Upaniṣads · Jābāladarśana 3.2
॥
Devanāgarī
सुखासनसमाख्यं च नवमं मुनिपुङ्गव । जानूर्वोरन्तरे कृत्वा सम्यक् पादतले उभे
Transliteración (IAST)
sukhāsanasamākhyaṃ ca navamaṃ munipuṅgava | jānūrvorantare kṛtvā samyak pādatale ubhe
Palabra por palabra
SánscritoIASTSignificado
सुख-आसन-समाख्यं चsukha-āsana-samākhyaṃ caand what is called the comfortable sitting-posture
नवमं मुनि-पुङ्गवnavamaṃ muni-puṅgavathe ninth, O bull among sages
जानु-ऊर्वोः अन्तरे कृत्वाjānu-ūrvoḥ antare kṛtvāhaving placed between knee and thigh
सम्यक् पाद-तले उभेsamyak pāda-tale ubheproperly, both soles of the feet
Traducción
"…and what is called the comfortable sitting-posture — the ninth, O bull among sages. Having properly placed both soles of the feet between knee and thigh…"
Versión
cea370da1ea7 · publicado 12 ago 2026, 5:00:00 UTC
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The ninth posture is named simply sukha-asana, "the comfortable sitting-posture" — and this is, in my view, the best name in the whole list. It means what we would call "sitting comfortably," and in the twelfth line it will be directly said that any manner will do, so long as it is comfortable and firm. This circumstance deserves noting in advance, for it lifts every strictness from this section. Eight postures are described in detail, with the position of ankles and palms — and the ninth cancels the obligatory nature of all eight.
This relation occurs in codes of conduct and deserves naming: a list with a proviso. A detailed rule is given, and then, right there, an exit for those unable to keep it. This proviso is the mark of a practical mind. The compiler knew he would be read by people of differing build and age, and did not want an old man or an invalid to consider himself unfit for the practice on account of his ankles.
The Vaishnava side is fond of such provisos and makes them a foundation. Its chief rule is that the means must be accessible to everyone; and every time its books touch on an exercise requiring health, leisure, or a particular build, it is immediately said that for the present age something else is appointed. The Bhagavatam says this directly: the people of this age are manda, "sluggish," sumandamataya, "of poor judgment," manda-bhagya, "luckless," and upadruta, "beset" (1.1.10); and hence they are given a means requiring neither build nor leisure.