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 | Dr̥ṣṭi | 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
- Dr̥ṣṭi: nāsāgre = to the nose; añguṣṭhamadhye = to the middle of the thumb; bhrūmadhye = in the middle of the eye brows; nābicakre = to the navel; ūrdhvadr̥ṣṭi = upwards; hastāgre = to the tip of the hand; pādayoragre = to the tip of the foot; pārśvadr̥ṣṭi = sidewards