In Hinduism

Yoga (school of philosophy)

Source: Wisdom Library: Yoga

Makarāsana (मकरासन, “makara posture”) is a Sanskrit word referring to a type of posture (āsana) used in Yoga. It is composed of the words makara (sea monster) and āsana (posture).

Source: archive.org: Gheranda Samhita

Makarāsana (मकरासन) is one of the thirty-two āsanas (postures) taught in the second chapter of the Gheraṇḍasaṃhitā: “Lie prone, the chest touching the ground and the two legs stretched out. Hold the head with the two arms. This is Makarāsana that increases the heat of the body”.

Makarāsana is one of the selected 32 postures amongs 8,400,000 total mentioned by Śiva, according to Gheraṇḍasaṃhitā 2.1-2, “In all, there are as many Āsanas as species of animals. Eighty-four lacs of them are mentioned by Śiva. Out of them, 84 are regarded as important and among these 84, again 32 are good (enough) in this world of mortal beings”.

The 17th-century Gheraṇḍasaṃhitā (mentioning makara-āsana) is one of the three classic texts of Haṭha-yoga: a major branch of Yoga, sharing similarities with the Yoga system taught by Patañjali, though claiming its own mythical founder known as Matsyendranātha. This gheraṇḍa-saṃhitā is an encyclopedic Sanskrit treatise describing thirty two such āsanas.

context information

Yoga is originally considered a branch of Hindu philosophy (astika), but both ancient and modern Yoga combine the physical, mental and spiritual. Yoga teaches various physical techniques also known as āsanas (postures), used for various purposes (eg., meditation, contemplation, relaxation).

Shaivism (Shaiva philosophy)

Source: SOAS University of London: Protective Rites in the Netra Tantra

Makarāsana (मकरासन) refers to the “seat of the Makara”, associated with the Dūtīs associated with Tumburu, according to the Netratantra of Kṣemarāja: a Śaiva text from the 9th century in which Śiva (Bhairava) teaches Pārvatī topics such as metaphysics, cosmology, and soteriology.—Accordingly, [verse 11.1-24ab, while describing the appearance and worship of Tumburu]—“[...] However, those who are Dūtīs bear a form adorned with one face, two arms, and three eyes. Adorning [them is] hair, shorn with scissors. They sit on a fish, a turtle, a Makara (makarāsana—makaro... tāsāṃ tathāsanam), and a frog. The servants are two-armed and hold a sword and a hide, [faces bent] in a crooked frown [on their] single faces, [which is adorned with] three eyes. [When] meditated on, [they] burst forth with white, etc., colors, giving the fruits of siddhis. [...]”.

context information

Shaiva (शैव, śaiva) or Shaivism (śaivism) represents a tradition of Hinduism worshiping Shiva as the supreme being. Closely related to Shaktism, Shaiva literature includes a range of scriptures, including Tantras, while the root of this tradition may be traced back to the ancient Vedas.

Languages of India and abroad

Sanskrit dictionary

Source: DDSA: The practical Sanskrit-English dictionary

Makarāsana (मकरासन).—a kind of Āsana in yoga; मकरासनमावक्ष्ये वायूनां स्तम्भकारणात् । पृष्ठे पादद्वयं बद्ध्वा हस्ताभ्यां पृष्ठबन्धनम् (makarāsanamāvakṣye vāyūnāṃ stambhakāraṇāt | pṛṣṭhe pādadvayaṃ baddhvā hastābhyāṃ pṛṣṭhabandhanam) || Rudrayāmala.

Derivable forms: makarāsanam (मकरासनम्).

Makarāsana is a Sanskrit compound consisting of the terms makara and āsana (आसन).

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Mākarāsana (माकरासन).—a particular posture in sitting.

Derivable forms: mākarāsanam (माकरासनम्).

Mākarāsana is a Sanskrit compound consisting of the terms mākara and āsana (आसन).

context information

Sanskrit, also spelled संस्कृतम् (saṃskṛtam), is an ancient language of India commonly seen as the grandmother of the Indo-European language family (even English!). Closely allied with Prakrit and Pali, Sanskrit is more exhaustive in both grammar and terms and has the most extensive collection of literature in the world, greatly surpassing its sister-languages Greek and Latin.

See also (Relevant definitions)

Partial matches: Asana, Makara.

Full-text: Asana.

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Search found 1 books and stories containing Makarasana, Makara-asana, Makarāsana, Makara-āsana, Mākarāsana, Mākara-āsana; (plurals include: Makarasanas, asanas, Makarāsanas, āsanas, Mākarāsanas). You can also click to the full overview containing English textual excerpts. Below are direct links for the most relevant articles:

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