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252 ORIGIN OF THE ART OF PAINTING. It is said in the Citrasutra of the Vismudharmottara, that the great sage Narayana created the most beautiful woman Urvasi. with the help of the art of painting she was endowed with a beautiful form. The great sage having thus created the art of painting with its rules, made the immobile Visvakarma apprehend it.15 WHAT IS MEANT BY 'CITRA' ? The Sanskrt word 'Citra' is generally used for painting. Citra, Citrardha and Citrabhasa is the threefold classification of images. The figure in the round is styled as Citra. The figure in relief is ardhacitra and the painting resembling sculpture is Citrabasa. 16 Citrabhasa means that which resembles the Citra or solid natural images. The appearance of solidity comes to a picture painted on a flat surface only when light and shade are properly disposed in the picture. 17 Here the word Citra is used in the limited sense of painting. INTER-RELATIONSHIP OF THE VARIOUS FINE ARTS. The Visnudharmottara firmly believes in the inter relationship of the various fine arts like painting, sculpture, dancing and drama. It introduces the 'Citrasutra' with discourse, where Markandeya tells king Vajra that without a knowledge of the art of dancing the rules of painting are difficult to be understood. The rules of dancing imply those

253 of the art of painting. Markandeya further said that the practice of dancing is difficult to be understood by one who is not acquainted with music. Without music dancing cannot exist at all. 18 Painting And Sculpture. The Visnudharmottara states that the rules for painting are valid also for sculpture. Markandeya says to Vajra, "oh lord of men, the same rules as are applied to painting, also refer to carving in iron, gold, silver, copper and other metals, and also to images made of iron, stone and wood. The same rules that are valid for painting are also applied to clay-modelling " 19 Painting And Dance. In Chapter 35 of the third Khanda, Sage Markandeya says that the observation of nature and of the rules of dancing are indicated as the ultimate resources of the painter. In dancing as well as in painting the imitation of the three worlds ('Trailokyamukrtih') is enjoined by tradition. The eyes and their expressions, the limbs and their parts, and the hands have to be treated as in dancing. They should be the same in painting. Dancing and Painting are considered as equally excellent. 20 Painting And Drang. In this 'anukarana' it resembles the 'Natya'. The Poses and the Hastamudras studied elaborately in Natya Sastra are absolutely necessary in painting. In fact Natya is the

- 254 succession of Citras. In short, the six Major fine arts i.e. Architecture, Sculpture, Painting, Music, Dance and Drama are all branches of Aesthetics and naturally they are dependent on the science of 'Aesthetics'. Thus this interrelationship of arts is one of the basic assumptions of ancient Indian aesthetics. And this interrela tionship of arts is well illustrated in the dialogue between King Vajra and Markandeya. The interrelationship of the art of Dancing and Painting is clearly explained by Dr. Stella Kramrisch. "What is meant by the derivation of painting from dancing is the movement common to both these expressive forms; it asserts itself in purity through dancing, it guides the hand of the artist who knows how to paint figures, as if breathing the wind as blowing, the fire as blazing, and the streamers as fluttering. moving force, the vital breath, the life movement (cetana), that is what is expected to be seen in the work of a painter. To make it alive with rhythm and expression, imagination, observation and the expressive force of rhythm are meant by the legends of the origin of painting, to be its essential features." 21 The The Visnudharmottara again says, "Sentiments and expressions should be represented as already spoken of. An artist should also suitably employ herein what was said about 22 dancing."