining. From Maharastra to Kataka there is a leg
end, repeated in diferent context, that soldiers ted a rope around a
lizard called an uQa and threw it on the wl where it clung while the
soldiers scaled the wall and entered the fort.9 The British did train a
cavalry in Mysore and stormed the Srirangapata fortifcations only
Introduction 63
1:Nath Aghorananda, YOG-KIK (Delhi: Eastern Book Linkers, 1 981 ) .
11B.K.S. Iyengar, Light on Yoga ( London: George Allen and Unwin Ltd., 1 966) .
17See Appendix I for an alphabetical list which has notes of comparison regarding
names and asana fonns to Iyengar's asanas and to the SRlATANIHJ.
11Swami Vishnudevnanda, The Complte Il ustrted Book ofYoga (New York: Harmony
Books, 1 960 & 1 988) .
19Rajayogachara Bala-Brahmachari Shri Vyasade,ji Maharaj now Brahmarshi Shri
1 08 Swami Yogeshvarananda Sarasvatiji Maharaj, First Stes to High Yog (India: Yog
Niketan Trst, 1 970) .
see Appendix I I for an alphabetical list.
21 GHRASfHITA 1 1 . 1 says there are as many asanas as species of animals and
that Siva has enumerated 84,000 of them. 11.2 goes on to say that 84 are good amongst
those and that 32 of them have come to the world of men. GORKSATAK 1 . 6
mentions 84,000 of which 84 have been passed down and HATHAPRDiPIK 1. 33 refers
to 84 asanas enumerated by Siva.
see Appendix III.
2'his is not the text that we know by this title today but a compilation of diferent
texts on yoga. This text has never been published and exists only i n the Sarasvati Bhandar
Library. I t is not possible to determi ne whether it is earlier or later than the
SRAIANIHI.
21 1t does not appear to b in the list of sixty or so works attributed to Mummadi
Krishnaraja Wodeyar.
The Oriental Institute allowed me to take only four photographs in the yoga section
of the Sl A TANIHI i n their possession.
2here is an alterative school of thought here which claims that the evolvement
ofthe yoga/saikhya school ofthought reached its culmination in Vedanta; for a sample
ofthis see D. N. Sastr, A Crtiqu ofIndian Realism (Agra: Agra University, 1 963) . Sankara
in BRHMS0RM2. 1 . 3 allows the practices of yoga exclusive of the dualistic ultimate
entities i n that school thus not recognizing an evolution as such but indicating a parallel
development with other sstras.
2 BRMSURM 2. 1 .3.
2 YOGASUR 2. 29.
:! 'his is based on an interpretation of Patafjal i's sfnra on the means of doing an
asana, namely, prayatnaaithil)inantaJamipattibhyim (an asna is accomplished by slack
ening the efort and meditating on the eternal ) . The principles of yogic movement are
discussed in my article in Namakar, Vol. 4, No. 4 ( Bombay: Asia Publishing House, 1 984)
and further in this text under the heading "The Aana Tradition".
!he limbs of yoga in the hatha texts are discussed by Dr. S.A. Shukla in . A Com
parative Study of the Five Hatha Texts (with Special Reference to the tangas of
Patafjali Yoga) " in Yoga Mimamsa, Vol. X, No. 3 (Lonavla: Kivalyadhama, 1 968) , pp. 1 9-
34. See also The Yoga Upanisads, ed. Pt. A. Mahadev Sastri (Adyar: Adyar Librar, 1 920
& 1968) . There, for 8 limbs see TRSIKIBRHOPANI$T DARNOPANI.5AT,
MALBRl MOPANI$ T, YOGATA IOPANI.5AT, MJILYOPANI.5AT, and
YOGACOAP ANI$ T. For 6 limbs see AMT ANADOPANI$ T KURKOPAN/.5 T
DHYANABIND(PANI$AT and for 1 5 l i mbs, see TEJABIND(PANI$AT. See also
64 The Yoga Tradition of the Mysoe Palce
DA IAPCAM, ed. Swami Vasudeva Sat (Varanasi: Kshnadas Sanskrit Series
54, 1984) , 4.2.2f, "A$TiGAYOGA IK SANGA IYAPAR".
:iA mentoned, the condition of the body and mind brought about by them is
necessar for asnas. If asanas can be done directly without harm then the "restraints"
and "obserances" no longer have any purpose. See Theos Bernhard for an implemen
tation of the purifcaton practices which are more physical and appear to have sup
planted these.
3For reconstruction of the actual practces of pati :am in Pati jali, see Swami
Kuvalayananda, "Prarayama in Yoga Sitra and Vyasa Bh . in Yog Mimma, Vol. V,
No. I , 1 956, pp. 41-54; Vol. V, No. 2, 1 956, pp. 1 29-145; Vol. V, No. 3, 1 956, pp. 225-
257; "Prarayama in the Bhagavad Gita" in Yo Mimma, Vol. V, No. I , 1 956, pp. 65-
70; and "One More Sitr on Prarayama" in Yoga Mimma, Vol. V, No. 2, pp. 1 461 53.
11 YOGSURM, 3.4.
op. cit., p. 28.
:. 'HATHA YOGA PRDiIK (Adyar: Adyr Librar and Research Centre, 1972) ,
p. 52.
: ; VASI$THA SlIA, ed. Swami Kuvalayananda and Swami Digambarji ( Lonavla:
Kivalyadhama, 1 969) , chapter 5, verses 26 & 27.
:ihe reference to DA I A TRY A in the text w not posible to trace with the librar
facilites avilable to me. This is an abbreviated title (i t must be Dattatreyatantra,
Dattatreyhita or something sm;h) of a text that is considered minor and thus not
systematcally collected and presered.
:he exact quote referred to has not been located in SKAPURA. The same
meaning is found in KSIKAJIA, verses 55 and 56. See Note 40.
:pATANJAYOGDAAM, ed. Srinarayanamisra (Varanasi: Bharatiya Vidya
Prakasan, 1 971 ) .
11 GARUAPURA, 21 8.21 & 22, 227.24 (untraced) , and 227.25. Additional refer
ences to this are found in SKAPUR/A, KSIKAJA 55, 56. See also 85 for
another interesting distincton.
110p. cit., p. 58.
12 YOGASURM 2.47.
''See my artcle "he Memor Eye" in Joural ofIndian Philsohy, 14 ( 1 986) , pp. 1 95-
21 3, which presents this theor as a means of understanding what the vlue or meaning
of the sstric learning systems could have been.
1 1See for an interesting aide, Firt Stes to Highe Yoga, p. 66 for aaana, as being the
root of the word from which the word "ana" is derived. There it is trnslated a "rest
or stay posture".
L'See Vasita. DHANURVASA!IA, ed. Gangavisnu Srikrsnadasa ( Bombay:
Venkatesra Steam Pres, Saka 1 848) .
I;
Q
p. cit.
li
Q
p. cit.
IBriggs, op. cit., p. 206. Theos Bernhard on p. 245 of his Heave Lie Within describes
the rakrapuja performed at the end of his yoga taining in which he drank bhang a part
of his experiences. This ties in directly with the above quote and the practices of con
temporar sdhus.
Introduction 65
'!See Kenneth G. Zysk, "Magic, Myth, Mysticism, Medicine" in Henrch Zmme, Ed.
M. Case (Princeton: Princeton Universit Press, 1 994) , pp. 95-6. See also his Asceticsm
and Healng in Ancient India (New York and London: Oxford Universit Pres, 1 990) .
Swami Kuvalayananda ran a yogic hospital in Lonavla starting in 1 920 and reported
much of his treatments which were connected with breathing practices in his YOGA
MIMMS journal over a number of years.
'0p. cit.
'11 B. K.S. Iyengar's book is easily available. This exercise can be done easily to achieve
approximately the same fgures mentioned here.
"2his can easily be deterined by the reader; see previous note.
''op. cit. See also Appendix I.
''1See Appendix I.
,he term "vinyia" is a term used (apart from its general usage and usage in
commentatorial style) in vedic ritual and refers to the subsidiar factors around a mantra
that are required to make the mantra efective. The ter does not have any meaning
in yoga and appears to be used to imply some kind of vedic sanction to yoga practices.
The term is developed and used in MM.s. the ancient Indian school of scriptural
exegesis in which Krishnamacariar wao; originally trained.
'
;16For prcimottiniana there are 1 6 vinytst as follows:
1 , 2 and 3 are the vinytst of uttintsana (that is 1 is t&tsana; 2 is uttintsana, lift
head and concentrate on tip of nose, inhale and hold; 3 exhale and bend head to
knees, inhale)
4 is the 4th vinyisa of raturngadmtsana (umping back)
5 is the 4th vinytsa of ftrdhvamukhrvintsana
6 is the 4th vinytsa of adhomukhrvintsana
7 having inhaled and held the breath,jump and bring the legs in beteen the hands
without allowing them to touch the foor and sit in line with the hands ( da1tana)
then stretch the arms and hold the toes
8 straighten the legs
9 exhale and bring the head down and fon\ard to the legs
1 0 lift the head
1 1 lift the whole body in dmtsana
12 caturngalaruftsana
1 3 urdhvamukhaiinisana
1 4 adhomukha5vintsana
1 5 & 1 6 variations of uttintsana
;,;I have not verifed this by a recent examination of this extremely rre book in
Knnaca but have taken the reference from his yoga teaching coure as outlined in
Appendix V.
iII
Q
p. cit.
;19B.K.S. Iyengar, Liglt on Panayama ( London: George Allen & Unwin, 1 981 ) , p. 1 0,
section 1 5.
l'.N. Krishnamacariar, YOGAMKA (Mysore: Mysore Palace, 1 935) . ( In
Kn nada, 92 pictures, 1 44 pp. To be the frst of four books on ARTHA, DHAR, K.\l
and MO/. )
66 The Yoga Tradition of the Mysore Palc
'ii Jyengar has stated in my presence that Krishnamacariar had a Tibet gr. This
would seem to be supported by the reference to the Gandaki river, found in Nepal.
However, I believe this refers to a river in Northern Kmataka on the Maharastra border
called the Gandaki and also referred to as the Guduk by Kinani. Hayavdana Rao in
his Histor ofMysor, Vol. I l l , p. 71 0 refers to the Gandaki.
fi:File F 1 89 Box 640, Sl. 2, Vol. 2.
''1Two books on yoga were published much later -more than 30 years later. They
are both written in Knnaca. See Bibliography.
'"See Appendix VII for an alphabetical list of these asnas.
op. cit. , p. 1 21.
;For example, for ulllitapirvnkot)iana he says, . the intestines will get a good blood
supply and become strengthened. Pains in the abdomen, urinar infections, fevers and
other diseases wl be cured. The muscles will get a good blood supply and be strength
ened. People with the disease partJimaul (violent indigestion) will be cured if
they practise this with koTisana twice every day for a month. " For tiranmukh
aikapidapairmottiniana he says that it prevents elephantiasis and removes the din
between the neres. It gives you the power to nm and walk, cleans the pirvanii and
stops the legs from going to sleep by giving an even fow of blood. If ladies practise this
they will have an easy childbirth. They should practise it only before pregnancy as asanas
should be dropped during pregnancy and only praQayama practised.
,;;See note 36.
lirturngadatJcisana should be held . not less than 1 0 minutes"; urdhvamukha
winisana not less than 1 5 minutes", p. 89.
'ihis bibliography is included here as it shows what sources Krishnamacariar con
siders authoritative and reveals his relation to tradition. The bibliography is a padded
academic bibliography with works referred to that have nothing to do with the tradition
that he is teaching in. He has included material on yogic practices from these academic
sources in his text without knowing an actual tradition of teaching connected with the
practice. For example, his recommendations for vajrlimudri in his text can be cited
where he calls for a glass rod to be inserted into the urethra an inch at a time. His
recommendations show that he has most certainly not experimented with this himself
in the manner he recommends.
HA THA YOGAPRADlPIK, BRAHMAYAMILA, DHYANABIND 0PANI$A T,
RA]A YOGARATNAKRA, ATHARVA!ARAHASYA, SAflILYOPANI$A T,
YOGA SARA VAL/, PA TNJALA YOGADARSANA, YOGAPHALAPRADlPI K,
KPILAS0TRA, YOGASIKOPANI$AT, RVAfANAI, YOGAYA]NAVALKYA,
YOGAKU!lALINYOPANI$AT, BHAJRA VAKLPA, GHERAflASA!HITA,
AHIRBUHNAS!iITA, SRiATANIHI, NARADAPANCTRS!iHJl
NADABIND(ANI$A T, YOGARA TNAKRAflA, AM ITABIND 0PANI.5A T,
MNUARYANlYA, STATASMITA (?) , GRJ HOPANI$T, RURYAMIK.
sO AS!HIT A
;"C. R. Venkatramaiah, A.DASWAMYAVARU ( Mysore: 1941 ) .
;1T. Srinivsa Rangacara, !WSORU J\/SIR ( Mysore: 1933) . Se Appendix VII for
.1 trnslation .of the yoga section.
iSee Appendix VIII for a photograph of the yogaSla.
Introduction 59
ffteen kilometres from Mysore when they attacked the armies of Tipu
Sultan. Scaling walls with ropes and ladders would have been a necessar
part of the training of the toops.
CONCLUSIONS
There is a wealth of material that would enable us to begin putting to
gether a history of yoga. We cannot regard this history merely as an
academic history but must move into performance history or tradition
as it has been carried on by the practitioners of yoga -the students of
yoga who have made it a living tradition today.
If we are to look at the performance traditon, which by its very
nature is not oriented towards texts, then we must look at asana practices.
Our sources for these are going to be texts that have either not been
uncovered or not regarded as important, the names of asanas and the
actual performance tradition.
A serious search for such texts has not been made. There are a
number of private libraries under the aegis of ascetic movements where
yoga was practised. No earnest investigation of these sources has been
made.
The names of asanas traced in this text do indicate a connection
beteen many diferent traditons. It seems that many asanas were com
mon to diferent schools possibly disseminated at such festivals as the
kumbhamel or by wandering ascetics who were in contact with one an
other and with the malhas and private individuals where they sometimes .
congregated. Tracing the names of the asanas has not been as valuable
a method as might be expected because of the promiscuous use of names.
But there does appear to be a means of grouping names that might prove
usefl in indicating dates or periods when more material is available in
the future. At this point, it would only be possible to say that the names
of the asanas indicate that a process of amalgamation and borowng has
been a constant feature in the yoga tradition corresponding with the
"rformation" that went on in the short period that we are able to exam
ine historically and which has enabled us to question our sense of
"tradition".
In respect of ancient performance traditions, yogins were often in
attendance at the courts of the royal families in India. There has been
no. systematic attempt to use the vaous roya archives as a reference
60 The Yoga Tradition of the Mysore Palc
source to tace these taditions. Only these records and literar ones in
local languages are likely to exist.
When we look at "tradition" we must look at it with a fresh eye. An
example from music traditions was indicated. Dynamic tadition seems
to imply openness to change, rapid adaptation and experiment-sur
vival for other reasons than being "tradition". By natural selecton, cer
tain aspects of tradition become prominent as a response to changing
environment and aspirations. In the case of the yoga asana tradition we
can see that it is a dynamic tadition that has drawn on many sources -
traditional yoga texts, indigenous exercises, wester gymnastics, thera
peutics, and even perhaps the militar training exercises of a foreign
dominating power. And that says nothing in regard to the ideologies that
make a culture or the ideologies of the foreign element to be assimilated.
These too are part of the processes of change, enrichment and loss.
Textual sources such as Pataijali, the puraQas, the haha yoga texts,
the SRATAIHI and so on95 indicate that there is sufcient evi
dence to enable us to have some idea of the development of the yoga
tadition. Comparison to the evolvement in other Indian sastras enables
us to speculate that the yoga tradition would have refned itself to include
prayama and asanas and asanas would be refned in terms of time
limits and precision. This proposed development patter i confrmed
by textual tradition and practice tadition.
From Pati jali 's YOGSOTRM, the sitra explaining how asanas
were to be done was explained as a functional defmition. If we are to
attempt to understand the "inner moment" of a tradition we must then
look with the same eyes towards the critical moment of fnction. There
is no possibilit of an exteral obserer. Modem students of yoga have
treated asanas symbolically, expecting some "mystical" result to occur
from taking that position. The tendency of most students of yoga has
been to follow a linear tradition instead of a dynamic tradition. It seems
to me that lineal traditions are oriented towards accumulation and that
dynamic traditions are vitally initiated by introspecton. If evaluation had
to be made on the evidence available, then it would be possible to say that
the SRATANIHiindicates an attempt to synthesize an asana tadi
tion from various sources, that Kishnamacariar was creatively putting an
asana series together from his sources but teating them symbolically;
Pattabhi Jois followed the linear tadition with only minor improvisa
tions, still treating asanas symbolically; and that Iyengar changed the
Introduction 61
perspective, re-arranged the series, teated the asanas dynamically with
his attention on precision thus returing to the theme idea, namely, a
fnctional perspective on asanas -the perspective which brings us back
to Pataijali, back to the real essence of dynamic tradition. This is a per
spective which would allow a tradition to evolve, to be creative; indeed,
to survive.
That perspective is, indeed, an old message. It is the teaching of
revelational knowledge, the only form of knowledge that allows us to
transcend our own limitations. It does not teach an object content but
a method of learning, a guide to correct thinking. In the case of yoga,
it teaches that as a physical response. I fact, the yoga asanas seem to be
such powerful forms of physical response that they have surived and
prospered even through enormous folly. This teaching is well known
through the Bhagavad Gita exhortaton to renounce result for the means.
What about the historical origins of some of the asanas -for ex
ample the vipantacakriana which appears to have no basis in yoga but
has been taken fom gnastics? From the yogic perspective of func
tonal defnition, nothing has the right to be called an asana in itelf
Someone doing a taditionally accepted asana can be doing it in the way
a weight-lifter-specifcally a "muscle-ontactor" would do it, or they
may do it symbolically expecting some spiritual advantage to come from
them taking that particular form. Neither comes under the scope of the
defnition -efort, letting go, balance and transcendence. The gmnas
tic-rigin movement is done diferently by a gymnast and diferently by
a student of yoga who has worked wth his body (his conscious and un
conscious) movement muscular patters. Ad the asana lUT/hisana, 22
in the SRATANIH/ must also be taken into account. It is possible
that its source is not gmnastics but an older yoga tradition.
Who gains access to tradition in this fashion? Student of various
gurus often do not have their guru's understanding but proceed in jeal
ous lineage from him. A similar situaton occurs in other Indian disci
plines. A teacher wth understanding appears rarely. When they do ap
pear they treat tradition dynamically; often they are accused of dis
respect for tradition, but they really continue the tradition by participat
ing in it creatively. There is an oral verse in Sanskrit that describes the
situation:
vidyinim iva veinim mukha1 kair kair na cmbitam
hrdayagihiris ti1 dvitril santi vi na vi
62 The Yoga Tradition of the Mysoe Palce
Who indeed has not kssed the mouth of prosttutes? (as who has not
made a beginning in the study of the sastras or metaphysical philoso
phies) But the person who grasps the heart of these -are there to
people, or perhaps three (in this world) ? (Here philosophies really
means the metaphysical knowledge traditons of which yoga is one.)
Notes
1A number of manuscript copies of the SIA T1 'ANIH/ exist as well as a number
oflithographs (unseen by me) . Venkateshvara Steam Press published an edition without
the illustrations and there may be other printed editions as well.
james Haughton Woods, The Yoga-Philsoh) ofPataijali, Hanard Oriental Series 1 7
(Delhi: Motilal Banarsidas, 1 91 4, 1 972) .
:"Bengali Baba, Patanjala Yoga Sflr (Kpurthala: Sham Sunder Mulkraj Purl, 1 943) .
:Swami Hariharananda Ararya, The Yoga Philosophy ofPataijali (Calcutta: University
of Calcutta, 1 963) .
'See A.B. Keith, A Histary ofthe Sinkh)a S)stem ( New Delhi: Nag Publishers, 1 975) ,
pp. 69-74. Junjiru Takakusu, "Si,kh)a Kirki: Edudiee a l lumiere de sa verion chinoie"
in Bulltin de l'Ecol Jancaise d'ExtremeOent W (Hanoi : 1 904) , pp. 1-65, 978-1064. M.
Hiriyanna, "SIitantr and Varagal)'a"in]urnal ofOrental Research, III ( Madras, 1 929) ,
pp. 1 07-1 1 2. F. O Schrader, "Da Sfitantr" in Zt.'chr fur deutsche morenlndi.rhen
Gesell'chaf ( Leipzig: 1 91 4) , pp. 1 01 -1 1 0. This list is not complete.
;Op. cit.
"P.K. Gode, Studie in Indian Litea')' HistO', I, p. 379. Svaunarama, H THAPRlIK,
ed. Swami Digambarji and Pandit Raghunath Sastri Kokaje ( Lonavla: Kaivalyadhama,
1 970) , pp. 7 and 8. GHRA S!HITA, ed. Swami Digambari and M. L. Gharote
( Lonavla: Kaivalyadhama, 1 978) , pp. xv and xvi.
;Op. cit. Note 6.
1Srischandra Basu, SHIVAS}HITA (Calcutta: Heeralal Dhole, 1 893) . Shivamphiti
( Bareilly: Samskrti Samsthana, 1 974) .
!lOp. cit. Note 6.
1 " "GORKSTAK" in YOGA .IMMS, vii, 1 , pp. 65 to 70 and VII , 4, pp. 23 to
78, ed. Swami Kuvalayananda and S.A. Shukla ( Lonavla: Kivalyadhama, 1 957) .
1 1 See his books, Swami Kuvalayananda, ASNAS ( Lonavla: Kivalyadhama, 1 933) .
The spiritual lineage, the history of the Lonavla school of yoga, and a record of the
particular contributions they have made to practice traditions of yoga are well docu
mented in its journal the YOGA MIMMS referred to earlier.
1:G.W. Briggs, Gorakhnath and the Knphata Yogs ( Delhi: Motilal Banarsidas, 1 973) ,
p. I , regarding the Nathas refers to "their traditional practice ofHatha Yoga". Pages 252-
257 give a list ofliterature much of which is common to Natha literature and HaPa Yoga
literature. HATHAPRiPJK, Verse 4 pays homage to the Natha preceptors.
DTheos Bernhard, Ha{ha Yoga ( London: Rider and Co. , 1 968) .
1 1Shananda Sarasvati, YOGACIAMA1 ed. Haridasa Vidyavagsa ( Calcutta: Orien
tal Press, 1 927) .
Introduction 67
; :s. Bharadwaj, WAYA.f DlPIK (Banga1ore: Caxton Press, 1 896) .
; 'Op. cit. , p. 3.
;op. cit., p. 1 6.
;,;\'.P. Varadarajan, MLLYUHA (Bangalore: Padmanabhan Printers, 1 967, 1 980) .
;;The book opens with: . A sound mind in a sound body" is a maxim the tmth of which
has heen recognized by all nations ancient and modern.
;"See photograph, Appendix VII.
see photograph, Appendix VII.
see photograph, Appendix VII.
"1See notes on asana 32 in the SRA7ANIH/ text.
"'See photograph, Appendix VII.
s::see photograph, Appendix VII.
" 'See Appendix VII.
"seej.T.F.Jordens, Da)'ananda Sarasvati, HiLiean
d
/deas ( Delhi: Oxford University
Press. 1 978) and Autobiogaphy ofDa)ananda Sarasvati, ed. KC. Yadav (Ajmer: 1 946) .
;MALLPVMYA, ed. Bhogilal Jayachandbhai Sandesara and Ramanlal Nagarji
Mchta, Gaekwad Oriental Series No. 1 44 ( Baroda: Oriental Institute, 1 964) .
s;B. Srinivas Jetty, "he Jetty Community of South India and its Migration from
Modhera" i n joural ofthe lvthir Society, Vol. 50, No. 2, 1 960.
"See photograph, Appendix VIII from Kshnamacariar's yogasala.
"'p. 34, verses 1 621 :
n;'{iaiaprakirela sirlpura/wmianam
ugisanmp ca prtlamam paicidisanamapyatha
madhyisanmp tatlaivinyat silhianamapiate
kinnisanamapi stham dardurisanamucate
KlianaJ samuddifam latordhvisanamUC'ale
.irianan tu vitiemp kaisana1l alai parm
gvianaT ca parmam bhujianamihocate
dr,ibhujisanamapatr kukkutisanamuttamal
fJiwmguptimnam caiva gartianaJ ea ca
rulmi.mnamityeam kathitmp daiasaptadhi
l'.\,wi.mna, the headstand, is not referred to in older texts on yoga. Most interesting
is the reference to it in the MLLUR/A text quoted in the pre,ious note. A
vipmita/mrali, an inversion that is later illustrated as an inversion but not a headstand
is referred to in the HATHAPRDlIK, Ill, 78-80. Headstands are found in erotic
.culpwrc on temples from early dates; as early as the l Oth centur in Bengal.
!
'
1
T. < .
Kalaghatgi, "Yoga inJainism and Virasaivism" in joural ofKmatak University,
H( 2) , Hl64, pp. 1 -1 2.
!rStt Appendix X for an article that appeared in the December 31 , 1 989 Times of
I ndia in Bombay. See also WAYA.IJAAKO$A, Khalca 3, 1 936 for an extended
exposit ion of the practices of malakhambh.
lr'See Appendix X for the photograph showing the yogasala.
l''Thc m.las that I have seen are ver large, could not be thrown by a man and would
ne\er ptrmit it unless beaten or dead. This popular implausible legend seems to me to
68 The Yoga Tradition of the Mysore PalrP
be practically suspect. I could understand a rope being tied to an uca that was held down
which then ran up the wall as an adventurous stroke of luck. I have heard the legend
as noted in the context of three diferent forts.
!
l;.A small Natha yoga text with eighty-four asanas is in my possession, NAVANATHA
C.URSJSUJDHA BALSUAR YOGAiYA (Pune: Akhila Bharatavarsiya Yogapracalini
Mahasabha, Saka 1 890) . This is a copy from an older text which appears to be from
Jodhpur. I applied for grants to search the private libraries and palace records of India
where yoga may have been patronized but was not selected for this. These records, if they
exist, are not easily obtainable and will most likely disappear entirely i n the next few
years.
TRSLTION OF TH
sRATAmT
AAA FOM T BAC
1 . Lie down on the back. Place either foot behind the head. Take the
toes with the opposite hand and stretch the other hand and foot out.
This is anantiana, the asana of the endless.
Notes: The word "ananta" is also the name of the legendary cosmic serpent.
The word is used in Patafjali ' s sft 2.47 in descriptive reference to asanas.
Vyasa states anrmte vi samipanna' cttam isanam nivara)ali, the mind, engrosed
in mumta, completes the asana. Vacaspati says it refers to the cosmic serpent as
a "steady" object of meditation. Vifana Bhiku gives this i nterpretation and the
alternative i nterpretation, namely, the endless or the i nconceivable object
(ad
rt
a) .
Iyengar has an anantisana that is not l i ke the i l l ustration in this text.
This asana appears to be like Iyengar's suptapidiig{hisanaand his blairvisana.
It is slightly diferent from both.
2. Having made the body like a corpse, keep the knees together and
bring them up to the navel. Wrap the arms around the .neck and rock
back and forth. This is uttaniana, facing-up asana.
Notes: Iyengar has an ullinisana which is quite diferent from this. He has
nothing taking this form.
3. Lie on the back. Place one leg behind the head. Place the hand from
the opposite side at the base of the ear. Place the elbow of the same side
(a the bent leg) on the foor and straighten the arm and the leg. This
is aikusiana, the elephant goad.
Notes: This form is identical to bhairvisana in Iyengar. The name does not
ocqtr in Iyengar.
4. Lie on the back. Place the to elbows on the ground and the hands
on the buttocks. Lift the head, thighs, calves and feet. This is naukiana,
the boat.
70 The Yoga Tradition of the Mysore Palce
Notes: This asana does occur in Iyengar and has the same form. The name there
is nivisana which means "the boat" as well.
5. Lying on the back, place the palms of the hands and the soles of the
feet on the foor. Then raise up the middle portion of the body. This
is parankisana, the couch.
Notes: Iyengar has a parankisana which has a similar idea of raising the mid
portion of the back from the foor. However the feet are in pamsana position
and the arms are folded behind the head so that the elbows and forearms form
the base at the front. The positions described and illustrated here would be
dhanurisana in Iyengar.
6. From vetrisana (9)
,
withdraw the hands and feet and bring them
upwards. Allow the spine to come to the foor. This is kandukisana, the
ball.
Notes: This asana name is not found in Iyengar nor is the posi tion. However,
this is a position known to Iyengar and used to close the back after backbends.
It is known in many other yoga schools as well and is perhaps a natural relief
giving movement that is popular in general.
7. Like naukisana ( 4) but on one side, place the neck, shoulders and
elbows on the ground and the feet in the air like the head. This is
dhvajisana, the banner.
Notes: This name is not found in Iyengar but the position in the illustration is
somewhat similar to his saringisana variation pirvasaringisana. This could
also be compared to the vipartakarzi referred to in the HATHAPRlPIK.
The text referring to naukisana here appears incongruous. There are other
instances where the text and the illustration are not entirely consistent. Instead
of assuming that the text has been created by someone who does not know quite
what they were saying, it would probably be more accurate to assume that the
text has become corrupt while being passed down. This would support the idea
of an older source.
8. Place the neck and head on the ground and lift the feet of the
ground. This is narakasana, the asana of hell.
Notes: This name does not occur in Iyengar. This type of headstand, deter
mined by the position of the hands, is used in his balancing series. See Intro
duction, note 81 and notes on kapilisana ( 31 ) .
9. From parankisana (5) , bring the hands and feet together. This
becomes vetrisana, the reed.
Transltion of the Srtattvanidhi Text 71
Notes: This asana name or form is not found in Iyengar. This is a common
gentle stretching movement however that is generally known by people who
work on exercise systems that originate from the foor.
1 0. Lie on the back. Place the soles of the feet on the ground and stnd
up. This is vrkasana, the wolf
Notes: Unknown in Iyengar and seemingly physically impossible. See note on
asana 7. It is possible that the artists are illustrating the text without knowledge
of the asana tradition.
1 1 . Lie on the back keeping the legs together and stretched out. Keep
the buttocks on the ground and place the hands on the neck. Then
remain and perform kumbhaka (retention of breath) . This is parghisana,
the iron doorlock.
Notes: The name parghiana is found in Iyengar but the form of the asana is
diferent. This asana is not found. The instructions to perform retention of
breath would be inimical to the Iyengar system but not necessarily with the
system of Kishnamacariar.
AAA FOM T FON
12. Lie on te stomach keeping the navel on the ground. Support the
body with the two hands like post and then whistle. This is sarisana,
the serpeq t.
Notes: This asana is called bhujangisana in Iyengar which means the same thing.
It is described in GHE!ASA!HITA II, 42 & 43.
1 3. Lie on the stomach. Place the toes and the palms of the hands on
the foor, raise the buttocks and let the head hang down beteen the
arms, the nose on the ground where the navel was originally. Bring the
nose forard a far as the palms of the hands. This should be repeated
again and again. This is gajisana, the elephant.
Notes: This asana name is not found in Iyengar. However the form is
adhomukhaiinisana. This name and a form consistent with this is found in Firft
Stes to Highe Yoga. The name gajisana is also found in the list of 1 7 asanas found
in the MLUR/A, see Introduction, note 80. The ideas of repetitive
movement in the asana in this and subsequent asanas are consistent with the
system taught by Kishnamacariar.
14. Lie face down. Bring the to elbows up by the sides and place the
72 The Yoga Traditio of the Mysoe Palc
palms of the hands on the ground. Raise the body up again and again.
This is matsasana, the fsh.
Notes: This asana name is known in Iyengar and i n the GHER!ASAMHITA
11.21 . The asana form in both of these text is similar and the form illustrated
here is diferent.
15. In the gajasana ( 13) position, he should bring his head again and
again towards the right and left armpit. This is taraasana, the hyena.
16. Lie on the back. Place the elbows on the navel. Then stretch each
hand up within a thumb' s breadth from the nose lifting the hips up with
that movement. This is paraadhasana, the ae.
1 7. From narakasana (8) , bring the feet down to the foor at the level
of the nose and stretch the to hands together on the foor fom the
neck. This is lingalsana, the plough.
Notes: This name is not known in Iyengar but the form is the same a hali sana
and "hal" also means plough.
18. With each leg contracted in turn
, he should do gajasana ( 1 3) . This
is rkasana, the bear.
Notes: This name is not known in Iyengar nor is the form. This however appears
to be the same form a part of the movements in the sianamalr series or
those that are sometimes called the candrnamakaraana series. Present legend
has it that yogis learned this position from watching a tiger stretch in the morn
ing.
19. Lie on the back. Bring the knees up to the chest wrapping the arms
around the thighs and the calves. Then roll to the left and the right. This
is dadasana, the stone.
20. Lie on the back. Throw the feet over the head and place them on
the foor such that the body becomes face down. Then this should be
repeated from the face-down position. This is lurthasana, the rolling
asana.
Notes: This name is not known. A a descriptive name here it does not quite
ft as the movement appears to be a jumping movement rather than a rolling
movement. Coul d thi s be taken as a reference to the asana form i n
vipmarkriana illustrated in the W AYAMiPII i n Appendix VI and found
in Iyengar. See also the "Conclusions" section of the Introduction for refec
tions on this asana.
Transltion of the Sntattvanidhi Text 73
21 . Lie on the back. Place the soles of the feet and the elbows on the
ground and lift the buttocks up. This is trkutaana, the asana of the three
peaks.
22. While standing, touch each buttock by liting the heel to that re
peatedly. This is sankvaana, the arrow.
23. From rijaana position
, bring each leg forard and rotate it. This
is rathaana, the chariot.
Notes: The strt position, rijisana, is not explained in the text. The name
rthisana is unknown. This tpe of movement is often taught in the Okiyoga
schools in Japan where repetitive rottions of joints are taught. Okiyoga was
bor in a samurai family and received training in zen. He learned yoga and
meditation from Otma Bhikku of Burma. Subsequently he travelled i n China,
Tibet and India and claims to have learned yoga again under Mahatma Gandhi.
His yoga teachings are infuenced by his learnings in traditional medicines, yoga
disciplines, martial arts and zen.
24. Standing in gajaana ( 1 3)
,
bend the knees again and again. This
becomes saiaana, the hom.
Notes: Name and form unknown. This appears to be a variation ofkneebends
which .would likely belong to the wrestler's exercise routines or the indigenous
exercise system. See text of introduction for an outline of these and references.
25. Standing in gajaana ( 1 3) , throw the legs in the air and touch the
groun
d
with the head. This is ajasana, the goat.
Notes: This name is unknown. This appears to be a handstand movement,
called adhomukhaisana in Iyengar. The movement is not repetitive there.
26. Place the hands and the forearms up to the elbow on the ground.
Draw the knees up to the navel and remain in that position. This is
citakaana, the sparrow.
27. Place the hands and forearms as in catakaana (26) . Touch the ears
with the knees and hold the arms with the thighs. This is kikaana, the
crow.
Notes: The name kikisana is not found in Iyengar. But this asana looks very
much like bakisana in Iyengar or as a form that develops into bakisana where
the body is lifted of the ground. This asana is found in Firt Sts to H Yoga
i n this form and called kikasana. See however bakisana ( 30) below. Kikisana
is referred to in the MLURA l ist of asanas, intoduction note 80.
74 The Yoga Tradition of the Mysore Palace
28. Place the feet in padmasana (79) , the lotus. Place the hands on the
foor and Hft the feet upwards in padmasana. This is bharadvajasana, the
crow pheaant.
Notes: Bhiradvija is the name of the bird, the crow pheasant, whose sight is
considered auspicious. Bharadvaja was also the fther of Drma, the guru of
Arjuna and preceptor i n mil itry strategy of both the Kuravas and the PaQ(avas.
The asna shown in the illustration is completely diferent fom what Iyengar
shows under that name. The asana as shown is closer to pamamayurisana. In
fact, the asana as illustrated would be physically impossible.
29. Take the kakaana (27) position. Keep the thighs and calves to
gether and raise the back end up. This is tittirasana, the red-wattled
lapwng.
Notes: This name is not found in Iyengar. The asana form appears somewhat
I ike ga7Qabher 7qisana.
30. Place the hands on the ground. Draw the knees i towards the navel
holding the thighs and calves up. This is bakasana, the heron.
Notes: This asana name occurs in Iyengar and the fon is identcal . See notes
also on kikasana (27) .
31 . Place the head on the ground. Raise the feet up. This is the head
stand, kapalsana.
Notes: The name kapilisana is not found in Iyengar but kpili sana means
headstnd. It is called Sisana in Iyengar. See naraaana (8) for further notes
regarding this asana. This asana is considered to be almost the centre of pre
modem yoga representng the reversal of the body, the reversal of the body
proceses through the inversion. Modem yoga practces regard inversions with
suspicion; Athur Kilmurray, Yoga Jouma November, December 1 983, p. 24
speaks of "the recent backlash against inversions . . . ". Interestingly enough,
sirtisana is referred to in the MALLAPUR}A list, Introduction, note 80. See
also George Feuerstein, The Inverted Pose (Vipantakar7i Mudra) according to the
Sanskrt Texts (Durham: Yoga Research Centre) .
32. Place the palms of the hand on the ground. Place the elbows on
the navel and hold the body up. This is mayuraana, the peacock.
Notes: Name and form are the same in Iyengar. HATHAPRlPIKI. 31 refers
to this and GHERJASAi'HIT A 11. 30.
33. Place the feet on the thighs, each foot on the opposite side. Cross
the hands behind the back and take hold of the toes. This is
r
~
Transltion of the Sntattvanidhi Text
baddhapadmasana, the bound lotus.
75
34. Do saralsana face downwards. Place the feet on the ground and
stand up. This is kha4gisana, the sord.
Notes: The base asana, sarli sana, is not mentioned in the text.
35. Take the arghyisana position. Place the palms of the hands on the
ground. This is cakrisaa, the wheel.
Notes: The base asana, arhyiana, is not explained in the text.
Iyengar does not have a cakrisana in his series. However he does have a
vipmitacakrisana referred to in the Introduction which name would seem to
imply that there must have been a cakriana originally from which the qualif
cation, the backward cakriana, would come from. The form of this asana is
considered a variant of Vckisana by Iyengar. Visnudevnanda calls this, Iyengar's
urdhvadhanurisaua, cakrismza. Fi1-t Stes to Highe Yoga has an asana called
cakrisana which is the same as Iyengar's tranguklwttinisana.
36. Take the padmasana (79) position. Place the arms beteen the
thighs and the legs onto the foor. This is kukku{isana, the rooster.
Notes: The name and form of this are the same in Iyengar and it is well known
in many books on yoga. This is found i n the MLAPUA list, Introduction,
note 80, and it i s found in HA THAPRIIK 1. 23 and GHER!ASA1
11. 31 .
37. Place the knees together on the ground. Stand upright on them
and clasp the arm with the opposite hands. This is vinarisana, the
monkey.
38. Take the position of vipantanrisana (90) . Touch the nose on the
ground ad bring it up again. This is ieisana, the hawk.
39. Place the ankle of the other foot at the base of the thigh and the
same knee on the heel. Bring the hands together. This is ganisana,
the eagle.
Notes: This name and a comparable form is found in Iyengar and i n First Stes
lu 1 /igher Yoga. The name is found i n the MLPUMA list, Introduction,
, , , , , , 0. GHE!ASAi}HITA 11.37 uses this name but has an entirely diferent
;-, ,; 1 1 ; 1 shown .
.U. Place the elbows on the ground. Hold the chin with the hads. This
is .\ it lisana, the spike.
Not t's: This name is unknown in Iyengar but the asana form is sa_wmisana in
Iyl' ngar.
76 The Yoga Tradition of the Mysore Palc
41 . Grasp the soles of the feet with the palms of the hands and then
walk. This is padukasana, the sandal asana.
otes: This name is not found in Iyengar. The asana form is found as
pidahastismw. In this asana in Iyengar there is no tradition of walking. Walking
in these positons is a common feature of the wrestler' s and indigenous Vi)ima
exercise systems.
42. Lie on the stomach and place the hands by the hips. Stretch the
legs back together and wriggle fotard like a snake. This is sarasana, the
snake.
Notes: This name is not known in Iyengar but there is an <sana with a name of
the same meaning, namely, bhujangisana. This may be referred to in the
iLLU as bhujisana, that being from a corrupt text. Bhujangisana is
also found in GHERJASA}HITA 11.42. The form as shown here is not found
in Iyengar and other places.
43. Twine the legs together and place them on the foor. Sit on them
with the thighs and then the buttocks. This is paratasana, the mountain.
Notes: This asana name is not known in Iyengar. However, a paratisana is
found in Visnudevananda' s book and in First Stes to Highe Yoga. These are
simi lar to gomkisana in Iyengar and to the form shown here.
4. Place the hands on the ground and the knees on the shoulders.
Raise the ankles and the thighs. This is mali sana, the garland.
Notes: This name is found in Iyengar but the asana is diferent. The asana form
is the same as ti!libhisana in Iyengar.
45. Take the kukkufasana (36) position. Bring the thighs to the shoul
ders. This is ha1asana, the goose.
Notes: The name is found in Iyengar but the asana illustrated is diferent. This
asana form is called kukkutisana in Iyengar.
46. Push the shoulder up a high a the head. This is dviiirasana, the
two head asana.
4 7. Place the feet on the ground. Place both knees by the chest and
the hands backward binding the thighs together with the ankles. This is
pisisana, the noose.
Not es: This name is found in Iyengar and an asana, more dificult than what
Transltion of the Sitattvanidhi Text 77
is indicated here but similar, is shown in Iyengar.
48. Place each foot in the armpit. This is ucchirakaana, the cushion.
Notes: This name is not found in Iyengar. The asana form could be compared
to yogadmpjisana found there.
49 Take kukkutaana (36) position. Ascend a rope with the two hands.
This is u7anahhyaana, the spider web.
Notes: Name and form not found in Iyengar. See Introduction for information
on the "rope" asanas and Appendix VII I for a photograph of the yogasala in
Mysore wth ropes.
50. Place the soles of the feet fat on the foor. Place the elbows between
the knees and grasp the ankles with the hands. This is gahaana, the
planet.
51 . Place one foot on the ground. Bring the buttocks to the level of the
knee. The second foot should be placed on the knee. This is vimali ana,
the asana of purity.
52. Place the chin on the navel. This is kuhaana, the humpback.
STAIG AAA
53. Bring the heels together. Lower the buttocks to the level of the
knees. This is utp'taana, the press.
54. Stand on the toes and stretch the arms in the air. This is u{raana,
the camel.
Notes: This name is found in Iyengar but a diferent asana is given under the
name. The form of this asana is not found.
55. Stand on the foot with the other raised. This is la74avaana, the
aana of the ferce dance of Siva.
56. Hold the tip of one foot and keep that leg stif and straight. Stand
on the other leg and rotate quickly. This is dhrvaana, the pole star.
Notes: This name is not found in Iyengar but the for
f
is illustrated under
uttlitahastapidiig!hisnnn.
57. Keep the feet fat on the foor. Bring the hands down backwards
as far as the knees. This is kapotaana, the pigeon.
78 The Yoga Tradition ofthe Mysore Palc
Notes: The name is found in Iyengar but a diferent asana is illustrated. This
asana form is not found in Iyengar.
58. Place the right ankle on the left backside and the left on the right
backside. This is dhenukisana, the cow.
59. Place one foot on one thigh and sit on the other normally. This is
svatikisana, the auspicious.
Notes: These "meditation" asanas are commonly referred to in most of the yoga
texts with variations.
60. Hold the top of a rope with the toes and the lower part with the
hands ascending (upside down) . This is trajalukisana, the caterpillar.
61 . Stand up staight. Raise the arms again and again. This is mfsali ana,
the pestle.
62. Place one foot on the neck and stand up. This is trvikramisana, the
asana of the three steps of Vishnu.
Notes: This name is found in Iyengar but the asana il lustated is called dfovisana.
63. Take hold of a rope with to hands and bring the feet through the
hands above the head and onto the foor again and again. This is
paro'yisana, the cockroach.
64. Place the left ankle on the right knee and the right ankle on the left
knee. Do the sacrifcial altar reversal. Place the eyes beteen the eye
brows. This is yogisana.
Notes: The name is not found in Iyengar but a yogamudri, technically not an
asana, similar to this is commonly known. The yogamudri position is a padmisann
leg position and incorporates movements of the upper body and breathing
restrictions. It might be considered, then, that it belongs to the same asana
family as this and thus related to or derived from this.
65. Support the body on a rope running under the navel. This is
da'tiana, the stick.
Notes: This form (with the rope) is not found but there is an asana called
dau jisrma in Iyengar that is diferent from this. There are many variations of
the dnl(lisrmn and the one where the body is held in the same position is called
calu mil
g
adn1(Iisrma. The V)'i) ima exercises have a series i nvolving the
SU1)'f1Ulmaskim movements (one of which i s similar to this)
that i s popularly
called the da1Jca exercises.
Transltion of the Sitattvanidhi Text 79
66. Place the elbows and knees on the ground, the hands on the head
and the heels on te buttocks. This is varihaana, the boar.
67. Open the closed fsts beteen the thighs and knees and take hold
of a rope with them. Hold a weight in the teeth and ascend the rope.
This is krauicisana, the crane.
Notes: This name is found in Iyengar but a diferent asana is illustrated then .
68. Press the perineum wit one heel and the penis with the other. Thi "
i s vajraana, the diamond.
Notes: Suptavajrasana is found in Iyengar but the base vajrasana is not. Tlw"c'
meditation asanas are referred to in many texts and the descriptions var some
what. It appears that vajraana refers to the position where the legs are folded
back and sat on or between. Iyengar seems to call this position ti raana and his
book is not entirely clear as there are contrary indications when the variation'
are considered. For example, his suptavarisana really appears to be a variatit 1 1 1
of mals)isana. Even though he has the virasana series as above, he has a
lghuvajrisana which does adopt the leg position and would awaken the expec
tation of a basic vaaana. YOGA-MIMMS 1 11. 2, p. 1 35 states: "he name
Vajrismw i s often used for Siddhisana . . . "hen we remember the meaning of the
word Vajm in Yogic literature and also take into consideration that in Siddhi.lwa
one of the heels is set at the root of the penis, we can understand why
. . . ( siddhisana) . . . i s al so cal l ed Vajrisana. " Vajrisana i s descri bed i n
GHER!AS!HITA 11. 12 as having feet on either side of the buttocks. I n
YOGAKU!AUNYUPANI$ T the variation with a heel under the penis i s de
scribed. According to HA THAPRiPIK it is another name for siddhri.wma.
69. Jumping up, kick the buttocks with the heels. This is haril isana.
the deer.
70. Lie down on te foor like a corpse. This is savaana.
Notes: Name and form the same in Iyengar and most yoga schools including
HA THAPRiPIK 1 .32.
71. Grasp a rope wit te hands and then place the feet on them. Thi s
is sukisana, the parrot.
Notes: This name is found in First Stes to Higher Yoga but a diferent asana is
illustrated.
72. Grabbing a rope with one hand, ascend. This is vrntisana, the
caterpillar.
73. Put the little fngers on the ground and place the feet on top of
80 The Yoga Tradition of the Mysore Palc
them. Move the body like a horse. This is aasidhanaana, the horse
maker.
74. Stetch the to legs to the side. This is uttinapadasana, the asana
with the legs outstretched.
Notes: This name is not found in Iyengar but the asana form is called samo7isana
there. This name is found in First Stes to Highe Yoga but a diferent asana is
illustrated.
75. Place the right hand on the right knee and the left hand on the left
knee. Do the saccid mudra. Keep the eyes half closed. This is sukhaana,
the asana of happiness.
76. Place the left ankle on the right side of the perineum and the right
ankle on the left side. Place the hands with extended fngers on the
knees and gaze at the tip of the nose with the mouth open. This is
si'hisana, the lion.
Notes: This name occurs in Iyengar but a diferent asana is shown under that
name. HATHAPRlPIK 11. 50-52 and GHER}l ASA}HITA 11. 1 4 & 15 de
scribe a si7hisana almost identical to this. First Sts to Higher Yoga hal a similar
asana. The name is found i n the MLPURlA list, Introduction, note
.
1 80.
77. Place the left ankle on the right side of the perineum and the right
on the left side of the perineum. Hold the sid
e
s of the feet frmly with
the to hands. This is bhadrasana, the fortunate asana.
Notes: HATHAPRlPIK 1. 53 & 54 and GHEJAS}HITA Il.9 & 1 0.
78. Place one foot on the thigh and the other foot on the other thigh.
This is Vrisana, the aana of the hero.
Notes: See notes on vajriana (68) above.
79. Put the right leg over the left thigh and the left leg over the right
thigh. Cross the hands inversely and take hold of the big toe frmly. Place
the chin frmly on the ch
e
st and look at the tp of the nose. This is
padmnsana, the lotus.
otes: This asana is listed in many places.
80. Place the lef ankle below the penis and the right above it. Maintain
balance and look at the space beteen the eyebrows. This is siddhasana,
the asana of accomplishment.
:otes: As abme.
Transltion of the Sntattvanidhi Text
ADmONA AAA
81
81. Lie on the back. Place the hands together behind the neck. Keep
the elbows together and the buttocks on the ground. Stretch one leg out
and rotate the other to the left and the right. This is 1apa!easana,
kicking the bull-foot.
82. Take the position of svottiniana (the upside-down dog) . Touch
the ears with the knees one by one. This is le upside-down cat,
mi1irottinisana.
Notes: The base asana, svottiniana, is not found in the text.
83. Lie on the back. Put the tured up hands on the feet and raise the
back side up. This is kimapzthaana, the seat of love.
Notes: This name is not known. The form is not usually regarded as an asana
but it is a common stretching position known to many practitioners of yoga.
84. Having taken the position of naukisana ( 4) , bring the tips of the
teet upwards. This is the horizontal boat, tirannaukiana.
Notes: The form is similar to vipartakarari. See notes on narakiana (8) above.
85. Place the feet in padmiana (79) , and push the hands beteen the
thighs and the kees and hold the neck. This is uttinakurasana, the
tortoise on his back.
Notes: Same form and name in HA THAPRADiPIK 1 . 24 and
GHASA/IA 11.33. The same asana i n an upright position i s found
in Firt Stes to Highe Yoga. This uprght position is called garbhapirtisana in
Iyengar.
86. Place the calves on the foor, then bring the calves and the thighs
( the belly of the leg) together and lift the backbone again and again.
This is viratisana, the asana of the end.
87. Take gajisana ( 1 3) position. Strike the foor with each arm. This
is the ram, me$iana
Notes: This tpe of practice is reminiscent of the exercises in the wrestler's
system.
88. Place the palms of the hands and the soles of the feet on the foor.
Raise up and fall on the foor again and again. This is kukkutodiniana,
the fying rooster.
82 The Yoga Tradition of the Mysoe Palc
89. Put one leg on the neck and the other on top of that. Support the
body with the to hands. This is araryacatakasana, the forest sparow.
Notes: This name is not known but the asana form is dvipidaS-ianai n Iyengar.
90. Place the hands on the ground and bring the feet up into the air.
Dance on the hands. This is vipantanrisana, the reverse dance.
Notes: A handstand is shown in Iyengar. A more difcult one-handed hand
stand is taught occasionally. A Vckiana is also done from the handstand
position.
91 . Place the heels on the ground. Grip the ankles with the to hands.
This is kadambasana, the goose.
92. Pass the hands beteen the thighs and over the buttocks. Stand on
the feet on the foor. This is kafisana, the hip girdle.
Notes: This name is unknown but mili ana in Iyengar has a form similar to this.
93. Place the hands on the ground. Hold the legs stify. This is
parpatisana, the medicinal herb.
Notes: This is similar to daJrisana in Iyengar.
94. Place the hands on the foor. Hold the legs stify and make the
body shake. This is prekhisana, the shaker.
Notes: As below.
95. Place one foot on the ground and the other on the thigh. This
should be repeated again and again. This is the half moon,
ardhacandrisana.
Notes: The name is found in Iyengar but a diferent asana is illustrated there.
The form with this name in Iyengar is vrisana.
96. Step three hatas (a hasta is the distance from the tip of the fnger
to the elbow) from the wall. Touch the wall with the chest and exhale
again and again. This is alingasana, the embracer.
97. Embrace one knee on the chest. This is the child embracer,
bililingisana.
98. Stretch the hands out and rotate them. This is kullcakrisana, the
potter's wheel.
99. Place the buttocks on a rope and remain stif as a stick. This is
bhirisana, the load.
Transltion of the Sitattvanidhi Text 83
1 00. Holding a rope with two hands, ascend. This is niradasana.
Notes: Narada is a mythological fgure considered to be a celestial busybody.
101. Take padmaana (79) position. Ascend a rope with the to hands.
This is svarasana, the asana of heaven.
102. Place the left heel on the navel and the other foot on the thigh.
Wrap the left hand and a around the right knee and take hold of the
toes of the left foot. This is matyedrapithasana, the throne ofMatyendra.
Notes: A asana similar to this is found in Iyengar called matsedriana That
name is also found in HATHAPRiPIK 1. 26. GHJAS!HITA II.22 &
23 is somewhat diferent. Matsyendra was a famous yogin claimed both by the
Buddhists and the Nathas. His kuralit'wa said to have gone up in this asana.

103. Draw the feet together and draw the toes into the base of the body.
Bring the heels under the penis. Bring the soles of the feet together. This
is yonyasana, the womb.
Notes: In Iyengar t his is ei t her baddhakotisana or mulabandhisana.
GHEJASA!ITA III. 33-38 has a yonimudri. Firt Stes to Highe Yoga ha an
asana of this name (59) .
104. Place the soles of the feet on the ground and bring the knees to
the base of the ears. This is utkatasana, the haught.
Notes: This name is found in Iyengar but a diferent asana is illustrated here.
GHRJAS!HITA 11.27 describes a diferent asana. Stll another asana is
illustrated in Firt Stes to Highe Yoga.
105. Bring the heels onto the navel and then bring the thighs tog
e
ther.
This is suktisana, the womb.
Notes: See 103 above. The form and descripton are comparable to kadambiana
in Iyengar.
106. Sit down and stand up again and again. This is utthinotthinisana,
standing repeatedly.
Notes: These are kneebends as shown in the wrestler manuals.
107. Stretch one foot out and press the perineum with the heel of the
other foot. Extend the arms and grip the toes of the foot. Place the head
above the
:
knee. This is ardhapaicimottinasana, the half back stetcher.
Notes: This is similar to the padmottinisana variatons shown in Iyengar but
84 Th Yoga Tradition ofth Mysoe Palc
it is not quite the same as any of them. The basis of this, pa.cmottaniana, has
not been mentioned in this text.
108. Take the pa5cmottiniana position. Place one foot behind the
neck. This is urdhvapa5cmottinaana, the upper back stretcher.
Notes: The name of the base aaa, pa.cmottniana, which name is well know,
is not found in the text. There is an urdhvamukhpacmottniana in Iyengar
but it is diferent from this. The aaa closest to this in form is skandi sana.
109. Take the tips of the toes with the two hands and touch the ears
with the toes. This is dhanurisana, the bow.
Notes: The dhnurian i Iyengar is diferent fom this. The closest one to
this form is akacadhanurian.
1 10. Hold the testicles and penis frmly between the legs and stnd up.
This is kaupiniana, the orientl jock strap.
1 1 1 . Take the myfrisana (32) positon. Hold the wrist of one hand
with the other hand. This is pangmyurisana, the lame peacock.
1 12. Take kukkutisana (36) positon. Take the wrist of one hand with
the other hand and raise the body wi th one hand. This i s
pangkukkutisana, the lame rooster.
T PE OR STAA AAA
1 13. Stretch the legs like a stck on the ground ad hold the toes with
the hands. Then rest the forehead on the knees. This is garbhisana, the
embro.
Notes: This aana is what is commonly know a pa.cmottaniana in Iyengar
ad o.thers, GHASIA 11.26 ad HTHRlIK 1.28. See 107
ad 108 above.
1 14. Lie fce down. Cross the heels ad take hold of the toes with the
hads and roll. This is nyubisana, the face-own asana.
:
Notes: This is similar to some of the dhnuriana variations in Iyengar.
1 15. Lie face down. Bring the to heels to the neck grasping the ankles
with the hands. This is pidahataa'yogisana, the hand and foot connec
ton asana.
Transltion of th Sntattvanidhi Text 85
Notes: A similar name to this, pidahatisana, does occur in Iyengar but a dif
ferent asana is illustrated. This asana also appears similar to the dhanurisana
in Iyengar.
1 1 6. Bind the fngers of the to hands. Pass the whole body through
the_ arms and then wring the body. This is hatinglibaddhisana, the
bound fnger asana.
1 1 7. Place the knee in front of one side of the chest. Place the ankle
in front of the other. Hold it with the hand. This is hdinusafyogisana,
the heart-knee connection asana.
Notes: This asana name is not found in Iyengar. The form or movement is used
as a preliminary for loosening the hip for padmasana.
1 1 8. Take the prenkhisana (94) positon. Bring the feet over the head
. . keeping the buttocks on the ground. This is preikhisana, the shaker.
1 19. Bind the to hands together. Hop in and out leaping beyond the
body. This is utinisana, the fying-up asana.
Notes: This movement is very similar to movements used by the wrestlers.
1 20. Strike the arms. Strike the thighs. Strike the sides of the body and
so on. Strike wth the fst, the arm and the heel on the foor. This is
ku!fanatrayisana, the triple strike.
Notes: This is very similar to movements used by the wrestlers.
1 21 . Fold the arms and the legs. Hold them up level and place a
meditaton band held by the loose fngers. This is yogapattisana.
Notes: There are sculptures of fgures seated with a meditation band on the
Nanjangud temple which was patronized by the Mysore royal family. These
fgures are seen elsewhere in sculpture and painting. Even though entirely out
of use today, it appears that this was the alternative to the meditation positions
for attaining stabilit and support for the back.
1 22. Place the knees on the ground and the to hands on the heart.
This is aijalikisana, the asana of supplication.
Notes: This asana must have been considered a ftting mmlam for the end of
the treatise. A similar asana called paratisana, but with the legs in padmasana,
is found in Iyengar.
AEEENDO
Alphabetcal list of asanas from The Complte Illustrated Book of Yoga
Abbreviatons: ( )
A
sana number
I Iyengar
s SRATAIHI
F Firt Stes to High Yoga (the cross-references
to this text are occasional only)
The spellings of the asana names have been standardized. Where asanas
have diferent names from I, this is indicated by notation. Where asanas
correspond to or difer from S, this is indicated by notation.
akaradhanurasana (includes variatons; similar shown in I)
anjaneasana (2 ?) (1-hanuminisana)
anjaneisana (similar to ekapadarajakapotasana II in I)
ardhamatsedrasana
ardha.alabhasana
baddhapadmisana
bekisana (misspelling for bhekisana; called dhrvisana in I)
bhadrisana (1-baddhakoTisana)
bhujangisana (variaton 3, 1-rijakapotisana)
cakrisana (1-urdhvadhanurisana; includes variatons named
trangukhottanisana and U$/risana i I)
dhanurisana (variaton 4, 1-bhekisana)
dvipadaSisana (1-yoganidrisana)
ekapidacakrisana (1-ekapadordhvadhanurisana)
ekapadahatisana (1-rcikisana)
ekapidaSir$iana (includes variations named skandisana, bhairaviana,
suptapadanlhisana and another not shown in I)
garbhasana (1-garbhapiTfisana)
88 The Yoga Tradition of the Mysore Palc
garti ana (I)
gmukhasana (similar asana shown in I)
graisana (not shown in I)
gptisana or muktisana
hali sana
hatapadisana (l-upavi$[ako1isana)
januir$isana (includes the variation named
parvrtajanuSir$asana by I and another that is not shown in I)
kakisana ( 1-bakasana)
kandapitisana (1-mulbandhisana)
kapotisana (1-called ekapadarajakapotisana)
kaTapitisana
kf1isana ( 1-kalbhairavisana)
kukku[isana
kunasana
mankukisana (not shown in I)
matsisana (variation 4 not found in I)
mayurisana (includes variations not show i n I)
muktisana or gptisana
nabhipitisana (1-kandisana)
na[arajisana
omkariana or pra'avisana (called viraicisana in I)
padahastisana (variation 2 called parvottanisana in I)
pada1g$[hisana (1-not shown)
padmisana
parivakakisana (1-parvabakasana)
paratisana (1-goraasana)
pa.cmottanisana (includes variations named
urdhvamukhapa.cmottanisana and purottanisana in I)
pra'avisana or omkarisana
fTadhanurisana (similar to pada1f$!hsana in I)
fTamatsedrisana
piTasuptavajrisana (called kapotasana by I)
sakticalin' (1-preliminary to mulbandhsana)
salbhisana (includes variations not show by I)
sarangisrna
savisana
setubandhisana
Apedix I
siddhisana
si'hisana (similar to si'hisana in I)
siringfhasana (not found in I)
Srasana (includes variations named separately by I)
sukhisana
suptavajrasana (called suptati rasana by I)
89
suranamaskira ( this is not shown a a sequence in I but the separate
asanas which comprise this old unit of asanas are shown by him)
svastikisana
tolngli sana (similar to ardhanivasan

a in I, F-no. 1 80)
trko7isana (variation 2 called parvrttatrko7asana & other variations not
found in I)
urdhvapadmasana (shown a Sirasana variation in I)
utthitakursana (I -alled dvipidaSirasana)
vajrasana
vakrasana (l-dvipiakau7finyasana & variation 2 is ivakrasana)
vityinasana ( this is probably a misspelling for vitiyanasana and is the
same as l ' s)
vitiyanasana (this asana is not found in I and another asana has the
name assigned to this one)
virisana (1-gomukhasana)
vrsckasana
yogadantasana ( 1-- named yogada7lasana)
yogamudri (1-not shown, but Pattabhi jois does teach an aana similar
to this)
AEENDOU
Alphabetcal list of asanas from Firt Sts to Highe Yoga
Abbreviatons:
I
s
refets to asana number
refers to Iyengar
refers to SRATANIHI
Spellings have been standardized. "?" indicates dubious Sanskrt.
Notatons indicate similarities and diferences to aa and names. Where
no notaton is made, the asana is not found in other texts.
apanisana ( 140)
ardhacakrisana ( 214)
ardhacandrisana (260) similar to kapotisana in I
ardhamatsendrisana ( 15)
arhotthitisana (88)
asisana ( 18) similar to yogadarjasana in I
tavakrisana ( 1 12) this is diferent from the asana of this name in I
haddhapadmisana (9)
hakapipraara7asana ( 1 24) I-ekapiahakasana
hakisana ( 33)
hakotyanisana ( 189) I-dhrvisana
hhadrisana ( 60)
hhagasana (59) !-preparation for milhandhasana
hhairavisana ( 256) !-similar to virahhadrasana I; I shows another asana
under this name
-
hhrgisana ( 1 63)
hhujadarasana ( 192)
cakorisana (241 )
cakrisana ( 48)
cakravakasana (245)
candranamaskarasana ( 74) this is similar to the well known siranamaskara
movement
90
. Apendix II 91
catakasana ( 197) this asana position i s not found i n I but i s found i n the
later book of T. Krishnamacariar
catupadasana ( 210)
chamgadarasana ? ( 1 1 6) this is similar to kurasana in I.
da1asana (76)
dhanurikaratasana ? (23) similar to I' s akanadhanurasana
dhanurasana (82)
dhrvasana I & II ( 1 10) similar to vrk$asana
dvihastabaddhasuptaikapadajanusparasana (24 7)
dvihatacakrasana ( 153)
dvihataikapadotthitasana (246) I-ekapidabakasana
dvihastotthitapidaprasaratasana ( 181) I-!ittihhasana
dvikotasana ( 1 70)
dvipadabhujottinasana (244)
dvipadacakrasana ( 109)
dvipadagvasana (55) I-dvipadaiiasana
dvipadaikahastathitordhvahatasana (262) I -vifamitrasana
dvipadanasagasparsasana (206)
dvipadang#hasthitasana (226)
dviparsvafr #hahhimukhasana (220)
dviparfasana (81 ) I-parfadhanurasana
ekahastadatfasana ( 191 )
ekahastafr sthakotasana ( 1 77)
ekahataiarrotthanasana ( 21 1 )
ekapadadvihastabaddhasana ( 101)
ekapadagvidtfi ana (30) similar to I' s kilbhairavasana
ekapadagvasana (92) I-ekapadaSiasana
ekapadahastadatfasana ( 212)
ekapadajanuhaddhasana ( 183)
ekapadanthasana (69)
ekapadasana ( 136) I-virabhadrasana
ekapaasana (201 ) this name is used by Iyengar for F's no. 92
ekapadavipartamastakasparsasana ( 259) I-ekapadarajakapotasana
eapadavirimsana (99) similar to rs vr$asana
ekapadotthanacakrasana (261 ) . I-ekapidavipartadatfasana
ekapadotthanajanuSasana ( 144) I-krauicasana
ekapadotthitahastapadaprasaratasana ( 1 1 0)
ekapadotthitardhabaddhapadmasana ( 1 10)
92 The Yoga Tradition of the Mysore Palce
ekotthitaikapidaprasararisana ( 258) I-ekapidakauruJinyisana
gajisana (56) see S 1 3
garbhisana (53) I-yoganidrisana
garti sana ( 42) same name in I
gmukhisana ( 6) similar to I' s gomukhisana
grisana ( 1 4 ) I-baddhakori ana
gvacakrisana ( 154)
guptisana ( 16)
hali sana (28) same in I
ha1isana (34) similar to bkisana in I; another asana has this name in I
hastabaddhapadmisana ( 149)
hastabaddha5irapidisana ( 1 30)
hastabhujisana (86)
hastadhirordhvapidavakrisana ( 263) I-adhomukhavrisana
hastapidahaddhisana ( 146)
hastapidagupt isana ( 13)
hastapidamerdartisana ( 227)
hastapidatrkorisana ( 217)
hastapidavistrisana ( 1 75)
hastairacakrisana ( 15 7)
has(airisana ( 14 7) I-adhomukhavrkisana
hastasthitapidotthinisana ( 1 1 7)
hastasthitatirakurdhvingisana ( 228)
hastasthitordhvapadmi.sana ( 161 )
hastotthitordhvapadaprasararisana ( 1 21 )
hastotthitordhvapidatilsa1yuktisana ( 1 43)
jinuhaddhapidingli sana ( 1 06)
jinufrlhahaddhapadmiana ( 1 79)
janvisana (62) I-vitiyanisana
kikisana (36) similar to bakisana in I
kalyirisana ( 41 )
kamali sana ( 5)
kandapzQisana ( 1 31 ) same name and aana in I
kandap'tordhvanamaskirisana (254) as above
kapotisana ( 1 84) this asana is not found in I but a diferent asana wth
this name is found
kan'tisana (29) same asana, same name in I
khagisana (97)
Apedix II
khanjanisana ( 195) similar to liUibhasana in I
kmisana (77) I-parvrtaparvakorisana
93
krauncisana (89) this is a preliminar positon for bakisana in I. He uses
this name for another asana
krauncotanisana (229) similar to bakisana in I
kukkutisana (24) same in I
kunni sana (22) this asana is not found in I but a diferent asana there
has this name
ltisana ( 38)
mahav'risana ( 105)
makarisana (57) I-caturangadartisana or nakrisana
martukisana ( 1 1 )
martukyisana (221 )
matyisana ( 3 7) same in I
matsedrasana (20) same in I
mayuracali sana ( 1 78)
ryurisana 1, 2 & 3 (39) similar to I but includes variations not found
in I and which have diferent names
mayurisana ( 4) I-padmamayurisana
ndartavakrisana ( 1 02)
mrgisana ( 1 34)
muthagarbhasana ( 61 ) I-garbhapirtasana
muktisana ( 1 2)
mulabandhanabhitatanisana (239)
mulp'tabhunamisana ? (83)
m/ibaddhahastacakrisana ( 1 51 )
nabhidaranasana ( 1 18) I-purottanisana
nabhip'tisana (90)
nabhyisana ( 1 32) similar to kandisana in I
naukasana ( 1 52) similar to ardhanavasana in I
pidamphitotthitanasana ( 199)
padahatacatukorisana (91 )
piahastaprthacakrisana ( 141 ) I-kapotisana
padahastisana (84) same in I
pidakuncanasana .(237)
pidanamaskarisana ( 148) hali sana (?) in I
padaig#ha.ikhasparsisana ( 1 35) I-natarajisana
padangthasthitanitambisana ( 186)
94 The Yoga Tradition of the Mysoe Palc
pidangthotthitasana ( 1 08)
pidapasaratakacchapasana (58) 1-kurasana
pidapasarataarangatulsana (26) da1asana (?) in I
pidasaicalnasana ( 150)
pidaantulnasana ( 104)
pidatilasa1yuktabhunamanasana ? ( 188)
!ida
i
alsa1yuktamurdhasparsasana (238)
padatrkotasana ( 1 14)
padavakrapalyasana (202)
pidavikalingisana ( 249)
padmajinubaddhotthitasana (234) 1-kukkutasana
padmasana (2) same in I
padma5irasana (98)
pirtipztasana ( 213)
parvakikasana ( 1 1 3) 1-parvabkaana
parfatrkotasana ( 25 7) 1-pirsvakotasana
paratisana ( 1 7) similar to graasana in I
parankasana ( 31 ) this asana is not found in I; another asana with this
name is found in I
pa5cimottanasana ( 19) same a in I
Variations:
ardhabaddhapadma
dvihatapasarata
ekapida I-trangukhaikapidapa5cimottanasana
janubaddha
jinup
r
thabaddha 1-marcasana
padabaddha
pidagnva 1-skandisana
pitihaddha similar to pa5cimottanasana in I
Pthabaddha
P
r
thamufibaddha
vipartapadaprasaratasana 1-upatfakOasana
patangasana (223)
pavanamuktasana ( 21)
pikasana (68)
pritisana ( 1 66)
P
r
thabaddhaikapadajinusparsasana ( 243)
Pthabaddhajinubhunamaskirasana ( 1 26)
Apedix II
Prthabaddhajinusparisana ( 216)
Jthabaddhapithaniikisparsisana ( 85)
Prthabaddhapidaprasaratisana ( 75)
P
rthabaddhisana ( 248)
Pr#hapidasthitisana ( 1 82)
pirasuptavajrisana (50) similar to suptavirisana in I
piraviSrimisana (250) I-savisana
pirottinisana (80) 1-hali sana; anoter asana ha tis name in I
sahajisana (251 )
sakuiyisana ( 222)
salbhisana ( 120) same name and asana in I
saminisana ( 1 27)
sankatisana ( 43)
sankocisana ( 17 4)
sarangasana ( 171) I-ga1abhe1isana
sirkisana (67) I-bakiana
sarisana ( 71) I-bhujangisana
saringabaddhisana ( 1 65)
saringacakrisana ( 1 56)
saringisana (27) same asana and name a in I
stingadatfavatisana (208)
atpidisana ( 1 22)
savisana ( 218) similar to savisana i n I
sayanapidaaicalnisana (264)
sayanotthinisana ( 198)
set'handhisana ( 1 38) same in I
sitdhisana ( 1 ) same in I
si
t
sana ( 103)
si1hisana (63) similar to te same asana in I
sirapifisana (95)
sirafr thapadmasana (232) I-Pit4isana i

sarangasana
sirabaddhotthitajinusparsisana ( 1 69) similar to nivisana i I
Siracakrisana ( 1 58)
Sirapidisana (253)
Sirisana ( 72) same in I
skandasaicalnisana ( 1 42)
sthitordhvapidavistrisana ( 1 67).
sukisana (52)
95
96 The Yoga Tradition of the Mysore Palc
sukhisana ( 4) same in I
suptaikapadakararisana ( 1 19)
s
.
uptaikapadarisana (87) I-yoganidrisana
suptaikapadordhvisana ( 1 25)
suptapadang!hisana (252)
suptapadangthisana (96)
suptavajrisana ( 49) I-suptavirisana
suranamaskarisana ( 73)
sutarrgisana ? ( 4 7)
svastikisana ( 3)
t&asana (51 ) this asana is not found in I an
d
a similar asana with the
same name is found
til!ihhisana (230) this asana is not found in I but a diferent asana with
this name is found
tolanglasana ( 1 80) this asana is not found in I it is similar to
ardhanavisana in I; this is found in Swami Vishnudevananda
,
s book
trkorisana (78) same in I
tulsana (25) I-llsana (?)
ugisana ( 164) I-upavifakorisana
ulkapadapraararisana ( 1 55)
upadhanisana ( 100) I-bhairavisana
urdhvaikapadisana (205)
urdhvapadatalsa7yuktisana ( 1 76)
urdhvapadmamukhabhusparsisana (231 )
urdhvapadmisana ( 194) given a Sasana variation in I
urdhvavajrisana ( 240)
.
Zrdhvotthanisana ( 1 28)
risana ( 35) same in I
utkatisana (32)
uttamangisana (225) I-kukkulisana
uttanakunasana ( 70) I-garbhapirasana
uttanamartukisana ( 4)
uttanapadisana (54)
utthitapadmasana ( 193) similar to paratasana in I
utthitabhujotthinasana ( 1 29) similar to liUihhisana in I
uttitadvianusirasparsiana ( 172)
utthitadvipadagvisana ( 45) dvipadaSisana
utthitahastadviparvapidaprasararisana ( 18 7)
Apendix II
utthitahastapidatrko'asana ( 1 85)
utthitahastaprasara1asana (207) 1-parvrtatrko1isana ( ?)
utthitaikapiagvisana (236) I

cakorasana
utthitaikapidahatisana ( 46)
utthitaikapidajinuSr$asana ( 1 3 7) I -trvikramisana
utthitaikapidikaTa1asana ( 204)
utthitajin usirasa'yuktasana ( 1 23) 1-uUinasana
utthitakumbhakasana ( 1 07)
utthitapidahatabaddhabhunamaskirasana ( 1 73)
utthitirdhacakrasana ( 1 39)
utthitaSir$asana ( 159) 1-pifuhamyurasana
vajrangasana ( 64)
vajrasana ( 7) 1-virasana
vakrasana ( 1 68) I-Q${ivakrisana
vak$asthalajinupitasana (93)
vimadak$i1apirvasvisigamanasana ( 1 1 1 )
vimanasana (235)
vikaitakamalsana ( 1 15)
vikatisana ( 196) 1-hanuminasana
vipantahastabhunamnasana (94)
vipartahatapidasana (200)
vipantakara1isana (215)
vipartapidamastakaparsasana ( 1 33) 1-rijakapotisana
vipartapidingu${hasirasparasana (233) 1-dhanurasana variation
vipartapidapraara1isana ( 79) I-samako1asana
vipantapadmaiayanordhvamukhasana (224)
vipantordhvapadmasana (203)
virisana (8) a diferent asana with this name is shown in I
vistrahatapidacakrasana (219) 1-viparta.albhasana
vistrapidahataparsasana (209)
vistrapidapirvabhunamaskirasana ( 162)
vistrapidasana ( 1 60) I-upavi$ko1i ana
vistrapidodhvanamaskirasana ( 255) I-samako1asana
vivrakara1asana (242)
vrk$asana ( 65) another asana has this name in I
v
r
scikasana (66) same in I
yinasana ( 1 90)
yinoyinisana ( 1 45)
yonyisana (59) !-variation of mulbandhasana
97
AEEENDOU
a. Aphabetcal list of asanas from
the HATHRiIK
bhadrisana 1 . 54
dhanurisana 1 .25
gomukhaana 1 .20
kukkutisana 1 . 23
kfn ana 1 .22
matsedrisana 1 . 26
mayurisana 1 . 30
padmisana I . 44
pa.cimottinisana 1 . 28
savisana 1 .32
siddhana 1 .35
si1hisana 1 . 50
svatikana 1 . 19
uttinauri sana 1 . 24
vipaitaaraTi 3. 78
virisana 1 .21
b. Aphabetcal list of asanas from
the GHASIA
bhadrisana 2. 9
bhujangisana 2. 42
dhanurisana 2. 18
garqisana 2. 37
gomukhisana 2. 16
goralisana 2. 24
gptisana 2. 20
kukkutisana 2. 31
kuri sa1'a 2. 32
makarisana 2. 40
98
mfUi ana 2.34
mtisana 2. 21
mterisana 2.22
myurapthana 2. 29
myurisana 2. 30
mukti ana 2. 1 1
padmasana 2. 8
pacimttinisana 2. 26
salbhisana 2.39
sankatisana 2.28
savisana 2. 19
siddhaana 2. 7
si1hana 2. 1 4
svatikisana 2. 1 3
utrisana 2. 41
utkatisana 2. 27
uttinauni sana 2. 33
uttinamfUi ana 2. 35
vajrisan 2. 1 2
virisana 2. 1 7
vr/isana 2. 36
vrisana 2. 38
yogisana 2.43
c. Aphabetical l ist of asanas in
the SIASIA
padmasana
siddhana
svatikana
ugisana
Apendix III
d. Aphabetical list of asanas in
the GORASAlHrrA
padmasana
siddhasana
99
e. Other texts such as B[A
YOGIAJAVALKYA, VASI$THA
. SAni., do not contain asanas
at all.
AEEEDO W
List of asanas (not alphabetical) in the order taught by Pattabhi jois at
his tiga Yoga Research Institute in Mysore. Spellings have been stan
dardized.
1 . Suranamkara A-9 vinytsts 25. kukkutasana
2. Suranamkara B17 vinytsa 26. badhak0tsana
Primar
A
sanas
27. upaTtakortsana
28. suptakoTsana
1 . padanthtsana
29. suptapidangthtsana
2. padahasttsana
30. suptaparvasahittsana
3. utthitatrkortsana
31 . ubhayapadangthtsana
4. utthitapar$vakortsana
32. urhvamukhapa.cmottantana
5. pasartapadottantsana
33. setubandhtsana
6. parvottantsana
7. utthitapadangthasana
Intermediate
A
sanas
8. utthitaparvasahitasana 1 . patsana
9. ardhabaddhapadmottantsana 2. krauictsana
1 0. utkattsana 3. salbhtsana
1 1 . virabhadrtsana 4. bhektsana
12. pa.cimottantsana 5. dhanurtsana
13. purottantsana 6. par$vadhanurtsana
14. ardhabadhapaicimottantsana 7. utrtsana
15. tiranmukhaikapidapacmotta- 8. lghuvajrtsana
nts ana 9. kapottsana
16. janu.tsana 1 0. suptavajrtsana
1 7. marctsana A 1 1 . nakrtsana
18. manctsana B 1 2. baktsana
19. manctsana c 1 3. bharadvajtsana
20. manctsana D 14. ardhamatsedrtsana
21 . navtsana 1 5. ekapadaSrtsana
22. bhujapilsana 1 6. dvipadaStsana
23. kunsana 1 7. yoganidrtsana
24. garbhapi1ana 18. lillihhtsana
1 00
Apedix I
101
19. piichamayurasana 31. suptatrvikramiana
20. mayurasana
32. saminasana
21 . kara7tasana
33. paratisana
22. vajrasana
34. utthitasvatikisana
23. urdhvadhanurasana
35. hanuminasana
24. ekapiaringasana
Pat II (Advanced Aaas)
25. nirilmbaaringasana
1 . si1hasana
26. parghisana
2. vrksisana
27. gomukhasana
3. v
i
p

rtacakrasana
28. vitiyanasana
4. marcisana E, F
Advanced Aanas
5. marcasana G, H
1 . visvimitrasana
6. yogasana
2. va4thisana
7. bhadrasana
3. kaSapasana
8. siddhisana
. 4. cakoasana
9. adhomukhapadana
5. skandasana
10. bhujangasana
6. bhairavasana
1 1 . yogada7tasana
7. durasana
1 2. trvikramasana
8. urdhvakukku{asana
13. samako7asana
9. gilvasana
14. virisana
1 0. ekapidabakisana
15. parankasana
1 1 . kau7tinyasana
16. dikasana
12. ativakrasana
1 7. na{arijisana
1 3. v
ir
ncasana A
18. tiranmukhottinasana
1 4. viricasana B
19. krkacasana
15. piTamatsedrasana
20. Sirapidasana
1 6. rijakapotasana
21 . pangkukku{sana
1 7. ekapidarajakapotasana
22. tiasana
18. vipartada7qsana
23. pangmayurasana
19. ekapidavipartada7taana
24. ga7tabheana
20. bakasana
25. urdhvapraartapii ana
21 . ekapidadhanurasana
26. tiranmukhotthitatrk0asana
22. ikaTadhanurasana
27. suptakandasana
23. piding!hadhanurasana
28. ardhacakrasana
24. viparta5alabhasana
29. taraasana
25. uttana5albhasana
26. vrscikasana
30. yogapithasana
27.
;
ulbandhasana
31. silamba5irasana
32. niralmbaSrasana
28. kandapitasana
33. paratasana
29. bddhasana
30. ekapidakapotasana 34. savasana
AFFENDOV
Alphabetical list of asanas from Krishnamacariar' s YOGAMKA
adhomukhasvinisana 7
ardhabaddhapidottinisana 4
ardhabaddhapascimottinisana 9
baddhakorisana 1 3
baddhapadmisana 18
bakisana 21
bhairavisana 32
bhujapitisana 19
buddhisana 30
cakorisana 33
caturangada'isana 5
dirisana 35
dvipidasirisana 28
ekapidasirisana 27
garcabherttisana 38
jinusirisana 1 1
kapili sana 31
kfnnisana 22
mncisana 25
nivisana 20
nirilmbasaringisana 26
pirvottinisana 2
pascimottinisana 8
prasirtapidottinisana 3
rikisana 36
skandisana 34
1 02
suptakorisana 24
suptapidingu!hisana 1 4
suptapirsving!hisana 1 5
variation given is suptirdhapar
vraikapidisana
tiranmukhaiapipacmttinaana
1 0
trvikramisana 3 7
ubhayapiding!hisana 23
upavi!akorisana 1 2
irdhvamukhaivinisana 6
uttinisana 1 (8 kinds)
a. adhomukhisana
b. hastapidottini.sana
c. tiranmukhottinisana (this is
triangmukhottinisana i n
Iyengar, n.b. "triaig" i s cor
rupt for "tiryai )
d. cakrisana
(only these 4 listed)
utthitahastapidingu!hisana 1 7
variation given is utthitapidapai
cimottinisana
utthitapirsvakorisana 1 6
yoganidrisana 29
AEEENOV
fSUU MSIR (Yoga section describing Sri Nalvadi Krishnarajendra
Wodeyar translated by Dr. T.V. Venkatacala Sastri , Professor ofKnnaga,
Mysore Universit)
The work is fom the modern period but the language is old Knnaga.
The piece describes a yoga session of Krishnaraja Wodeyar I. In these
verses, the asanas are assumed to have an inner nature that is associated
with their specifc name. In other words, there is a mystical realization
content connected with each particular asana. A keen investigator into
the value or efcacy of yoga might like to compare the attitudes and
motivations of modern students of yoga. The raja, in a number of cases,
becomes the embodiment of the essence of that asana. The asanas thus
have a much greater dimension than mere physical elements. This is not
immediately noticeable to someone not familiar with the language.
1 1 5. From success in yama, 1 niyama1 is achieved and then practising asanas
which are comfortable (sukham) , 1 the body is balanced (samam) , the neck
and the head are in line. Then he meditates on the space between the
eyebrows, exhales slowly, inhales slowly and holds the breath.
1 16. He takes the padmasana position. He inhales slowly through the
left side once. Then he retains the breath. He exhales through the right
and again, inhales through the right slowly to the maximum and retains
the breath once again. Then he exhales through the left side.
1 1 7. Now he is in pri1iima. He has withdrawn the senses (pratyihira) . 1
The mind is i n a state of control (nirodha) . 1 He has controlled the mind
in this good position and is sunk in meditation. He sees nothing any
longer and has come to samidhi. He is seeing the tattva1 . now and has
reached a state of bliss.
1 18. Now he exhales through the left. Then he inhales through the left.
He retains the breath. Then he exhales through the right and retains
the breath again, and then givng place to apina through the susumna
becoming the ver self, he (?) .2
103
104 The Yoga Tradition of the Mysore Palc
1 19, 1 20, 1 21 , and 1 22. 3
123. Svatikisana: He takes the position of svatikisanaand attains good
ness as he is a wise man. His calves and thighs are folded together. He
keeps his feet in the middle of his body. His body is balanced.
1 24. Gomukhasana: He brings the left and right heel underneath the
right and left buttocks. He looks like Krishna then whose cows are in
front of him.
1 25. Vrisana: The right foot is pushed into the lef thigh and the left
foot into the right thigh. The elders say this is but natural for a king."
126. Kunisana The heels press the anus, the earlier position remains
the same. He looks like a tortoise. Seeing this, heavenly gods take the
churning stick in their hands thinking that it is time for them to churn
the ocean once again.
127. Kukkutisana: The hands are placed beteen the hollow of the
thighs and the calves in the pa
d
miana position and then he lifts the body
up with the support of those hands pressing the ground.
1 28. Uttinakurasana: From kukkutisana he lies on his back and brings
his hands on his neck to form a line. Thus he looks like a tortoise upside
down.
129. Dhanurisana: He takes hold of the toe of one foot and pulls it to
the ear like a bow. Then he holds the stetched leg with the other hand
by which he looks like an archer.
130. Matsendriana: He holds the right leg which has a bent thigh from
the back side. His right hand holds the left toe. His body is bent to the
left and the fce is tured back. Our king is he who has gained grand
victory.5
131. Paicimottinisana: He stetches the legs like a stick and holds the
tip of the toes. His knees kiss his head caressingly.
132. Mayuriana: The elbows are placed to become a support for the
navel. The body is stetched so that head and heels are balanced. He
looks like a stck held alof in the air resembling the peacock. People
look at him with awe.
133. The most auspicious of asanas which are as meritorious as living
beings are Siddha, Har, Padma, and Bhadra.
1 34. Siddhisana: The left heel is placed beteen the anus and the penis.
The right is placed on top of the penis. The chin is placed on the heart
Apedix V 1 05
at a distance of four fngers below the chin. The restrained sense organs
are kept on the space beteen the eyebrows.
1 35. Padmiana: The right leg is placed on the left thigh and the left
leg on the right thigh. He holds the toes with the hands crossed behind
the back. The chin is placed on the chest. He meditates on the tip of
the nose. Thus the lotus-yed king sits performing padmana.
136. Narahariana or Si1hiana: The mouth is fully open. He concen
trates closely on the tip of the nose. He resembles him with fearful coun
tenance. His heels are placed below the testicles crossing each other. His
free hands are pressing on the knees. He is verily Narasi:pha, the god.
Notes
1These are technical terms from Patafjali's YOGASORkl.
20riginal unclear.
:hese are general verses about yoga therefore omitted here.
'That is, vir means heroism and the heroism is one of the inherent traits of a royal
personage.
"Original confused.
AEEEOV
Photograp.s fom the WAYAMlIK illustatng source material for
yoga asanas in te wester gymnastcs manual written by te Mysore
Palace gmnast
1. urdhtlfUlhanuriana
p
re
p
aration
5. vipantacri ona showing how the
movement is tught
107
2. urdhvadhanuriana
6. ma7ali ana or that t
ype of movement
108
3. wg dow the wll
(
p
re
p
aton for backbends)
4. handstnd
10. llan
T Yog Trait ofth Mysoe Palc
7. lavakiana
8. hakana
9. m
y
iana
AEEDV
Photographs found in Kshnamacariar's YOGN A
1. Three photographs of the groups of stdent fom the yogaa show
ing the stong gmnatc inuence in the yogaala.
2. Photograph of the yogla showing the gnatc equipment ad
the ropes.
109
1 10 Th Yo
g
a Tratio ofth Mysue Palc
AEEENOO
Alphabetical list of aaa from the SRATANIHI
ajisana 25
alingisana 96
anantisana 1
aialikisana 1 22
aikusisana 3
aratyacatakisana 89
ardhacandrisana 95
ardhapa5cimottanisana 1 07
arasadhanisana 73
baddhapadmisana 33
bakisana 30
balliigisana 97
bhadrasana 77
bharadvajasana 28
hharasana 99
ckrasana 35
catakisana 26
dattisana 65
dhanurasana 109
dheukasana 58
dhrvasana 56
dhvajasana 7
dr$adasana 19
dviSzTisana 46
gajasana 1 3
garbhasana 1 13
gartasana 39
gahasana 50
ha7asana 45
I l l
hartisana 69
hastiiglibaddhasana 1 16
hrj anusaryogasana 1 17
kadambasana 91
kikasana 27
kamapzehasana 83
kaicasana 92
kandukasana 6
kapalsana 31
kapotasana 57
kaupinasana 1 10
khatgasana 34
krauicasana 67
kubasana 52
kukkulasana 36
kukkulodinasana BB
kullcakrisana 98
kuUanatrayasana 1 20
Ligalsana 1 7
lutlhasana 20
malsana 44
mararottanasana 82
matsasana 1 4
matsedrapithasana 102
mayirasana 32
me$asana 87
misalsana 61
naradasana 1 00
narakasana 8
1 1 2
naukaana 4
nyubaana 1 14
padamatakasatyogaana 1 15
padmaana 79
padukaana 41
pangkukkutaana 1 1 2
pangm
a
yuraana 1 1 1
para5vadhaana 1 6
parghaana 1 1
paroriana 63
parataana 93
parataana 43
parankaana 5
piaana 4 7
preikhiana 94
preikhaana 1 18
rathaana 23
aana 18
sankvaana 22
saraana 1 2
saraana 42
sasaana 24
savaana 70
siddhaana 80
sithiana 76
sukaana 71
sukhaana 75
suktyaana 105
sulana 40
svatikaana 59
svaraana 101
feaana 38
The Yoga Tradition of the Mysore Palce
ti'ravaana 55
tarakaana 1 5
tirannaukaana 84
titt'raana 29
trkitaana 21
trvikramaana 62
trajalukaana 60
ucch'r$akiana 48
urrinaana 1 19
urdhvapa5cimottinisana 108
iranibhyaana 49
U$/riana 54
utkataana 104
utpzraana 53
uttinakuri ana 85
uttinapadaana 7 4
uttinaana 2
utthinotthinaana 106
vajaana 68
vinaraana 3 7
varihaana 66
vetraana 9
vimalana 51
vipantanraana 90
v'raana 78
viratisana 86
aana 10
vtaana 72
Vapidik$eaana 81
yogaana 64
yogapauaana 1 21
yonyaana 103
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Yogeshvarananda, Shri 1 08 Swami Sarasvatiji Maharaj formerly
Rajayogachara Bala-Brahmachari Shri Vyasadevi Maharaj. Firt Stes
t High Yoga. India: Yoga Niketan Trst, 1970.
Zysk, Knneth G. Ascticm and Healng in Anct India. New York and
London: Oxford Universit Pres, 1990.
Zysk, Knneth G. "Magic, Myth, Mysticism, Medicine" in Henrch Zimm,
Ed. M. H. Case. Princeton: Princeton Universit Press, 194.
U
Adhomukhapadmasana, 101
Adhomukhasana, 1 02
AdhomukhaSnasana, 65, 71 , 1 02
Adhomukhavrasana, 54, 73, 92
Ajasana, 1 9, 73
Akanadhanurasana, 84, 87, 91 , 1 01
Ali ngasana, 30, 82
Anantfsana, 1 5, 69
Afjalikasana, 34, 85
Anjaneyasana, 87
Ankusasana, 1 5 , 69
Apanasana, 90
Ara-yaditakasana, 29, 82
Ardhabaddhapadma, 94
Ardhabaddhapadmottanasna, 1 00
Ardhabaddhapadottanasana, 1 02
Ardhabaddhapa5cimott3nasana, 1 00, 1 02
Ardhacakrasana, 90, 101
Ardhacandrasana, 30, 82, 90
Ardhamatsyendrasana, 87, 90, 1 00
Ardhanavasana, 89, 93, 96
Ardhapascimottanasana, 32, 57, 83
Ardhasalabhasana, 87
Ardhotthitasana, 90
Arghyasana, 57, 75
Assuna, 90
A<1\'akrasana, 55, 89, 90, 97, 1 tn , 1 08
As\'asadhanasana, 27, 80
Baddhako-asana, 83, 87, 92, 1 00, 1 02
Baddhapadmasana, 20, 75, 87, 90, 1 02
Bakapadaprasara-asana, 90
Bakasana, 1 9, 55, 73, 74, 88, 90, 92, 93, 95,
1 00, 1 01 , 1 02, 1 08
BakoQQiyanasana, 90
Balalingasana, 31 , 82
Bekasana, 87
Bhadrasana, 27, 80, 87, 90, 98, 101
Bhagasana, 90
Bhairavasana, 69, 87, 90, 96, 1 01 , 1 02
Bhardvjasana, 1 9, 74, 1 00
Bharasana, 31 , 82
Bhekasana, 87, 1 00
Bhrngasana, 90
BhujadaiQcsana, 90
Bhujangasana, 54, 71 , 76, 87, 95, 9R,
1 01
BhujapiQasana, 1 00, 1 02
Bhujasana, 67, 76
Buddhasana, 1 01 , 1 02
Cakorasana, 90, 97, 1 01 , 1 02
Cakrasana, 20, 75, 87, 90, 1 02
Cakrvakasana, 90
Candrnamaskarasna, 72, 90
Catakasana, 1 9, 73, 91
Caturangadarsasana, 65, 1 02
Caturangada-tQasana, 54 ,65, 66, iR. 1 : 1
Catupadasana, 91
Chamagadarasana ? , 91
1 17
1 18
Dapqsana, 2, 7d, d2, 9l , 94
Dardursanam, b7
Dhanurkapapsana ?, 9l
Dhanursana, 32, 7, d4, db, d7, 9l ,
97, 9d, l , l 4
Dhanvntar sana, l 3
Dhcnuksana, 24, 7d
Dhnn?sana, 24, 77, d7, 9, 9l
Dhv]sana, l b, 7
D|ksana, l l
Ddsana, l d, 72
Drana, 7d, l l , l 2
Dv1bhu]sanam, b7
UhmddhuQQda]nuQaa,
9l
Dvhastacakrana, 9l
DvhastakaQdouhtna,9l
Dv1hastaQmsarapa, 94
Dv1hastotthtaQdaQmsarapsana, 9l
Dv1kopsana, 9l
Dv1Qdabhu]ottnsana, 9l
Dv1Qdacakrsana, 9l
Dv1Qdagrivsana,9l
Dv1Qdakahastath|tordhvohastsana,9l
Dv1Qdakaupq|nysana, d9
Dv1QdangrasQamsana, 9l
Dv1Qdngu(hasthtsana, 9l
Dv1Qdasirsana,d2, d7, d9, 9l , 9b, l ,
l 2
Dv|QrsvQ|hbhmukhsana, 9l
Dv1Qrsvusana, 9l
Dv1sirsana, 22, 7b
Lkahastadapqna, 9
LkahastaQ(hakopsana, 9
Lkahastasarirotthnsana, 9l
The Yoga

Tradition of the Mysoe Palc
LkaQda, 94
LkaQdabaksana, 9, 9l , l l
LkaQdacakrsana, d7
LkaQdadhanursana, ll
LkaQdadvhastabaddhsana,9l
LkaQdagrivddapqsana, 9
LkaQdagriana, 9l
LkaQdahasmdapqsana, 9l
LkaQdahastsana, d7
LkaQda]nubaddhsana, 9l
LkaQdakaQotsana, l
LkaQdakaup qnysana, 92
LkaQdnguhsana, 9l
LkaQdar]akaQotsana, d7, dd, 9l , l l
LkaQdsana, 9l
LkaQdasawngsana, l l
LkaQdasirna, d7, 9l , l , l 2
LkaQdav1Qaritadapqsana, 9l , l l
LkaQdav1QaritamastakasQarsana, 9l
LkaQdav1rmsana, 9l
LkaQdordhvodhanursana, d7
LkaQdotthnacakrsana,9l
LkaQdotthna]nusirsana, 9l
LkaQdotthtahastaQdaQmmpna,9l
LkaQdotthm dhabaddhaQadmsana,9l
LkotthmQdaQrarapsana, 92
Ga]sana, l 7, b7, 7l , 72, 73,dl , 92
GIawsana, ll
Gapqabhcrupqsana, 74, 9b, l l , l 2
Gapcssana, l 3
GarbhaQ|pqsana, l 3, dl , d7, 93,9b, l
Garbhsana, 33, b7, d4, d7, 92
Garuqsana, 2l , b7, 7b, dd, 92, 9d
Gomukhsana, dd, d9, 92, 9d, l l , l 4
Gorna, 7b, dd, 92, 94, 9d
Grahsana, 23, 77
Indx
Griwcakrsana, 92
Grh?sanam, b7
GuQtsana, 88, 92,98
HaIsana, 72, 88, 92,93, 9
Hatnssana, 22, 7b, 92
Hanumnasana, 87, 97, l l
Harpsana, 2b, 79
HastabaddhaQadm

ana, 92
HastabaddhasmQdsana, 92
Hastabhu]sana, 92
HastadhrordhwQdawa, 92
HastnguIbaddhsana, 33,8
HastaQdabaddhsana, 92
HastaQdaguQmsana, 92
HastaQdamcrudapqsana,92
HastaQdsana, 88
HastaQdatrkopsana,92
HastaQdavsqtsana, 92
HastaQdott nsana, l2
Hastasircakrsana, 92
Hastasirsana, 92
Hastasth|taQdotthnsana, 92
Hastasthtatakrdhvngsana, 92
HastasthtordhwQadmsana, 92
HastotthtordhwQdaQrampsana, 92
HastotthtordhvaQdatIasaqyuktsana,
92
H|_nusaq:yogsana, 33, 8
_nubaddha, 94
_nubaddhaQdnsana, 92
_nuQhabaddha, 94
]nuQhabaddhaQadmsana, 92
]nusirsana, 88, I , I 2
]nvsana, 92
Kdambsana, l 3, 3, 82, 83
Kksana, l 9, 73, 74, 88, 92
Ksanam, b7
KIabharavsana, 88, 9l
KIypana, 92
KmaIsana,92
KmaQi(hsana, 28, 8l
Kcysana, 3, 82
KndaQiqsana, 88, 92, l l
KndaQiqordhvanamaskna, 92
Kndsana, 88, 93
Knduksana, l , 7, 7
KQIsana, 2, 7, 74
KQIsana, l 3, 1 2
1 1 9
KQomsana, 24, 77, 88, 9, 92, 93, l
Krapqsana, l l
KrpaQiqsana, 88, 92
Krtaviry_unsana, l 3
KasyaQsana, l l
Kuqnysana, l l
KuQinsana, 32, 84
Khaqgsana,2, 7
Khagsana, 92
Kha]ansana, 93
Kopsana, bb, 93
Kaucsana, 2b, 79, 9l , 93, l
Kraucoqqiynsana, 93
psana, 88
Krukacsana, l I
Kub]sana, 23, 77
Kukkusana,2,b7,7,7b,77,d4,88,93,
94, 9b, 98, l , l 4
Kukku(odnsana, 29, dl
KuIIacakrsana, 3l , 82
Kumbhaka, 7l
Krmsana, b7, 88, 9l , 93, 94, 9d, l ,
l 2, l 4
120
Kuanatrayna, 33, h
l>ghuvgrsana, 79, l
lngalsana, l 7, 72
Ltna, 93
loIsana, , 9b, lh
luhsana, h, bl , 72
Madhysanam, b7
Mahv1rsana, 93
Makarsana, 93, 9h
Mlsana, 22, 7b, h2
MapqaIsana, 4, 7
Mapqtkna, 93, 9d
Mpqtkysana, 93
Mankuksana, hh
Mancsana, 94, l , l l , l 2
Mr]rottnsana, 2h, h
Matpsana, l 7, 72, 79, dd, 93, 9h
Matsycndra, l 3
MatsycndraQ(hsana, 3l , h3
Matsycndrna, h3, 93, 9h. l 4
MaytracaIna, 93
May raQ(hsana, 9h
May rsana, l 3, 2, 4, 7,74, h4, dd, 93,
9h, l l , l 4, l h
Mayrysana,93
Mcrudaqav'akrsana, 93
Mcsana,29, hl
M@sana, 93
Mqhagarbhsana, 93
Muktsana, hh, 93, 9d
MtIabandhanbhtqansana, 93
MtIabandhsana, h3, hh, 9, 97, l l
MtIacakra, l 3
MIaQqabhmmsana ? , 93
MtsaIna, 2, 7h
The Yoga Tradition of the Mysoe Palc
Mubaddhahastacakrana, 93
Nbhdarsansana, 93
NbhQqsana, dh,93
Nbhysana, 93
Nakrsana, 93, l
Nradsana, 3 , d3
Naraharysana, l
Namksana, l b, 7, 72, 74, hl
Na(ar]sana,hh, 93, J l
Nauksana, l , b9, 7, hl , 93
Nvsana, 7, 9, , l 2
NrIambasar't\gsana, , 2
NrIambasrsana, l l
Nyub]sana, 33, h4
Lmkrna, hh
ldabaddha, 94
ldagi1v, 94
ldagumQhtotthtnsana, 93
ldahastacatukopsana, 93
ldahastaQhacakrana, 93
ldahastasatnyogsana, 33, h4
ldahastsana, 4, 7b, h, hh, 93, l
ldakucansana,93
ldamastakasaqyogsana, 3J,h4
ldanamaskrsana, 93
ldngt(hadhanursana, l l
ldngu(hsana, hh, l
ldngu(haskhsQarssana, 93
ldngu(hasth tantambsana, 93
ldngt(hotthmsana, 94
ldaQmaraakacchaQsana, 94
ldaQrasarapasar?ngatuIna, 94
ldasacaIansana, 9i
ldantuIansana, 9 I
ldatIasaqytktabhunamansana? , 94
Indx
ldamIasatnytktamrdhasQarssana, 94
ldatrkopsana, 94
ldavakraQIysana, 94
ldavkaIngsana, 94
ladma]nubaddhotthtsana, 94
ladmamayrsana, 74, 93
ladmsana, 28, 7, 74, 7, 78, 8, 8l , 83,
8, 88, 94, 98, 99, 3, l 4,
ladmasrsana, 94
lduksana, 2 , 7b
langukukku sana, 32, 84, l
langumay rsana, 32, 84, l l
larasvadhsana, 7, 72
larghsana, l b, 7l ,
Iarvtta]nusrsana, 88
larv|ttaQrsvakosana, 93
larvttatrkqsana, 89, 97
laropysana, 2, 78
larQasana, 3, 82
lrpbaddha, 94
lrpQqsana, 94
lrsvabaksana, 88, 94
lrsvadhanursana, 9l , l
lrwakksana, 88, 94
lrsvakpsana, 94
lrsvasarngsana, 7
lrsvatrkopsana, 94
lrsvounsana, 8h, l , l2
laramsana, 22, 7b, 8, 88, 94, 9b, l
laanksana, l , 7, 94, l
lssana, 22, 7b, l
lascdsanam, b7
lascmottnsana, l 3, 7, b, 83, 84, 88,
94, 98, l , l 2, l 4
latangsana, 94
lavanamuktsana, 94
121
lhapaguQtsanam, b7
lksana, 94
lchamaytrsana, 97, l
lpqsana, 9
lrsana, 94
lrapavsana, 88
lrartaQdottnsana, , 2
lrcnkhsana, 3, 33, 82, 8
lhabaddha, 94
lhabaddhakaQda]nusQarsana, 94
lhabaddha]nubhnamaskrna,94
lhabaddha]nusQarssana, 9
labaddhaQdm1ana,
9
lhabaddhaQdaQrasarapsana, 9
lhabaddhsana, 9
lhamu(baddha, 94
lhaQdasthmsana, 9
lrpadhanursana, 88
ltrpamatsycndrsana, 88,
lrpasuQtava]rsana, 88, 9b
ltrpavsrmsana, 9
lrotmnsm\a, 88, 93, 9,
K]akaQotsana, 87, 97, l
K]sana, 7, 73
Kathsana, l 8, 73
ciksana, l 2
ksana, 7, 72
Kucksana, 87
5accd mudr, 8
5aha]sana, 9
5aktcIn, 88
bakuysana, 9
5aIabhsana, 88, 9, 98, l
5Iambasrsana, l l
1 22
5amakmsana, h, 97, l l
5amnsana, 9, l
5at1ka(sana, 9, 9d
5ankocsana, 9
5at\kv'sana, lh, 73
5araIsana, h, 7
5arangsana,9
5r|ksana, 9
5arQsana, b, 2, 7 , 7b, 9
5arngabaddhsana, 9
5ar'ngacakrsana, 9
5arngsana, 7, hh, 9
5assana, lh, 73
5(ngadat)qav'atsana, 9
a(Qdsana, 9
5av'sana, 2b, 79, hh, 9, 9d, l
SayanaQdasacaIansana, 9
5ayansana, 7
5ayanotthnsana, 9
5ctubandhsana, hh, 9,
5|ddhsana,2h, 79,h, h9,9, 9h,99, l l ,
4
5iIsana, 9
5|qhsana,27, b7,d,d9,9,9d, l l , l b
5|rasana, 74
5|raprakmsanam, b7
5|rt1gu(hsana, h9
5|raiIsana, 9
5|rap(haQadmsana, 9
5|rsanam, b7
5irabaddhotth|t_nusQarssana, 9
5iracakrsana, 9
5irapdsana, 9,
5irsana, 7, b7, 74, h9, 9, 9b
5kandsana, h h7, 9 0 , l 2
The Yoga Tradition of the Mysore Palc
5kandasacaIansana,9b
5th|tordhvaQdav1sttsana,9b
5uksana, 2b, 79, 9b
5ukhsana, 27, d, d9, 9b
5uktysana, 32, d3
5Isana, 2l , 7
5uQta|kaQdkarapsana,9b
5upta| kaQdasirsana, 9b
5uQta|kaQdordhvsana, 9b
5uQtakandsana, lOJ
5uQtakopsana, l , l 2
5uQtaQdn(hsana,b9,d7,9b,I ,l 2
5uQtaQrsv'ngu(hsana, l 2
5uQtaQrsv'asah|tsana,
5uQtrdhaQar|va|kaQdsana, l 2
5uQtatrn1kramsana, l l
5uQtav'a]rsana, 79, d9, 9b, l
5uQtav1rsana, d9, 9, 9b
5anamaskra,4,h,72,7d,d9,9,9b,
l
5utarmgsana ? , 9b
5v'argsana, 3l , d3
5vastksana, 24, 7d, d9, 9b, 9h, l 4
5vottnsana, dl
5ycnsana, 2l , 7b
Jqsana, 4, bb, 9b, l l
Jpqav'san 2 77
Jarakv'sana, l 7, 72, ll
J|ryat1mukha|kaQdaQasc| mottnsana,
bb, , l 2
J|ryanmukhottnsana, l l , l 2
J|anmukhotth|tatr|kopsana, l l
J|annauksana, 2h, h
(|| bhsana, 7b, 9 , 93, 9b, l
J|tti(sana, l 9, 74
JoIngtIsana, h9, 9b
Indx
Triargmukhaikapadapascimottinasana,
94
Triargmukhottanasana, 7b, 87, l2
Trikmasan<. 89, 9b
Trikitasana, l 8, 73
Trivikramasana, 2b, 78, 97, l l , l 2
Tpajalukasana, 24, 78
Tulasana, 9b
Ubhayapadanguthasana, l , l 2
Ucchirakasana, 22, 77
Udarasanam, b7
U ccanasana, 33, 8b
Ugrasana, b7, 9b, 98
UlikapadaprasaraQasana, 9b
U padhanasana, 9b
Upavilakmasana, 88,94,9b,97,l ,l 2
Ordhvadhanurasana, b4, 7b, 87, l l , l 7
Ordhvaikapadasana, 9b
Ordhvakukkulasana, l l
Ordhvamukhapascimottanasana, 84, h8,
I
Ordhvamukhasvanasana, bb, bb, l 2
Ordhvapadatalasaryuktasana, 9b
0 rdhvapadmamukhabh ispana, 9b
Ordhvapadmasana, 89, 9b
Ordhvapascimottanasana, 32, 84
Ordhvaprasaritapadasana, l l
Ordhvasanam, b7
0 rdhvavarasana, 9b
Ordhvotthanasana, 9b
OrQanabhysana, 23, 77
Utrasana, 23, 77, h7, 9b, 98, l
U tkatasana, 3l, 83, 9b, 98, l
Utpicasana, 23, 77
U uamangasana, 9b
Uttanakirmasana, 29, 8l , 9b, 98, l 4
U uanamm:(lfkasana, 9b, 9h
Uttanapadasana, 27, 8, 9b
Uttana5alabhasana, l l
Uttanasana, l b, bb, b9, 97, l 2
Utthanotthanasana, 32, 83
Utthilapadmasana, 9b
Utthitabhttotthanasana, 9b
Utthi tad,'anusirasparsasana, 9b
Utthitadvipadagrivasana, 9b
1 23
U tthitahastadviparsvapadaprasarm;asana,
9b
Utthitahastapadarguthasana, 77, l 2
UtthitahastapadatrikoQasana, 97
UtthitahastaprasaraQasana, 97
Utthitaikapadagrivasana, 97
U tthitaikapadahastasana, 97
Utthitaikapadajanusirasana, 97
U tthi taikapadakaraQasana, 97
Utthitajanusirasaryuktasana, 97
Utthitakumbhakasana, 97
Utthitakfarmasana, 89
U tthitapadahatabaddhabhftnamak.1rna,
97
Uuhitapadangulhasana, l
Utthitapadapascimottinasana, l 2
UtthitaparsvakoQasana, bb, l , l 2
Utthitaparsvasahitasana, I
Utthitardhacakrasana, 97
Utthitasirasana, 97
Utthitasvastikasana, l l
Utthitatrikm;asana, l
Vajrargasana, 97
Vajrasana, 2h, 79, h, h9, 97, 9h, l l
Vajrolimudra, bb
Vakrasana, h9, 97
Vaassthalajanupicasana, 97
124
Vmadat)aQrsvasvsgamansana, 97
Vmansana, 97
Vnarsana, 2 , 7b
Varhsana, 2b, 79
Vas|hsana,
Vtyansana, 89, 92,
Vqnsana, 89
Vctnisana, b, 7
VkastakamaIsana, 97
V|kasana, 97
V|maIsana, 23, 77
V|Qaritacakrsana,,b , 72,7, , 7
V|Qaritadapqna, l l
V|Qaritahastabhnamansana, 97
V|QaritahastaQdsana, 97
V|Qaritakarapsana, 97
VQaritakamp, b7, 7, 74, 8 , 98
V|Qantanqsana, 29, 7, 82
V|QantaQdamastakasQarssana,97
V|QaritaQdngusasrasQarssana, 97
V|QaritaQdaQrasarapsana, 94, 97
V|QaritaQadmaynordhwmukhsana,97
V|QaritasaIabhsana, 97, l l
Y|QaritordhmQadmsana, 97
V'irabhadrsana, 9, 9l , l
V'|racysana, 8d
V`irsana, 27, 79, 8, 89, 97, 98, l l , l 4
Th Yoga Traitio of th Mysoe Palce
V|mtana, 29, 8
V|rcsana, l
VsqtahastaQdacakrsana,97
VstmQdahastasQarssana, 97
VsqmQdaQrwbhnamaskrsana, 97
VsqtaQdsana, 97
VsqtaQdordhwnamaskmna, 97
Vwmtrana, 9 ,
Vytakarapsana, 97
Vksana, 7
Vana, l b, 82, 9 , 97, 98,
Vtna, 2b, 79
VQdQsana, 28, 8l
Vana, 98
Vsctkana, 7b, 82, 89, 97, l
Ynsana, 97
Ynoqqiynana, 97
Yogadapqna, 3, 77, 89, 9,
Yogadantsana, 89
Yogamudr, 78, 89
Yogandrana, 3, 87, 92, 9b, l , l 2
YogaQaa, 34, 8b
YogaQina,
Yogna, 2b, 78, 98, l l
Yonmudr, 83
Yonysana, 3l , d3, 97
The author, Or. N. Sjoman, is ,, S.lll
skritist trained i n traditional S,lns"t
schools as well as in Universiti es 111
North America, Europe and lndr.1
eventually taking a Vidyavacasp.ltr
degree from Pune University. I ni
tia11y, he learned yoga from B.K.S
Iyengar and continued as a student
during an eighteen year sojour in
India. He has taught yoga with Sri
Dattatreya all over the world. He
received an Honorary Doctorate in
Yoga from the Nippon Yoga Cakkti
in 1982. He has published .lCdlmic
articles, articles on art and cul t un
and a book with Sri D.ltt, l l rty,,
entitled "An Introduction to South
Indian Music". I e is a visunl .1rt ist, ,,
painter, sculptor, and textile Jrtist.
ISBN 81-7017-389-6
znd Edition 1999