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 20 - Hands denoting the Four Castes
Hands denoting the Four Castes:
Brāhmaṇa: Śikhara with both hands, as if holding the sacred thread, the right hand moved to and fro.
Kṣattriya: Śikhara with the left hand moved to and fro, Patāka with the right.
Vaiṣya: left hand Haṃsāsya, right hand Kaṭaka.
Śūdra: left hand Śikhara, right hand Sūci.
The Hands of the Eighteen other Castes are shown according to their work. In the same way the hands are to be inferred which indicate the people of different countries.
There are as many hands as meanings. Their usage is to be regulated by their literal meaning, category, gender, and suitability. So much is told in an abridged form, following careful research; those who are acquainted with the moods of the heart should use the hands with due care after consulting the texts, as may be required.