Navasana or boat pose is the featured pose today. Nav in Sanskrit is a ship or sailor. The most famous ship worldwide in history is that ship that saved mankind from the flood. This deluge story can be found in many cultures around the world including the ancient Hindu cultures.
At the end of an era, the demon Hayagriva stole the sacred books from Brahma, and the whole human race became corrupt except the seven Nishis, and especially Satyavrata, the prince of a maritime region. One day when he was bathing in a river, he was visited by a fish which craved protection and which he transferred to successively larger vessels as it grew. At last Satyavrata recognized it as the god Vishnu, “The Lord of the Universe.” Vishnu told him that in seven days all the corrupt creatures will be destroyed by a deluge, but Satyavrata would be saved in a large vessel. He was told to take aboard the miraculous vessel all kinds of medicinal herbs, food esculant grains, the seven Nishis and their wives, and pairs of brute animals. After seven days, the oceans began to overflow the coasts and constant rain began flooding the earth. A large vessel floated in on the rising waters, and Satyavrata and the Nishis entered with their wives and cargo. During the deluge, Vishnu preserved the ark by again taking the form of a giant fish and tying the ark to himself with a huge sea serpent. When the waters subsided, he slew the demon who had stolen the holy books and communicated their contents to Satyavrata
Just like there are many versions of the deluge story, there are many versions of navasana depending upon the strength and needs of the student. Any version will strengthen the core muscles of the body both front and back. The most challenging versions of navasana require full participation of the hip flexors and core muscles and the version that Rexburg yoga teachers will encourage and teach will be versions that take out much of the challenge with the hip flexors and keep the focus on abdominal muscles and back muscles. these pictures are an example of how we enjoy navasana – by either rounding the spine, or by bending the knees.
Picture from here, here, and here.
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