Yogasana, Yoga-asana, Yogāsana: 18 definitions
Introduction:
Yogasana means something in Hinduism, Sanskrit, Marathi, Hindi. 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.
Alternative spellings of this word include Yogasan.
In Hinduism
Shilpashastra (iconography)
Yogasana (Yoga-asana)—The yogi position. The legs are crossed with the feet touching the ground. The knees are slightly drawn up and supported by a special tape (yogapatta). This position shows a god as an ascetic. In a variation of this position, only the right leg is drawn up and supported by the yogapatta while the left leg hangs down.
Yogāsana (योगासन).—When used as a pītha (seat or pedestal), this Āsana should be used as the seat for the image during invocation, according to the Suprabhedāgama. According to the Candrajñānāgama, the seat is of a octagonal shape.
Yogāsana (योगासन) 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.—This [Yogāsana] posture signifies the disciplining of the five senses. One of the hands is held in jñāna-mudrā close to the chest, with palm facing either inward or outward. The other hand is placed on the thigh with palm upward and fingers held together and extended. The head is held erect with eyes gazing at the tip of the nose. These are the special characteristics and qualities of yogāsana. Yoga Narasiṃha is found in this [Yogāsana] posture.
According to T. A. G. Rao in his text ‘Elements of Hindu Iconography’, Yogāsana is a octagonal seat and should be used as the seat for the image during invocation.
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.
Shaivism (Shaiva philosophy)
Yogāsana (योगासन) is one of five pedestals that makes up the Śivāsana, unto which Śiva is installed and invoked during the ritualistic process of śivārcana, according to the Sakalāgamasāra-saṃgraha. In the process of invocation (āvāhana) Lord Śiva is contemplated as seated on Yogāsana: “in the process of invocation (āvāhana) Lord Śiva is contemplated as seated on yogāsana”. This particular āsana is associated with the shape of an octagon and is connected with the element Fire.
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.
Yoga (school of philosophy)
Yogāsana (योगासन) is a type of posture (āsana), according to verse 64 of the Śrītattvanidhi.—Accordingly, “Place the left ankle on the right knee and the right ankle on the left knee. Do the sacrificial altar reversal. Place the eyes between the eye-brows. This is yogāsana”.
The 19th-century Śrītattvanidhi is a sanskrit treatise describing 80 primary āsanas, or ‘posture’ (e.g., yoga-āsana) and several additional ones.
The name is not found in Iyengar but a yogamudrā, technically not an āsana, similar to this is commonly known. The yogamudrā position is a padmāsana leg position and incorporates movements of the upper body and breathing restrictions. It might be considered, then, that it belongs to the same āsana family as this and thus related to or derived from this.
Yogāsana (योगासन) is one of the thirty-two āsanas (postures) taught in the second chapter of the Gheraṇḍasaṃhitā: “Turning the feet upwards and placing them on the (opposite) knees and keeping the hands on the seat with the palms turned upwards draw in air by inhaling and fix the gaze on the tip of the nose. This is Yogāsana assumed by the yogis for practice of Yoga”.
Yogāsana 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 yoga-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.
Yogāsana (योगासन) represents a 19th-century text dealing with Yoga.—The āsanas of the Yogāsana, most of which correspond to untraced Sanskrit descriptions quoted in a commentary on the Yogasūtra by Śrīkṛṣṇavallabhācārya (1939), were reproduced in several early twentieth-century publications, one of which was Swāmī Śivānanda’s book Yoga Asanas. This will be discussed at length in a forthcoming publication.
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).
Ayurveda (science of life)
Dietetics and Culinary Art (such as household cooking)
Yogasana refers to “body postures that improve agni (digestive strength)”.—According to the study, various important factors in prevention of nutritional disorders in adolescent girls include: “rules to be followed while eating (ahara-vidhi-vidhana)”, nutritious food items, rasayana, yogasana (body postures) and pranayama (controlled breathing techniques) to improve agni (digestive strength), nidra (proper sleep). Yogasana refers to “body postures” that improve Agni (digestive strength) and thus provide proper digestion and assimilation of food as well as it provide relaxation. The common Asanas which should be practised are: Vajrasana, Shashankasana, Pawanmuktasana, Makrasana, Shavasana. It is mentioned in the section of “prevention of aptarpana-janya-vyadhi (under-nutritional disorders)”. Therefore, it is concluded that to prevent nutritional disorders in adolescent girls, balanced diet should be encouraged.
Āyurveda (आयुर्वेद, ayurveda) is a branch of Indian science dealing with medicine, herbalism, taxology, anatomy, surgery, alchemy and related topics. Traditional practice of Āyurveda in ancient India dates back to at least the first millenium BC. Literature is commonly written in Sanskrit using various poetic metres.
Languages of India and abroad
Marathi-English dictionary
yōgāsana (योगासन).—n S A posture of a yōgī performing yōga.
Marathi is an Indo-European language having over 70 million native speakers people in (predominantly) Maharashtra India. Marathi, like many other Indo-Aryan languages, evolved from early forms of Prakrit, which itself is a subset of Sanskrit, one of the most ancient languages of the world.
Sanskrit dictionary
Yogāsana (योगासन).—a posture suited to profound and abstract meditation.
Derivable forms: yogāsanam (योगासनम्).
Yogāsana is a Sanskrit compound consisting of the terms yoga and āsana (आसन).
Yogāsana (योगासन).—n.
(-naṃ) A religious posture, the position in which the devotee sits to perform the religious exercise called Yoga. E. yoga as above, and āsana a seat or sitting.
Yogāsana (योगासन):—[from yoga] n. a mode of sitting suited to profound meditation or similar to that of the Yoga, [Amṛtabindu-upaniṣad; Bhaṭṭi-kāvya etc.]
Yogāsana (योगासन):—[yogā+sana] (naṃ) 1. n. The religious posture of the Yogī.
Yogāsana (योगासन):—(yoga + 1. ā) n. eine dem Yoga entsprechende Art zu sitzen [AMṚTAN. Upakośā] in [Weber’s Indische Studien 9, 30.] [Weber’s Verzeichniss No. 616.] [Bhaṭṭikavya 7, 77.] [Kullūka] zu [Manu’s Gesetzbuch 6, 49.] dhyānayogāsane brahmāsanam [Amarakoṣa 2, 7, 39.] [Hemacandra’s Abhidhānacintāmaṇi 838.]
Yogāsana (योगासन):—n. eine dem Yoga entsprechende Art zu sitzen.
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.
Hindi dictionary
Yogāsana (योगासन) [Also spelled yogasan]:—(nm) the [yoga]-posture; the posture adopted in contemplative meditation.
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Kannada-English dictionary
Yōgāsana (ಯೋಗಾಸನ):—
1) [noun] any posture of sitting at the time of meditation.
2) [noun] any of various postures practiced as yogic exercises.
Kannada is a Dravidian language (as opposed to the Indo-European language family) mainly spoken in the southwestern region of India.
Nepali dictionary
Yogāsana (योगासन):—n. yogic posture for meditation; a posture of sitting or a seat of yogic meditation;
Nepali is the primary language of the Nepalese people counting almost 20 million native speakers. The country of Nepal is situated in the Himalaya mountain range to the north of India.
See also (Relevant definitions)
Starts with: Yogasanalakshana, Yogasanalakshanani, Yogasanamala, Yokacanam.
Full-text (+64): Yogasanalakshana, Asanayoga, Yogasanamala, Vimalasana, Anantasana, Carumacanam, Hathayoga, Yogasan, Atmavatikacanam, Amcacanam, Pawanmuktasana, Shashankasana, Pawanmukta, Ardhamatsyendrasana, Uttanapadasana, Vajrasana, Katicakra, Ardhamatsyendra, Cayanatanam, Kattatanam.
Relevant text
Search found 42 books and stories containing Yogasana, Yogāsana, Yoga-āsana, Yōgāsana, Yoga asanas; (plurals include: Yogasanas, Yogāsanas, āsanas, Yōgāsanas, Yoga asanases). You can also click to the full overview containing English textual excerpts. Below are direct links for the most relevant articles:
Journal of Ayurveda and Integrative Medicine
Physiological classification and mechanisms of yogāsanas. < [Volume 13 (issue 2), Apr-Jun 2022]
"Yoga boosts strength, flexibility, balance, and reduces detraining." < [Volume 15 (issue 1), Jan-Feb 2024]
Proposed physiological mechanisms of pranayama: A discussion < [Volume 15 (issue 1), Jan-Feb 2024]
International Ayurvedic Medical Journal
A critical review of clinical application of yogasanas w.s.r. to pavanamuktasana < [2014, Issue VI Nov-Dec]
Clinical study of yogasana and pathyaahara in management of madhumeha (diabetes mellitus-2) < [2024, Issue 02. February]
Preventive and therapeutic effect of yogāsana and prānāyam in the patients of diabetes mellitus: an overview < [2021, Issue 10, October]
International Research Journal of Ayurveda and Yoga
Yoga in Pregnancy: A Preventive measure to avoid Garbha Vyapads < [Vol. 4 No. 10: OCT (2021)]
Effect of Selected Group of Asanas on the Patients with Cervical Vertigo < [Vol. 6 No. 5: May (2023)]
Impact of Mandukasana and Dhanurasana Practice during Brahmamuhurta on... < [Vol. 6 No. 9: Sep (2023)]
World Journal of Pharmaceutical Research
Effect of exercise vs. yoga on obese children: a comparative study. < [2016: Volume 5, April issue 4]
Role of yoga in menstrual disorders < [2017: Volume 6, December special issue 17]
Exploring the science of marma with special reference of yoga < [2023: Volume 12, September issue 15]
Journal of Ayurveda and Integrated Medical Sciences
A clinical study to evaluate the efficacy of Yogasana and Pranayama in... < [Vol. 10 No. 3 (2025)]
Evaluation of muscular involvement in Yogasana < [Vol. 9 No. 10 (2024)]
Role of Yogasana in prevention of Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome < [Vol. 6 No. 01 (2021)]
Yoga may reduce Ayurvedic drug needs in non-insulin-dependent diabetes. < [Volume 33 (issue 4), Apr-Jun 2014]
Effect of yogasana practice on systolic time intervals < [Volume 9 (issue 3), Jan-Mar 1990]
Impact of Single Musical Cakra Activation on Body Temperature. < [Volume 36 (issue 1), Jul-Sep 2016]
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