Those who sit in this Asana have a steady, firm pose. They cannot be easily shaken. The knees are rendered very hard. The Meru Danda becomes firm and strong. This Asana resembles more or less the Namaz pose in which Muslims sit for prayer.
TECHNIQUE
Keep the soles of the feet on both sides of the anus i.e., place the thighs on the legs one over the other and the soles on the buttocks. The calves must touch the thighs. The part from the toe to the knee should touch the ground. The whole burden of the body is put on the knees and ankles. In the beginning of practice, you may feel a slight pain in the knee and ankle joints but it passes off very quickly. Massage the paining parts and the two joints with the hands. You can use a little Iodex or Amritanjan for rubbing. After the feet and the knees, put both the hands straight on the knees. Keep the knees quite close. Sit like this, keeping the trunk, neck and head in one straight line. This is the most common Asana. You can sit in this Asana for a very long time comfortably. Yogins generally sit in this Asana.
BENEFITS
If you sit in this Asana for about half an hour immediately after food, the food will be digested well. Dyspeptics will derive much benefit. The nerves and muscles of the legs and thighs are strengthened. Myalgia in the knees, legs, toes and thighs disappears. Sciatica vanishes. Flatulence is removed. The stomach works vigorously. The practice of Vajrasana exercises a stimulating, beneficial influence on Kanda, the most vital part, and which is situated 12 inches above the anus and from which 72,000 Nadis spring.
VARIATIONS
Some people will keep the heels quite separate. The anus and the buttocks are kept between the two heels and the legs by the side of the two thighs.
I. Kurmasana (Tortoise Pose):
Press the buttocks firmly with the soles. Keep the head, neck and trunk erect. Keep the hands on your hips or on the knees or on the sides of the chest.
II. Ardha Kurmasana:
Sit in the same Vajrasana and stretch your hands to your face level, palms facing together and slowly bend and lie down on the ground on the support of your hands.
III. Utthana Kurmasana:
In this, you will have to sit in the same way as you sit for Garbhasana by keeping the hands between the calves and thighs. In Garbhasana, the feet are kept on the thighs as in Padmasana; but in Uttana Kurmasana the ankles are kept quite close one over the other and the hands pressing the head down. By all these Asanas, sprains and pains in the back will disappear.
IV. Mandukasana (Frog Pose):
Take the feet towards the back. Let the toes touch each other. Place the knees at the sides. Keep the hands on knees. This is called Mandukasana.
V. Ardha Savasana:
See the instructions elsewhere under Supta Vajrasana.
VI. Padadirasana:
Some people call the Vajrasana as Padadirasana. In this pose you can keep the hands on the knees or to your chest level, palms facing each other.
VII. Parvatasana:
Sit in Vajrasana posture. Raise your body and the hands above your head very slowly. This is called Parvatasana. A better variety of Parvatasana is described elsewhere.
VIII. Ananda Mandirasana:
Sit in Vajrasana and catch hold of the heels with the two hands.
IX. Angushthasana:
This is an important Asana for keeping up Brahmacharya. By sitting in Vajrasana slowly raise your knees. There is a similar Asana. See the description of Padangushthasana elsewhere.
X. Supta Vajrasana:
This is sleeping pose and Vajrasana combined or same as Ardha Savasana. First you must be perfect in doing Vajrasana. Then you can take to this Asana. More strain and force come on the knees in this Asana than in Vajrasana. Lie down on the back as in Ardha Savasana. Make a finger-lock. Allow the head to rest on the palms. Instead of making a finger-lock, you can place the hands as instructed in Matsyasana (first variety). In the beginning, the entire portion of the back may not touch the ground. The lower portion will remain raised up. Within a few days' practice, you will be able to do this Asana quite satisfactorily.
In this Asana you will get all the advantages of Vajrasana. Hunchback is removed as the spine is bent backwards. The spine gets elastic also. He who does this Asana will find it easy to do Chakrasana.
