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Paper: 1
Detail Study Of Natyashastra, Specially Dance Related Chapters And Sangita Ratnakar
Module 31 Utpluti Karana-S, Mandala-S, The Audience, The President Of The Assembly, The Seating Of The Assembly,
Decorations Of The Dancer (As Per Sr)
Utpluti-Karanas, Mandalas, The President of the Assembly, The audience, Seating of audience.
Narthanaadhyaya of Sangit-Ratnakar is quoted often for the additional Karanas given here. These are very important additions to 108 Karana-s of Natyashastra showing the growth of the dance art through the ages.
Just like new hastas have been created using the position of the thumb or any other finger in slightly varied manner, there is scope for creating as many karanas as possible using the combinations of limbs. The additions of utplutikaranas in the Sangitaratnakara which are thirty-five are testimony to this creativity. The Abhinayadarpana also has included similar movements -- Uthplavana means jumping.
Uthplavana Padhabeda is one of the four Padhabhedas explained in Abhinayadarpana. They are of five types.
Alaga / अऱग: Jumping on both the legs sideward while placing the Shikara Hastas on the waist respectively, is called Alaga.
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Kartari / कर्तरी: Jumping and placing the right leg on its toes behind the left leg with Kartarimukha gesture is called Kartari Utplavana.
Ashwa / अश्व: Jumping forward with a leg and placing the other leg behind it by holding Thripathaka in both hands is called Ashwotplavana.
Motitha / मोतर्था: Jumping right and left like Kartari Utplavana with Thripathaka gestures is called Motitha Uthplavana.
Kripalaga / क्रिऩऱगा: Jumping and touching the heel at the back of the waist one after the other with Ardhachandhra hands is called Kripalaga-Utplavana.
These utplutikaranas are observed in Deshi tradition. Folk dances of India have an ancient rooting as they follow occupation and habits of the people in the movement. In fact, we can trace some of the sophisticated, refined adavus to the rustic, rural dances as well.
Utplutikaranas involving vigorous jumps and acrobatic movement are often performed in folk dances like bhangra and raas and their western counterpart in ballet movements and Russian folk dances.
Folk Arts are the precursors of the classical as they reflect the growth and development of society.
UTPLUTIKARANAS are a unique feature, involving leaps, in Sangitaratnakara as Bharata does not record such a tradition.
Sharangadeva [Shlokas 749-789] has given thirty-six out of which, some are already found in Manasollasa of Someshwara which has eighteen.
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1. ANCHITA / अंचिर्
Anchita is standing in the samapada and jumping straight up.
2. EKAPAADAANCHITA / अकऩदाचिर्
Ekapadanchita is the same with one foot.
3. BHAIRAVAANCHITA / भैरावांचिर्
Jumping up with one foot at the back of the thigh is Bhairavanchita.
4. DANDAPRANAMAANCHITA / दंदाप्रनामांचिर्
After jumping as in anchita, one falls on the ground like a Danda or rod.
5. KARTARYANCHITA / कर्ातयंचिर्
Anchita with the feet crossed in svastika is kartaryanchita.
6. ALAGA / अऱग
Jumping up with face down, falling in front and taking the kukutshasana like a corpse is alaga.
7. KUURMAALAGA / कूमातऱग
If in alaga, and there is kurmasana or tortoise posture then it is kurmalaga
8. URDHVAALAGA / उर्धवातऱग
After falling, one stands up with feet in sama, it is urdhvalaga.
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9. ANTARAALAGA / अंर्राऱग
After alaga, and falling on the ground, stand up with the chest facing up and the head touching the hips [at the back]
9. LOHADII / ऱोहड़ी
a. Stand with the feet in the sama position and twist around the abdomen or trika and jump up and fall obliquely, called lohadi or lutita by scholars.
10. KARTARIILOHADII / कर्ातरीऱोहड्डी
The same done with the feet crossed in svastika is kartarilohadii.
11. EKAPAADALOHADII / अकऩादाऱोहड्डी
If it is done with one foot, it is ekapaadalohadii.
12. DARPASARANA / दऩतसर्त
Standing in the Vaishanva posture, if one falls on the ground, obliquely, then it is called darpasarana by the master of Karanas, (Sharangadeva).
13. JALASHAYANA / जऱाशयन
The same is called jalashayana if, after falling, an expressive gesture is struck like that of Mahavishnu resting on the ocean.
14. NAAGABANDHA / नागाबंध
Nagabandha is the same like above, if the posture assumed is naagabandha.
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15. KAPAALACHUURNANA / कऩाऱािुउनतन
Standing with the feet in sama, back bent, touching the ground with head and returning to normal is described as Kapaalachuurnana.
16. NATAPRISTHA / नाटप्रप्रस्थ
After assuming the kapalachurnana, if the chest is kept facing up and the back bent, then that is nataprastha or Vankola.
17. MATSYAKARANA / मत्सस्यकर्त
Jumping up and bending the waist, if one turns round to the left like a fish, then it is described as matsyakarana.
18. KARASPARSHANA / करास्ऩर्षर्त
If after performing the alaga movement and touching the ground with the hand, one moves around on lower half of body, it is called karasparshana.
19. ENAPLUTA / एनाप्ऱुर्
After jumping up and taking the suchi pose with any one foot in the air, if one comes to the ground taking the utkatha sitting pose, it is enapluta, slightly above ground.
20. TIRYAKKARANA / तर्यतक्कर्त
If after jumping up sideways slanting, with one foot one comes to the ground and stands on the other foot, it is called tiryakkarana.
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21. TIRYAGANCHITA / तर्यतगंचिर्
If the oblique jumping is after standing with feet in sama, it is called tiryaganchita.
22. TIRYAKSVASTIKA / तर्यतक्स्वस्स्र्क
If after crossing the feet in svastika, one jumps obliquely, it is tiryaksvastika.
23. SUUCHYANTA / सूच्यंर्
If at the end of the preceding karana, samasuchi and other deshi karanas are taken, they are called suuchyanta.
24. BAAHYABHRAMARII / बाह्याभ्रमरी
If standing on the right foot one bends the left foot and goes around towards the left, that is baahyabhramari.
25. ANTARBHRAMARII / अंर्भ्रतमरी
The same if vice-versa, substituting left for right and right for left, is antarbhramari.
26. CHATRABHRAMARII / ित्रभ्रमरी
Where after assuming a posture like that of trivikrama, keeping one foot on the ground and raising the other, one turns around to the left, that is called chatrabhramari by the learned
27. TIRIPABHRAMARII / तर्ररऩभ्रमरी
If after crossing the legs in svastika, one turns around, but obliquely, it is tiripabhramari.
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28. ALAGABHRAMARI / अऱाग्भ्भ्रमरी
After taking the vaishnava posture, if one stands on the left foot and rotates the body obliquely, then it is alagahramari.
29. CHAKRABHRAMARI / ििभ्रमरी
If in the middle of the khandasuchikarana, one would spin like a chakra or wheel, it is chakrabhramari.
30. ANCHITABHRAMARI / अस्चिर्भ्रमरी
If after doing the samapadachari, the body is rotated obliquely, it is called anchitabhramari by Sharangadeva, the favorite of Shankara.
31. SHIROBHRAMARI / शशरोभ्रमरी
Standing on the head the feet are held up and one turns around three times, it is called shirobhramari
32. DIGBHRAMARI / ददगभ्रमरी
Turning round in the same manner as before but once each time, when the hands come down to the ground successively in all four directions; then it is digbhramari.
33. SAMAPAADAANCHITA / समऩादांचिर्
Performing the anchitakarana from the sama feet, come down on the ground on one shoulder and turn around, horizontally,the feet in air waving, then it is called samapadanchita by the scholar (Sharangadeva, the expert in Karanas).
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34. BHRAANTAPAADAANCHITA / भ्राचर्ाऩादांचिर्
Turning round the right foot, support the left shank by the back of the left toes and do the anchitakarana, then fall down horizontally on the shoulders and turn round, the feet in air waving. This is called bhraantapaadaanchita.
35. SKANDABHRAANTA / स्कंदभ्रांर्
After assuming the utkata sitting posture, perform the anchitakarana and stand up on the ground with both shoulders, the legs in the air, then turn round as in the previous case of digbhramari and stop intermittently in the four directions after each turn.
There are many other varieties of Deshi or provincial karana movements. They are not explained here by Sharangadeva, lest the text becomes voluminous.
MANDALAS / मंडल्स [Shlokas 1149-1205]
The predominance of the bhucharis or the akashacharis constituting the mandalas gives them the respective names as well. The usefulness is in the battle field for releasing the weapons and striking the enemy. The akasha mandalas are especially used for this.
Sharangadeva says that he would refer to the right or left foot by the name of the chari while enumerating these. A mandala is not dependent for its aesthetic quality completely on the charis, the omission addition of some charis does not make much difference.
(Shlokas1142-1205) Mandalas are combinations of charis which are explained by Sharangadeva, the intelligent expert on karanas.
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They are:
BHU MANDALAS /भूमंडऱस
BHRAMARA / भ्रमर : In Bhramara the right foot is janita / जतनर्
and the left foot is spandita / स्ऩंददर्. Then again right foot is shakataasya / शाकर्ास्य and the left foot avaspandita / अवस्ऩस्चदर्
or right foot bhramara and left foot spandita, thereafter, right is shakatasya and left chaashagati / िाशगतर् followed by right bhramara and left spandita. The learned would call this mandala as bharamara.
AASKANDITA / आस्कंददर्: Right foot is bhramara and left is addita / अदिर्, again right is bhramara , shakataasya / शकार्ास्य and urudvritta / उरूद्प्रवत्सर् in succession and left is adhyardhika / अर्धयाचधतक and bharamara, following this the right foot is spandita and left is shakataasyaand to conclude the ground is stamped with delicate force. This mandala is accepted by the wise as aaskandita
AAVARTA / आवर्त: The right foot is janita and the left sthitaavarta / स्स्थर्ावार्त, shakataasya / शकार्ास्य, edakaakriidita / एदाकािीददर्, urudvritta / उरूद्प्रवत्सर्, addita / अदिर्, janita / जतनर् and samotsaritamattalli / समोत्ससररर्ामात्सर्ाल्ऱी one after the other. After this the right foot is shakastasya and urudvritta , left foot is chaashagati and the right spandita two times. Left foot is shakaastasya after this and the right is bharamara. Finally, the left is chaashagati.
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SHAKATAASYA / शकार्ास्य: In this the preceeding mandala is first performed then the right is shakatasya / शकार्स्य and the left is spandita / स्ऩंददर्. Finally, the right is shakastaasya to complete the mandala according to the versatile ones.
ADDITA / अदिर्: The right foot is in the order of udghattita / अद्घस्त्सर्र्, baddha / बद्ध, samotsaritamattali / समोत्ससतर्रामात्सर्ऱी, ardhamattali / अर्धमातत्सर्ऱी and apakraanta / अऩिनर्, again the right foot is udvritta / उद्वृत्सर्, vidyudbhraanta / प्रवद्युदभ्राचर्, bhramara / भ्रमर and spandita / स्ऩंददर्, left is shakataasya, right is chasagati twice. After this the left is addita and adhyardhika, then the right is chasagati, the left is samotsaritamattali / समोत्ससररर्ामात्सर्ऱी, mattali / मत्सर्ऱी and bharamara / भरमार. Lastly, the right foot is spandita and is stamped on the ground.
SAMOTSARITA / समोर्सररर्: In Samapaada / समऩाद position, the hands are stretched upwards close together, then with aaveshthana / आवेश्थान and udveshthana / उदवेश्थान movements brought down to the waist, then with a circular movement first with right and then with left and finally stretch the left foot. This movement around in all four directions and in succession is samotsarita.
ADHYARDHA / अर्धयधत : The right foot is first janita / जतनर् then spandita / स्ऩंददर्, after which the left does the four charis given for addita. Then the right is shakataasya and finally there is circular movement in all directions. This is useful in wrestling.
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EDAKAAKRIIDITAA / एदाकािीददत्सर्: After placing the feet on the ground, do suchi and vidhaacharis, then edakaakriiditaa / एदाकािीददत्सर् and bhramari performed fully. After this with the feet in suuchiividhakarana / सूिीप्रवधाकरन, do aakshiptacharis / आक्षऺप्र्िररस and conclude by moving around in four directions.
PISHTAKUTTA / प्रऩश्र्ाकुत्सर् : Right foot in suchi and left in apakraanta / अऩिांर्, then the right and left are in bhujangatraasita / भुजंगात्राशसर् alternately and repeatedly and concluded by a circular movement or mandalabhraanti in all directions.
CHAASAGATA / िासगर् : Chaasagati / िासगतर् feet is placed on the ground and turning round movement is done in circles to end the chasagata mandala which is also useful in wrestling.
AKASHA MANDALAS /आकाश मंडल्स
ATIKRAANTA / अतर्िांर् : Right foot is janita and then shakastaasya, left is alata / अऱार्, after this the right is paarshvakraanta / ऩाश्वतिांर् and left is suchi followed by bhramara. Right foot now in udvritta and left in alaataka or both feet in china karana to do the baahyabhramari / बाह्यभ्रमरी which is the turn to the outward direction along with a rechaka performed on the left side. Later, the left is atikraanta / अतर्िांर् and the right dandapada and this mandala is called atikraanta by the favorite of Shiva (Sharangadeva).
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DANDAPAADA / दण्डऩाद: Right foot is janita followed by dandapada, and then left is suchi followed by bhramara. Later the right is udvritta / उद्वृत्सर् and left is alaata / अऱार्, then right is paarshvakraanta and left is bhujangatraasita and atikraanta, then right is dandapada and left is suchi followed by bhramara. The learned call this dandapada mandala.
KRAANTA / िांर्: Right is suchi and left is apakraanta / अऩिांर्, then right foot paarshvakraanta / ऩाश्वतिांर् and left foot also in paarshvakraanta but moving around in all directions, then left is suchi and right apakraanta. This mandala suggests the natural movement according to the erudite scholars.
LALITA SAMCHARA / ऱशऱर् संिार : The right is successively urdhvajaanu / उर्धवतजानू and suuchii / सूिी. Left is apakraanta and right is paarshvakraanta, then left is suchi. and bhramara and right is parshvakranta. Later, left is atikraanta and right suchi, then left is apakraanta and right paarshvakraanta, left atikraanta and then after keeping both feet in chinnakarana / चिचनाकर्त, the baahyabhramari is performed with the left foot which turns round outwards.
SUUCHIIVIDDHA / सूिीप्रवद्धा: Right foot in suchi and then bhramara, then left foot in paarshvakraanta and apakraanta and right in suchi, then left in apakraanta and right in paarshvakraanta. The ancient great call this suchividdha.
VAAMA VIDDHA / वामा प्रवद्ध : The right foot in suchi, left apakraanta, then right dandapaada and left is suchi and
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bhramaraka, then right is paarshvakraanta and left aakshipta / आक्षऺप्र्, then right is dandapada and urudvritta and the left suchi, bhramara and alaata one after the other, then the right paarshvakraanta and the left atikraanta
VICHITRA / प्रवचित्र: The right is janita, urudvritta and vichyava / प्रवच्याव. Then the aavarta mandala is performed. After this the left is spandita and the right paarshvakraanta, then the left is bhujangatraasita / भुजचगात्राशसर् and the right atikraanta / अतर्िांर्, then the left udvritta and the right alaata, then the left is paarshvakraanta or suchi and the right is vikshipta. Finally, the left is apakraanta.
VIHRUTA / प्रवहृर्: The right foot is vichyava / प्रवच्यावा, spandita / स्ऩंददर् and paarshvakraanta / ऩाश्वतिांर् in succession, then the left is spandita followed by the right udvritta and the left alaata. Then the right is suchi and left paarshvakraanta, then the right aakshipta / आक्षऺप्र् and turned both anti-clockwise and clockwise brought to dandapada. Then left is suchi and bhramara, right bhujangatraasita and left atikraanta.
ALAATA / अऱार्: Suchi and bhramari with the left foot, bhujangatraasita with the right, then alaata with the left totally repeating this sequence six to seven times. Make rounds in four directions in quick pace in parimandalita / ऩररमंदाऱीट form, then right is apakraanta and left atikraanta and bhramarikaa with graceful movements. This is called alaata by the learned.
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LALITA / ऱशऱर् : The last mandala called lalita has the right in suchi and left in apakraanta at first. Then right is paarshvakraanta and bhujanghatraasita, then left is atikraanta and right aakshiptam followed by successive charis like atikraanta, urudvritta and alaata by the left. Then the right is parshvakraanta and the left is suchi. Again the right is apakraanta and left is atikraanta in delicate movements.
After having described the procedure for practice and the exact practices in useful detail, Sharangadeva brings into view the important aspects of presentation, venue, guests etc.
Sabhasadolakshanam / सभासदोंऱऺर्ं (Shlokas 1331-1333) gives the description of the qualities of the members of the audience.
Sharangadeva truly believes that for a successful performance it is important to have the right audience who are exemplifying the meaning of sahrudayaprekshakas / सहुदयाप्रेऺक. A sahrudayaprekshaka is one who has the only objective of deriving maximum aesthetic joy from the performance and has no egoistic tendencies, is unconditioned by the obstacles of time and place and listens to as well as views the play in front of him with a total concentrated mind. The hearts of the audience when matches with that of the artistes gives rise to the unique magical experience which is no less than paradise on earth according to the great scholars.
Sharangadeva also lists out the innate qualities of the audience in this manner.
The audience consists of people with middling views which are not extreme, alert to the happenings of the play, good in speech with
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knowledge of nyaya movements [fights etc.], discerning taste of the right type of dance and mistakes if any, humble (with the neck literally bent low) and modest without pride, comprehending the bhava / भाव and the rasas / रस and knowledgeable in the music, poetry and dance, able to criticize the faults(yet not crude in expressing them), free from lowly feelings like jealousy and overflowing with rasa in the hearts.
The president of the assembly or the Sabhapati / शभाऩतर् [Shlokas 1334-1339] is a man of passion for propagating the arts. Someone who is indifferent to the various sentiments that produce the dance drama cannot ever become sensitive to the requirement of both the troupe and the audience. The impresario has been of loving disposition himself in order to know the nuances of erotic sentiments of the play, generous and respectful, wealthy enough to sponsor the art, can differentiate between the qualities of the dancers, interact with the comments raised by others, free from jealous feeling, zestful, intelligent, dignified, skillful in the arts and knowledgeable in all the fields of knowledge or shastras. He should be involved in the worldly affairs as well, sweet in speech, pursuing fame, clever in reading others thoughts, judicious, having a remarkable memory and knowledge of poetry, music (song and instrument) and dance. The sabhapati who is comparable to the royal patron, has to know how to give gifts with magnanimity and for good causes. He should own various instruments and paraphernalia required and know the distinctions between the regional and the classical forms of dancing.
He should be able to point out deficiencies if any, and prevent excessive usage as well of the styles of acting as he is expected to be learned, bold, impartial, commanding over the assistants, full of rasa,
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truthful, noble, amicable, steadfast in virtues and affection, an ocean of kindness, god-fearing, righteous, happy to be in the company of the scholarly and highly capable of aesthetic appreciation.
The seating of the assembly (Shlokas 1340-1350) has been given in ten verses. The multi -colored dancing hall must be decorated with brilliant flowers. The pillars must be adorned with jewels and grand canopies are to be erected suitably in the assembly. Replicating the royal patron, the lion seat or simhasana is reserved for the president.
On his left will be the women’s section and to his right the chieftains behind who should be the secretary of the treasury. Near these members would be the scholarly, well versed in the worldly as well as Vedic truths, poets with good taste and apt in various styles.
Amongst the scholars occupying the center would be astrologers and physicians of repute. To the right is the place for the ministers, the chief of the army and others seated as a cluster of the erudite class.
The elite men and women should be around the women’s section and in front of the sabhapati who can alternately be the king (when the performance is held in the royal court). Behind the king are to be girls, beautiful and youthful, bearing the fly-whisks or chauris and making jingling sound of their bangles or jhanajhana that makes the people around happy. On his left front side will be the music composers or vaggeyakarakas / वाग्भ्गेयाकराकास, the storytellers, singing minstrels like the wandering bards, scholars, ones who openly shower praises and others who are versatile in understanding the types of all the spoken words that are rendered. Then the king’s attendants are seated around these people. The assembly should also consist of men holding canes who can take disciplinary action whenever necessary. The king’s bodyguards with weapons should
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stand on all the sides. Having arranged the assembly in this manner, the president or king would then witness the dance and the music.
Just as the entire truth contained in the Upanishads is in one Bhagawad Gita, considered as holy text for Dharma or just as the Bhagavata Purana has been comprehensively condensed in later works like the Narayaneeyam [by Narayana Bhattadiripad] with just 100 chapters, one can say that Nartanadhyaya, gives to the field of dance, a straight cut interpretation of the text and practice, in brevity and clarity. The great thinkers have left us a legacy to follow according to our times without diluting the core value of spiritual truths within this Natyopanishad / नाट्योऩतनषद. Why it’s an Upanishad? If Bharata specified that the doors of the Sanskrit theater had the Gods of Death and Destiny on them, it was not without reason. One literally enters the jaws of death of the individual ego and gets the opportunity to overcome the accumulated sins of destiny through the spiritual essence of dance. It is this transcendence which is at the vital space within the inner filament. It is important to ask ourselves what is that one thing which has kept the art going for ages. Certainly it is not the entertainment value alone but is something far deeper and richer.
