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The mudras of the Namputiri Rgveda are not simple representations of sound. They are used to represent the ends of words. (pada) in the word-for-word recitation (padapatha) of Rgveda. Their function is to disambiguate the text in doubtful places. For example, the continuous recitation (samhitapatha) R. V.3.56.1, na ta minanti has for its padapatha na/ta/minanti. But the padapatha might have been na/ tah/minanti. A ten year old pupil learns the samhita and padapatha without knowing Sanskrit grammar and the rules of sandhi. So he is taught the appropriate mudra, which distinguishes between ta and tah. In other cases the pupil may have learned the rules of sandhi from practice, but he does not know which are the words of Sanskrit language and which are not. According to the modern historical point of view, the padapatha is an analysis of the samhitapatha, and the latter results from the former. According to the traditional point of view, the samhita is eternal, and the padapatha is one of its modifications (vikara). Ambiguity may also be inherent in accentuation. The accents are expressed by the position of the entire hand (this parallels to some extent the position of the head, inculcated when the accents were taught for the first time). 186

Accent Udatta Anudatta Svarita Position of the hand up down up to the right Pracaya to the left In the movement of head, no distinction is made between the svarita (the accent immediately following the udatta) and the pracaya (the "accumulated" accent of syllables neither immediately following a svarita nor immediately preceding an udatta). As will be seen from the descriptions, some of the mudras correspond to the shape of the mouth or vocal tract that produces the corresponding sound. For example, the mudra for the vowel 'u' imitates the rounding of the lips that characterises its pronounciation. Unlike dance mudras, all Rgvedic mudras are executed by the right hand only. (If the form of the mudra is the same as in Kathakali, this can be noted even though the significance is always different). This is because the mudra can indicate different subject or object which one has accepted according to the content of the text. The kartarimukha mudra is common to several persons, like kings. The pataka in the samyuta samana state denotes a king. His name is indicated by the kartarimukha mudra. eg. Nala, Rugmangata etc.. Who the king is to be understood from the context. 187