One of the key yoga poses that come under the category of ‘back bending asanas’, Dhanurasana (Dhanurāsana) works to open up the chest while stretching the arms, legs, spine, and shoulders, all at the same time. This pose is named after an archer’s bow as the word ‘dhanu’ means bow in Sanskrit.
Camel Pose (Ustrasana)
This asana is recommended to those with droopy shoulders or a hunched back. It opens up the chest completely and stretches the spine, adding strength and flexibility to the shoulders, neck, and back. It is also a great posture-correcting asana. Mastery over Ustrasana allows us to practice a wide range of back-bending yoga asanas, almost effortlessly.
Half Moon Pose (Ardha Chandrasana)
Half Moon Pose is great for toning the legs and stimulating back muscles. It lengthens the spine and corrects postures. It also strengthens the knees and shoulders. This asana is specifically recommended to people suffering from indigestion and other gastric issues.
Warrior I Pose (Virabhadrasana I)
Named after Virabhadra, the son of Adiyogi (the first yogi) Shiva himself, this pose is great for increasing our sense of balance. It is usually followed by Virabhadrasana (Vīrabhadrāsana) II and III and together these three poses instill power, agility, and flexibility into our system.
The Evolution of Vishnu
Vishnu is a major deity in contemporary Hinduism. However, during the vedic period (> 2000 years ago), Vishnu was not a prominent God. Some hymns in the Rig Veda associated Vishnu with the sun. It is not until the time when two great epics – Mahabharata & Ramayana – are composed we find Vishnu being referenced to as a popular deity.