Hamsavaktra, Haṃsavaktra: 5 definitions
Introduction:
Hamsavaktra means something in Hinduism, Sanskrit. If you want to know the exact meaning, history, etymology or English translation of this term then check out the descriptions on this page. Add your comment or reference to a book if you want to contribute to this summary article.
In Hinduism
Purana and Itihasa (epic history)
Source: archive.org: Puranic EncyclopediaHaṃsavaktra (हंसवक्त्र).—A warrior who fought on the side of Subrahmaṇya and defeated the Asuras. (Śalya Parva, Chapter 45, Verse 75).
Source: JatLand: List of Mahabharata people and placesHaṃsavaktra (हंसवक्त्र) is a name mentioned in the Mahābhārata (cf. IX.44.70) and represents one of the many proper names used for people and places. Note: The Mahābhārata (mentioning Haṃsavaktra) is a Sanskrit epic poem consisting of 100,000 ślokas (metrical verses) and is over 2000 years old.
The Purana (पुराण, purāṇas) refers to Sanskrit literature preserving ancient India’s vast cultural history, including historical legends, religious ceremonies, various arts and sciences. The eighteen mahapuranas total over 400,000 shlokas (metrical couplets) and date to at least several centuries BCE.
Natyashastra (theatrics and dramaturgy)
Source: Shodhganga: Elements of Art and Architecture in the Trtiyakhanda of the Visnudharmottarapurana (natya)Haṃsavaktra (हंसवक्त्र) (also Haṃsāsya) refers to one of the twenty-two Asaṃyuktahastas or “single hand gestures” (in Indian Dramas), according to the Viṣṇudharmottarapurāṇa, an ancient Sanskrit text which (being encyclopedic in nature) deals with a variety of cultural topics such as arts, architecture, music, grammar and astronomy.—The hasta-mudrās (lit. “hand-gestures”) are very essential to denote some particular action or state in dancing and these mudrās are formed with the help of hands and fingers.—The word haṃsavaktra is the union of two words viz., haṃsa and vaktra. Haṃsa means swan and vaktra means mouth. So, the word haṃsavaktra denotes the mouth or beak of a swan. It is worth mentioning that, in the Viṣṇudharmottarapurāṇa the term haṃsavaktra is used where as in the Abhinayadarpaṇa the term haṃsasya is used to denote this hand gesture. According to the Viṣṇudharmottarapurāṇa, in haṃsavaktra-hasta, except the ring and little fingers of the hand, all the three fingers of the hand are placed together without any interspace. In this posture, the ring finger and the little finger are kept spread.
According to the Abhinayadarpaṇa, the tip of the thumb and the forefinger are placed together and rest of the fingers should be spread in the haṃsavaktra hand posture. According to the Viṣṇudharmottarapurāṇa, this posture is used to show some qualities like slimness, lightness, weakness and softness.
Natyashastra (नाट्यशास्त्र, nāṭyaśāstra) refers to both the ancient Indian tradition (shastra) of performing arts, (natya—theatrics, drama, dance, music), as well as the name of a Sanskrit work dealing with these subjects. It also teaches the rules for composing Dramatic plays (nataka), construction and performance of Theater, and Poetic works (kavya).
Languages of India and abroad
Sanskrit dictionary
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English DictionaryHaṃsavaktra (हंसवक्त्र):—[=haṃsa-vaktra] [from haṃsa] m. ‘swan-beaked’, Name of one of Skanda'a attendants, [Mahābhārata]
[Sanskrit to German]
Sanskrit, also spelled संस्कृतम् (saṃskṛtam), is an ancient language of India commonly seen as the grandmother of the Indo-European language family (even English!). Closely allied with Prakrit and Pali, Sanskrit is more exhaustive in both grammar and terms and has the most extensive collection of literature in the world, greatly surpassing its sister-languages Greek and Latin.
See also (Relevant definitions)
Partial matches: Vaktra, Hamsa.
Starts with: Hamsavaktrahasta.
Full-text: Hamsasya, Hamsasyahasta, Hamsapaksha.
Relevant text
Search found 2 books and stories containing Hamsavaktra, Haṃsavaktra, Hamsa-vaktra, Haṃsa-vaktra; (plurals include: Hamsavaktras, Haṃsavaktras, vaktras). You can also click to the full overview containing English textual excerpts. Below are direct links for the most relevant articles:
List of Mahabharata people and places (by Laxman Burdak)
Vishnudharmottara Purana (Art and Architecture) (by Bhagyashree Sarma)
2.2. Hand Postures (a): Asaṃyukta-hasta < [Chapter 3 - Drama and Dance]