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According to the Vismudharmottara (III. 2. 1 - 9) the knowledge of iconography depends on the correct understanding of the rules of Citra (Sculpture in the round, relievo and pictorial representation), a true mastery again is unattainable without a knowledge of the art of dancing, which again is dependent on the full acquaintance with the science of music. Thus all these are interdependent arts. As in Natya and Nrtya, so also in painting and sculpture the representation of Bhavas, and that of Abhinaya, revealed by the various Angas and Upangas, present a supreme picture. Both indian sculpture and Indian dancing use similar language of Abhinaya and Bhava, poses such as different types of Sthana, Asana and Sayana, the angas, the Upangas, and the hastas. The multifarious poses are given by the Vismudharmottara in which pictures of gods and men are to be shown on canvas and wall and were actually used by the image makers of ancient and medieval India.

- 195 The Citrasutra of the Visnudharmottara gives instructions about the technique of painting which is said making. In to be applied with some modifications to image Adhyaya 43, we are told that making images by chiselling stone or by hollowing metal, wood etc. is like Citra. 5 In the Visnudharmottara, there is at first a list of nine major stahanas in book III, Ch. 39, VV. 1 - 32. These are Rjvagata, Anrju, sacikrtasarira, Ardhavilocana, Parsvagsta, Paravrtta and Samanata. (These sthanas are described by me in detail in the chapter on painting). In the same chapter thirteen sthanas are described on the basis of the law of Ksaya and Vrddhi (law of foreshortening). These are Rivagata, Anrju, Madhyardha, Ardha, Ardhardhe, Sacfkrtamukha, Nata, Ganda-paravrtta, Prsthagata, Paravagata, Ullepa, Calita, Uttana, and Valita. These Sthanas are varied by a series of motions like Vaisakha, Alidha and Pratyalidna. The purana also describes the attitude in which the female figures should be shown - "one of the legs should be in the Samasthana (straightly planted), the other in the Vidgala (which is suggested by Dr. Banerjea, as a leg crossing the other firmly planted leg), The body should be shown in a graceful manner, some times held by supports, charming with its grace and dalliance, with the front part of the loins being broad and spacious, with one leg firm and well-adjusted - thus should an artist draw a female figure."6 In Hindu dancing also there is a large number of

- 196 positions in the Sthanas, in the Caris, and in the Karanas. (I will discuss these in the chapter on Dancing). The different types of postures (sthana, asana and sayana) are mentioned in both the Natya sastra and the Silpasustras. According to Bharata the Allaha, Pratyalidha and the Vaisakha 5 thanas are recommended for men, and the Ayata Strana is prescribed for women. While discussing the close relationship between these two arts, namely sculpture and dancing, Dr.Aspila Vatsyayana says, "..... The Indian sculptor whether he was creating sculpture in the round or relief, high or low, or casting in bronze or sculpturing in wood, he was conscious of the human body as a most powerful instrument for the communication of moods, Bhava and Rasa. Like the creative poet and dramatist he was also knowledgeable. His imagination was harnessed to the canons of not only sculpture but also dance texts. Through these examples of indian sculpture one can reconstruct to some extent a history or movement of Indian dance". 8 It is true that the Indian sculpter has created innumerable dancing figures from the Mohenjo-daro figurine of a dancing girl. The great Nataraja temple at Cidambaram contains well arranged illustrations of some interesting dance poses. These sculptures are mainly carved on the walls. The Nataraja image itself depicts him, dancing his cosmic dance, the right foot trampling down Muyaleka, the left raised in the Kuncitapada with one right hand sounding the cosmic drum, the

- 187 other in the abhayahasta with one left hand holding the fire and the other in danda-hasta pose. But this sculpture is not earlier than the 13 th Century A.D. The much earlier figures of a dancing Siva have been found in the Brahmanical cave shrines at Ellora. According to T.A. G. Rao, the 'Katisama' and 'Lalita' dance poses described by Bharata are found in these figures. Dr. Kapila Vatsyayana in her valuable work - 'Classical Indian Dance in Literature and the Arts' has discussed the various sculptural dance poses with the illustration of number of sculptures. 9