Vastu-shastra (Vol. I: Hindu Science of Architecture; Vol. II: Hindu Canons of Iconography and Painting) v2.c74.s7.1

v2.c74.s7.1

**(i) Asana.**—We have seen the Mudrās, that is, the poses of hands and fingers together with those associated with body in general and legs and feet in particular. This is one sense in which Mudrās can be taken into consideration. The objects like weapons and implements and other improvised weapons (musical instruments), the object of hands together with the seats can also pass for the Mudrās in their broader sense of the term. The weapons and implements have already been taken into consideration. Let us now come to, the seat (the Āsana). It may mean either sitting posture or the object to sit upon. We are familiar with Yogic Āsanas, where it signifies a variety of modes of sitting assumed in the performance of meditation and mental concentrations. "Iconographically, the Āsana refers to particualr position assumed by the deities, male and female, in their sculptural representations. Āsanas are in fact physical postures of the legs and feet just as Mudrās are postures of the hand and fingers. Symbolism of the Āsana in the representation of the divine images is illustrative of the fact that all forms of Hindu worship are governed by the practical side of Yoga philosophy'. The principal Āsanas which are met with, in the authoritative texts (cf. Ahirbudhnya Samhitā) Chapter 30), are:—1. Cakrāsana 2. Padmāsana 3. Kūrmāsana 4. Mayūrāsana 5. Kaukuṭṭāsana 6. Vīrāsana 7. Svastikāsana 8. Bhadrāsana 9. Simhāsana 10. Muktāsana 11. Gomukhāsana.