Mudras Graceful Gestures
Life Positive, December 1996

Classical dancers fold their fingers in various mudras. At Khajuraho, or even in the murals of Ajanta, figurines are almost invariably depicted with fingers in a mudra. It is little known, however, that mudra vigyan is Tatva Yoga-an essential aspect of yoga. And, believes Acharya Keshav Dev, these mudras can help cure many diseases.

By Dipankar Das

In a teeming tans-Yamuna locality of Delhi lies the Vivekanand Yogashram. Its director Acharya Keshav Dev is a lean man in his sixties. His eyes are perpetually half-closed but you can scarcely suspect indolence, rather it seems as if he is seeking something within. He discourses on the mysteries of the universe or hold forth on the virtues of ancient science with evident relish. In awe of nature, he believes man to be its supreme creation.

The Acharya has spent years studying the ancient systems of astrology, numerology, music and grammar. He asserts that the sciences of yore got coated with sugar down the year. "The ancients believed there were 24 diagnostic elements, is it a coincidence that the Gayatri mantra has 24 words, the Jains have 24 Tirthankaras, Sanatan dharma has 24 avatars," he asks.

One of his favourite subjects is the science of mudras. Emphasising on hasta mudras (hand postures), the Acharya says there is tremendous flow of energy on our hands and each finger represents one of the five elements-the thumb is agni (fire), the forefinger is vayu (air), the middle finger is akash (ether), the ring finger is prithvi (earth) and the little finger is jal (water). "the roots of all diseases lie in an imbalance of one of the five elements and can be corrected with medicines, willpower and mudras," he says.

The Gayatri mantra also confirms the worth of mudras with a grim qualifier: Eta mudra na janati Gayatri nishfala bhavat (he who knows not the mudras will not benefit form Gayatri). The mantra lists 24 mudras, while an unknown number lies in the many forms of yoga. Acharya Keshav Dev has, however, evolved some of his own mudras which help control many of the diseases that afflict us today.

"Often you might have been rebuked by your mother for twiddling your fingers or dangling your legs. This is considered inauspicious because it involves a waste of prana or the vital energy within us," he explain. "An excess of wastage can even lead to brain damage: mudras vigyan taps this energy to heal the individual. The science of mudras is one of the finest gifts of yoga to the cause of human welfare, "he adds.

Born in 1931, to the president of the local bar council in Meerut, Keshav Dev's house was full of religious literature. During the turmoil of Partition, he wandered away from home and began rigorous ascetic practices, living on fruit juices for six months. He discovered the magic of mudras when he had an earache. His guru suggested a mudra that, however, proved ineffective, but it led him to configure his fingers in new ways. One of the shapes, which he later christened Shunya Mudra, cured him completely, and enhanced his aural faculty to such an extent that he seems to have heard his inner voice to and has not ceased trying our new shapes since. His mission in life now is simply to help as many as possible by retrieving the lost discoveries of an ancient sicence.

These mudras are for everyone. The can be practised for half-an-hour daily. It is advisable to sit cross-legged on your bed or on the floor while doing a mudra, but the Acharya assures that it won't be ineffective if you do not follow this posture. You could even go for a stroll, with you hands casually tucked in your pockets, fingers folded in a particular mudra.

Mudras never generate an excess of energy, they simply seek an optimal balancing of prana, much like a thermostate. So next time you are ailing, remember it may just be an instance of maladjusted prana and an innocuous sleight of hand could be the cure. For details, contact: Vivekanand Yogashram, Patparganj Road (Khureji), Delhi-110051, Ph. & Fax : (011) 2210663.

GYAN MUDRA: The thumb and the index finger are brought together in gentle contact, not pressing hard, while all other fingers are kept upright. This is the mudra most people are familiar with. Great thinkers such as Buddha, Mahavir, Christ and Guru Nanak are generally depicted in this pose. Its practice ensures mental peace, concentration, sharp memory and spiritual feelings. It cures insomnia and metal disorders and dissipates tension, depression and drowsiness. This is a must for those who aspire to develop telepathy or wish to acquire to develop telepathy or wish to acquire extrasensory abilities.


APAN VAYU MUDRA: (Also known as Mritsanjeevini Mudra) Fold the forefinger down and touch the mound of the thumb. The little finger should be held erect. It regulates complications of the heart. In a severe heart attack, if administered as a first aid measure within the first few seconds, it provides instant relief.

PRAN MUDRA: Touch the points of the little of the little finger and the ring finger to the tip of the thumb lightly. This is a life-giving mudra, it energises the body and improves its vitality. It helps to improve eyesight. A must for those who feel nervous, tired and weak.

SURABHI MUDRA: Join the little finger of one hand with the ring finger of the other and vice versa. Similarly, join the forefinger with the middle finger of the other hand and vice versa. Leave the thumbs free. This controls rheumatic inflammation and sharpens your intellect.

APAN MUDRA: Join the middle finger and the ring finger with the tip of the thumb : the forefinger and the little finger should be held upright. Provides relief in urinary problems and eases difficulty in labour and delivery. It facilitates the discharge of waste matter from the body and purifies the system.

LINGA MUDRA: Join both the palms and lock the facing fingers together, keeping one thumb upright. The upright thumb must be encircled by the other thumb and the index finger. Makes the body resistant to colds, coughs and chest infections by generating heat in the body, and destroying accumulated phlegm in the chest. It helps in weight reduction too, but has to be practised with restraint. The intake of at least eight glasses of water, and butter and ghee as cooling agents in sufficient quantities is a must.

Due to the heat in generates, it may not be possible to practise this mudra with as much ease and flexibility as the other mudras. It might prove taxing and result in a feeling of lethargy.


SHUNYA MUDRA: Being the middle finger down to touch the palm and bring the padding of the thumb on top of it, keeping the other fingers straight up. Do this for 40 minutes a day. This mudra is ideal for ailments of the ear, and also helps those of the nose and the throat. Even five minutes of this mudra will help and earache.

VARUNA MUDRA: A bit like the Gyan Mudra-touch the tip of the little finger with tip of the thumb while the other fingers are kept upright. Regular practice ensures an optimum level of water in the body and heals all ailments connected with dehydration.

Handy Cures
The Times of India, 28 March, 1987
Physical ailments are the results of the disturbance in the equilibrium of the five elemental forces of the body. Appropriate 'Mudras' can help to restore proper balance.
Yoga, a way of life for our ancient forebears, as a developed therapeutic technique, has found favour with our generation to, prone to self-created diseases generating from tension and anxiety and an irregular lifestyle. The yogi believes that the root of diseases, disorders and ailments lies in the imbalanced internal condition of the human body for which the improper life-style and dietary habits of the individuals are to be blamed.

Therapeutic yoga is basically a system of self treatment. Yoga believes that it is the individual who is responsible for both causing and curing the disease. The experts, however, have to show the path and the rest depends on the effort of the person. Practice of yoga mudras besides a person's life-style and the diet are the essentials for maintaining proper health.
Yoga mudras and asanas to be performed are exercise relating to a particular disease and bodily condition of a particular individual, aiming to provide not just instant relief but a lasting cure. However, the fast pace of life today hardly gives the individual the desired time to practice elaborate exercises.

Acharya Keshav Dev who runs the Vivekanand Yogashram in Delhi and dabbles in Ayurveda, nature cure, yoga and yajna has an answer. The 56-year-old, a registered Ayurvedic practitioner, expounded the merits of Mudra Yigyan or Tatva Yoga in curing common ailments today from a simple ache to a heart attack.

"Human body", he says, "is a miniature form of the universe mudra vigyan on its part reveals each secret of the nature and the universe. Mudra reveal the truth about nature and contributes to the multifaceted development of the human personality thereby awakening human tendencies which are otherwise dormant. The science of mudras is one of the finest gifts of yoga to the cause of human welfare."
Physical ailments are the result of the disturbance in the equilibrium of the elemental forces of the body. The practice of the appropriate mudra can help to overcome these disturbances and restore the proper balance, he adds. Mudras postures, as depicted in Hindu scriptures, adopted at the time of meditation and worship and other religious ceremonies, he feels, have a deep relationship with the healthy disposition of a human being. His extensive researches and investigations have revealed miraculous uses and effects in spiritual as well as day to day life. Techniques which seem very simple, he says, are the highest methods of meditation developed over the centuries. Continuous research is still being carried on in discovering and assimilating the use of different mudras which, he claims, can cure mental and physical disorders equally well.


He emphasises mostly on hasta mudras (Hand postures) for effective cure of heart problems, arthritis, gastro-intestinal disorders, asthma, diabetes and other nervous disorders, meant to be practised by both hands for a few minutes. These require very little preparation or effort and can be done very conveniently anywhere. Hands, he says, have a power of their own and they can cure, of course, according to the will of the owner. The one who knows how to use this power can control his life and health always.

The five fingers of the hands represent the five elements-the thumb is Agni (fire), the forefinger vayu (air), the middle Akash (ether), the ring Prithvi (earth) and the little Jal (water)-that make up the human body and each of these elements can be controlled through our fingers, through which we can activate certain vibrations and restore the elemental balance.


Among the main yoga mudras are the Apan Vayu Mudra which regulates complications of the hearts. Fold the forefinger down and touch the mound of the thumb, join the tips of the third and fourth fingers with that of the thumb. The little finger should be held erect. In the case of a severe heart attack, as a first aid measure if administered within the first two seconds, it provides instant relief. Try reducing the Vayu tatva (pressure of wind).

Gyan Mudra: A familiar pose adopted by all great thinkers-Buddha, Mahavira, Christ, Guru Nanak and Dayanand Saraswati in more recent times. In general its practice ensures mental peace, concentration, sharp memory spiritual feelings, etc. In particular it cures, insomnia, mental disorder and dissipates tension depression and drowsiness. The thumb and the index finger are brought together in gentle contract not pressing hard, while al other fingers are kept upright.

Pran Mudra: Touch the tops of the little finger and the ring finger to the tip of the thumb lightly. A life giving device energises the body improving its vitality. It also helps to improve eyesight. A must for those who feel nervous, tired and weak.

Apan Mudra: Join the middle finger and the ring finger with the tip of the thumb, the forefinger and the little finger should be held upright. This provides relief in urinary problems and difficulty in labour and delivery. It facilitates the discharge of waste matter from the body and purifies the system.

Shunya Mudra is a guaranteed cure for deafness. Pain in the ear can be checked within three minutes by this mudra. Bend the middle finger to touch the root of the thumb then press it slightly with the thumb. Surabhi Mudra or the cow posture helps control rheumatic inflammation and sharpens intellect. Join the little finger with the ring finger and the middle finger with the index finger in a transverse position.

The Linga Mudra makes the body resistant to colds and coughs and chest infection, by generating heat in the body, and destroying accumulated phlegm in chest. It helps in weight reduction too but has to be practised with restraint and intake of at least eight glasses of water and butter and ghee as cooling agents in sufficient quantities is a must. Because of the heat it generates, it should not be practised with such flexibility as the other mudras. It might prove taxing and result in a feeling of lethargy. Join both the palms and lock the facing fingers together keeping one thumb upright. The upright thumb must be encircled by the other must be encircled by the other thumb and the index finger.

Mudras Graceful Gestures
Life Positive, December 1996

Classical dancers fold their fingers in various mudras. At Khajuraho, or even in the murals of Ajanta, figurines are almost invariably depicted with fingers in a mudra. It is little known, however, that mudra vigyan is Tatva Yoga-an essential aspect of yoga. And, believes Acharya Keshav Dev, these mudras can help cure many diseases.

By Dipankar Das

In a teeming tans-Yamuna locality of Delhi lies the Vivekanand Yogashram. Its director Acharya Keshav Dev is a lean man in his sixties. His eyes are perpetually half-closed but you can scarcely suspect indolence, rather it seems as if he is seeking something within. He discourses on the mysteries of the universe or hold forth on the virtues of ancient science with evident relish. In awe of nature, he believes man to be its supreme creation.

The Acharya has spent years studying the ancient systems of astrology, numerology, music and grammar. He asserts that the sciences of yore got coated with sugar down the year. "The ancients believed there were 24 diagnostic elements, is it a coincidence that the Gayatri mantra has 24 words, the Jains have 24 Tirthankaras, Sanatan dharma has 24 avatars," he asks.

One of his favourite subjects is the science of mudras. Emphasising on hasta mudras (hand postures), the Acharya says there is tremendous flow of energy on our hands and each finger represents one of the five elements-the thumb is agni (fire), the forefinger is vayu (air), the middle finger is akash (ether), the ring finger is prithvi (earth) and the little finger is jal (water). "the roots of all diseases lie in an imbalance of one of the five elements and can be corrected with medicines, willpower and mudras," he says.

The Gayatri mantra also confirms the worth of mudras with a grim qualifier: Eta mudra na janati Gayatri nishfala bhavat (he who knows not the mudras will not benefit form Gayatri). The mantra lists 24 mudras, while an unknown number lies in the many forms of yoga. Acharya Keshav Dev has, however, evolved some of his own mudras which help control many of the diseases that afflict us today.

"Often you might have been rebuked by your mother for twiddling your fingers or dangling your legs. This is considered inauspicious because it involves a waste of prana or the vital energy within us," he explain. "An excess of wastage can even lead to brain damage: mudras vigyan taps this energy to heal the individual. The science of mudras is one of the finest gifts of yoga to the cause of human welfare, "he adds.

Born in 1931, to the president of the local bar council in Meerut, Keshav Dev's house was full of religious literature. During the turmoil of Partition, he wandered away from home and began rigorous ascetic practices, living on fruit juices for six months. He discovered the magic of mudras when he had an earache. His guru suggested a mudra that, however, proved ineffective, but it led him to configure his fingers in new ways. One of the shapes, which he later christened Shunya Mudra, cured him completely, and enhanced his aural faculty to such an extent that he seems to have heard his inner voice to and has not ceased trying our new shapes since. His mission in life now is simply to help as many as possible by retrieving the lost discoveries of an ancient sicence.

These mudras are for everyone. The can be practised for half-an-hour daily. It is advisable to sit cross-legged on your bed or on the floor while doing a mudra, but the Acharya assures that it won't be ineffective if you do not follow this posture. You could even go for a stroll, with you hands casually tucked in your pockets, fingers folded in a particular mudra.

Mudras never generate an excess of energy, they simply seek an optimal balancing of prana, much like a thermostate. So next time you are ailing, remember it may just be an instance of maladjusted prana and an innocuous sleight of hand could be the cure. For details, contact: Vivekanand Yogashram, Patparganj Road (Khureji), Delhi-110051, Ph. & Fax : (011) 2210663.

GYAN MUDRA: The thumb and the index finger are brought together in gentle contact, not pressing hard, while all other fingers are kept upright. This is the mudra most people are familiar with. Great thinkers such as Buddha, Mahavir, Christ and Guru Nanak are generally depicted in this pose. Its practice ensures mental peace, concentration, sharp memory and spiritual feelings. It cures insomnia and metal disorders and dissipates tension, depression and drowsiness. This is a must for those who aspire to develop telepathy or wish to acquire to develop telepathy or wish to acquire extrasensory abilities.


APAN VAYU MUDRA: (Also known as Mritsanjeevini Mudra) Fold the forefinger down and touch the mound of the thumb. The little finger should be held erect. It regulates complications of the heart. In a severe heart attack, if administered as a first aid measure within the first few seconds, it provides instant relief.

PRAN MUDRA: Touch the points of the little of the little finger and the ring finger to the tip of the thumb lightly. This is a life-giving mudra, it energises the body and improves its vitality. It helps to improve eyesight. A must for those who feel nervous, tired and weak.

SURABHI MUDRA: Join the little finger of one hand with the ring finger of the other and vice versa. Similarly, join the forefinger with the middle finger of the other hand and vice versa. Leave the thumbs free. This controls rheumatic inflammation and sharpens your intellect.

APAN MUDRA: Join the middle finger and the ring finger with the tip of the thumb : the forefinger and the little finger should be held upright. Provides relief in urinary problems and eases difficulty in labour and delivery. It facilitates the discharge of waste matter from the body and purifies the system.

LINGA MUDRA: Join both the palms and lock the facing fingers together, keeping one thumb upright. The upright thumb must be encircled by the other thumb and the index finger. Makes the body resistant to colds, coughs and chest infections by generating heat in the body, and destroying accumulated phlegm in the chest. It helps in weight reduction too, but has to be practised with restraint. The intake of at least eight glasses of water, and butter and ghee as cooling agents in sufficient quantities is a must.

Due to the heat in generates, it may not be possible to practise this mudra with as much ease and flexibility as the other mudras. It might prove taxing and result in a feeling of lethargy.


SHUNYA MUDRA: Being the middle finger down to touch the palm and bring the padding of the thumb on top of it, keeping the other fingers straight up. Do this for 40 minutes a day. This mudra is ideal for ailments of the ear, and also helps those of the nose and the throat. Even five minutes of this mudra will help and earache.

VARUNA MUDRA: A bit like the Gyan Mudra-touch the tip of the little finger with tip of the thumb while the other fingers are kept upright. Regular practice ensures an optimum level of water in the body and heals all ailments connected with dehydration.

Handy Cures
The Times of India, 28 March, 1987
Physical ailments are the results of the disturbance in the equilibrium of the five elemental forces of the body. Appropriate 'Mudras' can help to restore proper balance.
Yoga, a way of life for our ancient forebears, as a developed therapeutic technique, has found favour with our generation to, prone to self-created diseases generating from tension and anxiety and an irregular lifestyle. The yogi believes that the root of diseases, disorders and ailments lies in the imbalanced internal condition of the human body for which the improper life-style and dietary habits of the individuals are to be blamed.

Therapeutic yoga is basically a system of self treatment. Yoga believes that it is the individual who is responsible for both causing and curing the disease. The experts, however, have to show the path and the rest depends on the effort of the person. Practice of yoga mudras besides a person's life-style and the diet are the essentials for maintaining proper health.
Yoga mudras and asanas to be performed are exercise relating to a particular disease and bodily condition of a particular individual, aiming to provide not just instant relief but a lasting cure. However, the fast pace of life today hardly gives the individual the desired time to practice elaborate exercises.

Acharya Keshav Dev who runs the Vivekanand Yogashram in Delhi and dabbles in Ayurveda, nature cure, yoga and yajna has an answer. The 56-year-old, a registered Ayurvedic practitioner, expounded the merits of Mudra Yigyan or Tatva Yoga in curing common ailments today from a simple ache to a heart attack.

"Human body", he says, "is a miniature form of the universe mudra vigyan on its part reveals each secret of the nature and the universe. Mudra reveal the truth about nature and contributes to the multifaceted development of the human personality thereby awakening human tendencies which are otherwise dormant. The science of mudras is one of the finest gifts of yoga to the cause of human welfare."
Physical ailments are the result of the disturbance in the equilibrium of the elemental forces of the body. The practice of the appropriate mudra can help to overcome these disturbances and restore the proper balance, he adds. Mudras postures, as depicted in Hindu scriptures, adopted at the time of meditation and worship and other religious ceremonies, he feels, have a deep relationship with the healthy disposition of a human being. His extensive researches and investigations have revealed miraculous uses and effects in spiritual as well as day to day life. Techniques which seem very simple, he says, are the highest methods of meditation developed over the centuries. Continuous research is still being carried on in discovering and assimilating the use of different mudras which, he claims, can cure mental and physical disorders equally well.


He emphasises mostly on hasta mudras (Hand postures) for effective cure of heart problems, arthritis, gastro-intestinal disorders, asthma, diabetes and other nervous disorders, meant to be practised by both hands for a few minutes. These require very little preparation or effort and can be done very conveniently anywhere. Hands, he says, have a power of their own and they can cure, of course, according to the will of the owner. The one who knows how to use this power can control his life and health always.

The five fingers of the hands represent the five elements-the thumb is Agni (fire), the forefinger vayu (air), the middle Akash (ether), the ring Prithvi (earth) and the little Jal (water)-that make up the human body and each of these elements can be controlled through our fingers, through which we can activate certain vibrations and restore the elemental balance.


Among the main yoga mudras are the Apan Vayu Mudra which regulates complications of the hearts. Fold the forefinger down and touch the mound of the thumb, join the tips of the third and fourth fingers with that of the thumb. The little finger should be held erect. In the case of a severe heart attack, as a first aid measure if administered within the first two seconds, it provides instant relief. Try reducing the Vayu tatva (pressure of wind).

Gyan Mudra: A familiar pose adopted by all great thinkers-Buddha, Mahavira, Christ, Guru Nanak and Dayanand Saraswati in more recent times. In general its practice ensures mental peace, concentration, sharp memory spiritual feelings, etc. In particular it cures, insomnia, mental disorder and dissipates tension depression and drowsiness. The thumb and the index finger are brought together in gentle contract not pressing hard, while al other fingers are kept upright.

Pran Mudra: Touch the tops of the little finger and the ring finger to the tip of the thumb lightly. A life giving device energises the body improving its vitality. It also helps to improve eyesight. A must for those who feel nervous, tired and weak.

Apan Mudra: Join the middle finger and the ring finger with the tip of the thumb, the forefinger and the little finger should be held upright. This provides relief in urinary problems and difficulty in labour and delivery. It facilitates the discharge of waste matter from the body and purifies the system.

Shunya Mudra is a guaranteed cure for deafness. Pain in the ear can be checked within three minutes by this mudra. Bend the middle finger to touch the root of the thumb then press it slightly with the thumb. Surabhi Mudra or the cow posture helps control rheumatic inflammation and sharpens intellect. Join the little finger with the ring finger and the middle finger with the index finger in a transverse position.

The Linga Mudra makes the body resistant to colds and coughs and chest infection, by generating heat in the body, and destroying accumulated phlegm in chest. It helps in weight reduction too but has to be practised with restraint and intake of at least eight glasses of water and butter and ghee as cooling agents in sufficient quantities is a must. Because of the heat it generates, it should not be practised with such flexibility as the other mudras. It might prove taxing and result in a feeling of lethargy. Join both the palms and lock the facing fingers together keeping one thumb upright. The upright thumb must be encircled by the other must be encircled by the other thumb and the index finger.