Head movements are also called Shirobheda. Shira or shirasa meaning ” Head” in sanskrit. The head  movements refer to the head positions, while expressing a particular bhava. There are Nine head movements. Sama : The head kept straight Udvahitam : Head Looking upwards Adhomukham : Looking Down Alolitam: Circular Movement of the head Dhutam: Right [...]

Nirutti: Nirutti is actually said to be one of the Ashta-dikpalas. Ashta-dikpala means guardians of eight direction. Thus Nirutti is said to be guarding the south-west direction. He rides on a lion. His weapon is called the Kundayudha. His consort is Durga. Some times taking Brahma as the centre they form the Navasandhi. ‘Nava’ mean [...]

When both hands held in sarpashirsha hasta is crossed at the wrists, we get the Nagabandha hand gesture. lets take a look at the viniyoga shloka: (uses) Etasya viniyogastu nagabandhe he samataha This gesture is used to show how the snakes twine or their nature of coiling and encircling

Varuna: He is known as the god of oceans. He is seen riding on an ocean creature that has an head of an antelope, but a body of a fish or an alligator. His weapon is a noose. Varuna was a very important god in pre-Vedic Hindu mythology. Though only about a dozen hymns address [...]

When the Bhramara hasta is held in both hands, we get the Shakata Hasta. lets take a look at the viniyoga (uses) shloka rakshasabhinaye prayaha shakato viniyujyate It says that the Shakata hasta is used to enact a demon. Thus when shakata hasta is held close the face , it indicates vicious teeth of a [...]

Agni: Agni is the Hindu god of Fire. He is the one of the presiding gods in the Vedas. It said that Agni along with indra (the lord of heaven) and surya ( the lord of skies) was considered the first trinity in Hinduism. In the later vedic period he became one of the Ashtadikpalas [...]

Kartikeya: Kartikeya is the second son of Shiva and Parvati. He is also known as Murugan, Shanmukhan, Skanda, Subramaniyam, Arumukhan, Velan and many more. He is regarded as the God of wars. He is known to have six heads so that he can counter all kinds of blows from all directions during a war. It [...]

Lakshmi: She is the goddess of wealth and prosperity. Lakshmi is thus worshiped as means to achieving objectives, including prosperity in the lives of mankind both material and spiritual. She is a consort of Vishnu and is also seen as massaging lord vishnu’s feet who rests on the shehsa naga (coiled snake). Most of the [...]

Parvati: Devi Parvati known as a consort lord Shiva. She is considered source of all universal principle of power , energy or creativity. She is the belived to be the daughter of the Himalayas. She is the mother of Ganesha and Kartikeya. When shown with Lord Shiva, shows the abhaya mudra (hand gesture of fearlessness, [...]

Saraswati: Goddess Saraswati is considered the goddess of knowledge and speech. She is usually seen in white garments and fair in complexion. She is seated on a lotus. She has for arms holding the Veena (A string instrument), the rosary, and the vedas. The Veena represents her perfection on all arts. The Veena points the [...]