Question

Which one of the following positions is related to Yog Mudra?

• A. Sit in Padmasana, clasp wrists over the head, bend forward and touch the forehead to the floor
• B. Sit in Padmasana, clasp wrists behind the back, bend forward and touch the forehead to the floor
• C. Sit in Vajrasana, clasp wrists behind the back, bend forward and touch the forehead to the floor
• D. Sit in Vajrasana, clasp wrists over the head, bend forward and touch the forehead to the floor

Hint:

To remember this, think of the name: "Yoga" (unity/lotus) and "Mudra" (the hand seal at the back). If you sit in Vajrasana and bend forward, it is typically called Mandukasana or Shashankasana.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is B

To determine which position is related to Yog Mudra, we need to understand the characteristics of this yoga pose.

Yog Mudra is an asana typically practiced by sitting in Padmasana (Lotus Pose). In this position, the hands are clasped behind the back, and then one bends forward to touch the forehead to the floor.

Let us evaluate the given options:

1. Option 1: Sit in Padmasana, clasp wrists over the head, bend forward and touch the forehead to the floor.
   This is not correct as the hands in Yog Mudra are clasped behind the back, not over the head.
2. Option 2: Sit in Padmasana, clasp wrists behind the back, bend forward and touch the forehead to the floor.
   This is the correct procedure for performing Yog Mudra.
3. Option 3: Sit in Vajrasana, clasp wrists behind the back, bend forward and touch the forehead to the floor.
   This is incorrect because Vajrasana is a different seated posture, and Yog Mudra is specifically done in Padmasana.
4. Option 4: Sit in Vajrasana, clasp wrists over the head, bend forward and touch the forehead to the floor.
   Again, this is incorrect as it involves Vajrasana and the hands position is not consistent with Yog Mudra.

Thus, the correct answer is:

Option 2: Sit in Padmasana, clasp wrists behind the back, bend forward and touch the forehead to the floor

Answer 2

Instead of just checking which option matches, it helps to understand why Yog Mudra is specifically defined with a Padmasana base and the wrists clasped behind the back, since that reasoning is what separates the correct option from the three that swap in a plausible-sounding alternative.

1. Why Padmasana and not Vajrasana: Padmasana (Lotus Pose) locks the hips and lower spine in a stable, grounded position, which is what allows the forward fold in Yog Mudra to happen safely through the hips rather than by straining the lower back. Vajrasana is a kneeling posture that does not offer the same hip-opening stability, so any option built on Vajrasana, like the third and fourth choices, is describing a different pose despite the similar-sounding forward bend.
2. Why wrists clasped behind the back and not over the head: Clasping the wrists behind the back draws the shoulders back and opens the chest before the forward fold begins, which is what creates the therapeutic stretch across the front of the body and the "seal" (mudra) that gives the pose its name. Clasping the wrists over the head instead, as in the first and fourth choices, does not create this shoulder-opening action and does not correspond to the traditional form of the pose.
3. Why the forward bend to the floor matters: All four options actually agree on this part, bending forward until the forehead touches the floor, since this final movement is common to every option and does not by itself distinguish the correct choice from the incorrect ones.
4. Putting it together: Only the option that keeps both the Padmasana base and the behind-the-back wrist clasp, while still ending in the forward bend to the floor, faithfully describes Yog Mudra; the moment either the base or the hand position is swapped out, the description no longer matches the actual pose.

Understanding why each component of the pose is defined the way it is shows that swapping either the seated base or the hand position breaks the pose, and only one option keeps both intact.

Therefore, the correct answer is Sit in Padmasana, clasp wrists behind the back, bend forward and touch the forehead to the floor.