By Dr. Rita Khanna

There are so many Asanas related to the reference point of nature and wildlife. Simhgarjnasana is one of those Asanas. The Sanskrit word Simha, which literally means the powerful one, is the word for lion. This, therefore, is known as the lion posture. While performing, it resembles a roaring lion about to attack. Roaring loudly, like a lion, depicts the fierceness of the lion, which benefits those parts of the body where it is stretched and pulled. Sticking your tongue out stimulates the throat and cultivates courage and fearlessness. If possible, practice this Asana during sunrise time – facing an eastern direction.

Learn the story related to this Asana:

THE STORY BEHIND

There once lived a ferocious king named, Hiranya-Kashyapu. Through penance, he had obtained the boon that he could neither be killed by man nor by beast, neither by day nor by night, neither indoors nor when outdoors, and neither by hand nor by weapon. Considering himself invincible, he wrecked havoc on earth.

Hiranya-Kashyapu despised Lord Vishnu. Strangely enough, Hiranya-Kashyapu’s son, Prahlada, was a pious boy and a great devotee of Lord Vishnu. Hiranya-Kashyapu tried to kill him many times. The servants threw Prahlada from the tops of mountains, and into the sea, but could not kill him. Snakes and fire also could not harm him. Each time, Prahlada was protected by Lord Vishnu.

Hiranya-Kashyapu asked Prahlada whether Vishnu was present in the pillar and took his mace to hit the pillar. Finally, Lord Vishnu emerged from the pillar in the incarnation of a dreadful creature, half-man-half-lion, called, Narasimha (the fourth incarnation of Lord Vishnu). Nara means man; Simha means lion. The Hiranya-Kashyapu hit Narasimha with his mace, but Narasimha brushed it aside swiftly. It was twilight. The man-lion dragged Hiranya-Kashyapu to the threshold.

Narasimha sat on the threshold of the courtroom, placed the body of the demon on his thighs, pierced his nails into the body of the demon, and broke open his stomach – killing him. There, neither indoors nor outdoors, Narasimha tore the evil king apart with his sharp claws.

POSITION OF SIMHAGARJNASANA

Choose the sitting position that’s right for you, depending on your degree of flexibility and practice. It can be Vajrasana (Kneeling), simple cross-legged, or Padmasana (the Lotus pose). Whichever position is used, the method is the same.

POSITION OF READINESS IN VAJRASANA

Sit in Vajrasana, with the balls of your hands on the knees, straighten the arms, and keep the back erect, head straight (not tilted forward, back, to the left or the right). Inhale slowly through the nose, and gently lean over the hands.

POSITION OF READINESS IN PADMASANA

Sit in Padmasana and stand on the knees. Extend the arms in the front, and place them on the floor, with fingers pointing towards your body. Inhale slowly through the nose, gently lean over the hands, and push the pelvic region to the floor.

TECHNIQUE FOR ALL THE SITTING POSITIONS

• While exhaling, through the mouth, do the following things simultaneously:

• Stretch the mouth, the jaws as wide as possible, and extend the tongue out, and downward, as much as you can.

• Open the eyes as wide as you can, and make them look frightening.

• Fix your gaze, either at the tip of the nose, or between the eyebrows, and stretch the fingers straight out from the knees, and make the ‘hhhaaa’ sound, as loud as you can from the throat.

• You need to copy the roaring lion.

• After exhaling out, completely place the tongue inside, and shut the lips closed.

• This completes one round of Simhagarjnasana.

• Then breathe again from the nose and repeat the exercise 4-6 times.

AWARENESS

• For the physical body, awareness should be on the throat.

• For the spiritual body, awareness should be on Vishuddhi or Ajna Chakra.

REFLEXTIONS

• Bring Lord Narasimha to mind while doing the Lion pose.

• Ask yourself – what demons do I need to destroy in myself to expand beyond my limitations?

• Repeat the pose, asking – how do I use my personal power?

BENEFITS

• The Simha Asana cleans the nerves from the throat to the brain. So, it benefits in alleviating diseases of the throat, nose, ears, eyes, and mouth.

• This Asana involves the stretching of the tongue, as you are required to mimic the roaring lion. So, it increases the circulation to the root of the tongue, and to the throat, and has medicinal value for curing throat trouble, voice deficiency, and tonsillitis.

• Problems, such as tightness of the jaw, like teeth grinding, and clenched jaws, can get relief by performing this Asana regularly.

• It has a good effect on the respiratory system. It activates the larynx, trachea, and all the bronchioles.

• Tension is removed from the chest and diaphragm. Lungs are toned up. Problems, such as asthma and hidden cough, are benefited. It develops a strong and beautiful voice.

• The stretching, and pulling, stimulates the nerves to give you a refreshed look. It can be treated as a very good Asana, which can remove your wrinkles, and can be stated as an anti-aging Yoga Asana.

• The gaze, which is used in the Asana, helps your eyes by keeping them shiny and bright. It removes the tension from the eyes and also clears any burning sensation, which you keep feeling in your eyes.

• It removes anger, as your hands and fingers stretch, while performing this Asana.

• If you are suffering from neck or backache pain, you can get relief. The central nervous system is recharged with energy.

• Simhagarjnasana is helpful for those who stutter or who are nervous and introverted. It adds confidence in your posture and your character. Memory, concentration, and will power develop.

CONCLUSION

Yoga is liberation from limitations, and fear is one of the biggest reactions – not a choice. In the Lion pose, you learn to contact the source of power within yourself. When you embody Narasimha’s power, you can conquer your demons, instead of hiding them, or projecting them out, onto someone else. The Lion shows you that powerful emotions don’t have to be choked back or flung out. They can be released with the breath, transformed through sound, and elevated through intention. It teaches you about courage, about taking risks. You overcome hesitations and tackle fears. At its best, the Lion pose leads you definitely, furiously, and completely into the moment – without an ounce of holding back. In that moment, you experience the refreshing freedom of whole heartedness.

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Dr. Rita Khanna

Dr. Rita Khanna is a well-known name in the field of Yoga and Naturopathy. She was initiated into this discipline over 25 years ago by world famous Swami Adyatmananda of Sivananda Ashram in Rishikesh(India).

She believes firmly that Yoga is a scientific process, which helps us to lead a healthy and disease-free life. She is also actively involved in practicing alternative medicines like Naturopathy. Over the years, she has been successfully practicing these therapies and providing succour to several chronic and terminally ill patients through Yoga, Diet and Naturopathy. She is also imparting Yoga Teachers Training.

At present, Dr. Rita Khanna is running a Yoga Studio in Secunderabad (Hyderabad, India).