SIX LIMBS OF INDIAN PAINTING
SHADANGA
BY: Moksh Gupta
“Roopabhedah pramanani bhava-lavanya-yojanam |
Sadrishyam varnakabhangam iti chitram shadakam ||”
“रूपाभेदः प्रमाणानि भव-लावण्य-योजनम् |”
सदृश्यं वर्णकभंगम् इति चित्रं षडकं ||”
1. Roopa-Bheda (Knowledge of Form or Form Impact)
2. Pramana (Proportion)
3. Bhava (Expression)
4. Lavanya-Yojnam (Aesthetic Scheme)
5. Sadradhyam (Similitude)
6. Varnika-Bhanga (Color Scheme)
SHADANGA (SHAD-ANGA)
It is a one of the rule of art of painting written in ancient period, a word consist of 2 very important words, one is shad, means 6 and anga, means part. Shadanga consist of the six limbs, or canons of art, on which the whole art of painting depends. If a painting with any subject is a body so these shadanga are the body parts of it and if the painting lacks any of the parts of shadanga, it was considered as an incomplete, fruitless and meaningless creation. The word shadanga is very well elaborated in a text Vishnu dharmottarapurana As most of us are aware about the lord of dance shiva nataraj, and the divine architect vishwakarma, so because lord Vishnu was the first painter according to hindu mythology, who drawn the image of Urvashi on his thigh with mango leaf and infuse the life into it to break the proud of Indra. This is story of Nara- Narayan from Bhagavat purana, and depicted in a form of a sculpture in Dashavatara temple in Deogarh. This is the reason that the rules of painting are layered down in Vishnu dharmottara. And this reason makes the painting lively.
Roopa-Bheda (Knowledge of Form or Form Impact)
Rupa-bheda consists in the knowledge of special characteristics of things – natural or manmade; say, the differences in appearances among many types of men, women or natural objects or other subjects of the painting. Rupa is ‘form’, visual as well as mental and ‘Bheda’ means ‘Difference’, such as the difference between forms instinct with life and beauty and the forms which have no beauty, no life. The study and practice of Rupabheda enable us to see and depict things as they are and as they appear visually. From our birth to the day of our death, we live with Rupa (Form), seeing it with our eyes, touching it with the five organs of our senses, and feeling it with our mind. Jyoti Pasyati Rupani—which means the light which sees (and shows) forms, light waves from the planets, as well as the inner light of our soul, reveal Form to us, diversely shaped, differently moulded and coloured. Endless and varied are the forms which our senses feel, perceive and observe. Rupabheda means the analysis and synthesis of forms given to us by our five senses and our soul, or mind.
Pramana (Proportion)
Pramāṇa, means measure, in Indian philosophy, the means by which one obtains accurate and valid knowledge (pramā, pramiti) about the world. A basic particular size and proportion of any character in art. It is the correct spatial perception of the objects painted and maintaining a sense of harmony, balance and a sense of proportion within the figure and also in its relation to other figures; and to the painting as a whole. The sense of proportion also extended to the way major figures are depicted by placing at the centre and surrounding them with lesser figures in smaller size symbolizing their status with the main figure. The Indian artists were guided more by the proportions than by absolute measurements. The proportions were often symbolic and suggestive.
Bhava (Expression)
It is a state of mind, translated as feeling, emotion, mood, devotional state of mind. emotional energies created through the paintings. It is the expression of the character which fulfils the meaning of the painting and the concept or the story behind. The Natyashastra identifies eight rasas with eight corresponding Bhava as:
Śṛngāram: Which means, Love, Attractiveness.
Hāsyam :Which means, Laughter, Comedy.
Raudram :Which means, Fury (Anger)
4.Kāruṇyam :Which means, Compassion, Tragedy Holds the bhava. Soka (Sorrow)
Bībhatsam :Which means, Disgust, Aversion.
6.Bhayānakam :Which means, Horror, Terror.
Vīram :Which means, Heroic mood (Energy).
Adbhutam :Which means, Wonder, Amazement (Astonishment).
Since color is a major medium in painting, the emotions and moods are expressed through manipulating colors, their density, tones, lines, light, shades etc. The ingenuity, imagination and skill of the artist discover their limitations here.
Lavanya-Yojnam (Aesthetic Scheme)
Infusion of grace, it is a planning to create a beautiful and graceful environment, along with the beauty of the character. Emotive and lyrically graceful portrayal of the painting. So in totality, it is the creation of grace, beauty, charm, tenderness and illuminating the painting and the hearts of the viewer. It aims to uplift and brighten the mood of the figures, the viewers and the surroundings.
Sadradhyam (Similitude)
This is perhaps the most challenging task of creating a painting. Sadrisyam suggests the degree to which a depiction is similar to an artist’s vision or the subject itself. In a way, it is also a way of depicting similitude.Why do poets often compare a woman’s locks of hair with a snake? Why is a beautiful girl called ‘moon-faced’? Why are her lips like rose petals and
eyes like those of a deer? Well, THIS is similitude in a literal sense. Of course, artists cannot draw snakes instead of a lady’s tresses or a moon instead of her face. The delineation must come from their artistic way of painting.
It enhance the character of any individual and make him complete in itself. For example Mriganayani (eyes like a deer eyes), nose should be like a parrot beak, waist should be like a tree-trunk, thighs should be like a banana trunk, fingers like lotus petals, lips like fresh busted flower, etc. Lets take an example of Buddha. The Buddha is traditionally regarded as having the Thirty-two Characteristics of a Great Man (Mahāpuruṣa lakṣaṇa).
Varnika-Bhanga (Color Scheme)
Varnakabhangam– An artistic way of making use of the brush and colours.
The term translated means the way a subject is being drawn and coloured. So, obviously, there shall be the use of brush and pigments. What this principle focuses on, is the way the strokes are being applied to a canvas, and the knowledge of the artist about the different colours.
Here is a very interesting piece from mythology, where the great Lord Shiva speaks about the knowledge of varnasto his wife, Parvati. He says, “Everything is futile – the repeating of mantrasand the telling of beads, austerities and devotion, unless one has gained the knowledge of Varnas—the true significance of the letterings and the luster and virtue of figures.”