Natya Shastra Terminology

Nāṭyaśāstra:Terminology (Subject to Regular Updates) 

Dance-Related Terms

1. Nāṭya – The dramatic aspect of performance that integrates dance, music, and expression.
2. Abhinaya – Expressive storytelling using gestures, facial expressions, and body language.
3. Karaṇa – A fundamental dance movement involving specific coordination of limbs.
4. Cārī – Movements of a single leg forming the basis of dance postures.
5. Aṅgahāra – A sequence of multiple Karaṇas combined in a structured manner.
6. Maṇḍala – Circular movement patterns in dance.
7. Piṇḍībandha – Group formations in synchronized dance movements.
8. Bhramarī Cārī – A whirling or spinning movement.
9. Tāṇḍava – A vigorous, masculine dance style associated with Lord Shiva.
10. Lāsya – A delicate, graceful dance style associated with femininity.

Hand and Body Gestures (Hastas and Recakas)

1. Nṛtta-hasta – Hand gestures used specifically for pure dance (as opposed to storytelling).
2. Patāka – A hand gesture where fingers are extended and joined with the thumb bent.
3. Añjali – A gesture of joining both palms together (used in greetings or offerings).
4. Chaturasra – A structured hand movement held forward symmetrically.
5. Svastika – A hand position where the wrists are crossed while the palms face outward.
6. Recita – A swift hand movement where both hands move with palms facing upward.
7. Talamukha – A hand position with both hands placed obliquely facing each other.
8. Recaka – Isolated movements of different body parts (hand, foot, waist, neck) executed separately.
9. Grīvā-recaka – Controlled neck movements used to enhance expressions.
10. Hasta-recaka – Isolated movement of the hands for expressive or ornamental purposes.
11. Kaṭi-recaka – A waist movement that adds fluidity to dance.

Facial and Expressive Terms

1. Ākampita – A slow up-and-down head movement for emphasis.
2. Kampita – A rapid shaking of the head to express strong emotions.
3. Parivāhita – A smooth side-to-side head movement.
4. Añcita – A slight tilting of the neck to express sorrow or sickness.
5. Bhāva – Emotional states or moods conveyed in performance.
6. Rasa – The aesthetic flavor or emotional essence of a performance.
7. Sthāyibhāva – The dominant emotion that persists throughout a performance.
8. Sāttvika-bhāva – Involuntary emotional expressions connected to inner feelings.

Music and Rhythm Terms

1. Gāndharva – A type of musical performance where melody dominates.
2. Mūrchanā – A system of musical scales and progressions.
3. Tāla – Rhythmic time cycles used in music and dance.
4. Jāti – A category of melodic structures from which later Rāgas developed.
5. Vṛtti – A stylistic mode of expression in music and dance.
6. Śruti – Microtones or subtle pitch variations in Indian classical music.
7. Dhātu – The structural framework of a melody.

Linguistic and Dramatic Terms

1. Sanskrit – The classical language used in scholarly and high-status dramatic dialogues.
2. Prakrit – Vernacular dialects assigned to specific character types in plays.
3. Tatsama – Words in Prakrit that are directly borrowed from Sanskrit.
4. Tadbhava – Words that evolved from Sanskrit but took on distinct Prakrit forms.
5. Deśī – Indigenous words not derived from Sanskrit.
6. Māgadhī – A Prakrit dialect used by royal characters and noblewomen.
7. Śaurasenī – A Prakrit dialect often used by heroines in drama.
8. Ardhamāgadhī – A middle dialect between Māgadhī and Śaurasenī.
9. Drāviḍī – A language spoken by forest dwellers or certain southern characters.
10. Oḍri – A dialect assigned to specific groups such as grooms and prison guards.

These terms represent the rich vocabulary of classical Indian performance arts as described in the Nāṭyaśāstra.😊