Bhairava Mudra: Meaning, How to Do, Benefits

bhairava mudra

Bhairava is commonly called to the fierce form of Lord Shiva.

Bhairava Mudra is a hand gesture made by placing the right hand on top of the left keeping the palms upward. The magic of this mudra is that diseases and ego remain out of the door when hands are kept in this position. Its immense effects are observed when practiced during meditation and pranayama.

    Mudras: The Yoga of The Hands

    Know mudras for various health conditions and wellness

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    As per the Tantric texts, Bhairava mudra is called the ultimate mudra that is helpful in synchronizing the inner and outer self.

    Meaning

    “Bhairava” is a Hindu deity who is the ferocious manifestation of Lord Shiva and. He is known for his tremendous strength and attributed for annihilation. 

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    In Sanskrit, “Bhairava” refers to “fearsome or terrible” and “mudra” means gesture.

    Practicing Bhairava mudra not only enhances the meditation practices but also instills Shiva like strength and power within the practitioner. It is a great practice to be a destroyer of one’s egoism.

    Bhairava mudra is also known as Shiva mudra, Bhairava pranayama, or Bhairava mudra meditation.

    How to Do Bhairava Mudra

    bhairava mudra
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    • Assume a comfortable meditative posture, viz. Padmasana, sukhasana, etc.
    • Make sure to keep your head and spine erect.
    • Take a few deep and focused breaths closing your eyes.
    • Place your hands on the respective thighs with palms facing upwards.
    • Slowly bring your hands towards the center of the body to place them on your lap.
    • Place the right hand over the left palm so that the fingers of both hands are pointed towards opposite directions.
    • Meditate holding this posture for 15-45 minutes.
    • To come out of this mudra open your eyes and release your hands to place them on the thighs or knees.
    • Now relax and breathe freely.

    Alternative Tips

    • You can practice Bhairava mudra sitting on a chair or cot.
    • It is completely fine to practice it keeping the eyes open, however, closed eyes are preferred to remain focused holding this mudra.
    • Sitting in siddhasana to practice Bhairava mudra awakens Kundalini energy. It is so because siddhasana permits the flow of prana energy into the spinal column (Sushmana) and aids in maintaining celibacy.

    Duration

    • For getting utmost benefits practice Bhairava mudra during early morning hours. However, it could be practiced at any time of the day as per need and convenience.
    • Either dedicate continuous 35-45 minutes for its practice or attain it for 15 minutes three times a day.
    • Always attain this hasta mudra on an empty stomach or at least one hour after the meal

    Bhairavi Mudra

    According to Hindu mythology, Bhairavi is the female counterpart of Bhairava. She is also known as Shakti, the feminine form of the divine. As Bhairavi follows or is found in unison with Bhairav, so are the mudras.

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    The only difference in Bhairavi mudra is that of the placement of the hands’ reverses as in Bhairava mudra. Here, the left hand is placed over the right with both palms facing up and fingers pointing in opposite directions.

    Performing Bhairavi mudra benefits the practitioner by activating consciousness and manifestation. However, this variation is recommended for women.

    Note: Our two hands represent Ida and Pingala Nadis, i.e. masculine and feminine energy channels. Only practicing Bhairavi mudra is contraindicated for men as it may bring hormonal changes in men. Therefore Bhairava and Bhairavi mudras should always be performed in alternate sequences to balance the male and female energies associated with both the mudras.

    The combination of both these mudras represents the union of the individual with the supreme consciousness, hence manifests its yogic significance.

    Bhairava Mudra and Dhyana Mudra

    bhairava mudra and dhyana mudra

    Another mudra that shares a close resemblance with Bhairava mudra is dhyana mudra. It is also a meditative hand gesture attained by placing the right hand on the left palm but in contrast to Bhairava Mudra, in Dhyana mudra, the tips of both the thumbs are joined to form a triangle between hands and thumbs.

    Bhairava mudra has been derived from Hindu mythology, however, Dhyana mudra signifies Buddhism. The three corners of the triangle represent three jewels of Buddhism, i.e. Buddha, Sangha (community), and dharma (teachings).

    Both of these mudras help the practitioner to reach higher meditative states with a slight variation of thumbs position.

    Bhairava Mudra Benefits

    • Bhairava mudra balances the left and right hemispheres of the brain.
    • It alleviates the opposite forces occurring in the mind and body.
    • It leaves incredibly soothing and instant relieving effects on anxiety, stress, and mood swings.
    • This mudra also brings calm, peace, and inner stillness to realize the sense of wholeness.
    • Practicing Bhairavi mudra preserves the secretion of Bindu or nectar (at the top of head) which further helps in kundalini awakening.
    • Also, Bhairavi mudra help in retaining semen and even moving it upwards in the form of seminal energy. Yogis used this practice to maintain Brahmacharya (celibacy), but a household can do as a remedy for premature ejaculation.
    • Bhairavi mudra aids the formation of ‘Ojas’ shakti in the brain which leads to the state of Urdhvareta
    • Bhairava mudra stimulates and activates all the five elements (Pancha tattva), chakras, prana, and doshas hence keep the body disease-free.
    • This instills unity and wisdom within the practitioner.
    • It balances the Prana Vata & Apana Vata. This maintains equilibrium in the Prana-Apana axis

    Conclusion

    The best thing about Bhairava mudra is its incredible and instant reaction. One can observe the health benefits and development of courage immediately after its first practice.

    There is nothing else easier than Bhairava mudra to enhance the overall functioning of the human body, experiencing disease-free and fierce living.

    2 Comments

    1. AP.Ravichandran January 8, 2024
    2. Rajesh kanna July 30, 2021

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