Yoga Mythology: 64 Asanas and Their Stories

Deepen Your Yoga Experience with the Origin Stories of 64 Common Asanas

Explore the stories from Hindu, Buddhist, and Jain mythology that nurtured the idea of yoga and shaped the development of its most iconic asanas. Learn how svana-asana (dog pose) is connected to Shiva, bhujanga-asana (cobra pose) was inspired by shape-shifting beings who live below the earth, and much more.

Many practitioners are unaware of yoga's underlying philosophy, symbols, and rituals because modern teachers often emphasize the physical over the mental and spiritual components. Yoga Mythology brings this overlooked wisdom to light by recounting the lore behind more than sixty asanas, drawing attention to an Indic worldview based on the concepts of eternity, rebirth, liberation, and empathy. With hundreds of photos and playful illustrations, this book makes it easy and enjoyable to connect with yogic principles and expand the mental and spiritual aspects of your practice.

ISBN-13: 9780738770642

Media Type: Paperback

Publisher: Llewellyn Worldwide - LTD.

Publication Date: 07-08-2022

Pages: 360

Product Dimensions: 5.00(w) x 7.66(h) x 0.84(d)

Devdutt Pattanaik is a renowned mythologist and TED speaker from India. He has authored over fifty books and over one thousand columns on the subject. Matthew Rulli is a former US marine and an experienced registered yoga teacher (E-RYT 500) who has been studying Sanskrit and Eastern philosophy for over a decade.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments Matthew Rulli xv

Authors' Note xvii

Introduction: Yoga's Narrative Canvas 1

What Is Yoga? 3

What Is Mythology? 11

What Is Yoga Mythology? 17

Structure of the Book 24

Devi

1 Surya Namaskar 37

2 Ardha Chandra-asana 43

3 Purvottana-asana 49

4 Paschimottana-asana 53

5 Vriksha-asana 57

6 Padma-asana 61

7 Baka-asana 65

8 Krauncha-asana 69

9 Kakka-asana 73

10 Kukkuta-asana 77

11 Gomukha-asana 81

12 Vrischika-asana 85

13 Manjara-asana 89

14 Makara-asana 93

15 Bhujanga-asana 97

16 Bheka-asana 101

17 Dhanura-asana 105

18 Pasha-asana 109

19 Omkar-asana 119

20 Hamsa-asana 123

21 Marichi-asana 127

22 Vasishtha-asana 131

23 Durvasa-asana 135

24 Ruchika-asana 139

25 Vishwamitra-asana 143

26 Galava-asana 147

27 Ashtavakra-asana 151

28 Kaundinya-asana 155

29 Kashyapa-asana 159

30 Vajra-asana 163

Shiva

31 Parvata-asana 173

32 Siddha-asana 177

33 Bhairava-asana 183

34 Svana-asana 187

35 Virabhadra-asana 191

36 Nataraja-asana 195

37 Shava-asana 199

38 Skanda-asana 203

39 Shanmukhi Mudra-asana 207

40 Mayura-asana 211

41 Gaja-asana 215

42 Matsyendra-asana 221

43 Goraksha-asana 225

44 Danda-asana 231

Vishnu

45 Ananta-asana 241

46 Garuda-asana 245

47 Mala-asana 249

48 Chakra-asana 253

49 Bala-asana 257

50 Matsya-asana 261

51 Nava-asana 265

52 Kurma-asana 269

53 Varaha-asana 273

54 Simha-asana 277

55 Ganda Bherunda-asana 281

56 Trivikrama-asana 285

57 Bhadra-asana 289

58 Setu Bandha-asana 293

59 Hanuman-asana 297

60 Tola-asana 301

61 Hala-asana 305

62 Bhuja Pida-asana 309

63 Vatayana-asana 313

64 Pinda-asana 317

Conclusion: Metaphors of the Yogini 321

Glossary 329