Now, Matsyendrāsana: place the right foot firmly at the root of the left thigh, toward the outside. Embrace the right knee with the left arm.

Matsyendrāsana, named in honor of the great siddha Matsyendranātha, is a seated spinal twist. Matsyendra was the guru of Gorakṣanātha and one of the legendary founders of Haṭha Yoga.

The posture involves:

1. Placing the right foot on the outer side of the left thigh
2. The left arm embraces or encircles the right knee
3. The torso rotates to the right

This is the first twist described in the text. Twists have unique effects:

• They massage the internal organs
• They stimulate the spine laterally
• They balance the hemispheres of the body
• They facilitate the flow of prāṇa through Suṣumnā

Bahiḥ — “toward the outside” — indicates that the foot is placed on the outer side of the opposite thigh, creating the foundation for the twist.

Matsyendrāsana is considered one of the most beneficial postures of Haṭha Yoga and appears in nearly every traditional sequence.