# 48 - Yoga Confusables

Although languages are logical, many Sanskrit words used in yoga postures tend to be confusing. Latin being an acknowledged derivative of Sanskrit, root words in both these language sound similar to one another (and therefore to English). So an easy way to remember names of postures is to recall core words every now and then. For instance, hasta is hand, and uttana means up (hasta uttana = hands-raised); pada is foot (so pada hasta = hands to feet); tri is three and kona is corner (trikona = triangle); vira is brave (hence virabhadra = brave warrior); ardha means half, while chandra refers to the moon (so ardha chandra = half moon); supta is supine, and vajra or vaira means diamond (supta vajra = supine diamond); maha is great, and mudra means gesture (so maha mudra = grand gesture); paripoorna is very full, (and pari poornanava = full boat); ashta is eight and anga is limb (ashtanga namaskara = eight-limbed salutation); finally, bandha means connection or that which binds (hence sethu bandha = bridge).