Bharata Natyam
Elizabeth Kelly
Çatura
Asaṃyuta Hasta - Single Hand Gestures
Descriptions and Meanings
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Description:
9
9
Three fingers spread out with the thumb beneath them and the little finger raised.
Meaning:
9:
9:
This suggests, as Bharata himself says, many things, including grace, hope, affection, youth and so on.
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9:92
9:92
Three fingers are spread. The little finger is lifted up. The thumb is kept within them. This hand is remembered as Catura.
Meaning:
9:93:
9:96-98:
9:99:
9:93:
It is used in indicating the senses of policy, discipline, penances, cleverness, a timid girl, a sick person, spirit, deceit etc. and also apt words welfare, truth and tranquility.
9:96-98:
Apart from these, it is the practice of the artistes to employ Catura hand in signifying various things such as sports dalliance splendor, memory, intellect judgement, for¬giveness, nutritions, consciousness, hope, affection reasoning, union, purity cleverness, favorableness, softness, happiness, character, question livelihood, property, wealth, defeat, amorous coition, merit and demerit, youth, home, wife and various colours.
9:99:
The colours represented thus. The Catura hand is held up to indicate white, if it is moved round yellow and red colours can be represented and when one Catura hand is pressed with another it indicates blue.
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9:94
9:94
one or two such Catura hands kept moving round
Meaning:
9:94:
9:94:
Openness, deliberation, movement conjecture, shame etc.
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9:95
9:95
Two Catura hands combined together
Meaning:
9:95:
9:95:
to indicate comparison between the eyes and petals of lotus and also the ears of deer.
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9:92
9:92
Catura—the four fingers stretched and the thumb bent near the middle finger.
Meaning:
9:93:
9:94:
9:95:
9:96-98:
9:99:
9:93:
It is to be applied in representing policy, discipline, penance, cleverness, a young girl, a sick person, perfidy, gambling, proper words, salutary truth, and tranquillity.
9:94:
By one or two such hands moved round should be represented openness, deliberation, moving, conjecture and shame.
9:95:
By the combined Catura hands are to be represented lotus-petals compared with eyes, and ears of deer.
9:96-98:
Besides these, the Catura hand is to indicate sports, love, brilliance, memory, intelligence, judgement, forgiveness, nutrition, consciousness, hope, affection, reasoning, union, purity, cleverness, sweetness, favourableness, softness, happiness, good conduct, its want, question, livelihood, propriety, dress, soft grass, a small quantity, wealth, defeat, sexual intercourse, merit and demerit, youth, houses, wives and various colours.
9:99:
[To represent] while it (the Catura hand) should be held up; red and yellow are indicated by moving it round, and blue by pressing [one such hand with another].
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26:40-41
26:40-41
When three fingers are stretched out, the Kanīyasī is erect and the thumb resting on it in the middle, the hand is called Catura.
Meaning:
26:40-41:
26:42-43:
26:40-41:
It should be used to explain the practical actions of speech and recitation.
26:42-43:
With this kind of action the colours should be denoted, when raised it shows white, when it is semi-circular it suggests red, when in circle it shows yellow and when compressed it shows blue. Similarly when in normal position it shows black and the remaining colours.
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Çatura - the thumb is bent to touch the base of the third finger, the first and adjoining fingers outstretched together, and the little finger extended (separately).
Meaning:
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musk, a little, gold, copper etc., wet, sorrow, aesthetic emotion (rasasvada), eyes, difference of caste, oath, playful converse (sarasa), slow- stepping, breaking to pieces, seat (asana), oil or ghi, etc.
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According to another book: in the Patāka hand, the thumb is made to touch the middle line of the third finger, and the little finger is stretched out. It originates from Kasyapa, who used this hand to show the way to Garuda when he wished to steal the nectar. Its sage is Valakhilya, its colour variegated, its race mixed, its patron deity Vainateya.
Meaning:
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gorocana, dust, play¬ful converse, red paint (laklaka), concentration of mind (or attention), camphor, eye, chin, earring, face, brow, side glance, beloved, policy, musk, sugar, honey, oil, ghi, cleverness, mirror, gold, diamond, emerald, sufficiency, a little, a moderate quantity of anything, indigo, white colour, mixed caste, sword, cheek, tip of the ear.
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1:149-150
1:149-150
Catura. When the thumb is placed at the foot of the third finger and the fore-finger and adjoining two fingers arc clinging to each other and the little finger is outstretched, the hand is called Catura.
Meaning:
1:150-152:
1:150-152:
It is used to denote musk, a little, gold, copper, iron, wet, sorrow, aesthetic pleasure, an eye, difference of castes, proof, sweetness, slow gait, breaking to pieces, face, oil and ghee.
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7:380-381
7:380-381
When forefinger, middle finger and ring finger are close to one another and stretched, the little finger is extended separately and the thumb is bent obliquely to touch the base of the ring finger, it becomes Çatura hasta.
Meaning:
7:380-381:
7:380-381:
Musk, meaning a little, gold - copper and other metals, wetness, difference, experience of aesthetic pleasure or enjoying a drink, eyes, differentiating colours or castes, playful - conversation, oath, slow walking, breaking to pieces, high seat, oil-ghee etc. - in denoting the above, Çatura hasta is used.
Mṛgašīrsha
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7:383-389
7:383-389
When the thumb of the Patāka hasta touches the middle line of the middle finger and the little finger is stretched out, it becomes Çatura hasta
Meaning:
7:383-389:
7:383-389:
Çatura hasta is used to denote the following: Göröcanam, dust, playful conversation, red paint, concentration, camphor, eye, chin, ear-ring, face, forehead, side-long look, beloved, naya, policy, musk, sugar, oil, honey, ghee, cleverness, mirror, gold, diamond, emerald, sufficient, this much, a moderate quantity of anything, nila-swěta etc. colours, mixed race, green meadow, sword, cheek, karnaptram or tip of the ear.
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4:1164-1165
4:1164-1165
Catura: The thumb of the Hamsapaksa Hasta is bent to touch the base of the middle finger.
Meaning:
4:1164-1165:
4:1164-1165:
This Hasta is used to depict chanting prayers, a small quantity, doubt and Vedic discourse,
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7:42
7:42
Catuṛā: In patākā hasta if the thumb is placed at the frontside root of the ring finger and the little finger at the back side of the last part of the ring finger it is catuṛā (When the thumb touches the root of the ring finger and the little finger touches the back side of the same finger.)
Meaning:
7:42:
7:42:
The less quantity, negation, on eyes, etc. are shown by this hasta.
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2:147
2:147
The three fingers are stretched and brought together with the little finger raised and thumb at the root of the middle finger. This is Catura.
Meaning:
2:148:
2:149:
2:148:
When used with a single hand it can be used to represent a slim waist, etc. The petals of a lotus and eyes can be indicated by this. When hands are rotated slightly it is for philosophy, bashfulness, etc.
2:149:
If this is raised up it shows fair complexion. When turned down, red and yellow colours. Hastas of both hands would rub against each other to show dark complexion.
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:54
:54
If the little finger sticks up, the three other fingers are extended and the thumb is placed in the midst of all of them, it is Catura hasta.
Meaning:
:627:
:628:
:629:
:630:
:631:
:632:
:633:
:634:
:635:
:636:
:637:
:638:
:639:
:640:
:644:
:627:
Great enjoyment, falsehood, truth, a salute, ornaments, fame, judgement, remembrance, excuse, a pleasure garden,
:628:
rending asunder, vermilion, glory, an eye, a quality, upper lip, low< lip, an ear, character, the lovely,
:629:
a controversy, happiness, good conduct, courtesy, a restraint, sport, news; wealth, the lack of wealth,
:630:
growth, eating, nourishment, fault, a tender leaf, a forest, faith, doubt, a little thing, one proficient in the Vedas, etc.,
:631:
cleverness, sweetness, a crane or other birds of the kind, softness, purity, salt, fishes,
:632:
arecanut, etc., a snail, pearl-oyster, the Treta age, the Agrahayana month, a gift, seven seas,
:633:
an oblong pond, a well, a bow, Indra, the ear of a deer, etc., hunting of animals, meditation,
:634:
a child, cadence, politeness, the proper skill, the injured, wholesome diet, the middle, the impure,
:635:
the seized, the tasteful, the deposited, the bashful, festivity, a cry, hearing, occurrence, name or definition, a cover,
:636:
means, variety, the available, the rare, the beating of children, a store house,
:637:
the mind, love, query, union, sleep, a soft thing, the blue, the yellow, the white, the red, etc., rubbing softly,
:638:
eatables, drinkables, what can be done, the lotus petal, a cemetery, the branch of a tree, the bilva tree, other small trees,
:639:
an umbrella, a cloth, patience, a thing, a pond, a lion, an air-ship, the goddess Sarasvati, a festivity of men, the cosmic waters, a horse, the speed of a bird’s flight, penance,
:640:
the shores of the seven seas, separation (from the beloved), the Creator, youth, the inclined, home—in these do I prescribe Catura hasta. Detailed Description of the Subjects of Catura Hasta
:644:
If Catura is moved to the back of the ear, it speaks of remembrance.
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:641
:641
If the two Caturas are brought together over the heart,
Meaning:
:641:
:641:
it indicates great enjoyment.
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:641
:641
If Catura, facing up, is moved in circles for a little while,
Meaning:
:641:
:641:
it means falsehood.
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:642
:642
If Catura, facing up, is made to hang a little at the front,
Meaning:
:642:
:642:
it indicates truth.
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:642
:642
If Catura touches the forehead,
Meaning:
:642:
:642:
it is a salute.
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:642
:642
If Catura is held over the hair of the head,
Meaning:
:642:
:642:
it means ornaments.
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:643
:643
If Catura, facing up, is extended to a distance,
Meaning:
:643:
:643:
it means fame.
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:643
:643
If the two Caturas are moved to the sides,
Meaning:
:643:
:643:
it suggests judgement.
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:644
:644
If Catura is moved down from near the ear,
Meaning:
:644:
:644:
it denotes excuse.
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:644
:644
If the two Caturas, facing down, are exhibited at the front,
Meaning:
:644:
:644:
it indicates a pleasure garden.
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:645
:645
If the two Caturas are joined at the front and then moved with a show of anger to the two sides,
Meaning:
:645:
:645:
it means rending asunder.
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:645
:645
If Catura is put on the head,
Meaning:
:645:
:645:
it means putting of vermilion.
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:645
:645
If the two Caturas are extended to a distance,
Meaning:
:645:
:645:
it means great glory.
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Description:
:646
:646
with one or the two Caturas, sometimes in a circular form and sometimes open.
Meaning:
:646:
:646:
All the subjects from ‘an eye’ to ‘home’ arc indicated
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7:85
7:85
If in gomukha thumb moves to the root of middle finger, it is catura.
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Arāla
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3:398
3:398
Where the thumb touches the middle joint of the middle finger and the little finger is raised it is known as catura.
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3:399
3:399
According to some, the thumb of the patāka hand touches the middle of the middle finger.
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3:399
3:399
Some again view that the little finger goes at the back of the ring finger.
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3:400
3:400
When placed near the face,
Meaning:
3:400:
3:400:
it indicates moral conduct,
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3:400
3:400
while placed on the chest
Meaning:
3:400:
3:400:
it indicates reasoning.
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3:400
3:400
When two hands touch each other at the wrists,
Meaning:
3:400:
3:400:
it indicates modesty.
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3:401
3:401
It is crossed
Meaning:
3:401:
3:401:
to indicate copulation.
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3:401
3:401
The hands are held downwards
Meaning:
3:401:
3:401:
to indicate a young boy.
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3:401
3:401
The hands are raised
Meaning:
3:401:
3:401:
to compare the eyes with lotus leaves.
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3:402
3:402
The hand is moved in udvestita
Meaning:
3:402:
3:402:
while sporting
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3:402
3:402
it is turned up
Meaning:
3:402:
3:402:
in throwing the dice.
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3:402
3:402
By rubbing the thumb and the middle finger with each other
Meaning:
3:402:
3:402:
crushing is indicated.
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3:403
3:403
The [catura] hands are joined
Meaning:
3:403:
3:403:
in clever speech
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3:403
3:403
it is moved to the side.
Meaning:
3:403:
3:403:
while in deliberation
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Related Combinations
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Contents:
1:205
1:205
Brahman: Brahman is to hold Catura with his left hand, Hamsasya with his right one.
