Matsyasana, Matsya-asana, Matsyāsana, Matsyashana, Matsyāśana, Matsya-ashana: 12 definitions
Introduction:
Matsyasana means something in Hinduism, Sanskrit. 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.
The Sanskrit term Matsyāśana can be transliterated into English as Matsyasana or Matsyashana, using the IAST transliteration scheme (?).
In Hinduism
Yoga (school of philosophy)
Source: Wisdom Library: YogaMatsyāsana (मत्स्यासन, “fish posture”) is a Sanskrit word referring to a type of posture (āsana) used in Yoga. It is composed of the words matsya (fish) and āsana (posture).
Source: Google Books: The Hatha Yoga PradipikaMatsyāsana (मत्स्यासन) is the name of an āsana (posture), according to Haṭhayogapradīpikā I.28-29.—Accordingly, “Having placed the right foot at the root of the left thigh, let the toe be grasped with the right hand passing over the back, and having placed the left foot on the right thigh at its root, let it be grasped with the left hand passing behind the back. This is the āsana, as explained by Śrī Matsyanātha. It increases appetite and is an instrument for destroying the group of the most deadly diseases. Its practice awakens the Kundalinī, stops the nectar shedding from the moon in people”.
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 (e.g., matsya-āsana).
Source: archive.org: Yoga Tradition of the Mysore PalaceMatsyāsana (मत्स्यासन) is a type of posture (āsana), according to verse 14 of the Śrītattvanidhi.—Accordingly, “Lie face down. Bring the two elbows up by the sides and place the palms of the hands on the ground. Raise the body up again and again. This is matsyāsana, the fish”.
The 19th-century Śrītattvanidhi is a sanskrit treatise describing 80 primary āsanas, or ‘posture’ (e.g., matsya-āsana) and several additional ones.
This āsana name is known in Iyengar and in the Gheraṇḍasaṃhitā II.21. The āsana form in both of these texts is similar and the form illustrated here is different.
Source: archive.org: Gheranda SamhitaMatsyāsana (मत्स्यासन) is one of the thirty-two āsanas (postures) taught in the second chapter of the Gheraṇḍasaṃhitā: “Assuming the Mukta-padmāsana (i.e. without the crossing of the hands) lie supine, surrounding the head by the two elbows. This is Matsyāsana, the destroyer of diseases”.
Matsyāsana 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 matsya-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.
Source: Scribd: Roots of YogaMatsyāsana (मत्स्यासन) is the name of an āsana (posture) described in the Haṭhābhyāsapaddhati (24).—Accordingly, “Lie face down. Move the elbows up to the sides, rest the palms on the ground and lift the body over and over again. This is the fish pose (matsyāsana)”.
The Haṭhābhyāsapaddhati is an 17th-century text in Sanskrit dealing with haṭha-yoga, and is also known by the name of its author, Kapālakuruṇṭaka. The text describes 112 āsanas (e.g., matsya-āsana) usually based on animal movement.
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 TantraMatsyāsana (मत्स्यासन) refers to the “seat of the fish”, 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 (matsyāsana—matsyaḥ ... tāsāṃ tathāsanam), a turtle, a makara, 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. [...]”.
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 dictionaryMatsyāśana (मत्स्याशन).—
1) a king-fisher.
2) one who eats fish.
Derivable forms: matsyāśanaḥ (मत्स्याशनः).
Matsyāśana is a Sanskrit compound consisting of the terms matsya and aśana (अशन).
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Shabda-Sagara Sanskrit-English DictionaryMatsyāśana (मत्स्याशन).—m.
(-naḥ) The king-fisher. E. matsya a fish, aśana eating. ‘mācharāṅgā’.
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English DictionaryMatsyāśana (मत्स्याशन):—[from matsya > matsa] m. ‘feeding on fish’, a halcyon, king-fisher, [cf. Lexicographers, esp. such as amarasiṃha, halāyudha, hemacandra, etc.]
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Yates Sanskrit-English DictionaryMatsyāśana (मत्स्याशन):—[matsyā+śana] (naḥ) 1. m. The kingfisher.
[Sanskrit to German]
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, Matsya.
Ends with: Adhomukhamatsyasana.
Full-text: Marcatanam, Vajrasana, Asana.
Relevant text
Search found 2 books and stories containing Matsyasana, Matsya-asana, Matsya-āsana, Matsya-aśana, Matsya-ashana, Matsyāsana, Matsyāśana, Matsyashana; (plurals include: Matsyasanas, asanas, āsanas, aśanas, ashanas, Matsyāsanas, Matsyāśanas, Matsyashanas). You can also click to the full overview containing English textual excerpts. Below are direct links for the most relevant articles: