vakra

Vakra is a Sanskrit adjective meaning bent, crooked, curled, or curved. In classical usage it functions as a descriptive descriptor and appears in a variety of compounds and epithets. The root vakr- conveys a sense of curvature or distortion and can be used both literally (as in a physical bend) and metaphorically (as in a deviation or crookedness).

In Hinduism and Indian literature, vakra occurs in names and epithets. A well-known example is Vakratunda, literally “curved trunk,” a epithet associated with the god Ganesha. The popular Ganapati mantra begins with references to a “Vakratunda Mahakaya,” emphasizing the curved trunk and large form of the deity. Such usage demonstrates how vakra functions as a productive element in devotional and literary Sanskrit.

In Sanskrit poetics, vakra also appears in the term vakra-śāla or vakra-chandas, denoting a zigzag or irregular meter. Poets sometimes employed vakra patterns to create variety, emphasis, or particular rhythmic effects within a verse. This sense of the word emphasizes arrangement and shape in linguistic structure rather than only in meaning.

In yoga and modern practice, vakra is found in the names of asanas that involve twists and bends, such as Vakrasana (the Twisted Pose) and its variants. Here the term literally conveys the physical bending or twisting of the torso.

Overall, vakra is a versatile Sanskrit term whose core meaning—curved or crooked—permeates lexical, devotional, poetic, and bodily-arts contexts, illustrating how a single word can cross disciplines while preserving a core sense of shape and deviation.