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Kartarimukha Hand Gesture (Mudra)

Kartarimukha Mudra is done when the little finger and the ring finger is bent and pressed against the thumb. While the index finger and the Middle finger is stretched to show a scissor.

kartarimukha

Lets take a look at the viniyoga (uses) shloka for Kartarimukha

stripurushayoshtu vishaleshe vishayaspadepi va
luntanenayanante cha marane bhedabhavane
vidhudarthe pyekshayavirahe patane tatha
latayam yujyate yashusakarah kartarimukhaha

Kartarimukha is used to denote the following:

  • Kartarimukha: Scissors
  • stripurushayoshtu vishaleshe: Separation of a couple
  • vishayaspadepi va: Opposition
  • luntane: To roll
  • nayanante cha: Corner of an eye
  • marane: Death
  • bhedabhavane: To show two different things
  • vidhudarthe: Lightning
  • pyekshayavirahe: sharp separation
  • patane tatha: Falling and Weeping
  • lataayam: Creeper

These gestures can also be used to show sleeping.

10 Comments

  1. sucharita yellapragada

    thank you so much for all of the mudras. i am a beginning student and i have always wanted to learn bharatanatyam. i am a little too old to be learning i think but i want to embrace my culture and i can’t afford a guru and lessons. so thanks for putting this up. 😀

  2. Soma

    Hi Anjali,

    How do I get to know the postures for the transliterations of each mudra. My daughter goes to dance class where they teach the actions for the transliterations. If she needs to practice I am not able to help her out. Can you please let me know how to find these. Thanks for your help.

    ~Soma.

  3. Anjali

    @Soma, bharatanatyam percepts and practice- hastas and bhedas Cd might help you. Sites like kalakenda and kalakriya has them for sale online.

  4. Mel

    Thanks so much for this amazing dance resource!
    How would you show the separation of a couple with this gesture?

  5. Anjali

    Show the hand gesture for a couple as in right Mrigashirsha, left shikhara and then follow it up with kartharimukha with both hands in to out to show separate. There could other option to show it also.

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