Abhinaya-darpana (English)

by Ananda Coomaraswamy | 1917 | 16,981 words | ISBN-13: 9788121500210

The English translation of the Abhinaya-darpana (“the mirror of gesture”) by Nandikeshvara: an encyclopedic manual of the art of gesticulation. It belongs to a wide range of literature known as Natya-shastra: the ancient Indian art of dramatic performance, theatrics, dance and music. The Abhinaya Darpana is an abridgement of the Bharatarnava, a m...

Chapter 25 - Hands denoting Trees

Hands indicating Trees.

Aśvattha (pipal), Alapadma hands, waving the fingers;

Kadalī, Mukula hands interlocked, extended, and the fingers waved;

Nārangi (orange), Padmakośa;

Lakuca, Bhramara;

Panasa (bread-fruit), Catura;

Vilva (wood-apple), the same;

Pnnnāga, Patāka and Catura;

Mandāra, Khaṇḍa-catura;

Vakula, Saṃdaṃsa;

Vata (banyan), Patāka;

Arjuna, Siṃha-mukha;

Pāṭalī, Śukatuṇḍa;

Hintāla, Kartarī-mukha;

Pūga (areca-nut), Padmakośa hands crossed;

Campaka, Lāṅgula hand downwards;

Khadira, Tāmracūḍa quite face downwards;

Śamī, Kartarī hands interlocked;

Aśoka, Patāka hands crossed, i. e. touching at the wrists and freely moving to and fro;

Sind-hrnāra, Mayura hands interlocked;

Āmalaka, the Samyama Nāyaka hand, i. e. the forefinger and second finger together in the middle of the palm, the rest extended;

Kuruvaka, Kartarī and Tripatāka hands;

Kapittha (elephant-apple), Alapadma hands are crossed;

Ketakī (screw-pine), Patāka and Catura hands crossed at the wrists;

Simśapa, Ardha-candra hands crossed;

Nimbasala, Śukatuṇḍa hands crossed;

Pārijāta, the Trijñāna hand, i. e. Patāka with both hands twisted upwards;

Tintrini, Lāṅgula hand;

Jambu, the Ardha-patāka hand;

Pālāsa, the Ardha-candra hand;

Rasāla (mango), the Tripatāka hand.

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