Bara Position

In response to the command “Bara!”, the kajira falls to her stomach, with her head down to the floor and turned to the left, crosses her wrists behind her back, and similarly crosses her ankles, her legs straight, in preparation for binding. (This is the “standard binding position” for a kajira lying prone.)

Some have speculated that the word Bara is the Gorean-language word for “belly”; but when Belly is used as a noun in commands in the Gor books, this indicates that the kajira should lie prone (on her belly) without signifying any one exact position across all its uses; and when Belly is used as a verb in commands in the Gor books, it usually means that the kajira should prepare to crawl forward without lifting her belly from the ground (see 2nd Obeisance Position)

©2020 – Written by Azrael Phoenix

Relevant Quotes:

“Bara, Kajira!” he said.
She rolled quickly to her stomach, placing her wrists behind her, crossed, and crossing her ankles, ready to be bound.

Explorers of Gor     Book 13     Page 77

“Bara,” said Mincon to Tula. “Bara,” said I to Feiqa. Both slaves went immediately to their bellies, their heads to the left, their wrists crossed behind their backs, their ankles also crossed. It is a common binding position.

Mercenaries of Gor     Book 21     Page 145

“Bara!” he snapped.
I flung myself to my belly in the grass, putting my hands behind me, wrists crossed, and crossing my ankles, too.

Dancer of Gor     Book 22     Page 415

“Bara!” he said.
She instantly responded to his command, as she had been trained to do. She was now on her belly, her wrists crossed behind her, her ankles, too, crossed.

Prize of Gor     Book 27     Page 196

“Bara,” he said.
She went to her stomach and crossed her wrists behind her back, and crossed her ankles.

Kur of Gor     Book 28     Page 317

Hitherto she had been lying on her belly in the straw, her head turned to the side, in bara, her wrists crossed behind her, with her ankles crossed, as well. It is a common holding, and helplessness, position for a slave. In it, of course, she is positioned perfectly for a swift and secure binding.

Swordsmen of Gor     Book 29     Page 370

When the merchandise had been secured, each item had been placed in the bara position, though they did not know the name for the position as yet, each on her stomach, head facing to the left, her wrists crossed behind her and her ankles crossed, as well.

Smugglers of Gor     Book 32     Page 3

“Bara!” she snapped.
Instantly we turned about in the neck rope, with its three knotted double loops, and went to our stomachs, our heads to the left, our wrists crossed behind us, and our ankles, as well. It is not advisable to hesitate in responding to a command. The bara position was, I suppose the first slave position in which I had been placed. Of course I did not at that time understand it, or know its name.
One is quite helpless in the bara position. One is on one’s stomach and one’s hands are behind one, so one cannot use them to rise, and one’s body is extended, with one’s ankles crossed. One cannot easily rise from that position. Too, psychologically, one feels oneself submitted, and at the mercy of others.

Smugglers of Gor     Book 32     Page 296

“Lie here, to my side,” he said, “the bara position will do.”
I lay then beside him, prone, my hip to his left knee, my head forward, away from him as he sat, cross-legged, perusing a scroll. My ankles were crossed, and my wrists, too, were crossed, and held behind my back. In such a position one may be conveniently bound. My head was turned to the side, that my right cheek might be on the carpet.

Plunder of Gor     Book 34     Page 3

“Bara,” said Tullius Quintus.
I went to bara.
I was then bound, hand and foot, my wrists crossed and bound behind me, and my ankles crossed and bound, as well.
This may be conveniently done, as earlier noted, when one is in bara.

Plunder of Gor     Book 34     Page 166

“Bara!” he said, sharply.
Instantly, not even thinking, reflexively, I went to bara. I felt my ankles crossed and tied together. I could not then rise. I was in consternation. My wrists were crossed, and bound together, behind my back.

Plunder of Gor     Book 34     Page 487

The examination position, like bara, nadu, sula, and such, tends to arouse a slave. In a sense, the slave is helpless in such positions. Significance is woven into the fiber of such things. Meaning and symbolism reign.

Plunder of Gor     Book 34     Page 594

There are several Gorean slave positions, of which bara was one. I had, of course, been trained in these positions, which must be assumed instantly and unquestioningly upon the command of any free person. They are designed with various purposes in mind; instantly placing oneself in positions in which one is helpless and vulnerable; positions of abject submission in which one’s bondage is made clear to all; positions of display; positions facilitating appraisal, and such. In bara, one goes to one’s belly, one’s head facing to the left, one’s wrists crossed behind one, and one’s ankles crossed, as well. In such a position a slave may be quickly and conveniently bound, helplessly bound, hand and foot. All of these positions, both symbolic and practical, have certain things in common; for example, in all of them, the slave is presented as, and is understood as, both by herself and by others, a slave, and only a slave.

Quarry of Gor     Book 35     Pages 110 – 111

©2020 – Written by Azrael Phoenix

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