अञ्जलिañjali · the joined hands of offering
Añjali mudrā, the gesture of namaste
2 min read · Updated October 17, 2026 · sources checked October 17, 2026
In short
Añjali mudrā is the gesture of joined palms held before the heart, fingers pointing up: the gesture that accompanies namaste, 'salutation to you'. Añjali means the two hands joined and slightly hollowed, as for an offering. In yoga it opens and closes practice and begins the sun salutation; in India it is first of all a greeting and a prayer.
Good to know
Añjali mudrā is safe for everyone. If your wrists or shoulders are sore, press the palms only lightly and keep the elbows low.
The words
अञ्जलि (añjali) is defined in Monier-Williams' Sanskrit dictionary as "the open hands placed side by side and slightly hollowed (as if by a beggar to receive food; hence when raised to the forehead, a mark of supplication), reverence, salutation". The same word names the two handfuls of water offered to the ancestors. Añjali is first a gesture of offering and receiving.
नमस्ते (namaste) joins namas, a bow, obeisance, and te, "to you": "salutation to you". The more formal namaskāra (नमस्कार) means homage, adoration. In India the word and the gesture are used every day: to greet, to thank, to take leave, before a shrine, at the evening aarti on the Ganga.
Añjali in the Bhagavad Gita
When Arjuna sees the universal form of Kṛṣṇa, the Gītā shows him making exactly this gesture:
ततः स विस्मयाविष्टो हृष्टरोमा धनंजयः । प्रणम्य शिरसा देवं कृताञ्जलिरभाषत ॥
tataḥ sa vismayāviṣṭo hṛṣṭaromā dhanaṃjayaḥ | praṇamya śirasā devaṃ kṛtāñjalir abhāṣata ||
Then Dhanañjaya, filled with wonder, his hair standing on end, bowed his head to the god and, his hands joined, spoke.
Kṛtāñjali, "one who has made the añjali", returns at 11.35, when Arjuna, trembling, speaks again. The gesture is awe, reverence and readiness to listen.
How to do añjali mudrā
- Stand or sit with the spine upright, shoulders relaxed.
- Bring the palms together in front of the heart, fingers pointing up.
- Let the thumbs rest lightly against the breastbone.
- Press the palms evenly, without force; you can leave a little hollow between them, like a closed lotus bud.
- Lower the gaze or close the eyes. Take three slow breaths.
- If you greet someone, bow the head slightly.
Three heights, three meanings
| Height | Usual meaning |
|---|---|
| Before the heart | greeting, gratitude, beginning and end of practice |
| At the forehead | greater respect: an elder, a teacher, a temple |
| Above the head | the highest reverence, before the divine |
These are customs widely observed in India rather than rules written in a text; families and regions vary.
In yoga practice
- Beginning and end of a session: a few breaths in añjali mudrā gather attention and mark the threshold of practice.
- Sun salutation: the sequence opens and closes in the standing position with joined palms, often called praṇāmāsana, "the posture of salutation", a modern name.
- Before chanting or mantra meditation, and at the end, with a bow.
- In mountain pose, many teachers use añjali mudrā as a moment of stillness.
Añjali mudrā is not one of the ten seals of the Hatha Yoga Pradipika or the twenty-five of the Gheraṇḍa Saṃhitā: it belongs to worship, greeting and sacred images, which is precisely its strength. The mudras page explains the two families.
Common mistakes
- Raising the elbows to shoulder height: it tires the shoulders and stiffens the gesture.
- Pressing hard, which turns an offering into an effort.
- Saying namaste mechanically. Mean it, or simply smile and bow.
Questions people ask
What does namaste mean?
Namaste joins namas, a bow or salutation, and te, to you: 'salutation to you'. The word is spoken with añjali mudrā, often with a slight bow of the head.
Is it disrespectful to say namaste at the end of a yoga class?
Not if it is meant. In India it is an everyday greeting and a gesture of prayer. Say it simply, with a slight bow, as a greeting rather than a slogan.
Where should the hands be: chest, forehead or above the head?
At the heart for a greeting and in practice. Raised to the forehead, the gesture is more deferential, for an elder, a teacher or a deity; above the head, it is reserved for the highest reverence.
Sources
- Monier-Williams, Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899), entry añjali, Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries checked October 17, 2026
- Bhagavadgītā, critical edition (Bhandarkar Oriental Research Institute), Sanskrit text (GRETIL) checked October 17, 2026
Practise gently and within your limits. Yoga is learnt best with a qualified teacher; this page does not replace one.