Physical Education · Ch 3 — Yoga as Preventive Measure for Lifestyle Disease
Bhadrasana
Bhadrasana
Bhadrasana (Gracious Pose)
Bhadrasana means the gracious yoga pose. It is made up of two words — Bhadra and Asana. Bhadra is a Sanskrit word that means auspicious or gracious, while asana indicates a yoga pose. In the CBSE Class 12 Physical Education course it is taught as a seated posture that keeps the hips, knees and ankles supple and helps prevent arthritis.
Drawn by us to help you understand the concept clearly, and verified to make sure it's accurate. For exams, practice from your NCERT textbook's own diagram.
Bhadrasana (the Gracious Pose): the figure shows a person seated upright with the knees bent outward and the soles of the feet drawn in close to the body, heels nearly touching the perineum, while the hands clasp the feet or rest pressing down on the knees. Note the straight neck, forward-facing chest and steady gaze that the technique calls for, distinguishing this …
Technique
- Sit on the mat with the legs fully stretched forward.
- Bring the feet, with the toes pointing outward, close to the generative organ, with the heels touching the perineum very closely.
- If required, clasp the feet to bring the heels as close to the body as possible.
- Once this position is secured, place the hands on the respective knees, pressing them down.
- Keep the neck straight and the upper body (chest) forward, with the stomach held in its normal contour, and focus the eyes at one point straight ahead.
Benefits
- Helps to loosen the joints by flexing and stretching the tendons; the muscles of the pelvis, knees and ankles become more supple.
- Relieves tension from the spinal region.
- Provides relief in cases of sciatica, varicose vein and menstrual disorders.
- Prevents arthritis.
- Improves posture.
- Promotes concentration.
- Good for those who find it difficult to sit in more classical postures like Padmasana and Vajrasana.
Contraindications
- Although it is beneficial for the prevention of arthritis, practitioners with serious arthritis should consult a yoga expert before practising this asana.
Breathing Awareness
- Breathe slowly and evenly throughout, since Bhadrasana is a held, seated posture rather than a dynamic one.
- Use a few slightly longer exhalations after settling into the final position to help the hips and knees release any residual tension.
- Keep the breath calm and unforced if the pose is held for meditation or concentration practice, as the textbook's own benefits suggest.
Why Bhadrasana helps prevent arthritis
Bhadrasana takes the hip, knee and ankle joints through a deep, sustained flexed position that is held rather than moved through quickly, which, unlike a fast or forceful stretch, allows the surrounding connective tissue to lengthen gradually and safely. Because arthritis commonly causes stiffness that worsens with disuse, a joint that is regularly, gently taken through its comfortable range in a controlled seated posture like this one is less likely to stiffen further, provided the person does not already have an acute flare in that joint.