Learning Basics of Sanskrita for Asanas

Transcription

1 Learning Basics of Sanskrita for Asanas To begin with remember all the Asana terms in Sanskrita are series of Sanskrita terms together like the flowers in a garland.ex. Eka Pada Uttana Asana so the translation will follow like this Eka (one or single) Pada (leg) Uttana (lift) Asana (posture) means Single Leg Lift Posture. So to understand Sanskrita names of postures, you will need to understand and learn some basic terms like numbers, shapes, names of animals, body parts,etc and it will be easy to follow the Sanskrita terms. Good thing is Sanskrita is a phonetic language so you read as your write. Using Sanskrita terms in your yoga practice and teachings brings more authenticity as well as Sanskrita sounds are very powerful. Sanskrita is one of oldest, purest, scientific and spiritual language. Sanskrita language based on root sounds of material and non material elements around us. A mantra and Sanskrita chant can manifest its attributes, qualities and experience in us if we keep chanting it with consciousness. Our modern languages are languages of tongue and brain. These are to facilitate our societies to be able to communicate together. Accordig to Marie Roulleau & Gwynneth Powell The oldest languages of the Indo European family are Sanskrit (2000 B.C.), Greek (800 B.C.) and Latin (500 B.C.) French is a direct descendant of Latin, and about half of English words come from French. The Anglo Saxon side of English, related to German, is also part of the big Indo European family. Source of Asana Names Great Yogis and Rishis found yoga asanas and their names following one of these 1. Anatomical Positions ex Janu Sirasa Asana (Head to Knee Posture) 2. Animals Shashanka Asana (Rabbit), Ustra asana (Camel) 3. Sages and deities Matsendra asana, Hanuman asana 4. Numbers and Characters Dvi Pada Uttana Asana (Double leg lift), 5. Geometric Shapes Trikona Asana (Triangle)

2 Basic Anatomy Terms You need to Know: 1. Pada: foot/ leg 2. Hasta: hand 3. Anguli: fingers 4. Anghusta: big toe 5. Janu: knee 6. Sirsa: head 7. Mukha: face 8. Karna: ear 9. Jattara: stomach 10. Anga: limb 11. Bhuja: arm 12. Sarva: whole or all 13. Shava: corpse 14. Prana: life force, vital energy 15. Paschima: west direction or back side of body 16. Purva: east direction or front side of body 17. Sama equal 18. Chaksu eye 19. Nasagra Nostril 20. Jivya tongue Animals: 1. Bheka: frog 2. Baka: crane 3. Ustra: camel 4. Gou: cow 5. Bhujanga: snake/ serpent 6. Kapota: pidgeon 7. Kurma: turtle 8. Matsya: fish 9. Shalabha: locust/ grasshopper 10. Simha Lion 11. Vyagraha Tiger

3 12. Shashanka Rabbit 13. Vrischik Scorpion 14. Maduka frog 15. Mayura peacock 16. Mayuri Peahen 17. Kaka Crow 18. Garuda Eagle 19. Murga Cockrole 20. Hamsa Swan 21. Ashwa Horse Sages and Deities: 1. Bharadvaj: a sage, father or Drona, great master of Padvas and Kauravas 2. Garuda the king of the eagles; Garuda was vehicle of Lord Vishnu. 3. Marichi: son of Brahma and grandfather of Surya the sun god. 4. Matsyendra: Lord of the Fishes; A fish learned all the yoga while Shiva was teaching to his wife. Shiva transformed the fish with divine powers into a sage to spread yoga on earth. 5. Surya: Sun god 6. Virabhadra: the great warrior who sprang to Shiva s aid to seek revenge on his father in law. 7. Nataraja: Dynamic and dancer form of Shiva, and known as the lord of the dance. 8. Hanuman: Great devotee and helper of Ram during his exile in forest and search of his wife Sita. 9. Vashistha Great sage and teacher of Lord Ram, auther of Yoga Vashistha.

4 10. Bhairava Another form of Lord Shiva. Objects: 1. Parigha: gate latch 2. Hala: plough 3. Vriksa: tree 4. Tula: scales 5. Tada: Palm tree 6. Setu: bridge 7. Nava: boat 8. Mudra: seal 9. Dhanur: bow 10. Danda: rod/ stick 11. Chandra: moon 12. Vira or veera: hero 14. Asana: pose/ posture 15. Bhumi earth 16. Stambham piller 17. Ratha Chariot 18. Meru mountain 19. Parvata mountain 20. Chakra wheel

5 Numbers: 1. Eka: one 2. Dwi: two, both 3. Tri: three 4. Chatur: four 5. Pancha Five 6. Shata Six 7. Sapta Seven 8. Ashta: eight 9. Nau Nine 10. Dasa Ten 11. Padma lotus Characteristics: 1. Adho: downward 2. Urdva: raised/ upward 3. Utthita: extended, stretched. 4. Parivrtta: revolved 5. Baddha: tied/ bound 6. Supta: reclining/ sleeping

6 7: Uttana: lifted 8. Sthiti: position 9. Upavistha: seated 10. Prasara: spread out 11. Ardha: half 12. Salamba: with support 13. Nirlamba: without support 14. Kona: angle 15. Pida: pressure 16. Sapurna incomplete 17. Purn Complete 18. Sampurna Perfect 19. Paripurna advance or beyond perfect 20 Vakra Twisted 21. Trikona Triangle 22. Supta Lying position 23. Namaskar salutation or greeting 24. Sparsh touch 25. Ttana stretched 26. Dharmika Auspicious or devotional 27. Garbha Womb Lets do some exercise now Can you fill translate these easy Sanskrita names of Asanas to English 1. Eka Pada Uttana Asana

7 2. Sirsa Uttana Asana 3. Dvi Hasta Uttana Asana 4. Parsva Kona Asana 5. Meru Asana 6. Simha Asana 7. Shasanka Asana 8. Baka Asana 9. Uthita Padma Asana 10. Sha asta Anga Namaskar Asana Answers 1. Single Leg lift, 2. Head lift, 3. Both hand lift, 4. Side angle pose, 5. Mountain, 6. Lion, 7 Rabbit, 8. Crane, 9. Lifted or raised lotus, 10. Saluting with eight limbs Now try to play from English to Sanskrita 1. Triangle Pose

8 2. Palm Tree pose 3. Equal Position Pose 4. Piller pose 5. Fish Pose 6. Bonded lotus pose 7. Frog pose 8. Turtle pose 9. Bonded feet pose 10. Hero Pose Answers 1. Trikona Asana, 2. Tara Asana, 3. Sama Sthiti Asana, 4. Sthambham Asana, 5. Matsya Asana, 6. Baddha Padma Asana, 7. Manduka Asana, 8. Kurma Asana, 9. Baddha Pada Asana, 10. Veera Asana.

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