Durvasasana (Sanskrit:दुर्वासासन) orDurvasana,^[1] is an advanced standingasana inhatha yoga, with one leg raised and the foot hooked behind the neck. The similarTrivikramasana (Sanskrit:त्रिविक्रमासन) has the raised leg straight. There are seated and reclining variations includingBhairavasana. Versions of the pose are depicted in statues inKarnataka andTamil Nadu from the 8th century onwards. Trivikramasana is described in the 18th centuryHaṭhābhyāsapaddhati; a pose close to Durvasasana is illustrated as "Trivikramasana" in the 19th centurySritattvanidhi.

Durvasasana is named afterDurvasa (दुर्वासा), a proverbially angry sage.^[2]

Trivikramasana is named afterTrivikrama, a figure in Hindu mythology whose name means "three strides".^[3] The pose is depicted in the 13th – 18th century statues ofBharatnatyam dance that decorate the EasternGopuram of theNataraja Temple, Chidambaram inTamil Nadu.^[4]

The 18th centuryHaṭhābhyāsapaddhati verse 81 describes a pose that it namesTrivikramasana with the words "Place a foot on the neck and stand up".^[5]

The 19th centurySritattvanidhi describes and illustrates a pose that it names Trivikramasana, but which the yoga scholarNorman Sjoman states is Durvasasana.^[6]

The name Bhairavasana comes from the SanskritBhairava (भैरव) meaning "terrible, formidable".Kāla (काल)Bhairava is the Hindu godShiva in his aspect as the universe's destroyer.^[7] The pose is illustrated in theSritattvanidhi under the nameAṇkuśāsana (अण्कुशआसन), from Sanskritअण्कुशaṇkuś, anelephant goad.^[8]

• 
  Vamana striding the heavens asTrivikrama.Pattadakal Virupaksa Temple,Karnataka, 8th century
• 
  Trivikramasana
• 
  Pose labelledTrivikramasana in the 19th centurySritattvanidhi
• 
  A pose close to Durvasasana inThomas Dwight's 1889The Anatomy of a Contortionist
• 
  Indianelephant goad or Aṇkuś, (17th century example shown), giving the name Aṇkuśāsana

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  One of 108 dance mudra poses atNataraja Temple, Chidambaram,Tamil Nadu. 13th–18th century
• 
  Aṇkuśāsana in theSritattvanidhi.
  The pose is now usually called (Supta) Bhairavasana.

Durvasasana is an advancedstanding balancing pose with one leg behind the neck;^[9] the hands are held together over the chest inprayer position.^[10] As well as rating the pose of difficulty level 21 (out of 60),B. K. S. Iyengar states that it is difficult to balance in the pose, and recommendsusing a support to begin with.^[2] InAshtanga (vinyasa) yoga, the breathing in the pose is stated to be either natural orujjayi.^[10][11]

Seated

Eka Pada Sirsasana (literally "One Foot Head Pose", also called Foot behind the Head Pose) is the seated variant of Durvasasana. One leg is stretched straight forwards along the ground; the other is hooked behind the neck. The hands may be placed in prayer position.^[12] It should not be confused withEka Pada Sirsasana, a variant ofSirsasana (headstand).

Standing

Trivikramasana has one leg stretched straight up beside the body; the ankle is grasped with one hand. The other arm is stretched straight out sideways.^[13]

Reclining

Supta Trivikramasana or "Supine Splits" is the reclining form of Trivikramasana.^[14][15][16] InLight on Yoga, Iyengar marks it as a difficult pose at level 39.^[17]

(Supta) Bhairavasana, also called Aṇkuśāsana or Elephant Goad Pose, is the reclining form of Durvasasana. The hands are held in prayer position in front of the chest.^[7][18]

Balancing

Kala Bhairavasana (काला भैरवासन) has the body balanced one side up, on the straight leg and the arm on that side, somewhat as inUtthita Vasisthasana, but with the other leg behind the neck.^[7][19][20]

Chakorasana, from SanskritचकोरChakora, apartridge, is an arm-balancing variant. Both hands are on the ground, the arms straight; one leg is hooked behind the neck; the other leg is stretched up; the body is suspended from the shoulders.^[21]

• Iyengar, B. K. S. (1979) [1966].Light on Yoga: Yoga Dipika.Thorsons.ISBN 978-1855381667.
• Sjoman, Norman E. (1999) [1996].The Yoga Tradition of the Mysore Palace. Abhinav Publications.ISBN 81-7017-389-2.

• One-legged asanas

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