Garudasana (Eagle Pose) comes from the Sanskrit words garuda = eagle and asana = posture. Garuda is known as the king of the birds.Tummee.comYogaSequenceBuilderandYogaClassPlanningSoftwareforYogaTeachersAdminYogaContentEmailPasswordEmailPasswordGarudasanaHistoryGarudasanaHistory:Garudaisknownasthekingofbirdsandisthevahana(mount)ofLordVishnu(orLordKrishna).ItissaidthatLordVishnuwasveryimpressedwiththepowerandstrengthGarudashowed,andofferedhimablessing.GarudainreturnaskedLordVishnuhowhecanbeofhelptohim.ItwasthenthatLordVishnurequestedGarudatobehisvahana(mount/vehicle)forwhichGarudagavehisacceptance.AlthoughGarudawasthekingofbirdsandapowerfulbirdassociatedwiththesunandfire,hewasahumblediscipletohisguru,LordVishnu.Garudaissaidtobehalfhumanandhalfbird.Hisbodyshineslikegold,withtwoofhishandsfoldedinAnjaliMudra,whiletheothertwocarryanumbrellaandapotofamrita.Hisbeaks,wingsandtherestofthebodylikehischest,andlegsarethatofakite.Garudaissymbolisedinmanyforms;Khagesvara(kingofbirds),Suparna(onewhohasbeautifulfeatures),Suvarnakaya(withgoldenbody),Nagantaka(devourer-enemyofallsnakes).TwoscripturesGarudopanishad(GarudaUpanishad),andGarudaPuranaarededicatedtoGaruda.ThemantrasandcharmsasprescribedinGarudopanishadwhenchanted,aresaidtocurepoison.SincethetextinGarudopanishadmentionsaboutnullifyingtheeffectofpoison,regularpracticeofGarudasanacancutthroughthenegativeenergyinthebodyleadingtoself-purification.GarudaPurana(oneofthe18Mahapuran)ontheotherhand,includesinitstexts,thetheoryofYogawhereittouchesuponwaystopracticeYogaforpersonaldevelopmentandtodeepenself-knowledge.SignificanceofGarudasanainYogaGarudasanaalsoknownastheEagleposecomesfromthetwoSanskritwords'garuda'='eagle'and'asana'='posture'.Further,Garudaisalsoreferredtoas'onewhocanliftimmenselyheavyloads'.Beingthekingofbirds,his'eagleeyes'depictaclearvision,devoidofignoranceandmisconception,lookingstraightintothetruthofeachsituation.InordertopracticeGarudasana,onehastopreparetheirbodyusingdrishti(onepointedfocus)andunalteredattentio