Dhanurāsana — the bow posture. The body arches backward, supported by the hands grasping the ankles or feet, forming the silhouette of a tensed bow.

“Destroyer of great sins” (mahāpātaka-nāśanam). The mahāpātakas are the capital sins in Hindu tradition. This posture has the power to dissolve even the heaviest karma.

The direction “O bright-faced one” suggests that this practice literally illuminates the face. The opening of the chest, the stretching of the neck, the expansion of the lungs — all contribute to a radiant complexion.