Do you know the story behind the warrior poses? In yoga and Hindu mythology, a story is told of the great love between Lord Shiva and the goddess Sati, and the origin of the fierce warrior, Virabhadra.
Sati’s heart always longed for the great yogi, Shiva. King Daksha, Sati’s father, never approved of his daughter’s union with Shiva, viewing him as an unbathed, scantly clothed yogi. When they wed, Sati was very happy living in a mountain shack alongside the great Shiva, but it infuriated Daksha who felt betrayed and humiliated.
Shortly after, Daksha held an important fire sacrifice ceremony, inviting everyone of importance, including Sati, but intentionally leaving out Shiva. When Sati arrived at the ceremony, she demanded an explanation from her father, but he held steadfast in his decision to exclude Shiva from the gathering. Sati was so distraught that she threw herself into the sacrificial fire and was immediately consumed by the flames.
When Shiva heard the news, he was so grief stricken he pulled a matted lock of hair from his own head and threw it to the ground. From it, the great warrior, Virabhadra was born. Although Shiva had completely lost his composure, Virabhadra remained calm and took action to satisfy Shiva’s revenge against Daksha.
The Poses
Virabhadrasana I – The fearless warrior arrives at Daksha’s event holding two swords overhead ready for battle.
Virabhadrasana II – The focused warrior sites his target, standing strong and ready for action.
Virabhadrasana III – The powerful warrior stands over his conquest with both swords drawn.
Happy Endings
Later in the story, Daksha is revived, and Shiva and Daksha grieve the loss of Sati together. In subsequent stories, Sati eventually takes the form of Parvati and she and Shiva are reunited as lovers once again.
Theming around the warrior poses can inspire your students to focus on strength, determination, and composure.
Many other postures were named from great Indian mythical stories. You can enhance your class and bring meaning to even the most basic postures, such as Tadasana (Mountain Pose), Balasana (Childs Pose), and Adho Mukha Svanasana (Downward Facing Dog), using the power of storytelling. Check out The Stories Behind the Poses by Dr. Raj Balkaran, for over 50 stories that inspired yoga postures.
Other Great Warrior Tales
Another epic yoga warrior tale is that of Arjuna and Krishna, in the ancient Hindu text, the Bhagavad Gita. This is the story of the great warrior, Prince Arjuna who becomes conflicted as he leads his army into battle. As he studied his opponents, he realized he would be fighting his own family and friends. The conversational narrative provides guidance about living your Dharma, as Krishna, Arjuna’s friend and charioteer, advises Arjuna to understand his purpose in life. The story describes a three-fold path of yoga: Karma Yoga (path of action), Bhakti Yoga (path of devotion), and Jnana Yoga (path of knowledge). The Gita, in all its wisdom, continues to provide spiritual guidance around the world today. This story can serve to entertain and inspire your students, while using Dharma as the class theme.
“Yoga is the journey of the self, through the self, to the Self.”
~ Bhagavad Gita
