Mrigashirsa Mudra

Glossary

A single-handed gesture in South Asian iconography in which the thumb and little finger are extended outward, while the remaining three fingers are bent forward. It is commonly used in several dance traditions of India, where it represents among several meanings –– including a deer’s head, the act of drawing three lines on a brow, the holding of an umbrella and a call to the beloved, to name a few. It derives its name from two Sanskrit words: mriga (“deer”) and shirsa (“head”).

FILED UNDER

Pre-Modern Art

Mrigashirsa Mudra%newline%A single-handed gesture in South Asian iconography in which the thumb and little finger are extended outward, while the remaining three fingers are bent forward. It is commonly used in several dance traditions of India, where it represents among several meanings –– including a deer’s head, the act of drawing three lines on a brow, the holding of an umbrella and a call to the beloved, to name a few. It derives its name from two Sanskrit words: mriga ("deer") and shirsa ("head").

Chicago	MAP Academy Encyclopedia of Art. “Mrigashirsa Mudra”. Accessed April 27, 2024. https://mapacademy.io/glossary/mrigashirsa-mudra/
MLA	“Mrigashirsa Mudra.” MAP Academy Encyclopedia of Art. https://mapacademy.io/glossary/mrigashirsa-mudra/. Accessed 27, April, 2024.
Harvard	MAP Academy Encyclopedia of Art. (2022) Mrigashirsa Mudra. [Online]. Available at: https://mapacademy.io/glossary/mrigashirsa-mudra/. (Accessed: 27, April, 2024)