[Posture is perfected] through relaxation of effort and absorption in the infinite.

Two keys to mastering āsana:

Prayatna-śaithilya: relaxation of effort. The posture must be maintained without tension. Initially it may require effort, but with practice it becomes natural, without struggle.

Ananta-samāpatti: absorption in the infinite. Ananta is the name of the cosmic serpent upon which Viṣṇu rests, a symbol of the unlimited. The mind expands, ceasing to identify with the limited body.

Together, these principles transform posture: the body relaxes into stability while consciousness expands toward the unlimited.

This is very different from forcing the body into difficult positions. Mastery comes from letting go, not from tightening.