Eka Pada Shirshasana

एकपाद शीर्षासन

Eka-Pāda Śīrṣāsana

Ekam (एकम्, Ekam) = one
Pada (पाद, Pāda) = Foot, Leg
Shirsha (शीर्ष, Śīrṣa) = Head
Asana (आसन, Āsana) = Pose, Posture, Seat
Eka Pada Shirshasana (एकपाद शीर्षासन, Eka-Pāda Śīrṣāsana) = One-Foot-behind-Head-Posture

Vinyāsa	breath	Dṛṣṭi	explanation of movement
1	IN	añguṣṭhamadhye	raise arms overhead
2	EX	nāsāgre	spread fingers, hinging at the hip fold forward, hands to ground Uttanasana (उत्तानासन, Uttānāsana)
3	IN	bhrūmadhye	come half-way up with straight spine, lift head
4	EX	nāsāgre	hands down, float back, ellbows close to chest Chaturanga Dandasana (चतुराङ्ग दण्डासन, Caturāṅga Daṇḍāsana)
5	IN	bhrūmadhye	roll on tops of feet, open the chest, straighten arms, Urdhva Mukha Shvanasana (ऊर्ध्व मुख श्वानासन, Ūrdhva Mukha Śvānāsana)
6	EX	nābicakre	tuck toes, push back, lift hips, straight arms Adho Mukha Shvanasana (अधो मुख श्वानासन, Adho Mukha Śvānāsana)
7	IN	nāsāgre	jump forward balancing on straight arms, bend legs in the air
	(EX)		sit down, bring right leg over the right arm, place the foot behind the head
	(IN)	nāsāgre
8	EX		bend forward, take both hands around the left foot
	5BR	pādayoragre	Eka Pada Shirshasana (एकपाद शीर्षासन, Eka-Pāda Śīrṣāsana)
9	IN	nāsāgre	sit up again, bring hands together in front of your heart
	(EX)		place hands on the floor
10	IN	nāsāgre	lift up balancing on straight arms, bend legs in the air
11	EX	nāsāgre	lower down slowly, elbows close to the body, Chaturanga Dandasana (चतुराङ्ग दण्डासन, Caturāṅga Daṇḍāsana)
12	IN	bhrūmadhye	roll on tops of feet, open the chest, straighten arms, Urdhva Mukha Shvanasana (ऊर्ध्व मुख श्वानासन, Ūrdhva Mukha Śvānāsana)
13	EX	nābicakre	tuck toes, push back, lift hips, straight arms, Adho Mukha Shvanasana (अधो मुख श्वानासन, Adho Mukha Śvānāsana)
14	IN	nāsāgre	jump forward balancing on straight arms, bend legs in the air, left leg over left arm
	(EX)		sit down again, bring left leg over the left arm, place the foot behind the head
	(IN)	nāsāgre	bring hands together in front of your heart
15	EX		bend forward, take both hands around the right foot
	5BR	pādayoragre	Eka Pada Shirshasana (एकपाद शीर्षासन, Eka-Pāda Śīrṣāsana)
16	IN	nāsāgre	sit up again, bring hands together in front of your heart
	(EX)		place hands on the floor
17	IN	nāsāgre	lift up balancing on straight arms, bend legs in the air
18	EX	nāsāgre	lower down slowly, elbows close to the body, Chaturanga Dandasana (चतुराङ्ग दण्डासन, Caturāṅga Daṇḍāsana)
19	IN	bhrūmadhye	roll on tops of feet, open the chest, straighten arms, Urdhva Mukha Shvanasana (ऊर्ध्व मुख श्वानासन, Ūrdhva Mukha Śvānāsana)
20	EX	nābicakre	tuck toes, push back, lift hips, straight arms, Adho Mukha Shvanasana (अधो मुख श्वानासन, Adho Mukha Śvānāsana)
21	IN	bhrūmadhye	jump feet between hands, straighten the spine half way up, lift your head,
22	EX	nāsāgre	bring chest all the way in, Uttanasana (उत्तानासन, Uttānāsana)
-	IN	bhrūmadhye	lift the head again, straighten spine, palms or finger tips remain on the ground
	EX	nāsāgre	stand all the way up, arms on sides, Samasthitih (समस्थितिः, Samasthitiḥ)

legend for the Vinyāsa table:

The grey part of the table is performed in Aṣṭāṅga-Yoga practice.
Yellow marked is the position depicted on the photo.
Vinyāsa:1 = ekam; 2 = dve; 3 = trīṇi; 4 = catvāri; 5 = pañca; 6 = ṣaṭ; 7 = sapta; 8 = aṣṭau; 9 = nava; 10 = daśa; 11 = ekādaśa; 12 = dvādaśa; 13 = trayodaśa; 14 = caturdaśa; 15 = pañcadaśa; 16 = ṣoḍaśa; 17 = saptadaśa; 18 = aṣṭadaśa; 19 = ekonavimśatiḥ; 20 = vimśatiḥ; 21 = ekāvimśatiḥ; 22 = dvāvimśatiḥ; 23 = trayovimśatiḥ; 24 = caturvimśatiḥ; 25 = pañcavimśatiḥ; 26 = ṣoḍavimśatiḥ; 27 = saptavimśatiḥ; 28 = aṣṭovimśatiḥ
breath: IN = Inhalation; EX = exhalation; 5BR = five breaths
Dṛṣṭi: nāsāgre = to the nose; añguṣṭhamadhye = to the middle of the thumb; bhrūmadhye = in the middle of the eye brows; nābicakre = to the navel; ūrdhvadṛṣṭi = upwards; hastāgre = to the tip of the hand; pādayoragre = to the tip of the foot; pārśvadṛṣṭi = sidewards

QuickLinks

International Infopage for Ashtanga Yoga

Eka Pada Shirshasana