Essay name: Hastalaksanadipika a critical edition and study
Author:
E. K. Sudha
Affiliation: Government Sanskrit College (Tripunithura) / Department of Sanskrit
This is an English study on the Hastalaksanadipika—a manual depicting the Mudras (gestures) of the Kerala theatre. It is a very popular text supposedly dating to the 10th century A.D. This study also touches the subject of Krsnanattam, Kathakali and Kutiyattam—some of India's oldest theatrical traditions in Kerala.
Chapter 2 - Bharata’s Dramaturgy
44 (of 56)
External source: Shodhganga (Repository of Indian theses)
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in life, though we do also make allowances for certain things, even though they violate representational norms. Thus, not all activity that take place on the stage is a case of Natyadharmi. This point has been unerlined, but it needs to be reemphasised. Now the criteria discussed above may be applied to four types of abhinayas. (i) Sātvika: Sātvikabhinaya can never be a case of Natyadharmi, because, tears, trembling, petrifaction, even if they are successfully simulated by the skilled actor (AG would agree that there is simulation, only sympathetic identification (3) would become natural expressions (:) of the character and not artificial or mere illusion-creating devices. 76 (ii) Väcika: A large part of stage dialogue would fall under Lökadharmi.
But poetic speeches, asides, lengthy monologes, poetic or singing
duets, lengthy lyrical elaborations of sentiments (eg: ageun
in M). Musical enunciation of lines and so forth may be
included under Natyadharmi of the Vācika type. However, when
these very things are presented in the form of anuvada (repetition)
or anukaraṇa (imitation) they would be perfectly natural. Thus, a
play situation, within the play (3) all that is Nāṭyadharmi
would be Lōkadharmi relative to the 'frame of drama'. Similarly,
when a character in a drama is shown walking in dance steps there
is the use of Natyadharmi. Dancing and singing are not of course
