Sanskrit counting in Ashtanga Yoga

10 terms

Terms	Definitions
१	एकम् ekam one
२	द्वे dve two
३	त्रीणि trīṇi three
४	चत्वारि catvāri four
५	पञ्च pañca five
६	षट ṣaṭ six
७	सप्त sapta seven
८	अष्ट aṣṭa eight
९	नव nava nine
१०	दश daśa ten

What about the other Sanskrit words used in class?

Believe it or not, we use the Sanskrit names for the poses to avoid confusion!

The English names given to poses are sometimes the translation of the Sanskrit, but not always, and sometimes there will even be more than one English name for the same pose. For example the backbend that comes toward the end of the Ashtanga practice is called Urdva Dhanurasana in Sanskrit, but in English it is called many things including “wheel”. Wheel in Sanskrit is chakra, and chakrasana in Ashtanga is the backwards flip we use as a transition posture... much confusion! So we try and stick to the Sanskrit names of each pose.

In more traditional classes you will hear the teacher counting in Sanskrit to help keep the rhythm. They are counting ekam, dve, trini, ect… to indicate the number of viṅyāsa you are on (1st, 2nd, 3rd, ect). Each pose has a specific number of movements to get into and out of it, and these movements are counted.

While we are at it, let's examine some of the other Sanskrit words used commonly in class:

Aṣṭānga (Ashtanga) – means 8-limbed. This refers to the classical system of yoga explained in the yoga sutras by Patañjali. There are 8 different branches or practices to the system. In this tradition we learn the 3rd limb first, which is Asana, or physical posture, because we have a much easer time working with the body, and learning about it then we do with the breath or the mind.

viṅyāsa (vinyasa) – literally means ‘powerful method’ and refers to the system of breath linked movement that we use to enter and exit each pose. Traditionally the word viṅyāsa refers only to the sequence of movement found in Ashtanga yoga, but the word has now come to mean any form of yoga with a flow.

Ujjayi – translates as victorious, and is sometimes called ocean breathing, this is the pranayama (breath control) technique used in Ashtanga yoga during our physical practice. Ujjayi is best taught to you in class, but the purpose is to help leangthen the breath and smooth it out, as well as make it easer to create a balance between the length of your inhale and your exhale.

Bandha – means lock, or container, it refers to the practice in Ashtanga yoga of using three mudras to help contain the energy within the practice. When the body has poor posture, it acts at bit like a leaky bucket, with energy and motivation spilling out the weak points. By using the three bandhas in the proper way, we contain that energy and can use it in our practice. The three bandhas are Mūla, at the base of the spine/perineum, uḍḍiyāna, a few inches below the navel, and Jālandhara at the throat.

dṛṣṭi (drishti) – means gaze point, or looking place. Drishti adds focus to your practice, keeping your eyes from wandering, and helps deepen your experience within the posture. Each pose, and in fact each vinyasa of each pose has a specific gazing point which adds to the effect of that position. There are 9 drishtis in total:

Aṅguṣṭha madhyai: to the thumb
Bhrūmadhya: to the third eye, or between the eyebrows (sometimes called ajna chakra)
Nāsāgrai: at the tip of the nose (or a point six inches from the tip)
Hastagrai: to the palm, usually the extended hand
Pārśva: to the right side
Pārśva: to the left side
Ūrdhva: to the sky, or upwards (sometimes called antara)
Nābhicakra: to the navel
Pādayoragrai: to the toes