Jalodar Nashak Mudra: how to do it, benefits and when swelling needs a doctor

Also called: jaloder nashak mudra, jal shamak mudra.

How to do Jalodar Nashak Mudra

1. Sit upright on a chair or on the floor and rest your hands on your thighs, palms facing up.
2. On each hand, fold your little finger down so its tip rests on the fleshy base of your thumb.
3. Bring your thumb over the folded little finger and press it gently, just enough to hold it in place.
4. Keep your index, middle and ring fingers straight and relaxed.
5. Breathe slowly for 5–15 minutes, then release the fingers and stretch your hands open.

Jalodar nashak mudra is a hand gesture in which the little finger folds to the base of the thumb and the thumb holds it down. In mudra teaching it is the gesture for excess water in the body: puffiness, bloating and a heavy feeling. The finger diagram above is clearer than most jalodar nashak mudra images, which often hide the folded finger.

Jalodar nashak mudra meaning

The name is Hindi and Sanskrit. Jalodar (jala, water, and udara, belly) means water in the belly, and nashak means destroyer. So the name means "the gesture that removes water from the belly". In Hindi, jalodar nashak mudra is written जलोदर नाशक मुद्रा. You will also see the spellings jalodar naashak mudra, jalodhar nashak mudra and jaloder nashak mudra, or the shorter jalodar mudra. Some books call it jal shamak mudra, the water-calming gesture.

In traditional mudra theory the little finger stands for water and the thumb for fire. Touching the little fingertip to the thumb tip builds water: that is Varun mudra. Folding the little finger under the thumb does the opposite and is said to reduce water. This is a traditional model, not physiology.

How to do jalodar nashak mudra (jalodar nashak mudra kaise kare)

Follow the steps above. The folded finger should touch the fleshy mound of the thumb, and the thumb should rest across the middle part of the little finger, not its tip. The same fold-and-press action with the middle finger is Shunya mudra, so do not mix the two up.

• How long: 5–15 minutes, once or twice a day, while you feel puffy. Stop once the heavy feeling passes.
• Where: sitting, or lying with your legs up the wall in Viparita Karani, which helps fluid drain from tired legs.
• Pressure: light. A sore finger joint means you are pressing too hard.

Jalodar nashak mudra benefits

The traditional benefits are relief from puffiness, a lighter belly and less heaviness in the legs after long sitting, travel or hot weather. There are no studies on this gesture. What does help with mild fluid build-up is movement, raising the legs and less salt. The mudra is best seen as a calm pause that reminds you to do those things.

The jalodar nashak mudra benefits in Hindi, Tamil and English books are the same, and the Hindi box below sums them up. Some people also use it as a mudra for stomach problems, stomach cramps or a digestion problem, since bloating feels similar to water retention. For gas and bloating, see yoga for gas and bloating. As a mudra for liver problems it has no proven effect; liver disease needs a doctor.

How to deal with water retention safely

How to check and test for water retention

Press your thumb firmly on the front of your shin or the top of your foot for five seconds, then let go. If a dent stays in the skin, that is called pitting oedema. Tight socks leaving deep marks, rings that no longer fit and quick weight gain over a few days are other signs. Any clear, lasting swelling should be checked by a doctor, who can test your heart, kidneys, liver and blood.

How to control, lessen and counteract water retention

These simple habits help with water retention far more than any hand gesture:

1. Move every 30–60 minutes if you sit or stand for long; walk and circle your ankles.
2. Raise your legs above heart level for 10–15 minutes.
3. Cut down on salty, processed food.
4. Keep drinking water; cutting fluids does not fix water retention.
5. Ask your doctor about compression stockings and whether any medicine you take may cause swelling.

If you want to fix water retention for good, find the cause first: it may be heat, hormones, pregnancy, a medicine or an illness. See yoga for varicose veins for leg care, and yoga for kidney health and yoga for heart health for the organs that manage fluid.

Other mudras and their benefits

Mudras and their benefits vary a lot. Mahashirsha (Mahasirs mudra) benefits are described for head pressure and sinus; tadagi mudra benefits are linked with the belly, since it is a seated forward bend with the abdomen drawn in; and nabho mudra benefits are linked with calm, since it turns the tongue up to the palate. Those last two are body practices, not hand gestures.

These healing hand gestures are also different from the hasta mudras in Kathak dance and other classical dance. A hasta mudra in Kathak tells a story, and dance texts list them in shlokas, such as the samyukta hasta mudra shloka for two-handed gestures. You can see each mudra and its benefits on our mudras page.

More mudras

Mudras are a traditional practice for focus and relaxation. Research on specific health effects is limited; use them alongside, not instead of, medical care.