How many 'Asanyukt Hast Mudra' are mentioned in Natyashastra and Abhinay Darpan ?

Question

Accepted Answer

The correct option is 1: 24, 32.

The foundation of Indian classical dance rests on the systematic classification of hand gestures (*Hastas*) detailed in ancient Sanskrit treatises. The question asks for the number of *Asamyukt Hast Mudras* (Single-Hand Gestures) found in the two most pivotal texts: the *Natyashastra* by Bharata Muni and the *Abhinaya Darpana* by Nandikeshwara. The *Natyashastra*, the earliest and most comprehensive text, precisely defines **24** *Asamyukt Hastas* as the basic vocabulary for gestural representation (*Angika Abhinaya*). The later, yet equally important, text *Abhinaya Darpana* expanded on Bharata's system, and in many scholarly traditions, it is recognized for its enumeration of **32** *Asamyukt Hastas*, with the additional gestures reflecting subsequent developments in dance practice.

The incorrect option is 2: 13, 23.
This option incorrectly pairs the numbers of *Samyuta Hastas* (Combined or Double-Hand Gestures) instead of the *Asamyukt Hastas*. The number **13** is the accepted count of *Samyuta Hastas* in the *Natyashastra*. Similarly, the number **23** is the traditionally cited number for *Samyuta Hastas* in the *Abhinaya Darpana*. Students must be careful not to confuse the classifications of single-hand and double-hand gestures, as these are entirely different categories in the texts.

The incorrect option is 3: 21, 21.
This option is incorrect primarily because the number of *Asamyukt Hastas* is not the same in both foundational texts. The *Natyashastra* unambiguously describes 24 single-hand gestures, and the *Abhinaya Darpana* expands this count to 32 (as per the correct option) or 28 (as per other variant manuscripts). The two texts are known for their variations in gesture counts, making an identical pairing like 21, 21 factually erroneous.

The incorrect option is 4: 17, 27.
This option is incorrect as neither number corresponds to the canonical count of *Asamyukt Hastas* in these specific texts. The number **27** is a figure often associated with the *Nritta Hastas* (gestures used in pure dance) mentioned in the *Natyashastra*, a separate category altogether. The value **17** is also incorrect for the single-hand gestures in the *Natyashastra*, making this combination a misapplication of gesture counts from other classifications within the dance literature.