Today's pose will be
veer-ah-bah-DRAHS-anna)
Virabhadra rooted deep in Hindu mythology representing a fierce but humble warrior.
As the myth is told, the powerful priest Daksha had a gathering but did not invite his youngest daughter Sati and her husband Shiva who was the powerful and supreme ruler of the universe. Sati found out and was so upset that she threw herself into the fire. Shiva was devistated-- the myth says that he reached into the fire and pulled out a lock of her hair and beat it into the ground. From that place rose a a powerful warrior. Virabhadra. Vira (hero) + Bhadra (friend) and ordered him to go to the yagna and destroy Daksha and all his guests.
Shiva arrived at the yang and saw the rout that Virabhadra had wrought. Shiva was filled with sorrow and compassion and found Daksha’s body and giving it the head of a goat, he then brought him back to life. In the end Sati is also reborn.
Virabhdadra is not just a representations of a bloody warrior battle, but much like Shiva-- to destroy and to rebuild-- destroy the enemy--the ego. By cutting of the head of the ego we are all reminded to be humble and rebuild a strong warrior.
HOW TO:
(From Downward Facing Dog)
Take a bend in both knees
Step one foot forward between the hands, bend the knee, bringing the knee and ankle in line.
The back leg is strongly engaged, pressing down through the ouster part of the back foot. Place the heel slightly turned out and the toes inward. Think of pulling the thigh toward the back of the room.
Square the hips to the side, begin to pull one hip to each side of the room sinking deep into the hips, pulling the tailbone down slightly, while lifting the ribs away from the pelvis. Engage the gluten and the quads.
Reach the arms long to each side of the room, parallel to the floor. Begin to lift up through the arm pits and down through the shoulders activating the triceps.
Breath. Three full complete breath cycles.
Windmill the hands back to the floor, stepping back to downward facing dog and repeat on the other side.
https://www.yogajournal.com/poses/warrior-ii-pose