Some of the important aspects of Bharatanatyam are described here referring various resources masking it easy for students understanding and for the ones appearing for examination.
MEANING OF THE TERM BHARATANATYAM
Bharatanatyam word was derived by joining two Sanskrit words: ’Natyam’ meaning dance and ’Bharata’ which is a mnemonic containing ’Bha’ (bhava/emotions), ‘Ra’ (raga/melody), and ‘Ta’ (tala/rhythm). Thus the term Bharatanatyam means a dance that expresses Bhava, Raga, and Tala.
NAMASKRIYA or NAMASKARA SLOKAM
“Angikam bhuvanam yasya
Vachikam sarva vangmayam
Aharyam chandra taradi
Tam numah satvikam sivam”
The full meaning of this sloka
We bow to Lord Shiva
Whose body is the universe,
Whose speach is the essence of all languages,
Whose ornaments are the moon and the stars…
Word meaning
- Angikam - body
- Bhuvanam - universe
- Yasya - whose
- Vachikam - speach, song
- Sarva - everyone
- Vangmayam - language
- Aharyam - ornaments
- Chandra - moon
- Taradi - starts
- Tam - to YOU
- Numah - to bow
- Satvikam - pure
- Shivam - God Shiva
GURU VANDANA SLOKAM
“GururBrahma GururVishnu GururDevo Maheshwaraha
Guru Saakshaat ParaBrahma Tasmai Sri Gurave Namaha”
Full meaning of the sloka
Guru is the Creator (Brahma),
Guru is the Preserver(Vishnu),
GuruDeva is Destroyer(Maheshwara)
Guru is the absolute (singular) Lord himself,
Salutations to that Sri Guru
Word Meaning
- Guru: Dispeller of Darkness; Gu=Darkness,
- Ru=Remover
- Brahma: Creator; Personification of Creating Quality of God
- Vishnu: Preserver; Personification of Preserving quality of God
- Deva: God
- Maheshwara: Destroyer; Personification of Destroying Quality of God
- Saakshaat: Self/ Himself
- ParaBrahma: He who is the highest Lord; Consciousness
- Tasmai: To him/ To such
- Sri: Holy, splendorous
- Namaha: Salutations
KSHAMATA SLOKAM
“Samudravasane devi parvatsthanmandale
Vishnupatni namastubhyam padsparsham kshamaswa me”
Full meaning of the sloka
(Oh Mother Earth) The Devi Who is having Ocean as Her Garments and Mountains as Her Bosom,
Who is the Consort of Sri Vishnu, I Bow to You; Please Forgive Us for Touching You with Our Feet.
Word Meaning
- Samudra-vasane devi - O ocean-robed goddess!
- Parvatha-sthana-mandale – The mountain ranges are your bosoms (adorned prettily by the mountains).
- Vishnu-patni namastubhyam - Salutations, O wife of ViShnu,
- Paadasparsham Kshamasva mE - Forgive my treading (upon) you
NATYA SLOKAM
“Yatho Hasta thatho Drishti, Yatho Drishti thatho
Manah Yatho Manah thatho Bhaava, Yatho Bhaava thatho Rasa”
Full meaning of the slokam is (Rules for dancing)
Where the hands(hasta) are, go the eyes (drishti);
where the eyes are, goes the mind (manah);
where the mind goes, there is an expression of inner feeling (Bhaava)
and where there is bhava,
mood or sentiment (rasa) is evoked.
- Source: Natyashastra
ASAMYUTHA HASTAS SLOKAM
ll Pathakas thripathaako ardhapathaakaha karthareemukhaha Mayooraakhyo ardhachandrashcha araalaha hukhatundakaha Mushtishcha shikharaakhyashcha kapithaha katakaamukhaha Soochee chandrakalaa padmakoshaha sarpashirasthathaa Mrigasheershaha simhamukha kaangulashcha alapadmakaha Chathuro bhramarashchaiva hamsaasyo hamsapakshakaha Samdamsho mukulashchaiva thaamrachoodas hrishoolakaha Ashtavimshati Hastanamevam Namaami Vaikramaam ll
Asamyukta hastas are done using single hand. The Abinayadarpana mentions 28 Mudras.These Hand gestures are a Part of Angika Abhinaya.
Following are the list of the single hand gestures.
- 1. Pataaka
- 2. Tripataaka
- 3. Ardhapataaka
- 4. Kartarimukha
- 5. Mayura
- 6. Ardhachandra
- 7. Araala
- 8. Shukatunda
- 9. Mushthi
- 10. Shikhara
- 11. Kapitta
- 12. Katakaamukha
- 13. Suchi
- 14. Chandrakalaa
- 15. Padmakosham
- 16. Sarpashirsha
- 17. Mrigashirsha
- 18. Simhamukha
- 19. Kangula
- 20. Alapadma
- 21.Chatura
- 22. Bhramara
- 23. Hamsaasya
- 24. Hansapakshika
- 25. Sandamsha
- 26. Mukula
- 27. Tamrachuda
- 28. Trishula
SAMYUKTA HASTAS SLOKAM
ll Anjalishcha kapotashcha karkata svastikastatha Dolahasta pushpaputa utsanga shivalingakaha Katakavardhanashchaiva kartarisvastikabhitaha Shakata shankha chakrecha samputa pasha kilakau Matsya kurmo varahashcha garudo nagabandhakaha khatva bherundakaakhyashcha avahittastathaiva cha Chaturvimshati samkhyaanam samyutah kathitah karaah ll
Samyukta hastas are done using two hands. According to Abhinayadarpana - By Sri Nandeekeshwara there are 24 Mudras in Samyukta hands. These Hand Gestures are a Part of Angika Abhinaya.
Following are the list of the two hand gestures.
- 1. Anjali
- 2. Kapota
- 3. Karkata
- 4. Swastika
- 5. Dola
- 6. Pushpaputa
- 7. Utsanga
- 8. Shivalinga
- 9. Katakavardhana
- 10. Kartariswastika
- 11. Shakata
- 12. Shankha
- 13. Chakra
- 14. Samputa
- 15. Pasha
- 16. Kilaka
- 17. Mathsya
- 18. Kurma
- 19. Varaha
- 20. Garuda
- 21. Nagabandha
- 22. Khatava
- 23. Bhairunda
- 24. Avahitta
NRITTA HASTAS SLOKAM
ll Pataka Swastikyascha Dolahasta tatha Anjali hi Katakavardanaschaiva Shakataha Paasha Keelakou Kapithaha Shikaraha Kurmo Hamsasyas Chalapadmakaha Trayodasaithe hastasyu nruttasya prayogitaha ll
Accoring to Nandikeshwara’s Abhinaya Dharpanam we practice 13 NRITTA HASTAS:
- 1. Pataka
- 2. Swastika
- 3. Dolahasta
- 4. Anjali
- 5. Katakavardhana
- 6. Shakata
- 7. Paasha
- 8. Keelakou
- 9. Kapitta
- 10. Shikara
- 11. Koorma
- 12. Hamsasya
- 13. Alapadma
BEDAS
SHIROBEDA (HEAD MOVEMENTS)
Shira or shirasa means ”head” in sanskrit. The 9 head movements refer to the head positions.
Slokam
ll Samamudvahitam adhomukhamalolitam dhutam Kampitam cha paravrittamutkshiptam parivaahitam Navadhaa kathitam sheersham natayashastravisharadaiha ll
WORD MEANING
- 1.Sama- head is motionless and straight use: beginning of dance, pride, praying
- 2. Udvahita- face is raised up uses: to show moon, sky
- 3. Adhomukha- face is bent down uses: show grief, bowing, fainting,
- 3. Adhomukha- face is bent down uses: show grief, bowing, fainting,
- 5. Dhuta- shaking the head from side to side uses: sadness, astonishment, discouraging
- 6. Kampita- shaking head up and down use: calling someone, inviting deities, enquiry
- 7. Paravratta- looking at sides uses: anger, shame, turning face away,
- 8. Utksipta- turning head to a side and then raised up uses: to say take this or come, supporting of something, accepting
- 9. Parivahita- shaking head swiftly from one side to other uses: praise of deity, approval
DRISHTIBHEDA (EYE MOVEMENTS)
Drishthi in sanskrit means “Vision”. In relation to our eyes it means “sight” or “to see”. There are eight types of Eye movements given in the shastras
Slokam
ll Samam Alolitham Saachi Praalokitham Nimeelithe Ullokithanuvrithecha Thatha Chaiva avalokanam Ithyashtau drishtibhedasyu keerthitha poorvasoorabhi ll
WORD MEANING
- 1. Sama: Eye kept still without any movement.
- 2. Alokita: Rolling your eyeballs in a circular pattern.
- 3. Saachi: Looking through the corner of the eyes.
- 4. Pralokita: moving your eyes side to side.
- 5. Nimilita: It looks like a half shut eye. Here one tries to focus the eyeball towards the heart.
- 6. Ullokita: Looking upwards.
- 7. Anuvritta: Rapid movement of the eyes up and down.
- 8. Avalokita: Looking down
GREEVA BHEDA (NECK MOVEMENTS)
Neck movements are an integral part of most indian classical dance forms. If performed in a smooth and delicate manner it increases the quality of both Nritta and Abhinaya. There are four types of neck movements mentioned in AbhinayaDarpanam
SLOKAM
ll Sundari cha Tirashchina tathaiva Parivartita Prakampita cha bhavagnair gneya greeva chaturvidha ll
WORD MEANING
- 1. Sundari: Here the neck is moved from side to side.
- 2. Tirashchina: Here neck is moved in a V-shape.
- 3. Prarivartita: Here the neck is moved in a Semicircle or moonlike shape.
- 4. Prakampita: Here the neck is moved forward and back.
BHRU BEDA (EYEBROW MOVEMENTS)
“Bhru” means Eyebrows in Sanskrit. We have 6 eyebrow movements according to shastras.
SLOKAM
ll Sahaja Patitōkshipta chatura rechita tatha kunchitēti shadēvātra bhrū chāturyāvati kriyā ll
WORD MEANING
- 1. Sahaja- The natural eyebrows in a smooth face; the natural position
- 2. Patita- When the eyebrows are at rest and then drop; indicates disgust, astonishment and jealousy
- 3. Utkshipta- Raising one or both eyebrows; used to denote the woman's anger, telling the truth, amorous feelings, and dalliance
- 4. Chatura- Moving both eyebrows in a pleasing manner; used to denote touching another's face, heart's bliss and excitement
- 5. Rechitha- When one brow is contracted with charm and sweetness; used to denote listening to a secret, saying in appreciation and looking at a particular place
- 6. Kunchita- When one or both the eyebrows are arched/bent; used to denote anger or pleased by something, etc.
PAADABEDA ACCORDING TO NATYASHASTRA
The characteristics and activities of the feet known as padabheda in Natyashastra. There are five types or Bhedas done by feet or using feet as below-
- (a) Udghattita
- (b) Sama
- (c) Agratala Sanchara
- (d) Anchita
- (e) Kunchita.
Slokam
“Udghattitam Sama Agratala Sanchara Anchita Kunchitam Paada panchavidaha smritha”
MANDALA BEDA ACCORDING TO ABHINAYA DHARPANA
Mandala bhedam is the different ways of standing.
Slokam related to Mandala Bheda in Natyashastra is as follows :
Slokam
“Sthaanakam chaayataalidham prenkhanapreritaani cha Pratyaalidham swastika cha motitam samasoochikaa Paarshwesoochiti cha dasha mandalaaniritaaneeha”
- 1. Stanaka Mandala
- 2. Ayataa Mandala
- 3. Aalida Mandala
- 4. Prenkhana Mandala
- 5. Prerita Mandala
- 6. Pratyaali Mandala
- 7. Swastika Mandala
- 8. Motita Mandala
- 9. Samasoochi Mandala
- 10. Paarsvasoochi Mandala