Kurmasana, aka: Kūrmāsana, Kurma-asana; 7 Definition(s)

Introduction

Kurmasana means something in Hinduism, Sanskrit, Marathi. If you want to know the exact meaning, history, etymology or English translation of this term then check out the descriptions on this page. Add your comment or reference to a book if you want to contribute to this summary article.

In Hinduism

Shilpashastra (iconography)

In the Kūrmāsana (कूर्मासन), the legs are crossed so as to make the heels come under the gluteals. A description of the wooden seat known as Kūrmāsana is given in the Tamil work called Śaivasamaya-neri. The timber used for making this seat is the iluppai, karuṅgāli (ebony) or bilva (bael). The Kūrmāsana must have the oval shape proper for a mirror. The height of it has to be four aṅgulas, its breadth twelve, and it should be provided with the face and feet of a tortoise, these latter being one muṣṭi or seven aṅgulas in girth.

Kūrmāsana (कूर्मासन) refers to a type of Āsana (sitting poses), according to Ganapati Sthapati in his text Ciṟpa Cennūl, as defined according to texts dealing with śilpa (arts and crafs), known as śilpaśāstras.—Kūrmāsana in one context may mean that it is the tortoise, which serves as the seat (of a particular god or goddess of the river goddess Yamuna who is kūrmāsana), while in another it would indicate that type of sitting pose in which ‘the legs are crossed so as to make the heels come under the gluteals.

Rao describes four types of āsanas or pīṭhas, viz., bhadrapīṭha (bhadrāsana), kūrmāsana, pretāsana and siṃhāsana. The height of the first is divided into 16 parts, of which one forms the thickness of the upana or the basal layer; four, of the jagati or the next higher layer; three, of the kumuda; one, of the pattika; three, of the kantha; one, of the second pattika; two, of the broader mahāpattika; and one, of the ghṛtavari, the top-most layer. The kūrmāsana is to be made of wood and is to be of oval shape. It should be four aṅgulas high and twelve aṅgulas broad.

According to the Tamil work Saivasamayaneri, kūrmāsana is to be made of wood and is to be of oval shape; it should be four aṅgulas high and twelve aṅgulas broad, and the face and feet of a tortoise should be shown on it.

context information

Shilpashastra (शिल्पशास्त्र, śilpaśāstra) represents the ancient Indian science (shastra) of creative arts (shilpa) such as sculpture, iconography and painting. Closely related to Vastushastra (architecture), they often share the same literature.

Yoga (school of philosophy)

Kūrmāsana (कूर्मासन) is one of the eighty-four āsanas (postures) taught by Śiva, according to the Haṭharatnāvalī 3.7-20. It is said that Ādinātha (Śiva) hand-picked 84 yoga postures from 84,00,000 living beings and taught them for the purpose of introducing physical health and well-being to the human body. The compound kūrmāsana translates to kūrma (turtle) and āsana (posture).

The 17th-century Haṭharatnāvalī is a Sanskrit reference book dealing with these āsanas (eg., kūrmāsana) which form a major constituent of the haṭhayoga practice. It was written by Śrīnivāsa.

Kurmāsana (कुर्मासन) is the name of an āsana (posture), according to Haṭhayogapradīpikā I.24.—Accordingly, “Placing the right ankle on the left side of anus, and the left ankle on the right side of it, makes what the Yogīs call kūrmāsana”.

The 15th-century Haṭhayogapradīpikā by Svātmārāma is one of the oldest extant texts dealing with haṭhayoga: an ancient form of meditation founded by Matsyendranātha. The first chapter of this book describes various āsanas (eg., kūrma-āsana)

Kūrmāsana (कूर्मासन) is one of the thirty-two āsanas (postures) taught in the second chapter of the Gheraṇḍasaṃhitā: “Placing the two ankles everted under the scrotum keep the spine, the neck and the head straight. This is called Kūrmāsana”.

Kūrmāsana 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 kūrma-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).

Languages of India and abroad

Marathi-English dictionary

kūrmāsana (कूर्मासन).—n S One of the attitudes of yōga.

Sanskrit-English dictionary

Kūrmāsana (कूर्मासन).—a particular posture in sitting (practised by ascetics).

Derivable forms: kūrmāsanam (कूर्मासनम्).

Kūrmāsana is a Sanskrit compound consisting of the terms kūrma and āsana (आसन).

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