Postures of Bikram Yoga explained

The following are the 26 postures of Bikram Yoga, as it names them; some of the Sanskrit names differ from those used for the same or closely related poses in other schools of yoga, and some of them are otherwise used for different poses. The postures include 24 asanas (poses in modern yoga as exercise), one pranayama breathing exercise, and one shatkarma, a purification making use of forced breathing. Bikram Yoga was devised by Bikram Choudhury around 1971 when he moved to America.[1] [2] [3]

Bikram Yoga's SanskritTranslationAppearanceNearest equivalent
in other schools
1प्राणायाम
Prāṇāyāma
Standing Deep Breathing(not an asana;
Yoga breathing,
usually practised sitting)
2अर्धचन्द्रासन with पादहस्तासन
Ardhacandrāsana with
Pādahastāsana
Half Moon Pose with
Hands To Feet Pose
Indudalasana
3उत्कटासन
Utkaṭāsana
Awkward PoseUtkatasana
4गरुडासन
Garuḍāsana
Eagle PoseGarudasana
5दण्डायमन जानुशीर्षासन
Daṇḍāyamana Jānuśīrṣāsana
Standing Head To Knee PoseUtthita Padangusthasana
6दण्डायमन धनुरासन
Daṇḍāyamana Dhanurāsana
Standing Bow PoseNatarajasana
Dancer Pose
7तुलादण्डासन
Tulādaṇḍāsana
Balancing Stick PoseVirabhadrasana III
Warrior III
8दण्डायमन विभक्तपाद पश्चिमोत्तानासन
Daṇḍāyamana Vibhaktapāda Paścimottānāsana
Standing Separate Leg Stretching PosePrasarita Padottanasana
Wide Stance Forward Bend
9त्रिकोणासन
Trikoṇāsana
Triangle PoseParsvakonasana
Extended Side Angle Pose
10दण्डायमन विभक्तपाद जानुशीर्षासन
Daṇḍāyamana Vibhaktapāda Jānuśīrṣāsana
Standing Separate Leg Head To Knee PoseParsvottanasana
Intense Side Stretch Pose
11ताडासन
Tāḍāsana
Tree PoseVrikshasana
12पादाङ्गुष्ठासन
Pādāṅguṣṭhāsana
Toe Stand PoseMalasana
13शवासन
Śavāsana
Corpse PoseSavasana
14पवनमुक्तासन
Pavanamuktāsana
Wind Relieving PosePavanamuktasana
15पादहस्तासन
Pādahastāsana
SitupPaschimottanasana
Seated Forward Bend
16भुजङ्गासन
Bhujaṅgāsana
Cobra PoseBhujangasana
17शलभासन
Śalabhāsana
Locust PoseArdha Salabhasana
18पूर्णशलभासन
Pūrṇaśalabhāsana
Full Locust PoseSalabhasana
19धनुरासन
Dhanurāsana
Bow PoseDhanurasana
20सुप्तवज्रासन
Suptavajrāsana
Reclining Thunderbolt PoseSupta Virasana
Reclining Hero Pose
21अर्धकूर्मासन
Ardhakūrmāsana
Half Tortoise PoseBalasana
Child Pose
22उष्ट्रासन
Uṣṭrāsana
Camel PoseUstrasana
23शसांगासना
Śasāṁgāsanā
Rabbit PoseBalasana
Child Pose
24जानुशीर्षासन with पश्चिमोत्तानासन
Jānuśīrṣāsana with
Paścimottānāsana
Head To Knee Pose with
Back Stretching Pose
Janusirsasana
25अर्धमत्स्येन्द्रासन
Ardha Matsyendrāsana
Half Lord of the Fishes PoseArdha Matsyendrasana
26कपालभाति
Kapālabhāti
"Skull polishing"(not an asana:
a shatkarma,
a purification)

Notes and References

  1. Web site: 26 Bikram Yoga Poses . www.bikramyogaposesguide.com.
  2. Web site: Duffin . Erin . The 26 Poses of Bikram Yoga . 3 November 2015 . DoYouYoga . 20 November 2019.
  3. Web site: Achanta . Ramya . The 26 Bikram Yoga Poses – A Complete Step-By-Step Guide . StyleCraze . 13 August 2019.