Abhinaya-darpana (English)
by Ananda Coomaraswamy | 1917 | 16,981 words | ISBN-13: 9788121500210
The English translation of the Abhinaya-darpana (鈥渢he mirror of gesture鈥�) by Nandikeshvara: an encyclopedic manual of the art of gesticulation. It belongs to a wide range of literature known as Natya-shastra: the ancient Indian art of dramatic performance, theatrics, dance and music. The Abhinaya Darpana is an abridgement of the Bharatarnava, a m...
Chapter 7 - Eighth Glances
The Eight Glances (a峁ａ弓a d峁涐梗ti).鈥擨n Bharata艣膩stra the following eight sorts of Eye or Glance (诲峁涐梗峁璱) are mentioned:
Sama (level): gazing without winking, like a woman of the gods. Usage: beginning a dance, scales, thinking of some other matter, surprise, the image of a god.
膧濒辞办颈迟补 (inspecting): swiftly turning with keen glances. Usage: potter鈥檚 wheel turning, showing 鈥渁ll sorts of things鈥�, desires.
厂腻肠颈 (sidelong): looking out of the corners of the eyes, without moving the head. Usage: secret purpose (颈峁単颈迟补), twirling the moustache (self-confidence), aiming an arrow, hinting, and in Kula峁璦 苍腻峁瓂补.
Pralokita: turning from side to side. Usage: looking at things on both sides, making signs, moving, disordered mind.
狈颈尘墨濒颈迟补 (closed): the eyes half-closed, half-open. Usage: appearance of a sage (峁涐梗颈), subjection to another鈥檚 will, prayer (japa), meditation (诲丑测腻苍补), greeting (苍补尘补蝉办峁泃补), madness, keen insight (suk峁a 诲峁涐梗峁璱).
Ullokita (looking up): directing the glance keenly up and aside. Usage: the point of a flag, tower (gopura), temple (dev a mandapa), previous lives, height, moonlight.
础苍耻惫峁泃迟补 (following): glancing quickly up and down. Usage: angry looks, friendly invitation.
Avalokita (looking down): looking down. Usage: looking at a shadow, reflection (惫颈肠腻谤补), bed, study, looking at one鈥檚 own body.