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Research 
Elizabeth Kelly 

When the shoulders and the elbows [required for] khatakamukha hands held at the same level face forward at a distance of eight inches from the chest, it is known as caturasra.

It is used in pulling a pearl necklace and a flower garland etc.

When haṁsapaksha hands are moved in the same way with one hand turned up and lowered and the other turned downwards off the chest, it is known as udvrtta. Some call it talavrnta

it is used to indicate a palm-leaf fan.

Others say that when two haṁsapaksha hands facing forward are moved inwards and outwards it is udvṛtta

it is used to indicate victory.

Research 
Elizabeth Kelly 

When the hands in udvṛtta [are changed] to haṁsapaksha at the sides obliquely with the palms facing each other, it is known as talamukha.

It is prescribed by the experts to indicate the sweet sound of drums.

When the same hands are separated from svastika [position] it is known as viprakirna. Some say that in viprakirna these haṁsapaksha hands are held with their tips facing upwards or downwards over the breasts and facing different directions.

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.

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.

Moving patāka hands quickly inward [in vyavrtti] with palms facing downwards while the arms, the elbows and the shoulders are moved gracefully, it is called aviddhavaktra hand [gesture]. Experts say that it is used in throwing or walking.

When the thumbs and the middle-fingers of sarpasirsa hands are joined near the caturasra region [eight fingers away from the chest] with the forefingers extended, it is known as sūcīmukha.

Or, some say that thumbs of sarpasirsa hands are stretched out in the middle and moved in svastika, [i.e., crossed]. Or, some [again] say that after moving the hands first in patāka inwards and outwards, the forefingers are extended [in the sucimukha hand-ges-ture].  This is sūcīmukha.

The hands stretched out with palms raised is known as recita. Some say that haṁsapaksha hands moved in a circle and held still is recita.

This is used in tearing up the chest of the demon by Nrsimha.

The same gesture with one hand in caturasra is known as ardharecita. Sarrigadeva considers that when the left hand is in khatakamukha and the right hand is in recita it is ardharecita.

When the hands in tripatāka face each other slightly ob-liquely near the cheeks or the chest or the elbows and then moved away from the chest with the shoulders and elbows slightly shaking, then the experts call [the gesture] uttanavancita.

When the arms are [first] moved in vyavartana upwards and extended and then turned back in parivartita with patāka hands crossed in svastika, it is known as pallava. Some say that tripataka hands are loosened [at the wrists] in pallava. [Yet] some others say that hands either in patāka or in padmakosa are loosened [at the wrists] and moved up and down at the sides or in front of the elbows in pallava.

When the hands either in patāka or in tripataka facing upwards and then downwards are moved to the region of the hips, proceeding from the region of the shoulders, [finishing] with a recaka movement, it is known as nitamba. Some say that the hands move from the region of the back.

When the hands in tripatāka or in patāka being raised from the sides to the head move out of the region of the hair repeatedly to reach the hips, it is called kesabandha.

Research 
Elizabeth Kelly 

When the hands in patāka or in tripatāka are stretched and swayed sideways it is known as lata by the experts in dance.

Research 
Elizabeth Kelly 

One hand in lata touches the sides [imitating] the trunk of an elephant and is then raised and swayed while the other hand either in khatakamukha or in tripatāka is placed on the ear. Here the controversy is over the use of double or single hands [which] are of three varieties. I shall not discuss its nature as it is not useful.This is karihasta.

The fingertips of tripatāka hands are placed on top of the hips in pakṣavañcita.

When the pakṣavañcita hands face the sides with their fingertips or they are raised, it is known as pakṣapradyotaka. Some say that the fingers of these hands are raised.

One hand in haṁsapaksha is brought from its side near the chest while the other hand in lata is gracefully extended. [The same movement] is done with the hands [lit: body] alternating. This is known as dandapaksa. Some say that both the hands are extended at the same time.

When the elbows of patāka or tripatāka hands are slightly bent and they are placed on the hips obliquely, [one] facing up and [the other] down, it is known as garudapaksa.

When the urdhvamandalina hands come down to the sides in patāka facing each other, it is known as pārśvamaṇḍalina. Some say that the arms are moved around in dviddha. This is known as pārśvamaṇḍalina and also as kaksdvartanika.

The hands in arāla [are placed] near the region of the chest, having moved first in avestita and then in apavestita karanas. Then they are moved around at the sides alternately in circles and again they reach the region of the chest. This is known as uromandalina. Some say that the hands are [simply] moved around the region of the chest. Experts in dance also call it urovartanika. Others [again], suggest haṁsapaksha hands [for this gesture as well as] urdhvamandalina etc.

When one hand is extended at the side and the other hand is placed on the chest with palms facing upwards and [then] they are moved around near the chest in vyavartana, assuming alapadma gestures and then go to the sides in circular movements simultaneously, [the gesture] is known as uraḥpārśvārdhamaṇḍalina. Some experts in dance say that the [movements of] these two [hands] are to be repeated.

In muṣṭisvastika, one hand in arāla is moved in vartana while the other hand in alapallava [is moved] several times, alternately assuming the svastika gesture, and finally both the hands perform khatakamukha hand-gestures. Some experts say that in muṣṭisvastika, svastika gestures can also be formed either with Sikhara or kapittha hands.

When the padmakosa hands having been first joined in svastika are moved in vyavrtta facing opposite directions from each other, it is known as nalimpadmakosa. Others view that when the padmakosa hands are joined at the wrists [and] moved from the shoulders or the breasts and are placed near the knees facing each other in vyavrtta and parivarta and then separated, it is known as nalimpadmakosa.

In alapadmaka, the alapallava hands are [first] placed in the region of the chest in udvestita and then they are moved back near the shoulders.

When with moving fingers the alapadma hands are extended up towards the shoulders and turned around, the hand [gesture] is known as ulbana.

According to the experts in hand-gestures for dance, valita becomes lālita when the hands are placed on the head. Others again say that khatakamukha hands, placed on the head facing and touching each other, is known as lālita.

Research 
Elizabeth Kelly 

Lata hands become valita when the elbows are crossed in svastika. Others say that when the tips of the hands are joined with one another facing up in khatkamukha [they form] valita. Others [suggest] that mustikasvastika hands, held up, make valita.

Research 
Elizabeth Kelly 

When two haṁsapaksha hands are crossed touching each other, it is known as svastika.

The right and the left hands in arāla are separated and placed on the [corresponding] hips in varada [giving a boon] and abhaya [giving assurance] hands in varadābhaya hand [gesture].

The [combination of the] left hand in recita and the right hand in khatakamukha is described as ardhacaturaśra hand [gesture] by other [experts].

When the little finger of the patāka hand is bent it is known as triśikha

it is used to indicate objects with three heads.

while number three is [to be denoted] by triśikha

When the tip of the little finger of trisikha hand is touched with the tip of the thumb,

it denotes number six

[the same movement done with the tips of] the ring finger [and the thumb]

while number seven is indicated.

When the middle and the end of the thumb are pressed with the middle joints of the forefinger and the middle finger, it is known as the ardhamuṣṭi hand [gesture].

It is used to indicate milking and in dragging a buffalo or a camel by holding their horns.

When the ring and the little fingers are pressed by the thumb and the rest [of the fingers] are separated, extended and curved, it is known as the vṛṣabha hand [gesture].

Cows and buffaloes and other animals with horns are shown [by it]. O great sage, two calves are indicated by two khatakamukha hands. Then [again] to act out weaning calves and young calves, the ardhacandra hands pointing downwards are brought down near the knee by the expert.

When the thumb of a kapittha hand presses on the middle finger it is known as vṛścika

with this [gesture] a spear, a hook, an axe, a spade, a plough, a weapon, or perana dance etc. can be shown.

Bharata Natyam 
Elizabeth Kelly 

When two forefingers of suci hands are joined obliquely at the middle-joint and are slightly bent, it is known as the kalihasta hand [gesture].

It is used in quarrel, fighting, envy and in pointing at an enemy. Some say that dvisikhara is done by joining two hands in sikhara.

When two arāla hands are brought to the forehead from the chest and then to the sides, moving them around in a circle, it is known as the urdhvamandalina hand-[gesture]. Some say that gesture ends when [the hands] reach the forehead. The experts on dance know it as cakravartinika.