THE DOG POSE

PRAGYA BHATT offers anecdotes from mythology, giving context to downward-facing dog pose with a step-by-step methodology The practice of yoga was neither ‘invented’ nor ‘discovered’. It existed long before references of it appeared in art and literature. Nature played an important role in rites and rituals, with ancient yogis drawing inspiration from the world around them. Almost all mythological figures were associated with at least one animal. It is no surprise, then, that many yoga poses are inspired by animals, insects and nature. One such pose is Adho Mukha Svanasana. A careful study of the name tells us its meaning. ‘Adho’ — down; ‘Mukha’ — face; ‘Svana’ — dog; ‘Asana’ — pose.Constant Companion When the war of Kurukshetra in the Mahabharata
was over, the Pandavas made
their way to heaven. Slowly
and quietly they ascended the mountain from where they
would board the chariot to heaven. The eldest Pandava, Yudhishthira, led the way. He was followed by Bheema, Arjuna, Nakula, Sahadeva and Draupadi. A lone dog also followed them.The journey up the mountain was long and arduous. They were all very tired. Soon, Draupadi collapsed and was unable to continue. The Pandavas looked at her with sorrow since she would not enter the kingdom of heaven. Throughout her life, Draupadi had secretly favoured Arjuna. This attachment to him had been her undoing.The remaining Pandavas continued, even though their exhaustion increased with every step. The dog followed. The next to collapse was Sahadeva. He had been proud of his own intellect and this vice kept him from the kingdom of heaven. The remaining Pandavas trudged on as the dog followed, wagging its tail.Nakula collapsed next. ‘He was proud of his looks and wouldn’t stop admiring himself,’ explained Yudhishthira to the others. ‘That’s why he will also not make it to the kingdom of heaven. Let us continue.’ Yudhishthira had noticed the dog and had started to consider it a part of their entourage.Arjuna collapsed next. He would also not
make it to heaven. His failing was that he was overconfident and conceited.The summit of the mountain was close and though they had mourned their siblings and wife, Bheema and Yudhishthira continued. The dog wagged its tail and followed them.Finally, Bheema also collapsed. He was proud of his physical strength and ate too much, thought Yudhishthira. By now, he was almost delirious with hunger and thirst, but carried on. He was aware that it was only him and the dog now.At the top of the mountain, Lord Indra descended with his chariot and invited Yudhishthira in to be flown to heaven. Yudhishthira was happy that the harrowing journey was finally coming to an end. But being righteous and just, he had one final request. ‘Lord Indra’, Yudhishthira said, ‘I can only come to heaven if this dog comes with me. He has followed us from the base of the mountain, and has been with me as I lost every single one of my siblings and my beloved wife. He has been with me in sorrow, in happiness, in sadness and in bliss. He has seen me tired and hungry. Now, when I’m at the brink of heaven, I do not wish to abandon him.’
Lord Indra, of course, could not allow a dog into heaven, as dogs were considered inauspicious.Yudhishthira found himself becoming increasingly emotional. ‘Lord Indra, the dog has done nothing to harm anyone or anything. It has shown utmost loyalty, faith and love. I’m afraid if he can’t enter heaven, then neither can I.’ Lord Indra stopped Yudhishthira. ‘Congratulations, Yudhishthira, you have passed the ultimate test’, he said. ‘The dog is none other than Dharma, and you have shown that you have an intimate bond with Dharma. Welcome to heaven.The Significance Early yogis considered all life equal. If there are poses named after sages, then there are poses inspired by animals as well. Yogis observed a dog languidly extending the spine while keeping the rest of the body alert. They were curious about the benefits that humans could derive from this movement, and decided to mimic the natural movement of a dog.A yoga pose is more than just a physical posture, and it is worthwhile to study its other aspects. While performing the adho mukha svanasana, we should think about the qualities that make the dog man’s best friend.How To1. Place your hands and knees on the floor, shoulder and hip width apart. 2. Spread your fingers wide on the mat and press the hands down firmly.3. Start to straighten your legs.
4. Lift and extend your tailbone upand out.
5. Extend the torso by extending the spine.
6. Lengthen the back of the legs as you push the heels intothe floor.7. Relax the neck, face and shoulders. ■