Varadamudra

Gilded bronze, Sri Lanka, 8th century CE. With her right hand, the bodhisattva makes varadamudra, the gesture of charity or gift-giving, while her left hand may originally have held a lotus.

Varadamudra is a mudra, and it indicates a gesture by the hand and symbolizes dispensing of boons. For varadamudra, left hand is used. It is held out, with palm uppermost and the fingers pointing downwards. Varadmudra and abhayamudra are the most common of several other mudras seen on images and icons relating to Indian religions.

References

• Dictionary of Hindu Lore and Legend (ISBN 0-500-51088-1) by Anna Dallapiccola