What are Mudras? The word “Mudra” is derived from the root word “Mud,” meaning “to be glad or to have a delight in.” Mudras are postures that bring delight to the deities and also to the performers, and cause the drava (dissolution) of the mind. However, the term mudra also denotes “seal” because the hand gestures seal the body, thus aiding to fetch joyousness to a large extent. A mudra also represents a spiritual gesture and an energetic seal of validity, which are used in the iconography and spiritual practice of Indian religions. They are the means of controlling the energy in the body and also the symbolic representations of our inner state. Persons who are even a bit sensitive to the body’s vibrations or energies can easily feel that a change of mood can be experienced by the movement of one’s hands. They begin to feel mentally more aware of our inner vibrations and energies. With a slight alertness, the multifarious inner states induced by the mudras become clearly noticeable. It is generally said that there are nearly 108 hand gestures, quite popular as sacred symbols among Hindus. Most mudras are performed with the hands and fingers and some involve the whole body. Generally speaking, mudras, which are considered as the developed form of asans, have significant influences on our body. Basically, they are techniques to stimulate the glandular functions and the dormant psychic power centres with two facets of uses—physical and mental. In asans, sensory organs are major and prāṇ is minor, whilst in mudras, the sensory organs are minor, and prāṇ is the major one. To highlight the prominence of mudras, the scriptures clearly state:
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