Image title: Figure 14: Katihasta

Katihasta refers to one of the various hand-poses (hastas or mudras).—Kati-hasta is generally known as katiga, katistha, katisamsthita, katyalambana and katyavalambita. The hand remains bent a Little at the elbow and placed on the upper part of the waist. This gesture is generally found on the lower left hand. Padma-samhita (Kriyapada 20.81b) prescribes, while holding gada; the hand should be two angulas away from the hip of the icon. According to Naradiya-samhita, the palm of the hand holding gada must be to the level of katisutra. In the absence of gada, the hand remains touching the hip or it may be katyalambana. The kativastra touching the hip in the movable icon (jangama-arca) is specially meant for mundane (aihika) results.

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Both the Pancaratra and Vaikhanasa Agamas extensively deal with the technical features on temple art and architecture. Sometime , they detail certain stance or pose but do not mention the technical term: the same way.... In order to study and understand the iconography of the Vaishnava Agamas, is inevitable to consult the treatises on dance (Natya-shastra), sculpture (Shilpa-shastra) and architecture (Sthapatya or Vastu-shastra).