Eka Pada Rajakapotasana

The name comes from the Sanskrit words "eka" (एक) meaning "one"; "pada" (पाद) meaning "foot", "rāja" (राज) meaning "king", kapota (कपोत) meaning "pigeon" and āsana (आसन) meaning "posture" or "seat".{{cite book |last=Sinha |first=S. C. |title=Dictionary of Philosophy |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=-zzRvh1fRzEC&pg=PA18 |year=1996 |publisher=Anmol Publications |isbn=978-81-7041-293-9 |page=18}}

The pose is described in the 20th century by two of Krishnamacharya's pupils, Pattabhi Jois in his Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga,{{cite book |last=Sjoman |first=Norman E. |author-link=Norman Sjoman |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=1BU2WI8wMpcC |title=The Yoga Tradition of the Mysore Palace |publisher=Abhinav Publications |year=1999 |orig-year=1996 |isbn=81-7017-389-2 |pages=100–101}} and B. K. S. Iyengar in his Light on Yoga.{{cite book | last=Iyengar | first=B. K. S. |author-link=B. K. S. Iyengar | year=1979 | orig-year=1966 | title=Light on Yoga: Yoga Dipika | publisher=Thorsons |isbn=978-1855381667 |pages=389–399}}

File:Eka Pada Rajakapotasana - One Legged Royal Pigeon Pose.jpg, as here by Lululemon in 2011]]

Starting from sitting in Dandasana (stick pose), one knee is bent, keeping the knee on the floor, so the foot is just in front of the groin, and the other leg is taken straight back. For the completed pose bend the knee of the rear leg, and grasp the foot or ankle with one or both hands. Rajakapotasana is described as strongly hip-opening, both increasing the outward rotation of the femur in the hip joint of the front leg, and lengthening the hip-flexing psoas muscle of the rear leg. The hip of the front leg can be supported by a repeatedly-folded blanket if it does not descend fully to the floor.{{cite web |title=One-Legged King Pigeon Pose |url=https://www.yogajournal.com/poses/one-legged-king-pigeon-pose/ |publisher=Yoga Journal |access-date=12 July 2022}}

In Supported [King] Pigeon or Salamba Kapotasana, the rear leg is straight out and the hands are on the ground beside the hips, reducing the backbend. If comfortable, the back may be arched and the gaze directed straight upwards.{{cite book | last1=Kirk | first1=Martin | last2=Boon | first2=Brooke | title=Hatha Yoga Illustrated | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=3kWqPibhkmMC&pg=PA118 | year=2006 | publisher=Human Kinetics | isbn=978-0-7360-6203-9| page=118}}

In Sleeping Pigeon (or Sleeping Swan in Yin Yoga), the rear leg is straight with the body and arms stretched forwards over the bent forward leg. This pose is sometimes named "Pigeon",{{cite book | last=Lidell | first=Lucy; The Sivananda Yoga Centre | title=The Book of Yoga: the complete step-by-step guide | publisher=Ebury | year=1983 | isbn=978-0-85223-297-2 | oclc=12457963 | pages=[https://archive.org/details/bookofyoga0000lide/page/132 132–133] | url-access=registration | url=https://archive.org/details/bookofyoga0000lide/page/132 }} but it is a different pose from the advanced kneeling backbend of Kapotasana.{{cite web |last1=Crandell |first1=Jason |title=Master Sleeping Pigeon Pose in 4 Steps |url=https://www.yogajournal.com/poses/master-sleeping-pigeon-pose-4-steps |publisher=Yoga Journal |date=17 March 2016}}{{cite web |last1=Rizopoulos |first1=Natasha |title=The King of Hip Openers: Pigeon Pose |url=https://www.yogajournal.com/practice/pigeon-pose |publisher=Yoga Journal |date=16 July 2008}}

In Aerial yoga, Flying Pigeon Pose is a hammock-supported variant with one foot hooked across the front of the hammock.{{Cite magazine |last=Dortignac |first=Michelle |date=17 June 2015 |url=http://www.yogajournal.com/slideshow/the-aerial-yoga-sequence-9-poses-to-defy-gravity/ |title=The Aerial Yoga Sequence: 9 Poses to Defy Gravity |magazine=Yoga Journal |access-date=4 June 2018}}

The pose can be practised with the rear knee against a wall, the lower leg vertical with a strap around the foot, working towards the full pose. The strap is grasped with both hands, the arms reversed so that the elbows point upwards.{{cite book |last=Mehta |first=Silva; Mehta, Mira; Mehta, Shyam |author-link=Mira Mehta |date=1990 |title=Yoga: The Iyengar Way |publisher=Dorling Kindersley |isbn=978-0-86318-420-8 |page=143}}

File:Kapotasana-Yoga-Posture-Pigeon.jpg|In this variation, the rear foot hooks the arm on the same side.

File:IMG 0585 2-- Swan.jpg|Swan Pose in Yin Yoga is similar to Salamba Kapotasana.{{cite web |title=Swan |url=https://yinyoga.com/yinsights/swan/ |publisher=Yin Yoga |access-date=24 July 2019 |quote=Similar Yang Asanas: Proud Pigeon (Rajakapotasana).}} For the 'sleeping' variant, the body is reclined forwards over the bent leg.

File:Aerial Yoga.jpg|Aerial yoga class practising Flying Pigeon Pose, a hammock-supported variant

File:Taube2a (cropped).jpg|Variation with both hands grasping the rear foot

For Eka Pada Rajakapotasana II, the hands and the rear foot are as for Rajakapotasana I, but the sole of the front foot is on the floor in front of the hip, and the front knee is sharply bent with the knee forwards of the foot; the hips are off the ground.{{cite web |last1=Anon |title=One-Legged King Pigeon Pose II |url=https://www.yogajournal.com/poses/one-legged-king-pigeon-pose-ii/ |publisher=Yoga Journal |access-date=12 October 2022 |date=5 May 2008}}

In Eka Pada Rajakapotasana III, the hands and the rear foot are as for Rajakapotasana I, but according to Iyengar Yoga the front knee points forwards, with the front foot and lower leg on the ground beneath the thigh.{{cite web |last=Beaumont |first=Jennifer |title=In the Heart: Eka Pāda Rajakapotāsana III |url=https://www.lightonyogainstitute.com/iyengar-yoga-news/2018/1/19/n6tg1p2k4fmahvic5mb15agula5g70 |publisher=Light on Yoga Institute (Iyengar Yoga Center) |access-date=12 October 2022 |location=Grand Rapids, Michigan |date=23 January 2018}}

For Eka Pada Rajakapotasana IV, the hands and the rear foot are as for Rajakapotasana I, but the front foot is stretched straight forwards along the ground. The pose may be practised using props: the rear lower leg vertically up a wall, a yoga block under the sitting bones, another block if needed under the front leg, and a strap between the hands and the rear foot.{{cite web |last=Benagh |first=Barbara |title=Eka Pada Rajakapotasana IV (Bird by Bird: One-Legged King Pigeon Pose IV) |url=https://www.yogajournal.com/practice/yoga-sequences/bird-bird/ |publisher=Yoga Journal |access-date=12 October 2022 |date=16 March 2010}}

{{Commonscat|Eka Pada Rajakapotasana}}

• Anjaneyasana, the closely related Crescent Moon pose, with the front foot on the floor and the front knee raised
• Kapotasana, Pigeon pose

{{reflist|30em}}

{{Asana}}

{{Yoga as exercise}}

Category:Backbend asanas

Category:Hip-opening asanas

Category:Asymmetric asanas