MOHINIYATTAM HASTAS -Hand Gestures -IV(Viniyoga Slokas & Meanings)

In this post, the description of each Hasta as given in the “Hasta Lakshana Deepika”. A distinct description of “ Sankalana Hastas” is not touched upon in the same. The dancer themselves will have to identify the different type of Hastas whether it is, Samyutha Hastas or Sankalana Hastas.

1	Pathaka	Samyuktha  “sooryO RAja-ggaja-simhO vrushabhO grAha thOranau LathA-pathAka veechiScha rathhyA-pAthala-bhoomayaH jaghanam bhAjanam harmmyam sAyam maddhyandi-namghanam vAlmeeka mooroor dAsashchva charanam chakra-mAsanam  ashanir-ggopuram  Saityam Sakatam soumya-kubajakau-kavAda-mupadhAnaScha pari-ghAnghya latharggaLe shaLthrimSal bharathEnOkthAH PathAkassamyuthAkarAH”	Double Hand Uses Sun, King, Elephant, Lion, Ox, Crocodile, Decoration, Creeper,  Flag, Wave, Way, Hell, Earth, Lower stomach, Vessel, Terrace, Dusk, Noon, Cloud, Anthill, Thigh, Servant, Travel, Wheel, Seat, Thunderbolt, Building, Cold, Vehicle, Calmness, Hill, Door, Pillow, A plant, Foot, Bolt – These are the 36 double hand gestures for Pathaka Hasta.
		Asamyuktha “divasam-gamanam jihva-lalATam gAthra-mEvacha iva SabdaScha doothak ssaikatha PallavAH asamyuktha PathAkAkhyo DaSahastAsameerithAH	Single Hand Gesture Day, Movement, Tongue,Forehead,Body, In this manner, Voice, Messenger, Sand Hill, Leaves – These are the 10 single hand gestures for Pathaka Hasta.
2	Mudrakhya	Samyuktha Hastas “varddhanam chalanam swargga-ssamudra-ssAndra-vismrithihi sarvvo vignjanApanam vastu mruthyuScha dhyAnamEvacha upaveetha HrujuprOkthA MudrakhyastuthrayOdasha HastAstu samyuktha prOkthanAtyasiddhAnthavedibhihi”	Double hand Gestures “Grow, Movement, Heaven, Ocean, Lack of space, Forgetfulness, To know everything, Belongings, Death, Meditate, Sacred Thread worn by Brahmins, Straight line – These are the 13 double hand gestures for Mudrakya Hasta.
		Asamyuktha Hastas “chiththam chintha-abhilaashaScha swayanjchaiva thathhasmrithi punaH JnjanaScha PaSchaal PrANa-parAbhavou bhaavrurththhaScha NanjaEththhaScha Chathurththhi DwadaSObhithaHa asamyuktha muneendraisthu karA MudrahvayAsmrithAha”	Single Hand Gestures “Mind, Thought, Desire, Self, To remember, Knowledge, Creation, Life, Displeasure, Future, Saying No, To say like that – These are the 12 single hand gestures for Mudrakya Hasta.
3	Katakam	Samyuktha Hastas “vishnuH KrishnO aalee-BAnah swarNam roopyam niSAchari nidrA-pradhAnayOshith sree-veeNA-thArA-bragul-palam rakshah kireeTam parigham ViSesha srundanam punah sahArththhO VimSathikarAsamyukthA KatakAhwayaH	Double Hand Gestures Vishnu, Krishna, Balarama, Arrow, Gold, Silver, Demoness, Sleep, Important woman, Goddess Lakshmi, Veena(a string instrument), Star, Flower Garland, Blue lotus, Demon, Crown, Club, News – These are the 20 double hand gestures for Kataka Hasta.
		Asamyuktha Hastas “kusumam darppaNam nAri hOma-swEdhwEl-pavAchakam SabdasthooNeera SuRbhinnirddhishTa KatakAbhidhAha asamyuktha navakarA nAtyaSAstraviSAradhaiH”	Single Hand Gesture Flower, Mirror, Woman, Sacrificial fire, Sweat, A Little, Quiver for arrows, Fragrance – These are the 9 single hand gestures for Kataka Hasta.
4	Mushti	Samyuktha Hastas “suthOpa-varggO-lAvaNyam puNyam bhootScha banDanam yOgya-sthhiScha gulphaScha karshanam chAmaram Yamah panKa-oushadi Saapoucha Dola-dAnam-pradakshiNam khananam thyAga kunthoucha vikrama-sthapanam thathhA ulkkeerNNam prasavaSchaiva –hastAsthe panchavimSathih mushTisamjanja muneendrai samyukthaha parikeerththithAH	Double Hand Gestures Charioteer, Boon, Beauty, Auspicious Deed, Happening,Box,Proper, Situation,  Heel, Pulling, Whisk, Lord Yama, Dirt, Medicine, Curse, Swing, Gift, Circumambulation, Dig a hole, To Abandon, Spear, Valorous, Heat, To sow, To deliver a child – These are the 25 Double Hand Gestures of Mushti Hasta.
		Asamyuktha Hastas vruthhArththhaScha brishaththhaScha dhigarththha ssachiva sthathhA langhanam sahanam dAnam-anuvAdOjayam dhanuh asmachchha-baidaka vAkyanthu jarAharana bhOgane ayuktha mushtinAmAnaH karA panjchadaSobhithaH	Single Hand Gestures Simply, Excessive, Insult, Minister, To stop, To tolerate, To give, Permission, Victory, Bow(Archery), We, The number one, Old age, To grab, Eat –These are the 15 Single Hand Gestures of Mushti Hasta.
5	Kartharimukha	Samyuktha Hastas pApah SramO brahmaNaScha keerththiH kubhOm-gruham-vratham Suddhis-theernjcha vamshaScha-kshudhA SravaNa bhAshaNai gaRbhO-vasAnam mrigayA nAtyajainjar munipugavaiH karththareemukha hastAthu samyukthA shODaSasmrithaH”	Double Hand Gestures Sin, Difficulty, A Brahman, Glory, Elephant Head, House, Penance, Pure, River Bank, Family, Hunger, To listen, To talk, Pregnancy, Conclusion, Hunting – These are the 16 Double Hand Gestures of Kartharimukha Hasta.
		Asamyuktha Hastas “yuSmadarththhaika-vachanam vachanamsamayakramaH bahookthi rasmadarththhaScha maRththyO vakthram virOdhitham bAlakona-kulaSchApinruththajainjaha samudeerithaH karththareemukha hastAkhyA asamyuktha daSaiva Hi”	Single Hand Gestures You(Plural),Word, Time, Plural, We, Human, Face, Animosity, Boy, Mongoose – These are the 10 Single Hand Gestures of Kartharimukha Hasta
6	Shukathunda	Samyuktha Hastas “hastOyamanKuSechaiva pakshiNevya prayujyathe”	Double Hand Gestures Hook to control elephants, Bird – are the hand gestures of Shukathunda.
7	Kapitha	Samyuktha Hastas “vagura samSayah pimchhA pAna-sparSO nivarththanam bahiH prishThavatharaNe padavinyAsa ithyapi samyukthasthukapiththakhyAdaSahastA sameerithAH”	Double Hand Gestures Net, Doubt, Peacock feather, To drink, To touch, Return, Backside, Outside, To get down, To keep a step – These are the 10 Double Hand Gestures of Kapitha Hasta.
8	Hamsapaksha	Samyuktha Hastas “chandrO-vAyurm-manmaththhaScha dEva parVatha-sAnavaH nitya-bAndava-sha yyaScha SilA-sukhmura-sthanam vasanam vAhanam vyAja SSayanam-pathanam janah thADanam ChhAdanam chaiva vyApanam sthhApanamthathha AyAnam namananjchAthha majjanam chandanam thathha Alimgananjcha-anuyAnam pAlanam prApaNam gadA kapOlamamsaH kESAScha VidhEya-anugrahou MuniH ithi SathabdAbhidhEyaScha matsya-poojana KachchhpAh Hamsapakshakhya Hasthathu ChathvArimSadwayOththarAH samyuktha nAtyaSAsthrajnjaih kathhithAmunipugavaiH	Double Hand Gestures Moon, Wind, Lord Manmatha,Devas(Gods),Mountain, Valley, Saying every time, Relatives, Bed, Rock, Happiness, Chest, Breast, Clothes, Fake, To take, Sleep, Fall, People, To beat, To disappear, Spread, To place, To show come, Namaskaram(Indian way of greeting one another),Bathing, Sandal paste, To embrace, To follow, To save, To send away, Club, Cheeks,Shoulder,Hair, Humility, Bless,Sage, Saying like this, Fish, To worship,Tortoise - These are the 42 Double Hand Gestures of Hamsapaksha Hasta.
		Asamyuktha Hastas “yushmal bahookthi-khaDgouruT-idA-neemaha-magrathaH parashoor hEthirAhwAna muthsamga-prApthi-vArENa ayukthA hamsapakshakhya hasatA EkadriSa smrithaha	Single Hand Gestures Saying You, Sword, Anger, Saying Now, Me, In front of, Small axe, Flame, To call, Gaining Entrance, To stop –These are the 11 single gestures of Hamsapaksha Hasta.
9	Shikhara	Samyuktha Hastas “sanjchAram charanou nEtrE darSanam mArgga mArggaNE karNNou pAnam karASchashtou samyuktha Sikara smrithaH”	Double Hand Gestures Walk, Legs, Eyes, To see, Way, To enquire, Ears, To drink – These are the 8 Double Hand Gestures of Shikhara Hasta.
10	Hamsasya	Samyuktha Hastas “kaneenikA mridu-ddhooLee paNDarO-neela-lOhithou kAruNA rOmarAjiScha samsmruthA munipumgavaiH hamsAsya hasta nriththajnjairashTOvEvahisamyuthA”	Double Hand Gestures Sight, Softness, Dust, White colour, Blue colour, Red Colour, Compassion, Horripilation - These are the 8 Double Hand Gestures of Hamsasya Hasta.
		Asamyuktha Hastas “varshArambhaha kESa rOmarEkhA thriveli rithyapi asamyukthAsthu ChathwAro hamsasyAkhyaH karAh SmrithaH”	Single Hand Gestures Beginning of monsoon, Hair, Stating rule, Fold on the stomach - These are the 4 single gestures of Hamsasya Hasta.
11	Anjali	Samyuktha Hastas “pravarsham vamanam vahniH pravAha-praswana-prabhA moorddhajam kuNDdalanjchaiva santhApa-ssambhramassadA nadee-snAnam pravAhaScha rudhiram nAtyakOvidaiH samyukthAnjali nAmAnO hastApanjchAdashObhitah”	Double Hand Gestures Heavy Rain, Retching, Fire, Horse, Loud Noise, Light, Hair, Earrings, Heat, Anxiety, Saying everytime, River, Bathing, Flow, Blood – These are the 15 double hand gestures of Anjali Hasta.
		Asamyuktha Hastas “ayukthAnjali nAmAnAvubhavEva karasmrithou SAkhA KrOdhaScha vidhwathbhiH nAtyaSAsthraviSAradhaiH”	Single Hand Gestures Branch of a tree, Anger – These are the 2 single hand gestures of Anjali Hasta.
12	Ardhachandra	Samyuktha Hastas “yadyaRththhyaScha kimaRththhaScha vaivashr^ncjha nabhasthhalam dhanyo daivam smrithinjchApi thr^nam puruSakunthaLam samyukthAsthwaRddha chandrAkhya hastAnava SmeerithAH.	Double Hand Gestures Saying if you say so, Saying for that, Distress/Dependence, Sky, Satisfaction, God, Memory, Grass, Hair of a male – These are the 9 double hand gestures of Ardhachandra Hasta.
		Asamyuktha Hastas “prasthhAnam mandahAsaScha kimSabdanjchabi-kutsanam asamyukthArddha chandrakhyA SchatwAraH sasmrithAH karAH”	Single Hand Gestures Preparation of a journey, Smile, Insult, Asking what – These are the 4 single hand gestures of Ardhachandra Hasta.
13	Mukuram	Samyuktha Hastas “damshtro viyOgO jamghAcha nithambo vEda-sOdarou sthambhaSchOlookhalam vEgee piSAchaH pushTirithyapi EkAdiSa samAdiSTA samyukthamukurAH karaH”	Double Hand Gestures Large Canine Tooth, Loneliness, Calf of the leg, Half the place, The Vedas, Siblings, Pillar, Mortar for pounding grain, One who is fast, Devil, Nourishment – These are the 11 Double Hand Gestures of Mukura Hasta.
		Asamyuktha Hastas “vimatho bhramaro rashamiH kOpa-ssushThu cha kanKaNam sreevAmgadam nishedhO peethruyukthA mukurAnavaH”	Single Hand Gestures Enemy, Bee, Ray of light,Rage, Showing Good, Bangle, Neck, Shoulder Band, Denial –These are the 9 Single Hand Gestures of Mukura Hasta.
14	Bhramara	Samyuktha Hastas “garul gAnam jalam chhathram danthi kaRNou maneeshibhiH bhramarAkhyasthu samyukta hastA pancha smreerithaH”	Double Hand Gestures Wings, Song, Water, Umbrella, Elephants ears – These are the 5 Double Hand Gestures of Bhramara Hasta.
		Asamyuktha Hastas “gandharvo-janma-bheethiScha-rOdanam nAtyakovidhaihi bhramarAkhyAsthwa samyukthA SchwAra wsamudeerithAH”	Single Hand Gestures Gandharvas(mythological characters-messengers between Gods and Humans), Creation, Fear, Cry – These are the 4 Single Hand Gestures of Bhramara Hasta.
15	Soochikamukha	Samyuktha Hastas “bhinna-mul-pathanam lOkO-lakshmaNa-thapA-manyathaH mAsO bhrashi-thhilam vAloyuktha soochimukhAdashaH	Double Hand Gestures Quarrel, Upwards, To jump, World, Lakshmana (Lord Ram’s brother), Fall, To show another, Month, Eyebrows, Break, Tail – These are 11 Double Hand Gestures of Soochikamukha.
		Asamyuktha Hastas “EkaH kashtam jaDO-nyaScha bahookthi SravaNaH-kalAH purAya mEthe rAjyaScha kinjchil sAkshi nirAsanam AgaScha gachchha yuddhAya soocheemukha karAsmruthaha shODa Saivahi nAtyajainja rasamyukthAmaneeshibhiH	Single Hand Gestures Showing someone, Trouble, Corpse, Stranger, Plural, To listen, Crescent Moon, Showing Earlier, Showing me, showing you, Kingdom, Showing little, Witness, To refuse, Come, To Go – These are the 16 Single Hand Gestures of Soochikamukha Hasta.
16	Pallava	Samyuktha Hastas “vajram paRvathaSrunganjcha gokarNNou nEthra deerghimA mahishaH parighaH prAso janthu vEshTaNam samyuktha pallavAkhyAsthu karAh nava udeerithAH”	Double Hand Gestures Indra’s weapon , Peak, Ear of a cow, Length of an eye, Buffalo, Pestle, Spear, Horn of animals, Turn – These are the 9 Double Hand Gestures of Pallava Hasta.
		Asamyuktha Hastas dooram paNanjcha dhoomaScha puchchham vEthranjcha-SAlayaH ayuktha pallAvAkhyasthu hastAshaL samudeerithaH”	Single Hand Gestures Distance, Debt, Smoke, Tail, Broom, Grains/Pulses – These are the 6 Single Hand Gestures of Pallava Hasta.
17	Tripathaka	Samyuktha Hastas “asthAma-adi-raye pAnam Sareeram yAchanam budhaiH shaDaithe thripathakAkhyA samyukthA samsmrithAkAraH”	Double Hand Gestures Sunset, First or Commencement, a term for addressing subordinates or friends, Drink, Body - These are the 5 Double Hand Gestures of Tripathaka Hasta.
18	Mrigashirsha	Samyuktha Hastas “samyuktha Eva hastOyam mrigEcha paramAthmani”	Double Hand Gestures Animal, Supreme being - These are the 2 Double Hand Gestures of Mrigashirsha Hasta.
19	Sarpashiras	Samyuktha Hastas “chandanam bhujago mAndya-marghyam vikiraNam muniH danthikarNNa vidhunaScha rakshAsamvAhanam thathha navahasthAsthu samyukthA sarppaSeershEsameerithaH”	Double Hand Gestures Sandal, Serpent, Being careful, Value, Sow, Sage, Elephant’s ear, To save, To touch gently - These are the 9 Double Hand Gestures of Sarpashiras Hasta.
20	Vardhamanaka	Samyuktha Hastas “sthreekuNDalam rathnamAlA jAnu yOgeecha dundubhiH ambashTOpicha dastAshaT SamyukthAvarddhamAnakAH”	Double Hand Gestures Ladies Earrings, A Garland filled with precious stones, Knee, One with yogic power, Kettle drum, Mahout - These are the 6 Double Hand Gestures of Vardhamanaka Hasta.
		Asamyuktha Hastas “AvarththO-nAbhi-koopoucha thrayO hasthAsthwasamyukthAH”	Single Hand Gestures Whirlpool, Lower stomach, Well - These are the 3 Single Hand Gestures of Vardhamanaka Hasta.
21	ArAla	Samyuktha Hastas “mooDHO-vrikshaScha-keelaScha kuDmaLAScha-nKuraHkaraH arALakAsthu panjchaithe kathhithA nAtyakOvidhaiH”	Double Hand Gestures Fool, Tree , Stump, Bud, Bamboo - These are the 5 Double Hand Gestures of ArAla Hasta
22	OornanAbha	Samyuktha Hastas “thuramgaScha-phalam-vyAghrO navaneetham himam bahu AmbhOja moorNNanAbhakhyAhastAsspthaiva samyukthAH”	Double Hand Gestures Horse, Fruit, Jackal, Butter, Snow, Showing a lot, Lotus - These are the 7 Double Hand Gestures of OornanAbha Hasta
23	Mukula	Samyuktha Hastas “srungAlO vAnarO MlAnir vismrithiR mukuLAhvayAH chathwAra SchaivahikarA kathhithA nAtyabedhibhihi”	Double Hand Gestures Fox, Monkey, Weariness, Forgetfulness - These are the 4 Hand Gestures of Mukula Hasta(Shown as Single & double hand gestures)
24	Katakamukha	Samyuktha Hastas “kanjchukaH kinKiraH ShoorO mallobAna-vimOchanam banDanaScha shaDEthesyuH samyuktha katakAmukhaH”	Double Hand Gestures Armour, Servant, Warrior, Stout, Release arrow, Box  - These are the 6 Double Hand Gestures of Katakamukha Hasta

           

These are the 24 hand gestures mentioned in the Hastalakshadeepika. As time passed, various other Mudras have been evolved by referring other books on dance but for Kathakali and Mohiniyattam ,Hastalakshanadeepika is considered as the source book for Mudras.