Nrittahasta, Nritta-hasta, Nṛttahasta: 6 definitions
Introduction:
Nrittahasta 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.
The Sanskrit term Nṛttahasta can be transliterated into English as Nrttahasta or Nrittahasta, using the IAST transliteration scheme (?).
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In Hinduism
Natyashastra (theatrics and dramaturgy)
Nṛttahasta (नृत्तहस्त) refers to “dance hands”, according to the Nāṭyaśāstra chapter 9. It is one of the three classes of ‘gestures and movements of hands’. The hands form a part of the human body which represents one of the six major limbs (aṅga) used in dramatic performance. With these limbs are made the various gestures (āṅgika), which form a part of the histrionic representation (abhinaya).
There are thirteen ‘gestures of dance hands’ defined:
- caturasra,
- udvṛtta,
- talamukha,
- svastika,
- viprakīrṇa,
- arālakhaṭakāmukha,
- āviddhavakra,
- sūcyāsya,
- recita,
- ardharecita,
- uttānavañcita,
- pallava,
- nitamba,
- keśabandha,
- latā,
- karihasta,
- pakṣavañcitaka,
- pakṣapradyotaka,
- garuḍapakṣa,
- daṇḍapakṣa,
- ūrdhvamaṇḍalī,
- pārśvamaṇḍalī,
- uromaṇḍalī,
- uraḥpārśvārdhamaṇḍalī,
- muṣṭikasvastika,
- nalinīpadmakośa,
- alapallava,
- ulbaṇa,
- lalita,
- valita.
Dance-hands (nṛttahasta) are also to be used. As their name implies these hands were exclusively to be used in dance, but for reasons mentioned above they were sometimes utilized at the time of declamation or recitation.
Nṛttahasta (नृत्तहस्त) or simply Nṛtta refers to one of the three types of “hand gestures” (Hasta) (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 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 practice of these nṛttahastas is strictly prohibited in sickness of body, in old age, in fear, drunk and anxiety.
There are thirty kinds of nṛttahastas as mentioned in the Viṣṇudharmottarapurāṇa. These are—
- caturasra,
- udvṛtta,
- laghumukha,
- arālakhaṭakāmukha,
- āviddha,
- vakra,
- saṃvyāsva,
- recita,
- ardharecita,
- avahittha,
- pallavita,
- nitamba,
- keśavardha,
- latā,
- karihasta,
- pakṣodyota,
- añcita,
- garuḍapakṣa,
- daṇḍapakṣa,
- urdhvamaṇḍalaja,
- ārśvamaṇḍalaja,
- pārśvordhvamaṇḍala,
- uromaṇḍalaka,
- iṣṭa,
- svastika,
- padmakośa,
- alapallava,
- ullvaṇa [ulvaṇa],
- lalita and
- valita.
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).
Shilpashastra (iconography)
Nṛttahasta (नृत्तहस्त) refers to “combined dance hand gestures” and represents one of the two divisions of “hand gestures” (Hasta or Mudrā), and forms one of the three divisions of pratimālakṣaṇa (body postures of the icons), as defined according to texts dealing with śilpa (arts and crafs), known as śilpaśāstras.—The technical term used in the texts to denote the finger poses is mudrā and hasta. The term hasta is generally used in cases where the whole of the arm along with the hand is shown in a particular pose. The hastas are of two categories. They are the asaṃyuta-hastas (single hand gestures) and the saṃyuta-hastas (double hand gestures). There are nṛtta-hastas (the combined hand gestures pertaining to dance) found in dance. But these hastas are not used often in Bharatanatyam.
Shilpashastra (शिल्पशास्त्र, śilpaśāstra) represents the ancient Indian science (shastra) of creative arts (shilpa) such as sculpture, iconography and painting. Closely related to Vastushastra (architecture), they often share the same literature.
Languages of India and abroad
Sanskrit dictionary
Nṛttahasta (नृत्तहस्त).—the position of the hands in dancing.
Derivable forms: nṛttahastaḥ (नृत्तहस्तः).
Nṛttahasta is a Sanskrit compound consisting of the terms nṛtta and hasta (हस्त). See also (synonyms): nṛtyahasta.
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.
Kannada-English dictionary
Nṛttahasta (ನೃತ್ತಹಸ್ತ):—[noun] any of several hand gestures used in dance.
Kannada is a Dravidian language (as opposed to the Indo-European language family) mainly spoken in the southwestern region of India.
See also (Relevant definitions)
Partial matches: Nritta, Hasta.
Full-text (+189): Karihasta, Aralakhatakamukha, Nitamba, Dandapaksha, Ardharecita, Valita, Udvritta, Alapallava, Garudapaksha, Ulbana, Aviddhavakraka, Talamukha, Lata, Parshvamandali, Pallava, Uromandala, Uttanavancita, Mushtikasvastika, Pakshavancitaka, Urdhvamandali.
Relevant text
Search found 11 books and stories containing Nrittahasta, Nritta hastas, Nritta-hasta, Nṛtta-hasta, Nrtta-hasta, Nṛttahasta, Nrttahasta; (plurals include: Nrittahastas, Nritta hastases, hastas, Nṛttahastas, Nrttahastas). You can also click to the full overview containing English textual excerpts. Below are direct links for the most relevant articles:
Dance Traditions of South India < [January-February 1935]
Dance Traditions of South India < [May-June 1935]
Kohala in the Sanskrit textual tradition (Study) (by Padma Sugavanam)
Kohala and Nṛtya (3): The concept of Hasta < [Chapter 2 - Kohala as seen in citations]
Part 18 - Citations of Kohala in the Saṅgītasūryodaya < [Chapter 3 - Kohala as seen in citations—an analysis]
Part 5.1 - Manuscript Details of the Abhinayaśāstra / Kohalīyam < [Chapter 4 - Works attributed to Kohala]
Arts in the Puranas (study) (by Meena Devadatta Jeste)
5. Hasta-mudras (gestures of the hands) < [Chapter 2 - Dance in the Puranas]
Gati in Theory and Practice (by Dr. Sujatha Mohan)
Elements of Āṅgika-abhinaya in Nāṭyaśāstra < [Chapter 1 - Nāṭya]
Observations based on Nāṭyaśāstra < [Chapter 5 - Conclusion]
Gati in vehicles < [Chapter 3 - Application of gati in Dṛśya-kāvyas]
Vishnudharmottara Purana (Art and Architecture) (by Bhagyashree Sarma)
2.2. Hand Postures (c): Nṛtta-hasta < [Chapter 3 - Drama and Dance]
2.1. Origin of Dance (Nṛtta) and Hand-postures (Hasta-mudrā) < [Chapter 3 - Drama and Dance]
Hastalaksanadipika a critical edition and study (by E. K. Sudha)
3. Concept of Abhinaya in general < [Chapter 1 - Introduction]
5. study of Balaramabharata < [Chapter 3 - Later developments of dramatic techniques]
1. Abhinayadarpana—the basic layout < [Chapter 3 - Later developments of dramatic techniques]