Did Shiva really teach 8,400,000 asanas?

Did Shiva really teach 8,400,000 asanas? How many asanas are there? How long is the list? The exact number of asanas is determined by who you ask! Apparently Patanjali never mentioned asanas by name in the great yogic text, The Yoga Sutras but speaks about the basic of elements of the correct seated posture as a part of the Eight Limbs of Yoga. From the Yoga Sutras we can surmise that the four basic asanas are the seated poses such as: Sukhasana (comfortable, cross-legged pose), padmasana (Lotus pose and its variations) Vajrasana (sitting on heels) and staff pose (seated with legs outstretched and feet together).

The Goraksha Samhita or Goraksha Paddhathi, considered the oldest of Hatha Yogic texts lists the 84 classic poses but only describes two in detail: Siddhasana and Padmasana. The Hatha Yoga Padipika also lists the 84 classic poses and states that the first four are necessary or vital to attain yogic perfection: Siddhasana, Padmasana, Bhadrasana (also known in more contemporary texts as Baddha Konasana, bound angle butterfly pose) and Simhasana.

Shiva was said to have taught 8,400,000 asanas. He toned it down for us mortals and described 32 of the most useful to regular humans. Here’s the list with notes and common pose names in parenthesis:

1- siddhasana (siddha in means “perfect” and “adept”)
2- padmasana (lotus)
3- bhadrasana (bound angle butterfly)
4- muktasana (liberation)
5- vajrasana (vajra in means “thunderbolt” or “diamond)
6- svastikasana (prosperous)
7- simhasana (lion)
8- gomukhasana (cow face)
9- virasana (hero)
10- dhanurasana (bow)
11- mritasana (Savasana or Shavasana, corpse)
12- guptasana
13- matsyasana (fish)
14- matsyendrasana
15- gorakshana
16- paschimottanasana (seated forward bend)
17- utkatasana (chair)
18- sankatasana
19- mayurasana (peacock)
20- kukkutasana (cock or rooster)
21- kurmasana (turtle)
22- uttanakurmakasana
23- uttanamandukasana
24- vrikshasana (tree)
25- mandukasana
26- garudasana (eagle)
27- vrishasana
28- shalabhasana (locust)
29- makarasana (crocodile)
30- ushtrasana (camel)
31- bhujangasana (cobra)
32- yogasana (staff or Dandasana) ✨👁🕉☀️🌀🎨🙏🏻