// Workers AI · dad joke modeWhat did Añjali Mudrā say to its date? You hand me my heart.
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Añjali Mudrā (Sanskrit: अञ्जलि मुद्रा) is a hand gesture mainly associated with Indian religions and arts, encountered throughout Asia. It features in Indian classical dance such as Bharatanatyam,[1] yoga practice,[2] and forms part of the greeting namaste. Among the performing arts, Añjali mudrā is a form of non-verbal, visual communication to the audience. It is one of 24 saṃyukta mudrās of the Indian classical arts.[1] There are several forms of the Añjali mudrā such as the brahmāñjali.[3]
The gesture is incorporated into many yoga asanas.[2] The modern yoga pose praṇāmāsana (Sanskrit: प्रणामासन) involves standing upright, with the hands in Añjali mudrā.
As a gesture, it is widely used as a sign of respect or a silent greeting in India and other parts of Asia. It is also used among East Asian Buddhists, Chinese religionists, Shintoists, and adherents of similar Asian traditions. The gesture is used as a part of prayer or for worship in many Indian religions and other Eastern religions.
In sculpture, the Añjali mudrā is common at entrances and in relief works of historic temples, such as the Lingobhavamurti of Shaivism.[4][5] It differs from namaste by being a non-verbal gesture, for namaste can be said with or without any gesture. According to Bhaumik and Govil, the Añjali mudrā and Namaskara mudrā are very similar but have subtle differences. The backs of the thumbs in Añjali mudrā face the chest and are perpendicular to the other fingers, while the thumbs in Namaskara mudrā are aligned with the other fingers.[6]
Etymology
[edit]Añjali (अञ्जलि) is a Sanskrit word that refers to the cavity formed between the palms by folding the hands together to hold and offer flowers or water, or to give or to receive something.[3][7] When the hands are pressed together and raised, the gesture connotes "respect", "reverence", "benediction", "salutation" or a form of "supplication".[3][7] The word is derived from añj, meaning "to honour or celebrate".[8] Añjali connotes a "divine offering" or "a gesture of reverence".[8]
Mudrā means "seal" or "sign". The meaning of the phrase is thus "salutation seal".[9]
Añjali mudrā is described in ancient Indian texts such as in verses 9.127–128 of the Natya Shastra (200 BCE – 200 CE), in texts on temple architecture dated after the 6th century CE such as in verse 5.67 of the Devatāmūrtiprakaraṇa, and in the Citrasutras, which are texts on painting. The Natya Shastra, a classical Indian dance text, describes it to be a posture where the two hands are folded together in a reverential state and that this is used to pray before a deity, receive any person one reveres, and also to greet friends. The Natya Shastra further states that for prayers inside a temple, the Añjali mudrā should be placed near one's head or above, while meeting someone venerable it is placed in front of one's face or chin, and for friends near one's chest.[10][11]
The gesture is also known as hrdayanjali mudrā meaning "reverence to the heart seal" (from hrd, meaning "heart") and atmanjali mudrā meaning "reverence to the self seal" (from atman, meaning "self").[8]
Description
[edit]
Añjali mudrā is performed by pressing the palms of the hands together. The fingers are together with fingertips pointing up. The hands are pressed together firmly and evenly.[8] In the most common form of Añjali mudrā, the hands are held at the heart chakra with thumbs resting lightly against the sternum.[8] The gesture may also be performed at the Ajna or brow chakra with thumb tips resting against the "third eye" or at the crown chakra (above the head). In some yoga postures, the hands are placed in Añjali mudrā position to one side of the body or behind the back. It is normally accompanied by a slight bowing of the head.
Symbolic meaning
[edit]
Añjali mudrā has the same meaning as the Sanskrit greeting Namaste and can be performed while saying Namaste or Pranam, or in place of vocalizing the word. The gesture is used for both greetings and farewells but carries a deeper significance than a simple "hello" or "goodbye". The joining together of the palms is said to provide a connection between the right and left hemispheres of the brain and represents unification.[8][9] This yoking is symbolic of the practitioner's connection with the divine in all things. The word Namaste is sometimes translated as "I bow to the divinity within you, from the divinity within me."[9]
In Sri Lanka the Sinhalese gesture of welcome incorporates the words "ayubowan" (may you live long) with both hands placed together on the sternum with a slight bow.
Physical benefits
[edit]Añjali mudrā is performed as part of a physical yoga practice with the aim of achieving several benefits. It is a "centering pose" that, according to practitioners, helps to alleviate mental stress and anxiety, and is therefore used to assist the practitioner in achieving focus and coming into a meditative state.[8] The pose helps to promote flexibility in the hands, wrists, fingers, and arms.[8]
Use in asanas
[edit]While Añjali mudrā can be performed by itself from any seated or standing posture, the gesture is incorporated into yoga as exercise practice as part of asanas including:
- Anjaneyasana (lunge) – with arms overhead[12]
- Hanumanasana (monkey pose)[13]
- Malasana (garland pose)[14]
- Matsyasana (fish pose) – an advanced variant[15]
- Prasarita Padottanasana (wide-legged forward bend) – an advanced variant with hands behind the back[16]
- Rajakapotasana (Pigeon Pose/King Pigeon Pose) – Añjali mudrā in Pigeon pose[17]
- Tadasana/samasthiti (mountain pose) – a variant of the pose used during Sun Salutation sequences[18]
- Urdhva Hastasana (upward salute/extended mountain pose) – arms overhead[19]
- Virabhadrasana I (warrior I) – arms overhead[20]
- Vrikshasana (tree pose)[21]
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- 1 2 Anami, Basavaraj S.; Bhandage, Venkatesh A. (2018-06-04). "A vertical-horizontal-intersections feature based method for identification of bharatanatyam double hand mudra images". Multimedia Tools and Applications. 77 (23). Springer Science: 31021–31040. doi:10.1007/s11042-018-6223-y. ISSN 1380-7501. S2CID 254827995.
- 1 2 C Carroll; R Carroll (2012). Mudras of India: A Comprehensive Guide to the Hand Gestures of Yoga and Indian Dance. SD Publishers. pp. 44–46. ISBN 978-0-85701-067-4.
- 1 2 3 Jan Gonda (1980). Handbuch Der Orientalistik: Indien. Zweite Abteilung. Brill Academic. pp. 65–67, 126–130. ISBN 9789004062108.
- ↑ Barrett, Douglas (1964). "An Early Cola Lingodbhavamurti". British Museum Quarterly. 28 (1/2 (Summer)): 32–39. JSTOR 4422848.
- ↑ Stella Kramrisch (1957). "Indian Sculpture Newly Acquired". Philadelphia Museum of Art Bulletin (Winter). 52 (252): 30-38 with Fig 2 and 3. doi:10.2307/3795036. JSTOR 379036.
- ↑ Bhaumik, Gopa; Govil, Mahesh Chandra (2020). "Buddhist Hasta Mudra Recognition Using Morphological Features". Communications in Computer and Information Science. Springer Singapore. pp. 356–364. doi:10.1007/978-981-15-6315-7_29. ISBN 978-981-15-6314-0. ISSN 1865-0929. S2CID 225349190.
- 1 2 Apte, V. S. (1965). Practical Sanskrit-English dictionary. Motilal Banarsidass. p. 25. ISBN 9780895811714.
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 "Salutation Seal". Yoga Journal. Retrieved 2002-06-12.
- 1 2 3 Rea, Shiva. "For Beginners: Anjali Mudra". Yoga Journal. Archived from the original on 11 June 2009. Retrieved 2009-06-12.
- ↑ Nardi, Isabella (2003). The Theory of Indian Painting: the Citrasutras, their Uses and Interpretations. SOAS. pp. 132–134, also see Figure 67 on page 273.
- ↑ Brandon, James R. (2009). Theatre in Southeast Asia. Harvard University Press. pp. 137–139. ISBN 9780674028746.
- ↑ "Low Lunge". Yoga Journal. 5 May 2008. Retrieved 2009-06-12.
- ↑ "Monkey Pose". Yoga Journal. 28 August 2007. Retrieved 2009-06-12.
- ↑ "Garland Pose". Yoga Journal. 28 August 2007. Retrieved 2009-06-12.
- ↑ "Fish Pose". Yoga Journal. 28 August 2007. Archived from the original on 18 June 2009. Retrieved 2009-06-12.
- ↑ "Wide-Legged Forward Bend". Yoga Journal. Archived from the original on 11 June 2009. Retrieved 2009-06-12.
- ↑ "Pigeon Pose". Yoga Journal. 16 July 2008. Retrieved 2009-06-12.
- ↑ "Mountain Pose". Yoga Journal. Retrieved 2009-06-12.
- ↑ "Upward Salute". Yoga Journal. 19 February 2008. Retrieved 2009-06-12.
- ↑ "Warrior I". Yoga Journal. Archived from the original on 31 May 2009. Retrieved 2009-06-12.
- ↑ "Tree Pose". Yoga Journal. Archived from the original on 2 May 2009. Retrieved 2009-06-12.