Q.Write in detail the benefits of Gomukhanasana.

Identifying the figure — Uttan Mandukasana (C)

The posture is performed from a kneeling (Vajrasana) base: the person sits back on the heels with the knees spread apart, keeps the spine erect, and takes the arms up and behind the head with the hands clasped, so that the chest is drawn open and lifted. This chest-opening kneeling shape is Uttan Mandukasana, the stretched-up frog pose.

The other options look clearly different:

• (A) Ardh Matsyendrasana — a seated half spinal twist, one leg folded across and the trunk rotated to the side.
• (B) Dhanurasana — the bow pose: lying face-down and gripping the ankles so the whole body arches.
• (D) Yogmudrasana — seated in Padmasana with the wrists clasped behind the back, bending forward toward the floor.

Visually-impaired alternative — Yog Mudra (B) …

Concept and Intuition

Yoga asanas are classified by their body position and effect. The key to identifying an asana from a description or image is to focus on three things: the starting position (lying on back, stomach, sitting, standing), the body parts that are lifted, and the final shape of the body.

For the first question, the description says "lying prone" (on the stomach) with "both legs raised straight up together." This immediately rules out any asana that involves bending the knees, twisting the spine, or lifting only the chest. The only common asana where you lie face-down and lift both legs straight up is Shalbhasana.

For the second question, relaxation asanas are those that involve complete stillness and conscious release of muscle tension — not active stretching or bending.

Step-by-Step Solution

Question 1: Identifying the asana from the figure

1. Analyze the starting position. The person is lying prone — that means face down, chest and abdomen touching the floor. This eliminates any asana that starts on the back (like Pawanmuktasana, which is done lying supine) or standing (like Katichakrasana).

2. Look at the leg position. Both legs are raised straight up together, without bending at the knees. The arms are typically alongside the body or under the thighs for support. This is the defining feature of Shalbhasana.

3. Eliminate the other options:

   • (A) Bhujangasana (Cobra Pose): In this asana, you lie prone but only the chest and head are lifted using the back muscles — the legs and hips remain on the floor. The legs are not raised at all.
   • (B) Katichakrasana (Waist Rotation Pose): This is a standing asana where you twist the waist with arms extended. Not prone at all.
   • (C) Pawanmuktasana (Wind-Relieving Pose): This is done lying on the back (supine), with knees bent and hugged to the chest. The legs are bent, not straight, and the position is completely different.
   • (D) Shalbhasana (Locust Pose): Exactly matches the description — prone position, both legs raised straight together, arms either under the thighs or stretched back.

Question 2: Asana for relaxation and removing fatigue

1. Understand the purpose. Relaxation asanas are designed to calm the nervous system, reduce muscle tension, and restore energy. They involve minimal muscular effort and often include conscious breathing or stillness.

2. Evaluate each option:

   • (A) Chakrasana (Wheel Pose): An advanced backbend that requires significant strength and flexibility — it is energizing, not relaxing. …

Asana identification in the Yoga unit rests on matching the body's line to the posture's defining shape. Here the practitioner lies on the stomach, presses the palms down and straightens the arms to lift the chest and head upward while the legs stay extended and relaxed on the floor. That exact silhouette — a raised, arched upper body on straight arms with the lower body flat — is Bhujangasana, named for the cobra (bhujanga) whose hood it resembles when raised to strike. It is distinct from Halasana (a plough-like forward …