Bakasana: Crane/Crow Pose

The story of Bakasana is one of dedication to the yogic path. It is the story of King Yudisthira in an episode from the Mahabharata, an ancient Indian epic. Yudhishthira, the eldest of the Pandava brothers, was known for his unwavering commitment to righteousness and dharma.

King Yudisthira and his brothers were exiled to the forest for 12 years and when they got too thirsty they had to get out and search for water. Each brother went out, one at a time, and each one came across a lake. When they reached the lake to take a drink they heard a voice say "if you drink from this lake, you will die." The brothers were so thirsty they drank anyway and each one, in turn, died. 

When King Yudisthira traveled to the lake in search of his brothers and saw the one who killed his brothers - a giant crane standing in the water. The crane revealed himself to be Yama, the god of death. Yama posed five questions to Yudisthira and promised to bring his brothers back if he could answer the questions correctly. After getting the answers, Yama was pleased and revived all of the king's brothers. 

The questions that Yama asked and their answers are a summary of the yogic path:  the ignorance of your true divine nature can lead to suffering. When you are able to recognize this misunderstanding, you can take steps to correct it and live a life in accordance with the principles of yoga, thus reconnecting with their true Self. It is through this reconnection that you will experience lasting peace and fulfillment. 

King Yudisthira, in being confronted with this contemplation and the death of his brothers, did not falter and lose his balance. In bakasana, you are invited to keep your balance while focusing on the myriad way that you might fall or fail. The lesson here is that by following the yogic path and adherence to your dharma, you will be able to maintain your balance in challenging situations. 🦢