Eka Pāda Rājakapotāsana


Eka Pada Rajakapotasana or King Pigeon Pose is a seated back-bending asana in modern yoga as exercise. The Yin Yoga form of the asana is named Swan Pose.

Etymology and origins

The name comes from the Sanskrit words "eka" meaning "one"; "pada" meaning "foot", "raja" meaning "king", kapota meaning "pigeon" and asana meaning "posture" or "seat".
The pose is described in the 20th century by two of Krishnamacharya's pupils, Pattabhi Jois in his Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga, and B. K. S. Iyengar in his Light on Yoga.

Description

Starting from sitting in Dandasana, one knee is bent, keeping the knee on the floor, so the foot is just in front of the groin, and the other leg is taken straight back. For the completed pose bend the knee of the rear leg, and grasp the foot or ankle with one or both hands.

Variations

In Supported Pigeon or Salamba Kapotasana, the rear leg is straight out and the hands are on the ground beside the hips, so the backbend is reduced. If comfortable, the back may be arched and the gaze directed straight upwards.
In Sleeping Pigeon, the rear leg is straight with the body and arms stretched forwards over the bent forward leg. This pose is sometimes named "Pigeon", but it is a wholly different pose from the difficult kneeling backbend of Kapotasana.
In Aerial yoga, Flying Pigeon Pose is a hammock-supported variant with one foot hooked across the front of the hammock.
The pose can be practised with the rear knee against a wall, the lower leg vertical with a strap around the foot, working towards the full pose. The strap is grasped with both hands, the arms reversed so that the elbows point upwards.