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Strike A Yoga Pose: Warrior II Basics and Benefits
Posted on February 2, 2010 by Lindsay Fields in All Posts, Postures and BenefitsWarrior II Pose - Virabhadrasana II
By channeling your inner warrior in asana practice, this posture can bring focus, strength and courage into your life helping you to overcome the challenges of ego and pride.
Yes, shaky thighs and all …
Virabhadra Symbolism
Creation of the Hindu Lord, Shiva, images and mythology portray Virabhadra as having raging, fiery hair and three burning eyes. He wore a garland of skulls and wielded terrible weapons in each of his one thousand arms. However, he was not simply a murderous demon. Just as Shiva and destruction are an important part of the Hindu Trilogy (Brahma/Creator, Vishnu/Sustainer, and Shiva/Destroyer), Virabhadra, the Great Warrior, symbolizes that within ourselves which has the power to overcome the prideful ego (symbolized in stories by king Daksha) for the sake of the heart (symbolized by Sati, Daksha's daughter and first wife of Lord Shiva). Thus, Virabhadra destroys in order to save.
Here is the Wikipedia article where you can read more about the Origin of Virabhadra.
Warrior II Pose Instructions:
- Start in Tadasana. Lift your arms over head and bring your hands in prayer position. Step 4-5 ft to the right bringing your arms parallel to the floor, palms facing down. Heels are in line from the side and feet are parallel to each other at this point. Scoop your tailbone under slightly, bringing your hips into a neutral position. Arms move back, chest lifted out in front, shoulders roll down and imagine them sliding down your back.
- Pivot on the right heel 90 degrees (heels still in the same line). Bend the right knee until the right underside of the thigh is parallel with the floor and continue to sit down, softening in the hips until you have a 90 degree angle with the right shin and thigh. The knee might have a tendency to move inward and if this is the case, soften your right inner thigh and you can use the right hand to externally rotate the right thigh so that the knee is centered directly over the right ankle.
- Your weight should be evenly distributed in both feet and you want to make sure, especially, that you have the outside edge of your left foot in contact with the mat and some weight in that area as well.
- If your upper body begins to lean forward, draw the left arm back in order to bring the upper body centered over your hips.
- Shift your eye gaze to look out over you right arm across the right middle finger.
Benefits:
- Increases the strength and flexibility of the legs, ankles and feet.
- Therapeutic for flat feet, sciatica, backaches and osteoporosis.
- Stretches the groin, hip muscles and connective tissue of the hips.
- Opens the chest, lungs and shoulders.
- Builds stamina.
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Lots of love,
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You said:
“Thus, Virabhadra destroys in order to save. ”
I correct:
Nonsense.
Virabhadra was not created by Lord Shiva to “save”, for Sati had already given up her body (commited suicide) by self immolation invoking the fires within the body for the insult and insolence by her father Daksha.
How then, could Virabhadra “save” anything?
Virabhadra, which means “auspicious warrior” or “inauspicious warrior” depending on the interpretation, was created for wrath, for ruin, for vengenace, for chastisement.
When the wicked are punished for their transgressions and their overflowing cup of sin, then universal equilibrium is restored, justice is upheld, which in turn protects the very breath of the universe.
It is good that the wicked should die.
This “love light and peace” bull shit that is a new fad espoused by the modern pseudo-transcendentalists, who are posers, spiritual pimps, and intellectual prostitutes, is imbibed only by those cankered fools, who fail to notice that almost EVERY diety carries a weapon, and those few who do not are protected by legions who do.
True Aryans who have received a proper education are not deceived by flower language and pretty words.
Virabhadra was not only created to kill Daksha, which he did so expertly for Daksha’s power protected him from all weapons both material and celestial, but Virabhadra was intelligent, and he knew that by law of Justice, just as Daksha killed animals for sacrifice, so he too deserved to be killed as a sacrifice, karma, justice, what goes around comes around, and so Virabhadra dragged him by the hair to the beheading block for sacrificing animals, and not only did he cut Daksha’s head off, but expertly threw it in the fire as a precaution so that Daksha could not be revived. Furthermore, Virabhadra also put out the eyes, cut out the tongue, and ripped off the beard of 3 rishis who had made faces at, laughed at and scowled at his master Lord Shiva when he quietly walked out of the assembly hall rather than trade angry words with Daksha, and to PUNISH – not save – Virabhadra chastised them.
The rod of chastisement, personified by Yamaraja, upholds and maintains, protects the very life breath of the universe, for indeed, if chastisement did not protect, then no brahmina would ever have studied the Vedas and no maiden would ever have married, thus declared Bhishma pitamaha from the bed of arrows.
Finally, all the vedas proclaim, that women, just as sudras, have no intelligence, and are not qualified to give discourse on Dharma. Particularly, the Manusamhita and the Bhagavad Gita, as well as the Caitanya Caritamrita all declare this to be fact. Modern IQ tests, and commercial advertisements and marketing experts also know this fact, that is why in this fallen Kali yuga, laws are in favor of women because the asuras always want women to be free, and indeed when Satan wanted to attack Adam he did so through Eve, the weaker and less intelligent sex.
Should you wish to contest this truth, you must do so in the time honored tradition, with sastra, sruti, sadhu, and not your ahankar for indeed, you are no authority.
To punish, and slay, was Virabhadra manifested.
This modern eunuch language of the sheep, the thralls, the quivering, bleeting, heehawing modern wage-slaves, is not the timeless language of Satyam, sanata bhagavat dharma.
Indeed, violence is not only the historically proven best method of solving problems with finality and God’s Authority – nitir asmi jigisatam “of those who seek victory I am Morality”Sri Sri Bhagavan uvaca Bhagavad Gita, and also the reason why “trial by combat” has been and still is practiced since time immemorial – but indeed, righteous violence is indeed the precursor and prerequisite, the birthpains that are necessary for Life.
Thanks for sharing your perspective. Admittedly, I am not an authority on Hindu stories. This post is a short and perhaps over-simplification of the story of Virabhadra’s creation. My intention was to introduce readers to the story behind the asana in an effort to bring a deeper meaning to the practice of yoga asana that extends beyond just physical exercise.
As I understand it, Virabhadra plays a greater role in Lord Shiva’s story. After seeing Daksha slain, he (Lord Shiva) is remorseful and in an act of compassion brings Daksha back to life. That is the “saving” I was referring to.