▁" pose ". ▁ ▁The ▁pose ▁is ▁not ▁found ▁in ▁medieval ▁hath a ▁y oga , ▁but ▁is ▁described ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 9 6 6 ▁Light ▁on ▁Y oga . ▁It ▁is ▁independently ▁described ▁under ▁a ▁different ▁name , ▁H ast ap adas ana ▁(" Hand - to - Foot ▁P ose ") ▁in ▁Sw ami ▁V ish n ude van anda ' s ▁ 1 9 6 0 ▁Complete ▁Illustr ated ▁Book ▁of ▁Y oga , ▁suggesting ▁an ▁older ▁origin . ▁ ▁Description ▁ ▁The ▁pose ▁may ▁be ▁entered ▁from ▁d andas ana ▁( st aff ▁pose ) ▁by ▁moving ▁the ▁legs ▁apart ▁as ▁far ▁as ▁possible . ▁The ▁big ▁to es ▁may ▁then ▁be ▁grasp ed ▁with ▁the ▁hands , ▁or ▁with ▁a ▁bel t ▁around ▁each ▁foot . ▁The ▁back ▁is ▁light ly ▁arch ed ▁by ▁raising ▁the ▁c oc cy x , ▁and ▁the ▁body ▁is ▁incl ined ▁for wards . ▁In ▁the ▁completed ▁pose , ▁the ▁body ▁le ans ▁for wards ▁until ▁the ▁ch in ▁and ▁nose ▁touch ▁the ▁ground . ▁People ▁who ▁cannot ▁sit ▁on ▁the ▁floor ▁in ▁d andas ana ▁can ▁sit ▁on ▁a ▁fol ded ▁blank et ▁for ▁the ▁pose . ▁ ▁A ▁variation ▁is ▁to ▁lean ▁forward ▁and ▁to ▁place ▁the ▁hands , ▁pal ms ▁up , ▁on ▁the ▁ground ▁in ▁front ▁of ▁the ▁body . ▁ ▁Cla im ed ▁benefits ▁The ▁pose ▁provides ▁a ▁stretch ▁for ▁the ▁ham strings , ▁and ▁is ▁stated ▁without ▁evidence ▁in ▁Light ▁on ▁Y oga ▁to ▁assist