Nṛttahastas - Dance hands (single and combined)
Nartananirṇaya - Language: Sanskrit
The author is thought to be a South Indian, who migrated between courts, eventually writing this text for the Emperor Akbar. The text talks about drama, music, and dance - much like the Natya Sastra, but includes more modern concepts. Bose describes it as the missing link between ancient and current classical dance.
If two khaṭakāmukhas facing away from each other, are placed at the chest with eight aṅgulas (Indian inches) in between, such that the elbows are even with shoulders, it is declared to be caturasra.
If two haṁsapakṣas, facing away from each other are held at the chest in front it is udvṛtta.
If the svastika hastas are quickly separated, then it is said to be viprakīrṇa.
If in the selfsame (viprakīrṇa) hasta one is arāla and the other, khaṭakā (mukha) [it becomes] arālakhaṭakamukha.
If the self same hands are reversed and displayed with sportful movements of the forearm, elbow and shoulder [it becomes] āviddhavaktra.
The midfinger and thumb of two sarpaṡīrsha hastas [are joined together and move across] the forefingers (stretched) outward to give sūcī (mukha).
If in this (same) patākas or haṁsapakṣas move rapidly, it is recita.
If one of these hands is caturasra (hasta) it is ardharecita.
If tripatāka hands are held in front of the cheeks, it is then uttānavañcita.
Pallava is opined to be formed by slackly held svastika hands facing downward.
Movement [of these hands [? patākas?] from the shoulder to the region of hips is nitamba.
In keśabandha (these) move from the region of the hair along the sides (to the region of the hips).
If tripatāka hands are transversely (obliquely) moved swingingly, it is latākara hasta.
Karidanta hasta is [formed] with khaṭakā(mukha) with one hand and latā with the other, held at the ear.
When the shoulder in haṁsapakṣa moves sideways, it is danḍapakṣa.
Ūrdhvamaṇḍalin hasta occurs by the turning round of kesa [bandha] haste executed upwards.
The selfsame, displayed at the sides are declared to be pārśvamaṇḍalin.
[If the same] are turned round each other outward and inward [at chest level] at the front, it is uromaṇḍalin.
When alapallava and arāla hands execute a half circle around the upper region of the chest to the side, it should be understood as uraḥpārśvārdhamaṇḍalin.
When khaṭakā (mukha) hastas are crossed repeatedly < avrttau > it is mustika- svastika.
Two padmakosahands, turning inward [make] nalinīpadmakośa.
[The same] turning outward in the region of the chest [give] alapallava.
If the same are moved to the region of the respective shoulder, it is alapadma.
Two aviddha(vaktra) hands stretched upward, should be understood as ulbaṇa.
Two pallava hands got to the region of the head are said to be lālita.
Two lata hands [displayed] crosswise at the elbows, [form] valita.
Two arāla hands, (placed) on the hip and (in the region of the )head [constitute] varadābhayada.