The Solemn Sadhaka Lot n° 4

An Indian yogi takes to His asana at the crack of dawn. The time is Brahmamuhurta, which literally translates to the ‘moment of Brahma’. It is the couple of hours preceding dawn, prescribed for practice in the classical hathayogic tradition. Such a time-frame is of great significance as the indriya (sensory and functional organs) are at the most outward-facing phase of their cycle, and it is advised that the practice of yoga should be undertaken at exactly this juncture for maximum benefit._x000D_The yogi in this composition seated on a green-coloured mat, in a spacious marble chamber designed for his sadhana. He is wearing a white, red-bordered dhoti. His arms are smeared with vibhooti and the janeu reaches all the way down across the torso to the hips. Apart from the clutch of necklaces, he has very little by way of adornment. His long black hair curls up beneath the ears and, together with the ample beard and moustache, adds to the solemnity of his composure._x000D_He is seated in the much-coveted poorna-padmasana. This broad-based asana is the culmination of all of asana, and is the starting point of higher yogic practices (ie pranayama, dhyana, et al). Note how the symmetry and the complexity of the asana has been captured by the artist. Despite the limited colour palette, the rajasic red curtains in the background break through the predominance of the sattvik white in this painting. Specifications: Watercolor on Paper Artist: Kailash Raj 4.5 inches X 6.8 inches