How to do Abhaya Mudra
- Sit upright or stand tall with your feet hip-width apart and your shoulders relaxed.
- Bend your right elbow and raise your right hand to shoulder height, a little in front of your body.
- Turn the palm to face forward and keep all five fingers straight, together and pointing up.
- Rest your left hand in your lap palm up, or let it hang by your side with the palm facing forward (Varada mudra).
- Breathe slowly and steadily, feeling the open palm as a sign of calm and protection.
- Hold for a few breaths or up to 10 minutes, then lower the hand and rest it on your thigh.
Traditional benefits
- Traditionally used for courage and to face fear with a steady mind
- Traditionally used as a gesture of reassurance and protection, given to others and to yourself
- Traditionally used to recall the Buddha's calm in the face of danger during meditation
- Traditionally used as a short practice before a hard conversation, a talk or an exam
- Keeps the shoulders and upper arm gently active, which helps you stay alert while you sit
Keep in mind
- If your shoulder or neck hurts, lower the hand to chest height or rest the elbow on a cushion.
- Abhaya mudra is a practice and a symbol, not a treatment for anxiety or panic. Keep any treatment your doctor has given you.
- Treat Buddhist and Hindu images with respect: do not use statues as decoration in toilets or on the floor.
Abhaya mudra is the gesture of fearlessness: the right hand is raised to shoulder height with the palm open and facing outward, fingers pointing up. Abhaya mudra images are among the most common in Asian art, on standing and seated Buddhas as well as Hindu gods. Its meaning is simple and warm: "do not be afraid; you are protected."
What is abhaya mudra? Meaning in English and Hindi
In Sanskrit abhaya means "without fear" (a-, not, and bhaya, fear), and mudra means seal or gesture. So the meaning in English is "gesture of fearlessness", and you will often see it labelled as abhaya mudra (fearlessness) in museum captions. In Hindi it is written अभय मुद्रा (abhay mudra), and the meaning in Hindi and Marathi is the same: the gesture that gives abhaya, freedom from fear. Abhaya mudra pronunciation: "uh-BHUH-yuh MOO-druh".
What does abhaya mudra mean to the person who sees it? The open palm shows there is no weapon and no threat, a meaning people read the same way in many cultures. That is the power of gesture. People who study gestures and their meaning call such signs emblems, and the emblematic meaning of gestures like this one is read across a world of gestures, from a raised hand taking an oath to a traffic officer's "stop".
Abhaya mudra in Buddha statues
In Buddhist art the gesture appears in early Gandhara and Mathura sculpture from around the first centuries CE and later across Asia. In the Five Buddha families of Vajrayana Buddhism, it is the gesture of Amoghasiddhi. An abhaya mudra Buddha statue is often a standing figure, with the right hand raised and the left hand lowered.
The abhaya mudra story: Nalagiri the elephant
The best-known story tells how the Buddha's jealous cousin Devadatta set a raging elephant called Nalagiri loose in the Buddha's path. The Buddha stood still, raised his hand and met the elephant with loving-kindness, and Nalagiri knelt. So the raised hand became a symbol of calm that overcomes fear and anger.
Right hand or left hand?
The abhaya mudra right hand form is the standard. The abhaya mudra left hand form is rarer; the famous walking Buddha figures of Sukhothai, Thailand, raise the left hand. In Thai temples you may also see a standing Buddha with both hands raised. If you are looking at a statue and asking which mudra is this, check the fingers: all straight means abhaya; thumb and index in a circle means vitarka.
Abhaya mudra in Hindu art: Shiva, Ganesha and Hanuman
The gesture is just as common in Hindu images. In the Nataraja bronze, the dancing Shiva holds his front right hand in this gesture. Many images of Ganesha (Ganesh), Vishnu, Durga and Lakshmi show one hand in abhaya mudra. Hanuman is often shown with the right hand raised in abhaya, a sign that his devotees need not fear.
Abhaya and varada mudras, and abhaya vs vitarka
Abhaya mudra and varada mudra often appear together: the right hand raised in protection and the left hand lowered, palm out, in giving. See our Varada mudra page; varada mudra benefits are described as generosity and compassion. Abhaya mudra and vitarka mudra look alike, but in vitarka the thumb and index finger form a circle; it is the gesture of teaching and discussion, close to the Dharmachakra mudra.
Students preparing for the UPSC exam and other Indian art and culture papers learn abhaya mudra with the other main Buddha gestures: Dhyana mudra (meditation), Bhumisparsha mudra (earth-touching), varada, dharmachakra and vitarka. Bhumisparsha mudra benefits are described as steadiness and resolve.
Abhaya mudra benefits and how to practice mudras like it
In meditation, the traditional abhaya mudra benefits are courage, calm and a sense of being protected. There is no research on the gesture alone; its value comes from the meaning you bring to it and from slow breathing. You can hold the abhaya mudra pose sitting, or standing in Mountain Pose. If you wonder which mudra is best while walking, this one suits slow walking meditation, as the Sukhothai statues show.
How to be fearless and confident
Nobody is free of fear; a more useful aim is to act even when you are afraid. Before a talk, an interview or a hard call, hold abhaya mudra for five slow breaths and name what you are afraid of. It is a small way to learn how to speak fearless words without pretending fear is absent. Which gesture suggests nervousness? Fidgeting, touching the face and crossed arms; a still, open hand sends the opposite signal. For more, see yoga for self-confidence and yoga for anxiety.
Abhaya hridaya mudra: the fearless heart gesture
Abhaya hridaya mudra is a different gesture with a similar name, "the fearless heart". It is a two-hand gesture held in front of the chest with the wrists crossed and the fingers hooked together. Descriptions of how to do abhaya hridaya mudra differ between books, so learn it from one clear source. Abhaya hridaya mudra benefits, in Hindi and Tamil books alike, are described as courage and a calm, open heart.
Abhaya mudra benefits in Tamil, Kannada, Hindi or English sources are the same. No gesture is one mudra for all problems: as a daily mudra to reduce stress, Gyan mudra is simpler. Compare all hand mudras and their benefits on our mudras page.
अभय मुद्रा (Abhaya Mudra) — हिंदी में: अभय का अर्थ है "भय से मुक्त"। सीधे बैठें या खड़े हों, दायाँ हाथ कंधे की ऊँचाई तक उठाएँ, हथेली सामने की ओर और उंगलियाँ सीधी ऊपर रखें। बायाँ हाथ गोद में रखें। कुछ साँसों से 10 मिनट तक धीरे साँस लें। यह बुद्ध, शिव, गणेश और हनुमान की मूर्तियों में दिखने वाली सुरक्षा और साहस की मुद्रा है।
More mudras
Frequently asked questions
What does abhaya mudra mean?
Abhaya mudra means "gesture of fearlessness". The raised open palm says "do not be afraid" and offers protection and peace.
Which hand is used for abhaya mudra?
Usually the right hand, raised to shoulder height with the palm facing out. The left hand often rests in the lap or is lowered in Varada mudra. Some statues, such as the Sukhothai walking Buddhas, raise the left hand.
What is the story behind abhaya mudra?
The best-known story is of the elephant Nalagiri, set loose by Devadatta. The Buddha raised his hand and calmed the elephant with loving-kindness, so the gesture became a symbol of calm overcoming fear.
What are the benefits of abhaya mudra?
It is traditionally used for courage, calm and a feeling of protection during meditation or before a stressful moment. It is a symbolic practice, not a medical treatment.
What is the difference between abhaya and varada mudra?
In abhaya the hand is raised with fingers up, meaning "fear not". In varada the hand is lowered with fingers pointing down, meaning "I give". They are often shown together.
Is abhaya mudra the same as abhaya hridaya mudra?
No. Abhaya mudra is one raised hand. Abhaya hridaya mudra is a two-hand gesture held at the chest with the wrists crossed and fingers hooked together.
Mudras are a traditional practice for focus and relaxation. Research on specific health effects is limited; use them alongside, not instead of, medical care.