[INDOLOGY] Touching one's nose with the left index finger

[Buchta, David]

Dear colleagues,

I hope someone might have insight (or better yet a textual reference) for a
cultural convention.
In Viśvanātha Cakravartin's commentary (ca. late 17th century) on the
Bhāgavata Purāṇa 10.9.7 (uttārya gopī...), where Yaśodā finds the curd-pot
that Kṛṣṇa had broken, he adds a comment that she touched the tip of her
nose with her left index finger (vāmatarjjanyā nāsāgraṃ spṛṣṭveti jñeyam).
Can anyone identify the significance of this? Does it indicate
exasperation? Surprise?

Thanks,
David
--
David Buchta, PhD
Lecturer in Sanskrit
Department of Classics
Brown University


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