MUDRĀ. Mudrā in Sanskrit means seal or stamp of authority. In ordinary Sanskrit this meaning has always been in use. For instance, a political play written by Viśākhadatta (c. 7 CE) is called Mudrā-rākṣasa (The signet [ring] of Rākṣasa). Rākṣasa was the chief minister of the Imperial Nandas, the enemies of Candragupta Maurya, king of Magadha, and this ring was his seal of office.

However, in the medieval Brahmanic tradition, especially in religious practice, another meaning of the term mudrā became prevalent. In this context mudrā is a symbolic representation of a concrete form, or an idea, presented through gestures (hastas) and, sometimes, facial expression. It thus becomes closely associated with hand gestures used in dance and acting. Mudrā can also refer to hand gesture in an iconographical context, though this is a late innovation (see Colas). For example...