Now, Mayūrāsana: placing both palms on the ground, with the elbows pressing the sides of the navel, rise high like a stick in space. This is called the peacock posture.

Mayūrāsana, the “peacock posture,” is a hand balance of considerable difficulty. The entire body is held horizontal, like the extended tail of a peacock.

The technique involves:

1. Placing the palms on the ground with fingers pointing backward
2. Bending the elbows and pressing them against the abdomen, on each side of the navel
3. Leaning the body forward until the feet lift
4. Holding the body straight like a stick (daṇḍavat)

Kūrpara-sthāpita-nābhi-pārśvaḥ — “with the elbows placed at the sides of the navel” — is the technical key. The pressure of the elbows on the abdomen is precisely what creates the leverage for balance.

This posture requires considerable strength in the arms, wrists, and core. It is traditionally considered to develop strength comparable to that of the peacock, known for being able to digest even poisons.