Now, Śavāsana: lying face up on the ground like a corpse is Śavāsana. Śavāsana removes fatigue and brings rest to the mind.

Śavāsana, the “corpse posture,” is the simplest in appearance but one of the most profound in effect. It requires neither flexibility nor strength, only the ability to remain completely still.

Uttānam — “face up.” The body lies supine, with arms and legs slightly apart, palms facing upward.

Śavavat — “like a corpse.” The key is the total absence of muscular and mental tension. A corpse makes no effort; the practitioner aspires to that same complete passivity.

The two benefits mentioned are:

• Śrānti-haram — Removes accumulated physical fatigue
• Citta-viśrānti-kārakam — Produces mental rest

Although the verse is brief, Śavāsana is essential in practice. It is traditionally performed at the end of an āsana session to integrate the benefits. It can also be practiced independently as a deep relaxation technique.

In this apparently simple posture, many practitioners discover the difficulty of letting go completely.