Mandala
There are 10 categories in Mandala. They are
- Sthanaka – Stand Straight with Ardhachandra Hasta on the waist
- Aayata – Keep 12 inch distance between the feet and bending the knees a little.
- Aaleedha – Keep the right foot 3 feet in front of the left foot, holding shikhara hasta in the left and katakamukha hasta in right hand
- Prenkhana – Stand with one foot on the knee of the other and holding koorma hasta
- Prerita – Hit the floor hard with one leg, bend the knees, keep the other foot a little further, hold shikhara in one hand, near the chest and pataka in another, stretched away
- Pratyaleedha – Opposite of Aaleedha
- Swastika – Keep right leg across the left leg and right hand across the left hand
- Motita – Sit on toes, touch the ground with knees, alternatively
- Samasoochi – Touch the ground with toes & knees
- Paarshwasoochi – Sit on toes, touch the ground with one of the knees in one side
Sthanaka Mandala is further classified as
- Samapaada – Stand Straight. While worshipping the god this is used.
- Ekapaada – Stand with one foot on the knee of the other. To show a Saint in Penance this is used.
- Naagabandha – Twist one leg with the other & one hand with the other. To show a pair of snakes this is used.
- Aindra – Bend one of the legs little and lift the knee of the other and keep the hands as usual. To show Indra this is used.
- Garuda – Bend the left leg keeping the foot completely on the floor, bend the right leg and sit on the right leg. This is used to show the bird Garuda, Lord Vishnu’s Vehicle.
- Brahma – Sit down, cross the feet like Padmasana. This is used to show meditation.
