Krishnamacharya's Bharadvajrasana named after the sage (Rishi) Bharadvāja 12- 48 breaths

I'm becoming obsessed with exploring this asana, Krishnamacharya talks of staying from 12 to 48 breaths and introducing both types of kumbhaka (so holding the breath in after inhalation and out after exhalation). At first, the position of the arm reaching around to hold the foot seems to stop the blood, it takes some settling into the posture for the blood to flow. The nature of the posture, the twist and double bind both in front and behind challenges the breath, the kumbhaka, it's fascinating, feels quite profound. I intended to stay for 24 breaths but lost count and it's probably closer to twenty. The video runs for about five minutes so 48 breaths would take around ten for each side, twenty minutes one asana, stunning, it's an asana that thinks it's a mudra.

First time practicing on tatami.... Springy.

BHARADVAJASANA 

from Krishnamacharya's Yoga Makaranda Part II

Technique:

1. Sit on a piece of soft folded cloth, with one leg stretched straight in front, and the other leg folded back at the knee, so that the foot is close and by the side of the buttocks, the sole of the foot upturned, toes stretched and the back of the foot touching the cloth. The knees should be as close as possible. The foot of the leg, stretched in front, should be upright, to the ground and not inclined sideways. The body should be erect and the spinal column stretched-chin lock.

2. Bend the stretched leg (say the right) at the knees and bring the right heel very near the umbilicus. The right knee should touch the ground. Both the knees should be as near to each other as possible.

3. The right hand is taken round the back to catch hold of the toes of the right leg. The palm to touch the back of the foot.

4. The palm of the left hand is placed on the cloth below the right thigh. The hand should be stretched and not bent at the elbow. The left wrist should touch the outside of the thigh.

5. Twist trunk to face front. Turn the head, so that the chin is over the left shoulder.

6. Take deep inhalations and exhalations with holding in of breath and holding out of

breath. Both types of kumbhakam are necessary. The total rounds of deep breaths may be slowly increased as practice advances, from 12 to 48.

7. Repeat with the other leg.

Note: This is contra indicated to those who have had abdominal operation.

Below from this post

http://grimmly2007.blogspot.co.uk/2012/11/this-interesting-comment-on-one-of-my.html

BHARADVAJA Vedic sage

Bharadwaja (Sanskrit: भरद्वाज, IAST Bharadvāja, also spelled Bhardwaj) was one of the greatest Hindu sages (Maharshis) descendant of rishi Angirasa, whose accomplishments are detailed in the Puranas. He is one of the Saptarshis (Seven Great Sages Rishi) in the present Manvantara; with others being Atri, Vashishtha, Vishvamitra, Gautama, Jamadagni, Kashyapa.[1]

picture from here

"Sage Bharadwaja is another renowned vedic rishi. He is considered to 
be a great vedic scholar and teacher. An episode found in the Kaataka 
portion of the Taittiriya sakha of Yajur Veda would be of interest. 
Bharadwaja was so much concentrating in studying the vedas that even 
as the life was coming to an end  he was still continuing with his 
studies. Indra, the Lord appeared before him and reminded him that it 
was almost the end of his life. He told Bharadwaj, “Bharadwaja!! If I 
give you another human life what would you like to do?” Back came the 
reply, “I will study the Vedas further”. Upon that, the Lord asked him 
to look at the three huge mountains the Lord created and took out from 
each one of them a handful of earth and placed them before Bharadwaja 
and said, “These mountains represent the three vedas and the three 
handfuls of dirt in front of you represent the vedas you have studied 
so far. You see the vedas are innumerable and infinite (ananta vai 
vedaH) and any number of births would not be sufficient to exhaust all 
the vedas. You try to understand the essence of the vedas, the source 
of all the Universe, the Brahman.” And Bharadwaja became a great 
spiritual teacher of the vedas. Again many families carry the 
Bharadwaja name".
from Srivatsa Ramaswami's Dec 2012 Newsletter

Curious how krishnamacharya has us looking over the other shoulder, why? Both Iyengar and Jois would have us look over the back shoulder focusing on the twist. My guess it's to do with the breath, 12-48 breaths with both types of kumbhaka, Krishnamacharya doesn't tend to indicate kumbhaka in twisting postures. Having us keep the head over the front allows us to  explore the breath, the  kumbhaka, Krishnamacharya often seems to want to turn all asana into mudras.

from Light on Yoga

UPDATE
My 3 hour intro to Vinyasa Krama class at Indaba Yoga Studio (Marylebone, London) has changed to Saturday, November 15th, 1.30-4.30pm http://indabayoga.com/workshops/
If you know anyone in London at that time who might be interested...

Update 2019

I've just noticed this curious Bharadvajrasana variation in the Yogasanagalu photos. Here we see Krishnamacharya with the arms switched, not holding the foot. It's photo 110, 109 is the more familiar Bhardavarasana with the foot held. It appears Krishnamacharya peforms the regular Bharadvajrasana and then switches hands. The non foot holding version is easier and would suit the long stays of 12-48 breaths Krishnamacharya mentions in Yoga Makaranda PT II

Here is a clearer version of the above regular version.

And another from an earlier shoot, here too holding the foot as expected.