Gati in Theory and Practice

by Dr. Sujatha Mohan | 2015 | 88,445 words

This page relates ‘Gati in aerial sphere’ of the study on the Theory and Practice of Gati (“gait”) which refers to the “movement of a character on the stage”, commonly employed (as a Sanskrit technical term) in ancient Indian Theatrics and the Dramatic arts, also known as Natya-shastra. This thesis explores the history and evolution of Gati and also investigates how the various Gatis are employed in regional performance traditions.

-) balādeṣa daśagrīvaḥ sītāmādāya gacchati |[1]

Gait of Rāvaṇa and Sītā in sky along with Jaṭāyu is described by Bhasa. Rāvaṇa is moving around in air in his vehicle and watching Jaṭāyu flapping the wings. The flapping of the wings can be performed by garuḍapakṣa nṛttahasta the Jaṭāyu as mentioned as coming forward towards Rāvaṇa in great anger, can be performed with garuḍapluta karaṇa[2] in drutalaya along with mukhaja abhinaya of krodha with kruddha dṛṣṭī. The gait of Rāvaṇa and Sītā can be as in ākāśayāna performed with nikuñcitam karaṇa.

Abhinava says, this can be performed for the gait in sky.

etaccākāśagamanonmukhavitarkapraṇidhānādipradhānavākyārthābhinaye |[3]

-) ubhāvavatarataḥ[4]

They both descend from the sky and land on a mountain

-) ubhau avatarataḥ |[5]

‘Both descend.’ Bharata says while descending one should look down and the body should be bent down. Here the glance should be avalokita (looking down) and chest should be ābhugna. This can also be performed by the karaṇa called latāvṛścika.[6]

-) iti sarvāḥśailāvataraṇaṃ rūpayitvā sthitāḥ |[7]

“They all represent descending on the mountain.”

The gait for descending is described by Bharata as,

“Taking a samapāda stance and making jumps in succession one should represent the descent from the sky.”

sthanena samapādena tatā cūrṇapadairapi |
vyomnaścāvataredyastu tasyaitāṃ kārayedgatim ||[8]

Abhinavagupta says latāvṛścika karaṇa can also be performed for the descent from the sky.

-) sarvāḥsagandharvā ākāśotpatanaṃ rūpayanti |[9]

“The apsaras and gāndharvas gesticulate jumping into the sky.”

This act can be performed by the karaṇa called vidyudbhrāntā.

pṛṣṭhato valitaṃ pādaṃ śirodhṛṣṭaṃ prasārayet |
sarvato maṇḍalāviddhaṃ vidyudbhrāntaṃ taducyate ||[10]

-) utpatanabhaṅgaṃ rūpayitvā |[11]

“Exhibiting hindrance in upward motion”.

Mālavikā can perform vidyudbhrāntā to jump up and latāvṛścika to show hindrance in upward movement.

“Raise one foot bending it backwards as the tail of a scorpion, extend the left hand forward with a loosened palm. This is termed as latāvṛścika.”

añcitaḥ pṛṣṭhataḥ pādaḥ kuñcitordhvatalāṅguliḥ |
latākhyastu karo vāmastallatāvṛścikaṃ bhavet ||[12]

Abhinavagupta recommends this for getting down from the sky. Here the vṛścikapāda is used to show jumping into the sky and the latāhasta hanging down denotes the downward pull of her mālā, which is entangled in a creeper. So she jumps up in vidyudbhrāntā, but lands back on the ground again in latāvṛścika. On this pretext she looks down at the king. This can be done by avadhuta śiras.[13]

-) urvaśīmārgonmukhaḥ |[14]

Ūrvaśī looks (down) with a sigh at the king while moving. Here she is taking her path in the sky. Therefore, she casts her look down. Avalokita is a kind of glance to look down.[15] The sigh is done by the chest movement called prakampita.

In prakampita, the chest is heaved up and down almost incessantly.

ūrdhvakṣepairuro yatra nirantarakṛtairyutam |
prakampitaṃ tu tajñeyamuro nāṭyaprayoktṛbhiḥ ||[16]

-) tataḥ praviśatyakāśayānenorvaśī citralekhā ca |[17]

“Enter Ūrvaśī and Citralekha passing through the sky.”

Gait in ākāśa is mentioned here. The gait of the person moving in the sky is described by Bharata.

He says,

“The actors who represent the movement like traversing the sky should look down and make circular movements.”

adho'valokanaiścaiva maṇḍalāvartanena ca ||
ākāśagamane caiva kartavyā nāṭyayoktṛbhiḥ ||[18]

The eye movements can be in avalokita, looking down.

The karaṇa called vṛścika can also be performed here, because Abhinavagupta recommends this karaṇa for traversing in the sky.

“Place the folded hands on the shoulders; hold a foot back in a raised position and keep the back as low as possible. This characterizes the karaṇa called vṛścika.”

bāhuśīrṣāñcitau hastau pādaḥ pṛṣṭhāñcitastathā |
dūrasannapṛṣṭhaṃ ca vṛścikaṃ tat prakīrtitam ||[19]

Here they can also perform karaṇa called vṛścikarecita.

Abhinavagupta says this karaṇa can be used for traversing in the sky.

vṛścikaṃ caraṇaṃ kṛtvā svastikauca karāvubhau |
recitau viprakīrṇau ca karau vṛścikarecitam ||[20]

-) utthito vidyādharaḥ saha priyayā[21]

The vidyādhara rises up in the sky with his beloved. Such instances occur in Bhāsa and Kālidāsa’s works.

-) śrīmān vidyādharo'sāvuparigatijavaiḥ kṣīyamāṇaḥ prayāti ||[22]

The glorious vidyādhara moving fast in the sky along with his wife and his figure turning smaller and smaller as he move up.

-) ākāśayānaṃ nirūpya[23]

The entry of vidyādhara along with his love gesticulates flying through air.

-) aciraprabhāvilasitaiḥpatākināsurakārmukābhinavacitraśobhinā |
gamitena khelagamane vimānatāṃnaya māṃ navena vasatiṃ payomucā ||
[24]

Both exit on air. The king wishes Ūrvaśī to change him to the form of a cloud and carry him. They both can move about in the karaṇa vṛścikakuṭṭita.

Abhinavagupta recommends this karaṇa for depicting desire for traversing through the sky.

“Bending one foot and holding it back in a raised manner as the tail of a scorpion; and touching the shoulders with folded hands characterizes the karaṇa called vṛścikakuṭṭita.”

vṛścikaṃ caraṇaṃ kṛtvā dvāvapyatha nikuṭṭitau |
vidhātavyau karau tattu jñeyaṃ vṛścikakuṭṭitam ||[25]

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

P.N.V.21,

[3]:

Ibid. IV. com.

[4]:

Avi.IV.p.327

[5]:

Vik. A-II.

[6]:

Nāṭyaśāstra IV. 103.

[7]:

Vik. A-I.

[8]:

Nāṭyaśāstra XIII.93.

[9]:

Vik. A-I.

[10]:

Nāṭyaśāstra IV. 124

[11]:

Vik. A-I.

[12]:

Nāṭyaśāstra IV. 103.

[13]:

Ibid. XIII. 29.

[14]:

Vik. A-I.

[15]:

Nāṭyaśāstra VIII. 109.

[16]:

Ibid. X. 6.

[17]:

Vik. A-II.

[18]:

Nāṭyaśāstra XIII. 92.

[19]:

Ibid. IV. 106.

[20]:

Ibid. IV. 105.

[21]:

Avi.IV.p.328

[22]:

Ibid. IV.19.

[23]:

Ibid. IV.p.325

[24]:

Vik.A-IV. V-43

[25]:

Nāṭyaśāstra IV. 101.

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