Mayūrāsana

Classical Description

The Haṭha Yoga Pradīpikā (1.30-31) describes:

“Place the palms of the hands on the ground and rest the abdomen on the elbows. Raised thus, balance the body rigid like a stick. This is Mayūrāsana.”

“Mayūrāsana quickly destroys all effects of unwholesome food, kindles the digestive fire, and digests even deadly poison.”

Technique

1. Kneel on the floor
2. Place the palms on the ground with fingers pointing backward, toward the feet
3. The little fingers touch, the elbows rest on the abdomen, on either side of the navel
4. Extend the legs backward
5. Transfer weight forward until the feet rise from the floor
6. Balance the body horizontally, like a rigid stick, supported only by the hands
7. The body forms a straight line parallel to the floor

Benefits According to the Texts

The HYP is specific about digestive benefits:

“Destroys all effects of unwholesome food (kulika), kindles the gastric fire to the point of being able to digest kālakūṭa (deadly poison).”

Benefits:

• Extremely potent for digestive fire
• Cures diseases of the spleen and stomach
• Eliminates accumulated toxins
• Elbow pressure massages internal organs

Notes

The name derives from mayūra (peacock), which according to Indian tradition can eat poisonous snakes without harm. The posture grants this same symbolic “digestive immunity”. It is a demanding āsana requiring considerable arm and core strength. The texts recommend practicing it after overeating or consuming food of questionable quality.