Elements of Indian Aesthetics: Volume II (Two Streams of Indian Arts: Part III Indian Gesturology)

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Born in an orthodox Brahmana family of Bengal and educated traditionally in Varanasi, Dr. S.N. Ghoshal Sastri started his carrier as a teacher of a Sanskrit Institution and an editor of the Chaukhambha Sanskrit Series, Varanasi.

During the time, he had the privilege to sit under the feet of some celebrated scholars of the time; like Mm. Pramthantha Tarkabhusana, Mm. Balakrsna Misra and Mm. Gopinath Kaviraj.
He took active part in the '42 Movement and went underground as a suspect of the Chukaghat-case, Varanasi; that provided him a chance to learn English.

Acquitted of the alleged charge, he completed university education from B. H. U. and joined Visva-Bharati with an experience of a Sanskrit lecturer for 12 years in Jaunpur and Varanasi, U.P. He was entrusted with teaching & editing MSS. In the Dept. of Sanskrit, Pali & Prakrita. In addition to his normal duties, he extended cooperation to other departments, like Philosophy, Education and Ancient Indian History Culture & Archaeology.

As a veteran teacher and seasoned manuscriptologist, he edited two Urtexts on Indian Aesthetics of the Scholastic School as well as the Neo-Rasa-Scholastic School as well as the Neo-Rasa-School. He had the honour of compiling and publishing the Ist volume of the Descriptive Catalogues of Sanskrit MSS. Deposited in the Sanskrit MSS. Section, Vidya-Bhavana, Visva-Bharati.

Now, as an inmate of poet Tagore's hermitage, Santiniketan; he dovoted his life to present the country a complete work on Indian Aesthetics, ventilating its three major streams; Poetry, Arts and Music, extracting their fundamental principles of 'one-in-Two,' from the Yamala stream of the Tantra-Sastra.

Dr. S. N. Gghoshal Sastri, M.A.; B.T.; Ph.D.;
Kavya-Vyakaranatirhta, Sahitya-sastri,
Reader, Department of Sasnkrit, Pali & Prakrta
Hony. Editor, Sanskrit MSS. Visva-Bharati: Santiniketan, West Bengal, India

Chapter I: Brahma-yamala Tantra: Picu-mata (the Picu-school), Mudradhikarana (book on Gesturology) Caturthasatka (4th Part of the 6th Unit) Prathama-Patala: 297-305

1. The Mudra-laksana and its implication 297. 2. Kapalini (2 styles), 3. Padma (the lotus) 298. 4. Pasa (the noose), 5. Khadga (the sword), 6. Mala (the wreath), 7. Karankini (?), 8. Bibhatsa (the hateful), 9. Khatvanga (the cot-leg) 299. 10. Naraca or Vajratomara, 11. Vajramudra, 12. Vijaya, 13. Sula and 14. Padma (ii) 300. 15. Cakra, 16. Saktika, 17.Danda or Vajradamstra, 18. Kapalini (iii) 301. 19. Kurma and its utility, 20. Kapalika, 21. Picchaka 302. 22. Musala, 23 Vaktra, 24. Grasavaktra and 25. Sara 303. 26. Srnkhala, 27. Mrtyunjaya, 28. Yoni and 29. Linga 304. 30. Samayamudra 305.

Chapter II: Fayadratha-yamala (A stream of the Brahma-yamala), Mudradhikarana (A book on Gesturology) Caturthah satkah (the fourth part of the sixth Book) Prathamah Patalah (First Chapter): 306-338

1. Mahamudra, 2. Kapala-mudra 306. 3. Giti-mudra 307-308. 4. Makarakhya 308-309. 5. Mahamudra, 6. Pancasikha, 7.Karoti 309. 8. Musala, 9. Mudgara, 10. Lostra, 11. Vajra 310. 12. Khadga, 13. Parasu, 14. Bhusundi 311. 15. Tomara, 16. Prasa, 17. Cakra 312. 18. Matsya, 19. Kacchapa, 20. Pota 313. 21. Vimana, 22. Netra, 23. Pataka 314. 24. Jvalini, 25. Hala, 26. Mukula 315. 27. Kalasa, 28. Chatra, 29. Gauri or Mahayogesvari 316. 30. Mahavyoma, 31. Sula, 32. Surabhi 317. 33. Mrgi, 34. Visva-yoni, 35. Ekalinga, 36. Pannagi 318. 37. Uluki or Ulukini, 38. Sava or Kabandhi, 39. Asva, 40. Varahi 319. 41. Nrsimha or Vaktramudra, 42. Visala or Rddhipala, 43. Siddhiroha 320. 44. Yogamudra, 45. Sambara, 46. Vajrasuci, 321. 47. Mahamaya, 48. Santa, 49. Kartari, 50. Pranama 322. 51. Mahaprabha, 52. Kamaruha, 53. Amsakari 323. 54. Mahasamaya, 55. Prabhaksani, 56. Mahatarksi 324. 57. Vikata-ghora, 58. Parivarttani, 59. Bhairava-sanjika 325. 60. Kamarupini, 61. Suci 326. 62. Vajrapanjara, 63. Surpa, 64. Sankha 327. 65. Vicitra, 66. Suroha, 67. Kanaka 328. 68. Ksurika, 69. Pasa, 70. Nrtya-mudra or Vicitra 329. 71. Potamudra, 72. Kanta or Divya, 73. Nrttani 330. 74. Kalakarni, 75. Visvamukhi, 76. Rohini 331. 77. Kabandhi, 78. Moksani, 79. Nava or Durgasantarini, 80. Murchana 332. 81. Kampani, 82. Dhruva, 83. Visarjani or Vajrasuci, 84. Prakirna, 85. Samani 333. 86. Vyomacarini, 87. Visva-suct, 88. Saptasikhi, 89. Camara 334. 90. Vitana, 91. Manohara, 92. Sukha or Susanta 335. 93. Bhogahasta, 94. Kraustuki, 95. Suki or Sarvasampatkari, 96. Akarsani 336. 97. Visalya, 98. Amsumati, 99. Visvayoni and 100. Damstrini 337-338.

Chapter III: Origin and Development of the Art of Gesture: 339-346

1. Source and scope of Mudra. 2. Antiquity of the Mudra-culture. 3. Inter-relation among Esoteric, Mythic and Classic implication of Mudras. 4. Nature and characteristics of Mudra (Ritualistic and Socialistic). 5. Mudras of the Yamalas and their fields of culture: (a) Ritual, (b) Fsoteric, (c) Spiritual, (d) Social (Literary & Aesthetic), (e) Dance-Drama, (f) Application of the sectarian mudra. Reference.

Chapter IV: Gesturology in the Natya-sastra: 347-357

1. Technical divisions of limbs in Gesturology. 2. Gesture of the head and its relevant parts: angas and upangas. 3. Gestures of the head and their mode of application, 4. Gestures of Glance: - (a) Rasadrsti, or glances, -- suggesting eight sentiments; (b) Bhavadrsti, or glances, -suggesting dormant feelings; (c) Glances, -sugesting transitory feelings. 5. Gesture of Eye balls. 6. Gestures of Eye-lids. 7. Gesture of Eye-brows. 8. Gesture of Nose. 9. Gesture of cheek, 10. Gestures of lips. 11. Gestures of chin. 12. Gesture of mouth. 13. Colours of faces and its relation to the gesture. 14, Gesture of the neck. 15. Aesthetic appeal of gestures. Reference.

Chapter V: Gestures of Major Limbs: 358-372

1. Gesture of major limbs; the hand. Mudras of a disjoined hand: Pataka, Tripataka, Kartarimukha, Arddhacandra, Arala, Suka-tunda, Musti, Sikhara, Kapittha, Kataka-mukha, Sucimukha (with 20 styles), Padma-kosa, Sarpa, Mrgasirsa, Kangula, Utpala-padma, Catura, Bhramara, Hamsa-vaktra, Hamsapaksa, Sandamsa, Mukulaka, Urnanabha, Tamracuda. Mudras of joined hands:-- Anjali, Kapotaka, Karkata, Svstika, Kataka-varddhamanaka, Utsanga, Nisadha-hasta (2), Dola-hasta, Puspaputa, Makara, Gajadanta, Avahittha, Varddhamana. The artistic importance of manual gestures. Gestures of the hand in Dance-Drama: Caturasra, Udvrtta, Talamukha, Svastika, Aralakatakamukha, Aviddhavakraka, Sucimukha, Recita, Arddharecita, Uttanavancita, Pallava, Nitamba, Kesabandha, Lata, Karihasta, Paksavancitaka, Paksapradyotaka, Garuda-paksaka, Dandapaksaka, Uromandalin, Parsvamandalin, Mustikasvastika, Nalinipadmakosa, Alapallava, Ulvana, Lalita, Valita. Hands used in Tandava. Ten styles of arms in a Tandava. Reference.

Chapter VI: Gestures of the Body and Other Limbs: 373-378

1. The gesture of the trunk (the breast)-(i) abhugna; (ii) nirbhugna; (iii) prakampita; (iv) udvahita and (v) sama. 2. The gestures of the body-(i) nata; (ii) unnata; (iii) prasarita; (iv) vivartita and (v) apasrta. 3. Gestures of the belly-(i) ksama; (ii) khalva; (iii) purna. 4. Gestures of the waist-(i) chinna; (ii) nivrtta; (iii) recita; (iv) prakampita and (v) udvahita. 5. Gestures of the thigh: (i) kampana; (ii) valana; (iii) stambhana;