Vishnu Mudra: the hand position for alternate nostril breathing

Also called: nasika mudra, anulom vilom hand position.

How to do Vishnu Mudra

1. Sit upright with your spine tall, on the floor or a chair, and rest your left hand on your left knee.
2. Raise your right hand and fold your index and middle fingers into the palm. Keep your thumb, ring finger and little finger extended.
3. Bring the hand to your face: the thumb rests beside the right nostril, the ring finger (with the little finger beside it) beside the left nostril.
4. Close the right nostril gently with the thumb and breathe in through the left; close the left with the ring finger, open the right and breathe out.
5. Keep alternating slowly for your whole practice, pressing only on the soft side of the nose, then lower the hand and breathe normally.

Vishnu mudra is the hand position for alternate nostril breathing. You fold the index and middle fingers of the right hand into the palm, so the thumb can close the right nostril and the ring finger the left. It is the standard hand for Anulom Vilom and Nadi Shodhana.

What is vishnu mudra in yoga? Meaning

What does mudra mean in Sanskrit? A seal, sign or gesture. Vishnu is the Hindu god who preserves and keeps balance, so the vishnu mudra meaning is "gesture of Vishnu" or "gesture of balance". That fits its job: balancing breath between the left and right nostrils. It is also called nasika mudra ("nose gesture"), and many teachers simply say "the anulom vilom hand position".

Vishnu mudra kya hai? It is the right hand with the first two fingers folded and the thumb, ring and little fingers open. If you see a hand like this held near the nose and wonder "which mudra is this?", it is vishnu mudra.

The drawing above is clearer than most vishnu mudra images. In Hindi it is written विष्णु मुद्रा, and people who ask "vishnu mudra kaisi hoti hai?" mean exactly this hand.

How to make the hand (vishnu mudra kaise karte hain)

The steps above give the full method. The key points:

• Right hand: it is traditional to use the right hand. Left-handed people can use the left; the idea is the same.
• Fold two fingers: index and middle curl softly into the palm. They should not press or grip.
• Three open fingers: the thumb closes the right nostril; the ring finger, with the little finger resting beside it, closes the left.
• Light touch: press the soft outer wing of the nostril, just enough to close it.

Vishnu mudra vs nasagra mudra: in nasagra (nasikagra) mudra the index and middle fingertips rest on the point between the eyebrows instead of folding. Both work. Vishnu mudra keeps the face free and is easier for long practice; nasagra mudra gives a steady arm and adds a focus point.

Vishnu mudra in Anulom Vilom: alternate nostril breathing instructions

Here is a simple yoga alternate nostril breathing exercise, an alternating nostril breathing technique for beginners:

1. Sit tall. The best position for breathing is upright, with a straight spine, so the chest and belly can move freely.
2. Form vishnu mudra. Breathe out fully.
3. Close the right nostril with the thumb. Breathe in slowly through the left nostril.
4. Close the left nostril with the ring finger, release the thumb and breathe out through the right.
5. Breathe in through the right, close it, and breathe out through the left. That is one round.
6. Do 5–10 rounds at first and build to 5–10 minutes. Keep the in-breath and out-breath equal, or the out-breath a little longer.

That is how to alternate nostril breathing without breath holds. Nadi Shodhana adds a gentle pause later; learn the basic left and right nostril breathing first. Our breathing exercise timer has an Anulom Vilom pattern that guides each side, and our guided sessions can come before or after it.

A one nostril breathing technique, such as Chandra Bhedana (left nostril only) or Surya Bhedana (right only), uses the same hand.

Vishnu mudra benefits

Vishnu mudra benefits come mostly through the breathing it makes possible. Studies on alternate nostril breathing suggest it can support relaxation and a calmer heart rate, and some show small drops in blood pressure alongside medical care. That is why it is often listed as a mudra to reduce stress or a mudra for blood pressure. Keep taking prescribed medicine; see yoga for high blood pressure.

In Ayurveda, slow alternate nostril breathing is said to calm vata, so some call it a mudra for vata dosha.

Vishnu mudra side effects and common mistakes

No harmful vishnu mudra side effects are known. Common mistakes: pressing too hard, letting the elbow drop and the head tilt, and breathing too fast. If you feel dizzy, stop and breathe normally through both nostrils. How to breathe through both nostrils when one is blocked? Rest, sip warm water or try steam; do not force alternate breathing that day.

Different mudras in yoga

Why do we use mudras, and how do mudras work? Tradition links each finger with an element; in practice, a clear hand shape steadies attention. Different types of mudras suit different aims: the benefits of prana mudra are energy (to do prana mudra, touch the ring and little fingertips to the thumb), the benefits of vayu mudra are traditionally for gas, and the benefits of prithvi mudra are grounding. Water mudra benefits (varun mudra) are linked with dryness, and fire mudra benefits (surya mudra) with feeling cold. To do dhyana mudra, rest the right hand in the left, thumbs touching. No single mudra is the best mudra for overall health; mudras in yoga and their benefits are traditional aids. Vishnu mudra benefits in Hindi, Tamil or Kannada books are the same as in English. See all hand mudras and their meanings and 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.