Bharadvajasana | Bharadvaja's Twist Pose | Steps

Bharadvajasana is one of the seated twists appearing in Iyengar and Ashtanga styles of yoga poses. It is also known as seated spinal twist asana, hip opener, and in English as Bharadvaja’s twist.

Bharadvajasana Basics

Sanskrit Pronunciation	Bharadvajasana (bah-ROD-va-JAHS-anna )
Meaning	Bharadvaja, which is dedicated to the sage Bharadvaja Asana, meaning “pose” or “posture.”
Pose Type	Sitting twist
Pose Level	Intermediate poses
Style of yoga	Iyengar Yoga
Other Names	Bharadvajasana, Sage Pose, Seated Spinal Twist, Bharadvaja’s twist, Torso Stretch Pose
Stretches	The leg muscles
Strengthening	Hip and shoulder
Duration	30 second to 3 minutes

Meaning

As per ancient Indian History and Mythology, The Bharadvajasana name is derived from the Sanskrit word Bharadvaja, which is dedicated to the sage Bharadvaja. hence this pose, Bharadvajasana, is named after him. Bharadvaja was one of the seven great sages (Sapta rishis) as well as the creator of the Vedas. he was the father of Drona, a master of military arts, and the royal Guru to Kauravas, Pandavas, and the Davastras. and also fought off the great war of the Mahabharata. I’m not sure why seated twists with sagacious names, but Perhaps its pattern related to the Nadis—Ida and Pingala.

Bharadvajasana is considered to be an intermediate level or moderate difficulty asana. Where the main focus is on twisting the torso towards one side, Back strength with the shoulders turns to be perpendicular to the floor, and the devotion of the great sage Bharadvaja. Bharadvajasana mobilizes the thoracic spine, increases hip and shoulder flexibility, and it not only helps to relieve stress but also makes your life best.

This asana resembles Mayurasana with the legs in Padmasana. It has several variations, but at any rate, it begins in Dandasana (staff pose). Bharadvajasana is open the Muladhara(root) and Anahata (heart) chakras. Muladhara providing a sense of security and safety, while Anahata is associated with compassion, acceptance, self-esteem, and love.

Practice Guide For Bharadvajasana

The Practice Guide to Perform Bharadvajasana serves as a valuable resource for yoga enthusiasts seeking to advance their practice, offering a structured and detailed approach to mastering this asana.

Preparatory Poses

How To Do Bharadvajasana I

First of all, lay a yoga mat on the ground and sit on it.
Now bend both your knees and keep your spine straight.
Bend your knees in such a way that the entire weight of your body falls on the right hip.
Both feet should be in the same direction.
Your head should also be in the same direction in which your feet are and your hands should be in the opposite direction as shown in the picture.
Now stay in this position for about 30 to 40 seconds.
You can also set your time according to your ability.
Now to come to the old position, first of all bring your head in front.
After that place your hands on the ground and then straighten the bent knees.
During this, keep taking deep long breaths.

How To Do Bharadvaja’s Twist Pose (Bharadvajasana II)

To practice Bharadvajasana, first of all, sit in the Dandasana yoga pose. with open, your legs forward stretched out, and take your hands in the resting position beside your body along with the feet. Make sure your hands close to your hips.
Now bend your right leg from the knee and move it backwards, towards the outside of the right hip.
Now bend the left leg from the knee and place it on the thigh of the right leg. Make sure that the weight of your body falls on the left buttock.
After this, place the right hand on the outside of the knee of the left leg. Keep in mind, your palm should touch the ground.
Take the left hand behind the waist and try to hold the leg through the left hand on the thigh. As shown in the picture.
Now slowly take a deep breath in and stretch upwards from the tailbone to the crown of the head.
After that, while exhaling, twist the upper part of the body to the left as much as possible. This will cause your left shoulder to turn to the left and your right shoulder forward.
Now stay in this position for about 30 to 50 seconds. You can also set the time according to your ability.
During this, keep taking long deep breaths.
To come back to the old position, first release the leg holding with the left hand.
After that remove the right hand from below the knee. Then straighten both your legs and also straighten both your hands and sit for a while in your old position.
Take long deep breaths and repeat this process after some time.
In the beginning, your hands may not be able to touch the feet. In such a situation, try to hold the feet according to your ability.

Follow-up Poses

Bound Angle Pose (Baddha Konasana)
Hero Pose (Virasana)
Standing Forward Bend (Uttanasana)
Seated Forward Bend (Paschimottanasana)
Head-to-Knee Forward Bend (Janu Sirsasana)

Bharadvaja’s Twist Benefits

This yoga pose strengthens the spine, hips, shoulders, hamstrings, and wrists. Apart from this, it also helps in maintaining proper posture of the body.

Bharadvaja’s Twist Pose gives a gentle bend to the spine, boosts the parasympathetic nervous system, which is responsible for relaxation and digestion.

The shoulders get a deep stretch along with the hips. The shoulder gets a gentle stretch with flexing the torso. It also improves blood circulation in the body.

Bharadvajasana also relieves neck pain, sciatica, and lower back pain. If practiced regularly, this asana helps relieve carpal tunnel syndrome.

Massages the abdominal organs, improving the strength of the muscles as well as Improves digestion.

Precautions

It can be difficult for yoga beginners to practice Bharadvajasana, so practice it only under the supervision of a yoga expert.
Before practicing this yoga posture, do some light stretching exercises. At the same time, after doing this asana, it is necessary to do Ardha Matsyendrasana. By doing this, Bharadvajasan has a doubling effect on health.
People who have problems with Diarrhea, Headache, High blood pressure, Insomnia, migraines, low blood pressure should not do this asana. Also, avoid doing asanas in case of Menstruation problems.

Conclusion

It is a good idea to include yoga in your daily routine for healthy living. If you regularly take out a few minutes of Bharadvajasan practice, then there is nothing better than this because it not only keeps the body fit but also helps in keeping the mind calm.