mudra for Brahma

Thirusha · Post by **Thirusha** » 18 Sep 2006, 13:26

Hi

I have been searching all over the internet for the mudra to depict Brahma in other classical dance styles.

Yesterday, a dance school used the mudra for the shivaling used in Bharata Natyam, and said that, that Mudra is used to depict Brahma in North indian classical dance?

I was just wondering if that is true or not.

Can anyone explain what the mudra for brahma is?

meena · Post by **meena** » 19 Sep 2006, 09:48

brahma hasthah (lord in the centre):

for representing bhrama ( the creator), the chathura hastha is held in the left hand and hamsaaya is held in the right.

(shankar pl. correct me if i'm wrong)

Thirusha · Post by **Thirusha** » 19 Sep 2006, 17:19

Thats the same one we use in Bharatha Natyam, is there a different one used for other artforms - could the way we depict the shivaling be used to depict brahma in a 'North Indian' classical dance style?

meena · Post by **meena** » 19 Sep 2006, 23:12

ok for kathak or in Odissi.

Sorry i do not know, google for 'Sanjukta Hasta Mudra ' (Combined Handed Gestures)

Thirusha · Post by **Thirusha** » 20 Sep 2006, 17:22

Thanx for replying Meena, i have tried the search but it doesnt give me much, just that they use Mudras, but they dont have as much as Bharatha Natyam does.

Hope someone else out there will know.

I think he is talking crap, but i just wanted to make sure.

Umesh · Post by **Umesh** » 01 Oct 2006, 13:26

Shivalingam mudra as in shikhara on top of ardachandro? I cannot see how that would represent Brahma... I think he is talking crap as well!

What Meena has written is correct (for BN anyways). Another way to depict Brahma is to show four faces.

meena · Post by **meena** » 01 Oct 2006, 23:11

I think he is talking crap as well!

umesh
Pleaseeeee u know better, i think.
On this forum, we disuss and share our knowledge and we learn a great deal.
Thirusha just wanted to confirm what he had heard at a dance school he attended. So if he/she is wrong, pl. enlighten us ok!
thanku.

arasi · Post by **arasi** » 02 Oct 2006, 02:17

Meena,
As you say, ideas are welcome and so too exchange of knowledge which leads to our enrichment. As for personal likes and dislikes expressed in four letter words? They make me watch my step as I walk the musical path...

Umesh · Post by **Umesh** » 02 Oct 2006, 15:12

I apologize. I suppose I liked Thirusha's wording and didn't care to change it.

Anyway... it's not merely about likes and dislikes. There are a lot of 'dancers' who really don't know what they're doing... don't know proper names for mudras, etc. and claim to be an authority in dance, and that irritates me. I am no authority myself, but some things just sound blatantly wrong. It is ridiculous to say "yes, well, we use this in north indian classical dance." Classical dance is classical dance. The person just sounds like they're deliberately trying to create a rift between the north and the south. Mudras in all dance forms are the same (perhaps slight variations) and they all originated from the Natyashastra and other important texts like the Abhinaya Darpana. To me, it is inconceivable for the shivalinga hasta to be used for Brahma in a 'north indian' (??) dance. In the Abhinaya Darpana, shikhara on top of ardachandro is titled "Shivalinga hasta" and it is prescribed to depict only Lord Shiva. Maybe he/she is confusing this samyuta hasta with the asamyuta hasta of just shikhara, which can denote any male god.

But if there is anyone out there with information I am lacking, please do share. What I have written is perhaps still more opinion than fact.

Thirusha · Post by **Thirusha** » 02 Oct 2006, 18:45

Thanks so much for answering my question.
Apologies for causing a slight rift.

I am also not an expert, I do dance, and when I heard him say that i wanted to tell him he was talking utter rubbish, and that I thought all hand gestures that are used are taken from the Natya Shastra. But, I was not 100% sure, and he is bigger (as in age and height

) than me, so I didnt say anything, and just wanted to check it out.

I agree with you Umesh when you say 'The person just sounds like they're deliberately trying to create a rift between the north and the south.' This seems to be happening quite a lot in South Africa, especially regarding dance. And that irritates me. Another point(completley off topic) what irritates me, is people saying Hindus and Tamils - what is up with that????

So thanx again for all your inputs.

rshankar · Post by **rshankar** » 04 Oct 2006, 23:40

brahmaNas chaturO vAmE, hamsAsyO dakshiNE karaha (nATya SAstra); or from the Mirror of Gesture (an English translation of abhinaya darpaNam) - left hand: chatura, right hand hamsAsya...is the dEva vibhAvana for brahma.
Now, AFAIK (feel free to add/correct), for the Sangeet Natak Academy to declare or grant the status of classical to any dance form, the dance form has to establish beyond doubt that it follows the tenets and grammar laid down in the classical texts like nATya SAstra (and that is how SNA recently added chau to the list of classical dances, taking it from 7 to 8). And since kathak is a classical dance form, I agree that it should also follow these same tenets. So, the guy who said that it was OK to use the Siva linga gesture is probably wrong and was talking through his hat.