Arālakaṭakamukha

Nṛttahastas - Dance hands (single and combined)

Descriptions and Meanings

200 BCE - 200 CE
The Natya Sastra (NS) - Board of Scholars

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Description:
9:182

Two Alapallava hands palms up wards changed into Padmakosa hands are called Arālakaṭakā Mukha or Arālākhaṭaka.

No associated meanings

Based upon:
Padmakoṡa: All the fingers including the thumb are kept separately and the ends bent. They do not meet one another.

Padmakōṡa - 9:80 No image available
Padmakōṡa - 9:83 The fingers are separated from one another and are kept turned towards the palm in a circular way. This is called Alapadmaka or Alapallava.

The fingers are separated from one another and are kept turned towards the palm in a circular way. This is called Alapadmaka or Alapallava.

Alapallava (Utpalapadma) - 9:90
Not included elsewhere

200 BCE - 200 CE
The Natyasastra, Volume I (NS) - Dr. Manomohan Ghosh

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Description:
9:178

Arālakhaṭakāmukha—the two Alapallava (Alapadmaka) hands with palms upwards changed into Padmakośa hands. Its another name is Arālakaṭaka.

No associated meanings

Based upon:
Padmakośa (lotus-bud)—the fingers including the thumb to be separated and their ends to bend, but not to meet one another.

Padmakōṡa - 9:80 Alapallava (Alapadmaka)—all fingers turned towards the palm, standing on its side and separated from one another.

Alapallava (Utpalapadma) - 9:90
Not included elsewhere

400 CE - 500 CE
Visnudharmottarapurana (VDP) - Dr. Priyabala Shah

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Description:
26:74

The two Arāla hands, loosened on wrists, should be known as Arāla Khaṭakamukha in acting.

No associated meanings

Based upon:
In Arāla hand Pradeśini (fore-finger) is bent like a bow, the thumb is bent and the remaining fingers are separated, raised upwards and then curved.

In Arāla hand Pradeśini (fore-finger) is bent like a bow, the thumb is bent and the remaining fingers are separated, raised upwards and then curved.

Arāla - 26:24
Not included elsewhere

1100 CE - 1200 CE
The Mirror of Gesture (AD) - Ananda Coomaraswamy

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Description:
No verse annotation

Arāla-kaṭaka-mukha: Arala and Kaṭaka-mukha hands held crossed. Patron deity Vamana.

Meaning:
No verse annotation:

giving pieces of betel leaf, anxiety, dismay.

Based upon:
Arāla (bent): the first finger of the Patāka hand is curved.

Arāla - No verse annotation According to another book: the thumb and forefinger of the Patāka hand are curved. It was first used by Agastya in drinking (aposanam krte) the seven seas. Its colour is red, its race mixed, its patron deity Vasudeva — such is its history according to Bharata and others.

According to another book: the thumb and forefinger of the Patāka hand are curved. It was first used by Agastya in drinking (aposanam krte) the seven seas. Its colour is red, its race mixed, its patron deity Vasudeva — such is its history according to Bharata and others.

Arāla - No verse annotation Kaṭakāmukha (opening in a link): the forefinger and middle finger are applied to the thumb.

Kaṭakāmukha - No verse annotation According to another book: the thumb of the Kapittha hand is thrown forward. This hand originated when Guha received instruction in archery from Siva. Its sage is Bhargava, its colour coppery, its race Deva, its presiding deity Raghurama.

According to another book: the thumb of the Kapittha hand is thrown forward. This hand originated when Guha received instruction in archery from Siva. Its sage is Bhargava, its colour coppery, its race Deva, its presiding deity Raghurama.

Kaṭakāmukha - No verse annotation
Not included elsewhere

1100 CE - 1200 CE
Abhinaya Darpanam of Nandikeswara (AD) - P.S.R. Apparao

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Description:
8:531-532

When an Arāla hasta and a Kaṭakamukha hasta are crossed, it is Arālakaṭakamukha hasta.

Meaning:
8:531-532:

This hasta denotes offering of betel leaves, anxiety and dismay.

Based upon:
If the forefinger of Patāka hasta is bent, then it becomes Arāla hasta.

Arāla - 7:275-276 When the thumb and the forefinger of Patāka hasta are bent, it will become Arāla hasta.

Arāla - 7:277-281 In Kapittha hasta, if the tip of the forefinger touches the tips of the thumb and the middle finger, it becomes Kaṭakāmukha hasta (kaṭakā-mukha = link in a bangle or chain).

In Kapittha hasta, if the tip of the forefinger touches the tips of the thumb and the middle finger, it becomes Kaṭakāmukha hasta (kaṭakā-mukha = link in a bangle or chain).

Kaṭakāmukha - 7:314-316 If the thumb of the Kapittha hasta is raised up, it becomes Kaṭakāmukha hasta.

Kaṭakāmukha - 7:317-322
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1126 CE - 1234 CE
The Nṛtyavinōda of Mānasôllāsa, A Study (NVoM) - Hema Govindarajan

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Description:
4:1244-1246

Arālakaṭakāmukha: One hand is held in front of the chest in the Khaṭakāmukha Hasta facing outwards. The other hand in the Arāla Hasta is held obliquely and is extended slightly facing outwards.

No associated meanings

Based upon:
Arāla: The forefinger of the Padmakōṡa Hasta is extended.

Arāla - 4:1176-1178 Khaṭakāmukha: The ring finger and the little finger of the Kapittha Hasta are raised and bent.

Kaṭakāmukha - 4:1206-1208
Not included elsewhere

1138 CE - 1400 CE
Śri Pārśvadeva's Saṅgítasamayasāra (SS) - Dr. M. Vijayalakshmi

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Description:
7:87

Arala Kataka: If arala and kataka hastas are formed in both hands it is arala kataka hasta. :

No associated meanings

Based upon:
Arāla: If the forefinger is twisted in the sarpa hasta it is arala.

Arāla - 7:47 Kaṭakāmukha : If in kapittha hasta last two fingers are lifted up with a twist it is kaṭakā mukha

Kaṭakāmukha - 7:61
Not included elsewhere

1200 CE - 1300 CE
Jāyasenāpativiracita Nṛttaratnāvalī, Volume I (NrtN) - Pappu Venugopala Rao and Yashoda Thakore

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Description:
2:243-246

As a first step, svastika hastas with patakas are made to execute vyavartana or parivartana, the hands turning into alapadma while doing so.

Then padmakosa hastas are held to face upwards and made to perform vyavartana and parivartana.

After that one hand turns into arāla and second into kaṭakāmukha, both being held in the square position of caturasra becomes Arālakaṭakāmukha.

A few scholars opined that the whole exercise should be done with hands crossed in svastika. Few others said that it should first be presented with arālas and then kaṭakāmukha.

No associated meanings

Based upon:

Since patāka is the fundamental form, it features naturally in all actions. Therefore the functions of patāka are great. Many hand gestures are born from this, hence the importance of the hasta. The thumb must be bent to touch the root of the fore finger like the bent foot. The other fingers are stretched and held together on the same plane. As the hand then resembles the flag, it is called patāka.

Patāka - 2:97-99 The middle finger is bent to be held by the thumb and the remaining are raised and bent. This is kaṭakāmukha hasta

Kaṭakāmukha - 2:113-114 All the fingers and the thumb are held separately and bent slightly with the palm facing up and the extremes coming close to complete the circle, giving an impression of a lotus which has blossomed slightly. Know this hasta as padmakoṡa.

All the fingers and the thumb are held separately and bent slightly with the palm facing up and the extremes coming close to complete the circle, giving an impression of a lotus which has blossomed slightly. Know this hasta as padmakoṡa.

Padmakōṡa - 2:141-142 No image available
Arāla - 2:152 With the little finger taking the lead, the fingers are curled inwards, one following the other, forming the alapallava hasta.

With the little finger taking the lead, the fingers are curled inwards, one following the other, forming the alapallava hasta.

Alapallava (Utpalapadma) - 2:168 When the hastas change to arālas in this position and are moved to the left, it becomes svastika hasta as sage Bharata saw it.

When the hastas change to arālas in this position and are moved to the left, it becomes svastika hasta as sage Bharata saw it.

Svastika - 2:175 No image available
Vyāvartana - 2:209 No image available
Parivartitam - 2:210-211 No image available
Caturaśra - 2:236 No image available
Caturaśra - 2:237
Not included elsewhere

1350 CE - 1550 CE
Śrihastamuktāvali (HM) - Maheswar Neog

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Description:
:881-82

If the right Khatakamukha is placed at the front of the heart, and the left Arala is obliquely extended with its back on Khatakdmukha, it is Aralakhatakamukha hasta.

No associated meanings

Based upon:
No image available
Kaṭakāmukha - :44 When the thumb and the fore-finger are bent like the two ends of a bow, and the remaining three fingers are extended towards the front, it is Arala hasta.

When the thumb and the fore-finger are bent like the two ends of a bow, and the remaining three fingers are extended towards the front, it is Arala hasta.

Arāla - :45
Not included elsewhere

1500 CE - 1600 CE
Nartananirnaya of Sri Pandrika Vitthala Vol. 3 (NN) - R. Sathyanarayana

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Description:
7:114

If in the selfsame (viprakīrṇa) hasta one is arāla and the other, khaṭakā (mukha) [it becomes] arālakhaṭakamukha.

No associated meanings

Based upon:
Curving [further] the bent forefinger of catura [gives] arāla.

Arāla - 7:95 If the ring finger of kapittha is slightly raised, it is khaṭakāmukha.

Kaṭakāmukha - 7:102 No image available
Viprakīrna - 7:113
Not included elsewhere

1600 CE - 1650 CE
Saṅgītanārāyaṇa (SN) - Mandakranta Bose

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Description:
3:483-484

The left hand in arāla is held at the right side. [Or] both the hands in khatakamukha are held near the left arm pointing downward and [then they are crossed] in svastika close to the chest to make aralakhatakamukha.

No associated meanings

Based upon:
That is known as arala where the thumb is bent like a bow at first, the palm is curved in the middle and the rest of [the fingers] are half bent touching [each other].

That is known as arala where the thumb is bent like a bow at first, the palm is curved in the middle and the rest of [the fingers] are half bent touching [each other].

Arāla - 3:355-357 When the ringfinger and the little finger of the kapittha hand are stuck out slightly bent and separated, it becomes khatakamukha.

Kaṭakāmukha - 3:372
Not included elsewhere

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Description:
3:485

Or, when padmakosa hands are moved inward and outward facing up, then they form arāla and then assume khatakamukha creating the shape of khataka, then the gesture is known as aralakhatakaimikha.

No associated meanings

Based upon:
That is known as arala where the thumb is bent like a bow at first, the palm is curved in the middle and the rest of [the fingers] are half bent touching [each other].

Arāla - 3:355-357 When the ringfinger and the little finger of the kapittha hand are stuck out slightly bent and separated, it becomes khatakamukha.

Kaṭakāmukha - 3:372 When the thumb and the fingers are separated and bent like a bow without touching at the tip it is known as padmakosa.

Padmakōṡa - 3:383
Not included elsewhere

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