Yajur Veda!

Today we will explore Energy !
I have edited the post slightly as i gained more knowledge about the Vedas!

In Retrospect,

The fifth veda - Natya Veda was created by lord Brahma at the request of lord Indra.

Lord Indra requested lord Brahma to create 5th veda for those-

1.Who cannot read and understand the first 4 vedas (Rigveda , Yajurveda , Samaveda and Atharvaveda)

2.For the people who lost ethics and values,

3.For those whom the morality was already in  the grasp of greed and desire for material possessions,

4.For the people who are  already deluded by envy , weal and woe.

It was necessary to create a fifth Veda that was understood by all,

Lord Brahma said -

“Let me make a Fifth Veda, to be called Nātya veda (Drama), combined with epic story, tending to virtue, wealth, (pleasure and spiritual freedom), yielding fame—a concise instruction setting forth all the events of the world about to be, containing the significance of every Scripture, and forwarding every art.”  

Natya Veda is the reflection of all the events of the world (which includes our behavior and life events).

Thus recalling all the 4 Vedas , blessed Brahma framed Natya Veda from several parts of the first 4 Vedas as seen below.

Form the below it is clear that - Hand Gestures / Mudra Abhinaya is borrowed from Yajur Veda!

Natya veda was created by Lord Brahma to teach the world that movement of the world weather it is work or play , battle , lust , only the righteous who follow the moral law will win at the end.

Mudra is a Sanskrit word which means a : symbolic hand gesture.

In simple words – “A mudra is an alignment of fingers in the hand”

The finger tips are the points that receive energy from the Cosmos, the finger tips are also the points that distribute and control the energy flow out of the body, hence mudras are very popular in Yoga, Martial Arts, Recitation of Vedas and Indian classical dance.

In Kerala even today recitation of a Veda is done using finger tips and hand movements.

Today we will explore some of the mudras that are being used in Indian classical dance , these mudras are common across all classical dance infact  these mudras have become  the soul of all Indian classical dances like Bharatanatyam, Kathak, Kathakali, Kuchipudi, Manipuri, Odissi, Sattriya, and Mohiniyattam.

The hasta mudras are borrowed from Yajur Veda.

The first shloka  in Natya Veda that is taught to any dance student is:

"Yato hasta - stato drishtihi"..."Where the hand is, the eyes follow"

"Yato drishti - stato manaha"..."Where the eyes go, the mind follows"

"Yato mana - stato bhavaha"..."Where the mind is, there is the feeling"

"Yato bhava - stato rasaha"..."Where there is feeling, there is mood/flavour“

“So it starts from where the hand is”

A mudra is a physical hand gestures that are executed in Indian theatre dance-dramas that are accompanied by facial expressions and specific body movements.

In Short a Hasta mudra is a Kinetic Event,

As we are now aware that Rig veda has only literature (sahityam) and does not have any sound element , in order to describe this literature that is explained in Rig Veda hasta mudras are being used.
These hasta mudras are borrowed from Yajur Veda.

Learning the Vedas with the movements of hands has been considered as the proper way of pedagogy,

this is because the hand movements will help increase your memory power and concentration and keep your body fit.

Mudras are  used in Indian classical dances to represent and project particular moods, attitudes and feelings.i.e Mudras are used to express different kind of Energy.

Mudras as explained in the 5^th Veda (Natya Veda) are borrowed from the first 4 Vedas.

Below are some of the important mudras in Natya Veda that is borrowed from Yajur Veda.
Iam quoting only important meanings of these mudras.

Katakamukha hasta mudra:

Meaning : Plucking flowers , wearing a pearl , smell of sandal.
There is red alta dye on my hands which can be washed away like any cosmetics.

Pataka or Akara hasta mudra:
Meaning : Flag , Natyarambha position , cloud , forest etc.

Bana hasta mudra: 
Meaning : Arrow.

Kartarimukha hasta mudra:
Meaning : Falling Creeper , lightening , separation etc

Hamsa paksha hasta mudra:
Meaning : Constructing a bridge, closed , in denoting the above.

Similarly samaveda explains the sapta swara using hand movements – Mudras.

So in a mudra you align all the finger tips in a mathematical pattern to control the energy inflow into the body and energy outflow out of the body.

The human hand has as many as 100,000 nerves. Each fingertip has 3,000 nerve receptors. When we apply pressure through hasta mudras, pressure points are activated. This leads to changes in brain patterns and unleashes the dynamic potential of the body-mind-energy circuit. Finger tips act as a link between individual force and universal cosmic energy.

Some of the below mudras are used in Yoga.

All mudras are borrowed from the Vedas , if you add alta dye to your hands when you execute a yoga mudra it will become a mudra abhinaya and that is it! You can try it out!

Hamsaya hasta mudra of Indian classical dance is called as Gyana Mudra in Yoga,

In Indian classical dance - Hamsaya hasta represents mangal sutra i.e marriage and also it represents teaching of wisdom, drawing , hearing a sound etc.

It is smilar to Gyana mudra in  yoga,

This mudra increases memory power and concentration.

Trishula hasta mudra of Indian classical dance is called as Varun Mudra in Yoga,

In Indian classical dance - Trishula hasta represents Bilva leaf , denoting the above.

It is smilar to Varun mudra in  yoga,

This mudra balances the water content in the body.

Mayura hasta mudra of Indian classical dance is called as Prithvi Mudra in Yoga.

In Indian classical dance - Mayura hasta represents peacock , curls of hair , creeper etc

It is similar to Prithvi Mudra in Yoga,

This mudra will help increase the complexion of the skin and defy aging mentally and physically.

Simhamukha hasta mudra of Indian classical dance is called as Apana Mudra in Yoga,

In Indian classical dance - Simhamukha hasta represents lion’s face , pearl,coral etc

It is similar to Apana Mudra in yoga,

This mudra will help cure diabetes and piles.

Kartarimukha hasta mudra of Indian classical dance is called as Prana Mudra in Yoga,

In Indian classical dance -  Kartarimukha hasta represents falling creeper , separation , lightening

It is smiliar to Prana mudra in Yoga,

This mudra improves  power of eyes and it also improves immunity of the body system.

Fingers hold an innate healing power

Abhayamudra : Fearless (to prevent fear)

Abhayamudra is not only very popular in Hinduism, but also very popular in Jainism and Buddhism.
Buddha is always seen holding Abhaya Mudra, also Jain monks meditate holding Abhaya mudra.
I dont fear . Time is wealth and iam utilizing this time to improve my personal life.
I have worked for top clientele in the last 13 years , now i want to utilize this time for improving my right brain functioning which will help me develop Intuition and Imagination skills.

Abhayamudra : Fearless (to prevent fear)

Iam here to recover the damage that happened to me - upliftment in title and position.

Vishnu hasta,

Sukatunda hasta :
Meaning : Parrot , Angry mood.

So vast is the hand gestures that it covers almost all the aspects of human life and the entire universe.

Hence 'Mudras' form a distinct code language and bring unique poetic element while performing abhinaya and thus the language of the mudras enables the dancer to express practically anything and everything.

Perhaps what the entire universe contains can be expressed by hasta mudras.

A dramatic play which i have been watching yesterday on TV and i loved it!

When i asked my soul why i got attracted to A and why i tried to avoid and ignore B ?
my soul told me A's energy attracted you towards him,
and then when i asked my soul what is energy?
my soul showed me that in the forest if you shout loud , you hear echo - echo is sound energy , energy can be felt where there is emptiness.
and then when i asked my soul what is the reason for attraction?
my soul told me the attraction was not for power and protection it was for love only. 
and then when i asked my soul what is emptiness?
my soul told me emptiness means emptying yourself of ego , lust , greed , fear.
and then when i asked my soul how is love related to emptiness?
my soul told me love is about giving and emptying yourself.
The whole episode was like Spiritual Enlightenment.

An adavu is one dance unit and 

one adavu = sthanaka (position) + cari (movement) + hasta khestra (hand position) + nritta hasta mudra (hand gestures).

However, among all Indian classical dance -Kūtiyāttam and Kathalali are the 2 main classical dance forms of India that originated in Kerala which uses these hasta mudras widely, where else in India other than Kerala one can see such a pride given to mudra abhinaya.

I have not been travelling much these days due to MA - Economics and Dance course,
But i promise you all that we will explore Sringeri Sharada peetam by the end of  JAS 2019 Quarter.