Elements of Hindu Iconography v1.c8.150

v1.c8.150

*Sitting Postures and Seats.*—The Science of Yōga describes various postures of sitting, as suitable for meditation and mental concentration. These sitting postures are technically known by the name of *āsanas*; and the *kūrmāsana*, the *padmāsana*, the *bhadrāsana*, the *utkuṭikāsana* and the *makarāsana*, are some of the varieties thereof. A few of them occur in sculpture, as well. The names of some of these sitting postures have been interpreted to mean particular forms of seats, owing to the ambiguity of the word *āsana*, and such seats have been worked out in sculpture; as instances the *kūrmāsana*, the *makarāsana* and the *padmāsana* may be noted.*