Contents: Foreword. 1. Avatarika. 2. Natyotpattih. 3. Sirobhedah. 4. Drsti Bhedah. 5. Bhru Bhedah. 6. Griva Bhedah. 7. Hasta Pranam. 8. Asamyuta Hastah. 9. Samyuta Hastah. 10. Deva Hastah. 11. Dikpala Hastah. 12. Dasavatara Hastah. 13. Varna Hastah. 14. Bandhava hastah. 15. Navagraha hastah. 16. Raja hastah. 17. Samudra hastah. 18. Nadi hastah. 19. Loka hastah. 20. Nrtta Hastah. 21. Pada Bhedah. 22. Mandala Bhedah. 23. Sthanaka Bhedah. 24. Utplavana Bhedah. 25. Bhramari Bhedah. 26. Cari Bhedah. 27. Gati Bhedah. 28. Vrksa Hastah. 29. Mrga hastah. 30. Paksi Hastah. 31. Jalajantu Hastah. Legacy of change. References. Dance studies across genres require multiple approaches for an understanding of the sociological, phenomenological, political, cultural, philosophical and aesthetical practices that influences the dance's kinesthetic and existential character. In the context of Bharatanatyam the moment of explaining shifting ideologies and its impact on the form content and process, is a moment of convergence of past and present dancer and society. This convergence has been so enduring that while dancers have found new ways of expressing in the language of Bharatanatyam recourse is taken to the traditional texts for understanding the tenets of its practice. The second revised and updated edition of message in movements "Abhinaya Darpanam, An illlustrated translation" attempts for the first time an illustrative description of the aesthetic movement/suggestion in Bharatanatyam so learners may reconnect and experience its unique definitional identity to its source in nature and reestablish practical-theoretical subject object connections. This edition collates verses from the two available translated and edited texts of Manmohan Ghosh (328 verses), and P.S.R. Appa Rao (814 verses). (jacket)