Mirror of Gestures.. Abhinaya-Darpanam -Part 1
Source Code of an Ancient Dance Manual
In the cosmic swirl of its planets to the dance of atoms, the Universe celebrates rhythm in movement. In the sway of trees to the blooming of a flower, Nature is ever expressing! Anando loke Mangala loke indeed.
And we are chip of the same block. Is n’t our mind a stage? Are we not dancing while Gazing at the birds! Staring at the Moon! Chatting with a Friend! Tagore’s beautiful words comes to my mind.. momo chitti.. keje nache.. taka thai thai.. taka thai thai.. taka thai thai..
It was Bharata muni who distilled these tenets. No wonder, Nāṭyashastra is revered as the Pancama Veda, the fifth Veda. Our inner soul is ātman — meaning ‘that which dances’.. And we, as nara and nārī, ‘that which moves’ celebrating life. That was quite a bit of Philosophy in Dancing.. PhD in deed.
I certainly was not a dance person.. But the few times the fitness it caught my gaze.. Wait.. Did the feet follow the music.. did the hands follow the feet, and the eyes the hand?
Abhinaya is that which transports.. The expressions and gestures.. Abhinaya Darpanam, authored by Nandikesvara, is a sparkling distillation of Nāṭyaśāstra in about 300 verses— a concise manual on the art of expression, gesture, and grace.
The topics and spread of Abhinaya Darpanam is mind-boggling.. The psychology of dancing.. The features of an ideal dancer.. How many bells should an anklet have? The opening protocol of a dance.. The bodyparts that make up gross and subtle motions in dance.. the angas, upa-angas and pratyangas. Different kind of motions in head, neck and eyes.. Different kind of Hand gestures and their applications.
Like always, I’m intrigued when I discover the source code in Sanskrit. The structure of the work, the fascinating details and elegant brevity are beautiful. Have handpicked familiar words and verses..
May it unfurl the Malvika of Kalidasa within...
May it transport you into the world of Natya..
May it leave behind a lingering rasa of awe and curiosity.
Shri gurubhyo namah..
Outline of this work..
Does n’t this spike curiosity? Like grammar for language! Like ABCs of words! The nuances carefully examined and crafted!
1. Dialogue of Indra and Nandikeśvara.. Purpose & Ideation
2. Trinity of Dance.. नाट्यं, नृत्तं, and नृत्यं ..
3. The Audience, The Music Ensemble, The Dancer, The Bells सभा-रचना
4. The Dance of Elements.. नाट्यक्रमः
5. The Four kinds of Abhinaya.. आङ्गिक, वाचिक, आहार्य, सात्त्विकाBody Motions
6. The major and minor limbs in motion .. अङ्ग, प्रत्यङ्ग, उपाङ्ग
7. The Nine movements of the Head.. The applications .. शिरोभेदाः.. विनियोगः
8. The Eight Glances.. दृष्टिभेदाः
9. The Four Necks.. ग्रीवाभेदाः
10. All about the Hands.. हस्तभेदाः
11. The TwentyEight SingleHand Gestures.. असंयुक्तहस्ताः
12. The TwentyFour CombinedHand Gestures .. संयुक्तहस्ताःVivid applications of हस्ताः
12.1 The hands of Gods.. देवहस्ताः..विष्णुहस्तः..लक्ष्मीहस्तः..विनायकहस्तः
12.2 The 10 avataars.. दशावताराहस्ताः
12.3 The 4 varnas ्जातीयहस्ताः
12.4 Hand gestures in Relationships.. बान्धवहस्ताः, मातृहस्त
12.5 The Nine planets.. नवग्रहहस्ताः13. The feet movements.. पादभेदाः
12. The Rasas, States.. अष्टरसाः, अवस्थाभेदाः
Chapters 1 to 3 covered in this post..
नन्दिकेश्वरविरचितम् अभिनयदर्पणम्
Invocation नमस्किया
आङ्गिकं भुवनं यस्य वाचिकं सर्ववाङ्मयम् ।
आहार्य चन्द्रतारादि तं नुमः सात्त्विकं शिवम् ॥ १॥“We bow to that Shiva, whose body is verily the whole universe [आङ्गिकं भुवनं], whose speech is all language [वाचिकं सर्ववाङ्मयम्],
whose ornaments are the moon and stars [आहार्यं चन्द्रतारादि], who is embodiment of expression (सात्त्विकं)”
The very essence of dancing — आङ्गिकं, वाचिकं, आहार्य and सात्त्विकं.. Of Body, Music, Costume Embelishments and the inner Spirit.
Chapter 1- Ideation
Indra, the mighty King of the Heavens, requests Nandikeshwara to impart the authentic knowledge of Natya Veda, that was composed by BharataMuni, in a very concise form.
Oh Indra! I shall reveal an abridged form of the great ocean of Bharatārṇava! Receive this simple “mirror” copy! [darpana mirror]
C2 नाट्योत्पत्तिः The Origins
This great knowledge was passed from Brahma to Bharata. He then propogated to the Gandharvas, Apsaras.
नाट्यवेदं ददौ पूर्वं भरताय चतुर्मुखः ।
ततश्च भरतः सार्धं गन्धर्वाप्सरसां गणैः ॥ २॥
The Three Kinds of Natana.. नटनभेदाः
नाट्य, नृत्तं and नृत्य are the 3 kinds. नाट्य also known as नाटकं is sacred storytelling acting, based on stories from ancient tradition. नृत्तं lacks emotion and expression भाव-अभिनय-हीन…It is pure rhythmic movement. While नृत्य infused with रस-भाव-व्यञ्जना mood, emotions and expressive suggestion.
नाट्यं
नाट्यं तन्नाटकं चैव पूज्यं पूर्वकथायुतम् ।
नृत्तं
भावाभिनयहीनं तु नृत्तमित्यभिधीयते ॥ १५॥
नृत्यं
रसभावव्यञ्जनादियुक्तं नृत्यमितीर्यते ।
Application.. When and where to Dance? नटनप्रयोगकालः
Dance and drama are to be performed especially during festivals,
when they are to be seen and enjoyed. नृत्तं is fitting during royal abishekams, grand celebrations, processions, temple festivals, weddings, and joyous unions. Also at the entry into cities or new homes, upon the birth of a child, in all auspicious rites, dance should be performed by those wishing for blessings.
द्रष्टव्ये नाट्यनृत्ये च पर्वकाले विशेषतः ॥ १२॥
नृत्तं तत्र नरेन्द्रानामभिषेके महोत्सवे ।
यात्रायां देवयात्रायां विवाहे प्रियसङ्गमे ॥ १३॥
नगराणामगाराणां प्रवेशे पुत्रजन्मनि ।
शुभार्थिभिः प्रयोक्तव्यं माङ्गल्यं सर्वकर्मभिः ॥ १४
Further, Lāsya is sweet form of dancing, and Tāṇḍava is violent form of dancing.
नाट्यप्रशंसा Praise of Dance and Drama
It is said that the lotus headed Brahma पद्मजः gathered पाठ्यं [words], अभिनयं [gesture], गीतं [melody], and रस [flavor] from the ऋग्, यजुः and सामवेद.
He composed this sacred शास्त्र on नाट्य to bestow the four pillars of life:
धर्म, अर्थ, काम, and मोक्ष.
A divine offering, नाट्य is meant to dispel sorrow, charm the senses, and elevate the spirit.
ऋग्यजुः सामवेदेभ्यो वेदाच्चाथर्वणः क्रमात्
पाठ्यं चाभिनयं गीतं रसान् सङ्गृह्य पद्मजः ।
व्यरीरचच्छास्त्रमिदं धर्मकामार्थमोक्षदम्
C3: The Elements of Stage सभारचना..
a) The Audience सभा
The Audience सभा shines like the tree, the erudite members wise like a bee, gathering the nectar of music and dance.
b) The Stage
That stage of नटनं is called रङ्ग! In the center is the dancer पात्र. On the right the तालधारी, on either side the drummers मृदङ्गक, and the singers गीतकारी in between! [Hmm.. The dancer पात्र is indeed a vessel befitting for carrying this dance of emotions]
तदग्रे नटनं कुर्यात् तत् स्थलं रङ्ग उच्यते ।
रङ्गमध्ये स्थिते पात्रे तत्समीपे नटोत्तमः ॥ २१॥
दक्षिणे तालधारी च पार्श्वद्वन्द्वे मृदङ्गकौ ।
तयोर्मध्ये गीतकारी श्रुतिकारस्तदन्तिके ॥ २२॥
एवं तिष्ठेत् क्रमेणैव नाट्यादौ रङ्गमण्डली ।
c) The Danseuse नर्तकी or पात्र
The dancer नर्तकी is slim and beautiful, youthful and curvaceous, confident, charming and dextrous.. skilled in steps and rhythms, quite at home on the stage, expert in गीत-वाद्य-ताला.. adorned with beautiful jewels, has big eyes in her charming lotus-face
पात्रलक्षणं
तन्वी रूपवती श्यामा पीनोन्नतपयोधरा ॥ २३॥
प्रगल्भा सरसा कान्ता कुशला ग्रहमोक्षयोः ।
विशाललोचना गीतवाद्यतालानुवर्तिनी ॥ २४॥
परार्ध्यभूषासम्पन्ना प्रसन्नमुखपङ्कजा ।
एवंविधगुणोपेता नर्तकी समुदीरिता ॥ २५॥
Swiftness, stability, alignment, swirling, eye glances, her industry, intelligence, dedication, speech and music are the 10 forces hallmarking a Danseuse.. पात्रप्राणा दश स्मृताः!
जवः स्थिरत्वं रेखा च भ्रमरी दृष्टिरश्रमः ॥ २७॥
मेधा श्रद्धा वचो गीतं पात्रप्राणा दश स्मृताः ।
d) The Bells किङ्किणी
Sweet sounding, beautiful and dainty bells kinkinis made of bronze celebrating the celestial illumining नक्षत्रदेवताः, tied with an indigo string with a thumb space between each bell, 100 or 200 bells in number is to be tied by the dancer
किङ्किणीलक्षणं
सुस्वराश्च सुरूपाश्च सूक्ष्मा नक्षत्रदेवताः ।
किङ्किण्यः कांस्यरचिता एकैकाङ्गुलिकान्तरम् ॥ २९॥
बध्नीयान्नीलसूत्रेण ग्रन्थिभिश्च दृढं पुनः ।
e) The Invocation प्रार्थनादिकं
Having praised विघ्नेश (the remover of obstacles), the Lord of Drums मुरजाधिप, and the Sky, one should pray to the Earth and perform an offering to the ensemble of instruments. After singing enchanting melodies Aalaap, the dance may begin, with a befitting dancer full of शृङ्गार, on obtaining the Guru’s permission!
विघ्नेशं मुरजाधिपं च गगनं स्तुत्वा महीं प्रार्थयेत् तत्तद्वाद्यकदम्बकस्य विधिना पूजाविधामानयेत् । आलप्यातिमनोहरान् बहुविधीन् सम्पाद्य भूयस्तथा गुर्वाज्ञामवलम्ब्य पात्रमुचितं शृङ्गारमेवारभेत् ॥ ३१॥
Prasing the Goddess of Arts and Stage रङ्गाधिदेवतास्तुतिः
You are the embodiment of the lineage of भरतकुल
Your art alone enchating the world!,
Victory, victory to you, O Goddess of the Stage, O Goddess!
जय जय रङ्गाधिदेवते देवि
भरतकुलभाग्यकलिके भावरसानन्दपरिणताकारे ।
जगदेकमोहनकले जय जय रङ्गाधिदेवते देवि ॥ ३२॥
The Flower Offering पुष्पाञ्जलिः
For removing obstacles, for protecting all beings,
For pleasing the Gods, for the glory of the spectators..
For the well-being of the dancer and the cast,
For the fruitification of the teacher
This offering of पुष्पाञ्जलिः by the dancer!
विघ्नानां नाशनं कर्तुं भूतानां रक्षणाय च ।
देवानां तुष्टये चापि प्रेक्षकाणां विभूतये ॥ ३३॥
श्रेयसे नायकस्यात्र पात्रसंरक्षणाय च ।
आचार्यशिक्षासिद्धार्थ पुष्पाञ्जलिमथारभेत् ॥ ३४॥
To be Continued..
Curious ?
The next chapters will open up the graceful world of gestures, glances, neck and head movements, and mudras — the true language of dance. Until then… taka thai thai…taka thai thai…
