Essay name: Hastalaksanadipika a critical edition and study
Author:
E. K. Sudha
Affiliation: Government Sanskrit College (Tripunithura) / Department of Sanskrit
This is an English study on the Hastalaksanadipika—a manual depicting the Mudras (gestures) of the Kerala theatre. It is a very popular text supposedly dating to the 10th century A.D. This study also touches the subject of Krsnanattam, Kathakali and Kutiyattam—some of India's oldest theatrical traditions in Kerala.
Chapter 1 - Introduction
24 (of 32)
External source: Shodhganga (Repository of Indian theses)
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the mudrās. At the same time it follows the NS also. This may be because of the fact that they follow a text known as हस्तमुद्रादीपिका ( [hastamudrādīpikā (] Which is popular as हस्तलक्षणदीपिका) [ٲṣaṇaī辱) ] for the delineation of the mudras. ( Some experts opine that the mudrās used in Kerala theatre are codified and made into the form of a text, by an unknown author). This fact is clearly expressed through the performance of Kūṭiyāṭṭom, Kathakaḷi etc.. Hastalakṣaṇadipikā is an ancient text depicting the mudras. Date of the text is supposed to be 10" century A.D.. The author, as already mentioned, is unknown. Most of the scholars believe that the author must be a Keralite. No serious study has yet been done on this work. The HLD enlists 24 mudrās to be used by single hand (asamyuta) or both hands (samyuta). Most of the mudrās bear names similar to those found in the NS. But their applications (viniyogas) are entirely different. th According to the HLD the 24 mudrās are. हस्त� पताक� मुद्राख्यः कटको मुष्टिरित्यप� � कर्तरीमुखसंज्ञश्� शुकतुण्ड� कपित्थकः ।। हंसपक्षश्च शिखर� हंसास्यः पुनरञ्जलिः � [hasta� patāko mudrākhya� kaṭako muṣṭirityapi | kartarīmukhasaṃjñaśca śukatuṇḍa� kapitthaka� || haṃsapakṣaśca śikharo haṃsāsya� punarañjali� | ] 24 अर्धचन्द्रश्� मुकुरो भ्रमरस्सूचिकामुख� �
पल्लवस्त्रिपताकश्च मृगशीर्षाह्वयस्तथ� �
पुनस्सर्पशिरस्संज्ञो वर्धमानक इत्यपि ।।
अराल ऊर्णनाभश्च मुकुलः कटकामुखः �
चतुर्विंशतिरित्येत� कराश्शास्त्रज्ञसम्मताः ।। [ardhacandraśca mukuro bhramarassūcikāmukha� |
pallavastripatākaśca mṛgaśīrṣāhvayastathā |
punassarpaśirassaṃjño vardhamānaka ityapi ||
arāla ūrṇanābhaśca mukula� kaṭakāmukha� |
caturviṃśatirityete karāśśāstrajñasammatā� || ] TNN I 2-5
A mudrā has a beginning, a course and an end or fulfil ment.
