Peacock · Crocodile · Mayurasana · Nakrasana

Mayurasana · Nakrasana · 마유라사나 · 공작 자세

Intermediate Series · Nadi Shodhana (Nerve Cleansing) — Leg-Behind-Head & Arm Balances

Breath: 5×2 · Drishti (gaze): nose tip

Fingers pointing back, elbows gathered into the navel, the head's lowering weight floats the legs level (peacock). Then nakrasana follows — jumping the plank forward and back on hands and feet together — a pose long credited with kindling the digestive fire.

Alignment

Hands — side by side with the fingers turned back toward the feet, little fingers touching
Feet — together and pointed, hovering parallel to the floor
Knees — straight, one horizontal plank from head to toes
Gaze — the nose tip ahead; the elbows buried deep beside the navel

Entering the pose

Kneel wide, fingers pointing back
Draw the elbows into the navel
Lower the head, let the legs float level

Common mistakes

The elbows slipping off the belly
Landing face-first — protect the forehead

Modifications & props

Mayurasana starts at the tripod stage, forehead and feet still down — finding the elbows' seat in the belly comes first.
If backward-turned fingers hurt the wrists, rotate them only halfway — the classical hand position waits for open wrists.
Nakrasana travels one hand-span at a time — jumping the feet first, hands following, is the decomposition that guards the shoulders.

Benefits

The elbows press the belly, strongly stimulating the organs
Wrist-arm strength with whole-body tension
Traditionally credited with kindling digestion

Role in the sequence

Peacock and crocodile — the last pair of Intermediate's strength chapter. Mayurasana, the whole body floated horizontal on elbows set into the belly, is among the longest-attested poses in yoga literature; Nakrasana leaps the entire plank forward and back in bursts. An extreme of stillness, then an extreme of motion — the strength section closes on contrast.

Practice notes

Mayura means peacock and nakra means crocodile. The peacock plants the elbows into the belly and floats the body like a plank; the crocodile hops a plank forward five times and back five times, springing from the hands and feet together. Static strength and explosive strength placed side by side — a rare pairing.

In Mayurasana the whole question is hand direction. The wrists must turn fully so the fingers point back toward the feet; only then do the elbows find their place beside the navel. Without that rotation the wrists protest first, so never attempt it cold. If the body will not float, keep the toes down and practise shifting weight by pressing the chest forward.

In Nakrasana the shoulders work more than the wrists. Keeping the elbows softly bent rather than locked through the five hops sends the impact into muscle instead of joint. Hopping quietly is the sign that it is going well.

Two checks: in the peacock, have the shoulders travelled forward of the wrists so the weight has actually moved, and in the crocodile, are the hips holding one line rather than piking up or sagging? On a day the wrists hurt, skipping both poses is the right call.

Finding the elbow placement at the navel is half the pose.

Written by Choi Seongjin — 20 years of Ashtanga practice, currently teaching three classes a week. Last updated: 2026-09-05.

This guide is for general information and is not medical advice. If you are pregnant, injured, or have a medical condition, consult a qualified teacher or physician before practising. Disclaimer & Legal Notice

Other poses in this sequence

Ashtanga Shala — Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga guide · Blog