Tara Bheda is the eyeball movements in Hindu classical dance. Tara has been classified as an upanga (minor limb) in the treatises on dance. Natyashastra of Bharatamuni deals with it in the section which explains the procedure of the ancillary limbs.
He classifies Tara bheda movements into nine forms and also explains their prayoga (usage). The nine forms listed in the treatise are – bhramana, valana, patah, calana, sampravesana, nivartana or vivartana, samudvritta, nishkrama and prakrta.
The movements are explained below:
- Bhramana (circular movement) involves a random turning of eyeballs
- Valana (turning) involves triangular movement
- Patah (letting down) involves letting down eyeballs
- Calana (trembling) involves trembling movement of eyeballs
- Sampravesana (withdrawal) involves withdrawal or drawing of eyeballs within
- Nivartana or Vivartana (sideways movement) involves sideways movement of eyeballs
- Samudvritta (raising) involves raising of the eyeballs
- Nishkrama (projecting forward or going out) involves projecting or coming out of pupils
- Prakrta (usual or natural) involves keeping eyeballs in the normal position.
The treatise proceeds to explain the context in which the movements are to be used.
- Bhramana, Calana, Samudvritta and Nishkrama are to be used while depicting the sentiment of vira (heroism) and raudra (ferocious) rasas sentiments.
- Nishkrama and Valana are to be used while depicting bhayankara (great fear) rasa.
- Sampravesana is to be used while depicting the sentiments of hasya (humor).
- Patah is to be employed while depicting the sentiment of compassion or karuna rasa.
- Nishkrama is to be employed while depicting the erotic sentiment of awe or adbhuta rasa (wonderment).
- Vivartana is to be used while depicting the sentiment of sringara rasa.
- Prakrta is to be employed to depict other sentiments or bhavas (emotions).
Most of Natyashastra inspired texts on dance like Sangita Upanishad Saroddhara of Sudhakalasa, Vishnudharmothara Purana and Natya Samgraha of Govindacharya, give a similar account and classification of Tarabheda movements.