Nahuṣāsana B: The posture of Nahuṣa

Mythology: In a central episode told in epic and Purāṇa traditions, the human king Nahuṣa is appointed ruler of heaven in place of Indra. The new power becomes a test—and Nahuṣa fails it. He grows arrogant, desires Śacī (Indrāṇī), Indra’s consort, and begins to treat his position as property. In his grandiosity, he demands to be carried in a palanquin by great Ṛṣi, as if wisdom and ascetic power should “lift” him. When the palanquin wobbles, he presses them to hurry and insults the Ṛṣi Agastya; in some versions he even kicks him. Agastya then curses Nahuṣa to fall and continue to exist as a sarpa/nāga. This is not a devaluation of the Nāgas—who can be holy and powerful—but a symbol of loss of status: arrogance destroys inner order and pulls one downward.

Tip: In Nahuṣāsana B, shoulder organization is decisive. Press the hands actively against each other without letting the shoulders creep up toward the ears. Broaden the chest forward and up, while keeping a subtle tension between the hyoid bone and the sternum so the cervical spine stays long and stable. The upward gaze then becomes uplift—rather than a neck hinge.

Effect: Nahuṣāsana B increases the shoulder-girdle opening compared to Nahuṣāsana A and demands more uplift through the upper back. Practiced cleanly, the posture feels “tall” and calm, and the hand position supports further opening of the heart space.