Hasta Mudras in Yoga and Natyashastra: A Conceptual Review through the Lens of Embodied Cognition and Psychophysiological Correlates

Abstract

Background: Hasta mudras are structured hand gestures used in Yoga and Indian classical dance. In yogic traditions, mudras are described as practices that regulate prāṇa and support mental stability. Bharata Muni’s Nāṭyaśāstra presents them as a formal system of gesture used to express meaning and emotion in performance. Both traditions emphasize the close connection between body and mind, yet a unified explanation using contemporary cognitive science remains limited. Materials and Methods: This narrative conceptual review examined classical yogic texts, Nāṭyaśāstra literature, and peer-reviewed studies related to embodied cognition, 
gesture research, psychology, and psychophysiology. Relevant theoretical models and available empirical evidence on gestures and yoga mudras were critically reviewed to explore their potential psychological and physiological effects. Results: Both Yoga and Nāṭyaśāstra conceptualize hasta mudras as intentional bodily gestures capable of influencing internal states and communication. Embodied cognition provides a useful framework to understand these effects, suggesting that gestures actively shape thought and emotion through sensorimotor processes. Studies on hand gestures and limited clinical research on yoga mudras indicate possible 
benefits in attention, emotional regulation, memory, autonomic activity, and respiratory function. However, direct evidence focusing on isolated mudra practices remains scarce, and most studies combine mudras with other yogic techniques. Conclusion: Hasta mudras may be understood as embodied tools linking movement, intention, and mental states across yogic and performative traditions.