Varada Mudra (Gesture of Giving): meaning, symbolism and how to hold it

How to do Varada Mudra

1. Sit upright with your shoulders relaxed, or stand tall with your arms by your sides.
2. Let your left arm hang down or rest the back of your left wrist on your left knee.
3. Turn the left palm to face forward, and let all five fingers point down toward the floor, straight and relaxed.
4. Rest your right hand in your lap, palm up, or raise it to shoulder height, palm out, in Abhaya mudra.
5. Breathe slowly and picture yourself offering kindness, help or forgiveness to someone.
6. Stay for 5–15 minutes, then turn the palm up, rest the hand in your lap and take a few quiet breaths.

Varada mudra is the gesture of giving: an open hand held low, palm facing outward and fingers pointing down, as if offering a gift or granting a wish. In Buddhist and Hindu art it stands for generosity, compassion and blessing. The diagram above shows the varada mudra hand position more clearly than most images, and you can hold it yourself in a quiet meditation.

Varada mudra meaning and pronunciation

In Sanskrit vara means a boon or a gift, and varada means "the one who grants boons". So the meaning is "the gesture of granting wishes" or "gesture of giving". In Hindi it is written वरद मुद्रा, often spelled varad mudra, and the varada mudra meaning in Hindi is the same: the boon-giving hand. Varada mudra pronunciation: "vuh-RUH-duh MOO-druh".

Most varada mudra images and pictures show this hand sign on a statue. People who have not seen it named sometimes describe such a picture as an image giving the welcome gesture. That is close. It is the gesture of giving a gift, not of asking.

Varada mudra in Buddha statues and Buddhist art

A varada mudra Buddha statue usually shows the left hand lowered with the palm out. Standing Buddhas often combine it with the right hand raised in Abhaya mudra, so one figure says both "fear not" and "I give". In the Five Buddha families of Vajrayana Buddhism, varada is the gesture of Ratnasambhava, the Buddha linked with generosity and equality.

Varada mudra symbolism and significance

What is the significance of the gesture? It shows the Buddha's compassion reaching down to people. Some teachers say the five open fingers stand for five perfections: generosity, ethical conduct, patience, effort and meditation. Treat this as a teaching image; different schools explain the varada mudra symbol in slightly different ways.

Varada mudra in Hindu art: Ganesha, Lakshmi and Kali

In Hindu art, the giving hand belongs to deities who grant blessings. Lakshmi is often painted with coins falling from a hand in this gesture. Many images of Ganesha show one hand in varada or abhaya. Kali, fierce as she looks, is usually shown with her right hands in abhaya and varada: she protects and gives even while she destroys ignorance. So in varada mudra art, the gesture always softens the figure.

Abhaya and varada mudras together

For abhaya mudra benefits and how to do abhaya mudra, see our Abhaya mudra page; the benefits of abhaya mudra in Hindi, Tamil and Kannada books are described as courage and calm. Abhaya hridaya mudra benefits are similar, but it is a separate two-hand gesture.

Why do we use mudras like these at all? In art they are a shared language: each gesture has a fixed meaning that any viewer can read. In practice they give the body a clear shape for an intention. That is how to practice mudras with meaning rather than as a routine, and it is the real point of any mudra and its benefits.

How to do varada mudra in meditation

The steps above give the varada mudra posture. To make it a real meditation, sit in Easy Pose or on a chair and hold the hand for 5–15 minutes. With each out-breath, silently offer something: a kind wish for a friend, patience for someone difficult, or forgiveness for yourself. This is close to loving-kindness practice, explained in our meditation for beginners guide.

Common mistakes: tense fingers, a lifted shoulder or a twisted wrist. The palm only needs to face mostly outward. The traditional varada mudra benefits are a softer, more generous state of mind; there is no research on the gesture itself.

Varada mudra vs Varun mudra, and the hand signal for help

The names sound alike, but they are different. How to do Varuna mudra: touch the tip of the little finger to the tip of the thumb. Varun mudra benefits are traditionally linked with the water element; it is often called a mudra for clear skin or skin problems, though evidence is lacking. See Varun mudra. Varada is the open, lowered palm.

Do not confuse either with the hand gesture for help, a sign of help gesture used to signal danger at home: the palm faces the camera, the thumb tucks in, and the fingers fold down over it. If you see someone make this hand gesture for needing help, contact them safely or call emergency services.

Which mudra is this? Other types of mudras

If you are looking at a statue and wondering which mudra is this, check where the hand points: down means varada, up means abhaya, lap means Dhyana. There are many different types of mudras in yoga as well: how to do Prana mudra for energy, apana vayu mudra benefits for the heart area (a mudra for heart health, heart problem, blood pressure or blood circulation only alongside medical care), and the benefits of Mukula mudra or Kubera mudra for focus. No gesture is one mudra for all problems, and the best mudra for overall health is the one you practise. Our list of mudras with pictures shows all hand mudras and their benefits.

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.