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 Many classic yoga texts mention 84 classic yoga asanas taught by Lord Shiva, who forms the divine Hindu trinity (along with the gods Brahma and Vishnu). Some of these asanas are considered highly important in the yogic canon: texts that do mention the eighty-four invariably single out the first four as necessary or vital to attain yogic perfection. However, not more than five or so asanas have been mentioned by name in any of these texts, and the complete list of Shiva's asanas remains unknown to us.
Patanjali's Yoga Sutra does not mention even a single asana by name, merely specifying the characteristics of a good asana, and it does not attribute any postures to Shiva. Later yoga texts however, do mention the 84 Classic Asanas and associate them with Shiva.
The Goraksha Samhita, or Goraksha Paddhathi is considered the oldest extant Hatha Yogic text, and describes the origin of the 84 classic asanas. Observing that there are as many postures as there are beings, and that there are 840000 species in all, the text states that Lord Shiva fashioned an asana for each 100000, thus giving us 84 in all, although it mentions and describes only two in detail: the Siddhasana and the Padmasana.
The Hatha Yoga Pradipika specifies that of these 84, the first four are highly important, the Siddhasana, Padmasana, Bhadrasana and Simhasana. In the The Shiva Samhita the third and fourth asanas are different; namely the Ugrasana and the Swastikasana The Hatha Ratnavali (1600 AD) is one of the earliest texts to attempt a listing of all the 84, although 4 out of its list do not have meaningful translations from the Sanskrit, and 21 are merely mentioned without any description. In all, 52 asanas of the Hatha Ratna Avali are confirmed and described by the text itself, or other asana sources.
The complete list of all asanas mentioned in the Hatha Ratnavali follows.
| Name of Asana |
What it means in Sanskrit |
| Akasha |
Space, Ether |
| Angushtha |
Thumb (or Big Toe) |
| Ardha narishvara |
Hermaphrodite (ardha = half; nari = woman; ishvara = Lord) |
| Baddha pakshi ishvara |
Bound Lord of Bird |
| Baka |
Crane or Heron |
| Bhadra |
Auspicious, Prosperous |
| Bhairava |
Terrible |
| Brahma |
Immense Being |
| Brahma prasadita |
Brahma Pleasing |
| Chakra |
Wheel or Circle |
| Chandra |
Moon |
| Chandra kanta |
Beautiful Moon |
| Chaurangi |
Name of amaha siddhi (see HYP 1.5) |
| Chitrapitha |
Excellent Seat |
| Chitrakarani |
Excellent Instrument |
| Dhanu |
Bow |
| Dharavaha |
Unknown |
| Dridha |
Firm |
| Ekapadaka |
One Foot |
| Gomukha |
Cow Face |
| Goraksha |
Cow Herder |
| Hamsa |
Swan or Goose |
| Indrani |
Wife of Indra |
| Kabandha |
Unknown |
| Kamadahana |
Desire (kama) Consumed |
| Kanta |
Beloved |
| Kanthava |
Unknown |
| Karmuka |
Bow |
| Khaga |
Moving in the Air (i.e., Bird) |
| Krauncha |
Curlew or Osprey (Heron) |
| Kukkuta (5 types) |
Rooster |
| Akaritak |
Rooster-like |
| Bandhachuli k |
Bound Crest |
| Eka pada k |
One Foot |
| Parshva k |
Side |
| Kurma (3 types) |
Tortoise |
| Baddhak |
Bound Tortoise |
| Uttana k |
Extended Tortoise |
| Manduka |
Frog |
| Markata |
Monkey |
| Matsyendra (3 types) |
Lord of Fish |
| Baddham |
Bound Lord of Fish |
| Parshva m |
Side |
| Mayura (6 types) |
Peacock |
| Bandham |
Bound |
| ADandam |
Staff |
| Ekapadam |
One foot |
| Parshva m |
Side |
| Pinda m |
Ball |
| Sahajam |
Natural |
| Mushtika |
Handful |
| Nabhi lasita padaka |
Foot Playing at Navel |
| Nabhi tala |
Sole to Navel |
| Nagapitha |
Serpent-Demon Seat |
| Narjava |
Unknown |
| Niralambana |
Unsupported |
| Padapindana |
Foot Press |
| Padma (4 types) |
Lotus |
| Bandha |
Bound |
| Kara |
Making |
| Samputita |
Shaped |
| Shuddha |
Pure |
| Pani patra |
Drinking Out of the Cupped Hand (pani) |
| Pashchimatana |
West |
| Phani indra |
Serpent King |
| Raja |
King |
| Ratna |
Jewel |
| Saura |
Sacred Sun, Divine |
| Sharabha |
Deer or Grasshopper |
| Shava |
Corpse |
| Shayita pashchimatana |
Reclining West |
| Shilpa simha |
Ornament Lion |
| Shuddha pakshi |
Pure Bird |
| Siddha |
Accomplished |
| Simhasana |
Lion |
| Sudhaasara |
Shower of Nectar (sudha) |
| Sumandraka |
Very Slow |
| Svastika |
Auspicious, Fortunate |
| Utpadatala |
Emerging Sole |
| Utphalaka |
Jumping |
| Vajra |
Thunderbolt, Adamantine |
| Vichitra nalina |
Beautiful Lotus(nalina) |
| Vidhunana |
Trembling |
| Vira |
Hero |
| Vrishchika |
Scorpion |
| Vyaghra |
Tiger |
| Yoga nidra |
Union Sleep |
It must be noted that unlike contemporary classification, classical yoga texts do not make the distinction of meditative and cultural asanas, but classify them merely as part of the 84 asanas of Shiva. The only text that attempts a complete listing, and contains as yet unexplained postures, is the Hatha Ratnavali, distinguishing it as a remarkable text in the Yogic canon
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