Dhanurasana
The Gheranda Samhita (II-18) explains Dhanurasana thus: Your body will curve like a bow as you lie prostrate, stretch your legs like sticks on the floor and catch hold of the toes.
THE NOMENCLATURE
In Sanskrit, 'Dhanus' connotes 'bow'. Thus, Dhanurasana refers to that yogic exercise where your body will resemble a tightly drawn bow. Your trunk and thighs will be akin to the bent portion of the bow while your lower legs and the stretched arms will resemble the firm bowstring.
INER POINTS
The counterposes oDhanurasana are Chakrasana, Halasana and Paschimotanasana. These three asanas stretch the spine in the opposite directions.
As the legs and the arms can be pulled and stretched according to one's capacity, Dhanurasana can be done by everybody, irrespective owhether one is weak or strong.
Dhanurasana combines Shalabhasana and Bhujangasana. Dhanurasana requires a complete arch oyour spine.
To obtain the optimum advantages from all these three asanas, do as one complete set opostures (one after the other) the following asanas: Bhujangasana, Halasana and Chaklrasana (in the lying down posture). The entire spine gets a total rejuvenation as a result of the trio.
CAUTION NOTES
Dhanurasana is not for pregnant women!
Don't try this posture iyou're suffering from the following ailments: Slipped disc, hernia, colitis, stomach ulcer, heart problems, and high blood pressure!
You must not practice Dhanurasana iyou recently underwent any abdominal operations. Wait till you have recovered completely!
METHODOLOGY
Lie face down on your abdomen.
Your chin must be resting on the floor.
Your arms will have to lie on the sides.
The feet will have to be kept apart.
Entirely relax all the muscles including the back muscles.
Breathe normally.
Bend the legs backwards.
Grasp the ankles.
Bend backwards your head and neck.
Slowly inhale deeply. Complete the inhalation process in about 10 seconds.
Wait for some three seconds, and then start exhalation.
Even as you exhale, perform the following the following movements.
The exhalation process and the movements should be done in about 15 seconds.
Pull backwards your legs.
Gradually, bring together the inside edges of the knees, feet and toes. Join them together and at one level with each other.
Ithey are not in alignment, you won't be able to arch the back to the maximum level.
The final position starts now.
Simultaneously raise backwards your head, neck, chin, chest, thighs and your knees.
Raise the chin ofthe ground.
At the same time, raise upwards your lower region of the pelvis as well as the head, neck, chin, shoulders chest and navel portions besides your hips, thighs, and knees.
Join the knees and the feet.
Look upwards.
Keep your head and upwardly raised and as far backward as is possible.
Pull vigorously the ankles.
Look straight ahead.
Try to balance your body on the navel region.
Arch the spine to the maximum limit.
Remain in this position and hold on to your breathe.
Balance your body on the navel.
Don't rest your thighs, pelvis, and chest on the ground.
Look up to the optimum level.
As you attain this final position, you will naturally feel a strain on your legs and the arms that are holding the posture.
Keep your arms stretched.
Don't allow your legs to slip downwards.
Remain steady.
Gradually increase the time you remain in the final position.
Stay in this position for at least five seconds or till you feel the strain and complete the exhalation process.
Start inhaling slowly and gradually return to the starting position.
POINTS TO REMEMBER
Ensure that as you release your head, trunk and legs, you are not releasing your grip on your ankles.
Moreover, see that arms and legs do not spring apart.
Firmly hold on to your ankles.
Do not let go oyour feet.
Don't let go oyour feet as you hold on to your breath. Else there may be a residual tension on your back.
Do the asana correctly thrice.
When you repeat Dhanurasana, relax after each cycle with your chin resting on the ground and even as you grasp your ankles.
Don't strain when you raise and bring together your feet and knees.
Visualize a bow when you do Dhanurasana.
As you attempt to grasp the ankles backwards, don't lean to ones side and keep the trunk horizontal.
Firmly grasp the ankle-bones and not higher.
Once you grasp the ankle bones, keep the arms stifand straight.
Don't bend the elbows.
Never spread out your elbows. Otherwise, you won't be able to arch the back sufficiently.
Since you will have to raise the feet to their highest possible limit, so don't join the knees and feet as you start the leg-raising process.
While raising the legs, keep the ankles and the knees a slight apart. This will help you to easily raise the legs to the optimum level. It will also help you in securing a better curvature of the neck and the spine during the final action.
As you gain expertise, you will have to bring the knees and the shoulders in a straight line. Moreover, you will have to keep the feet edges in such a way so that they touch each other.
This will be possible only with constant practice. Slowly but surely your muscles as well as the toes, heels and knees will become suppler. As a result you will be able to bring the legs together in the final raised position.
Don't put undue pressure on your body while raising the legs and trying to bring the feet and knees closer to each other.
ADVANTAGES
Dhanurasana has therapeutical as well as physical advantages. Here are the lists:
Therapeutical Advantages
Sterility is contained.
Pancreatic action is stimulated. As a result, diabetes is controlled.
Iyou are suffering from piles, Dhanurasana will cure it.
You'll also get reliefrom constipation.
Urinary problems, liver sluggishness and dyspepsia gets cured.
You won't have flatulence. The intra-abdominal pressure will eliminate gas from the intestines as well as the tummy.
Slipped discs are corrected.
Sciatica patients get relieby practising Dhanurasana.
Rheumatism is cured particularly of the hands, knee-joints and the legs.
Lumbar pains are also alleviated.
Pain of the especially of the back and the knee are cured.
Physical advantages
Dhanurasana is especially ideal for women.
Women can firm up their bust line muscles.
Dhanurasana is the ideal exercise for people having a sedentary lifestyle.
This asana also eliminates fatigue.
You will also not feel laziness once you start practising Dhanurasana.
Dhanurasana rectifies slouching and improves posture.
Excess flab in the hips, thighs, and abdomen are reduced.
Blood congestion in the abdominal viscera is relieved.
Digestion is promoted via stimulation of the gastric secretions.
Spinal elasticity is improved.
Spinal muscles and nerves get strengthened.
Minor vertebral dysfunctions are corrected.
Premature calcification of the vertebrae column is prevented.
Slipped disc troubles are healed.
Increases capacity of the lungs.
The glandular system -- especially the adrenals and the prostate gland -- has a stimulating effect.
Dhanurasana activates the solar plexus.
This asana also has a positive effect on the liver, genital organs, bladder, spleen, liver and the heart.
Urinary problems are cured due to the alternate squeezing and relaxation of the kidneys, thereby causing them to regularly flush out the toxic materials produced in the body.
The buttocks and thigh muscles are tightened.
Muscles of the pelvic region, lumbar region, and the abdominal area are made stronger and suppler.
The hip joints muscles besides both the recti get fully stretched in Shalabhasana and Bhujangasana.
Both the body halves are arched simultaneously.
As a result, Dhanurasana exercises the entire body including the neck, back, ankles, legs, thighs, shoulders and the arms.
Joint rigidities are reduced.
Your body would definitely become more flexible.
References:
Hatha Sanketa Chandrika: particularly verse 63 concentrating on asanas.
Hatha Pradipika: I-25.