The Mirror of Gesture Being the Abhinaya Darpana of Nandikesvara

Contents Page Introduction 1 The Indian Editor's Preface 11 Invocation 13 Dialogue of Indra And Nandikesvara 13 Natya , Nrtta, And Nrtya 14 The Audience , Ministers , Stage , Danseuse, Bells, Dancer, Inner And Outer Life of The Danseuse , Vulgar Dancing, The Course of The Dance 15 Gesture 17 Nine Movements of the Head 18 Twenty-Four Movements of the Head 19 Eight Glances 21 Forty-Four Glances 21 Six Movements of The Brows 24 Lives of the Hands 25 Twenty-Eight Single Hands 26 Twenty-Four Combined Hands 38 Twenty-Six Combined Hands 41 Hands Denoting Relationships 44 Hands Denoting Devas 45 Hands Denoting The Nine Planets 46 Hands Denoting The Avataras of Vishnu 46 Hands Denoting The Four Castes 46 Hands Denoting The Famous Emperors 47 Hands Denoting The Seven Oceans 48 Hands Denoting Famous Rivers 48 Hands Denoting The Upper And Lower Worlds 48 Hands Denoting Trees 48 Hand Denoting Animals 49 Hand Denoting Flying Creatures 50 Hand Denoting Water Creatures 51 Colophon 51 Works of Comparison And Reference 52