548
Chap t e r - 21,
SCULP
IUR-BS
S c u lp tu re h as been d e fin e d by Mr. Siadney Colvin
a s fo llo w s. He sa y s, "We may c o n te n t o u r s e lv e s w ith th e
d e f i n i t i o n o f s c u lp tu r e a s a shaping a r t , o f which th e
b u s in e s s i s to e x p re ss and aro u se em otion by th e im ita tio n
o f n a tu r a l o b j e c ts , and p r i n c i p a l l y th e human body, in s o l i d
form, rep reducing e i t h e r t h e i r tr u e p r o p o r tio n s in th r e e
jstx dim ensions, o r t h e i r p ro p o rtio n s in th e two dim ensions o f
le n g th and b rea d th o n ly , w ith a d im in ish ed p r o p o r tio n in th e
t h i r d dim ension o f depth o r t h ic k n e s s ." 1
The le a r n e d s c h o la r .a s to th e means o r in s tru m e n ts
o f S c u lp tu r e ) say s, " s c u lp tu re may have f o r th e o b j e c ts o f
i t s im ita tio n th e sh ap es o f w hatever th in g s p o s s e s s le n g th ,
b re a d th and m agnitude. Ebr i t s means o r in s tru m e n ts i t has
s o l i d form , which th e s c u lp to r e i t h e r c a rv e s o u t o f a h ard
s u b s ta n c e , a s in th e c a se o f wood and s to n e , o r models in
a y ie ld in g su b sta n c e , a s in th e c ase o f c la y o r wax, o r
c a s t s in a d is s o lv e d o r m olten su b s ta n c e , a s in th e case
o f p l a s t e r and o f m etal in c e r t a i n u s e s , o r beats,drakes
o r c h a se s in a m a lle a b le and d u c t i l e su b s ta n c e , a s in th e
c ase o f m etal in o t h e r u s e s , o r stam ps from d ie s o r m oulds,
a method sometimes u sed in a l l s o r t s o f f u s i b l e m a te r ia ls .
1.
m
Vol. 3D (1 1 th LSdn.),p.365.
549
Thus a sta tu e o r s ta tu e tte may e ith e r be carved s tr a ig h t
o u t o f the block o f stone o r wood, o r f i r s t modelled in
clay o r wax, then moulded in p la s te r o r some equivalent
m aterial and then carved in stone o r c a st in bronze.1,2
However, generally,w e are accustomed to regard the
shapes created in stone, metal o r clay as sc u lp tu re s. But
i s accordance with the above d e scrip tio n o f S c u lp tu r e by
GoIv in , we can regard shapes and moulding in wood and o th er
s o ft m aterial..
We should note another p o in t also . In the o ld
b uild in g s o f ancient Indian th a t have survived, we fin d
th a t the d iffe re n t p a r ts o f s t r u c t u r e supporting one
another are scarcely found in th e ir simple forms. They are
generally given a d ecorative e ffe c t. This i s in the form o f
mouldings, carvings o r s ta tu e tte s in high o r low r e l i e f .
In the NS we come across s c u lp tu r e s mainly in
Adhylyas second and tiv e n ty -first. In Adhyaya second, as
noted above, we come across terms l ik e Uha, Pratyuha,
t
f
S ilp a, Sa&javana, Vyala, SalabhaSjika, Nirvyuha, Kuhara,
VedikS, Vinyasa, J s la , Gavaksa, Dharini, Kapo t&li,Stambha,
e tc . In the chapter on a rc h ite c tu re we have seen th a t
except Vyal a, sk lab h an jik s and Kapo ta li,- the o th e r terms
denote a rc h ite c tu ra l fe a tu re s,
2.
Ib id p.364.
550
In th e 2 1 s t Adhyaya th re e ty p e s o f P u s ta a re
d e s c rib e d .
The g e n e ra l l o r d fo r th e p l a s t i c a r t i s S i l p a .3456
In v e rs e 75 o f th e second Adhyaya, we a re to ld
t h a t th e wood-work sh o u ld be e x h ib ite d w ith a v a r ie ty o f
^
f
C1L
S ilp a s - N ahasilpapryo j-itam . T his s u g g e s ts t h a t in a
g e n e ra l way th e wo$£-work was d e c o ra te d w ith a number o f
v a rie d p l a s t i c form s.
Now l e t u s ta k e S lla b h a n jik a , Vy§la and K a p o ta li.
/
^
Salabhan.ilkgs Dr. M. M.Ghosh t r a n s l a t e s i t a s ' a woman w ith
4
a t r e e . ’ Here i t means th e well-known d e c o ra tiv e fig u r e
in In d ia n a r c h i te c t u r e .
L e t u s se e I t s meanings i n S a n s k r it le x ic o n s ,
l a I t i s n o t m entioned in Amarakosa, b u t th e commentator
KsIrasWkmln m entions i t and d e s c rib e s i t a s S a la b h a n jik a
c
stam bhe.
I t i s a synonym o f P a n c a llk a and P u tr ik a . So
6
t
S a la b h a n jik a i s a s t a t u e t t e on a column. Hemacandra
m en tions i t a s 1*Sal a th an j I ' s and a s a synonym o f P a n c a llk a
HL 3. S ilp a in th e K a n g ita k i Brahmana means ’ art* o f
4.
5.
6.
which th re e k in d s - n r ty a , *dance", g l t a , ' song1,
and v a d ita , *in s tru m e n ta l m usic' a re enum erated
(V I, Vol. I I , p .J B l .
NS Eng. T rans. Vol. I (Second R evised B d n .)p .3 1 .
AK. I I . 29 p . 231*
AC. IV. 80 p .4 0 4 .
551
and P u tr ik a . He d e riv e s i t th u st SaLam Yriksam b h a n a k ti >i. e.
*■
*
f
t h a t which b reak s S S la t r e e i s s k la b h a n ji. I t i s so c a lle d
because i t was made o f Sal a t r e e (V e tic a Robusta) Tan
Kb
7
U ir m ita tta v a t S ir M oniker-W illiam s* r i g h t l y e x p la in s ftg i t
a s an image o r f ig u r e made o f Sal a wood.
I
The o r i g i n and h is to r y o f t h i s S aL abhanjika i s
d is c u s s e d by em inent s c h o la rs l i k e S i r John Marshall, and
Dr. Y.S. Agrawal, W hile e x p la in in g th e s e f ig u r e s in San c h i
S tu p a, 8 S i r John M arshall say s, "These f ig u r e s a re n o t
m erely a r c h i t e c t u r a l members, n o r a re th e y , a s was once
th o u g h t, r e p r e s e n ta tio n s o f dancing g i r l s w ith o u t any
r e l i g i o u s s ig n if ic a n c e . They belong to th e same c la s s
o f m inor d e i t i e s a s th e Y aksis and DevatSs (S u d arsan a,
•
*
CQlakokS, S irim a, e t c .) s c u lp tu re d on th e b a lu s tr a d e s o f
B harhut and on<| th e second S tupa a t S an ch i. Here, th e
o v erh an g in g branches on to which they a re h o ld in g , seem to
in d ic a t e t h a t they a re Y rik sa -d e v a ta s o r Dryads d escen d en ts
o f th o se p r e - Ary an t r e e goddesses whose Sjaisrd e f f i g i e s
a re f o u rth m ille n n ia B, C. and whose c u l t , along w ith
/
t h a t o f m other % goddesses and S iv a, must be reckoned one
o f th e o l d e s t in In d ia .
o
Dr. ¥ . S.Agrawal goes d eeper and tr a c e s th e
o r i g i n o f ^ a la b h a B jik a in a d i f f e r e n t way. He sa y s, "The
term S alab h aK jik a o r i g i n a l l y denoted a fem ale s p o r t
im p ly ing th e g a th e rin g o f S §la Jocx flo w e rs by women
7.
8.
S a n s k rit E n g lish D ic tio n a ry .
The monuments o f S anchi, Y o l.I.p .1 2 9 .
552
sta n d in g under blossom ing SstLa t r e e s . T h is was a k ind o f
'
|
J
$
g ard en x s p o r t which was p o p u la r in e a s te r n I n d ia r e f e r r e d
to a s PrScam k r id a by P a n in i ( 6 .2 .7 4 ) . A #graphie acco u n t o f
salabhanjka^ f e s t i v a l i s found in th e AvadSnasataka which
s
’
was u n d o u b te d ly based on a much e a r l i e r t r a d i t i o n ^ * H e
f u r t h e r sa y s, "The m o tif, o f th e women p lu c k in g flo w e rs
from a d iste n d e d bough i s met w ith on th e to ra n a o f
B harhut and, Sanchi in th e Sung a p e rio d and i s c o n tin u ed
on th e r a i l i n g p i l l a r s o f Mathura d u rin g th e Kushana
p e r io d .
The le a rn e d sch o lar^ w h ile g iv in g th e most
i l l u s t r a t i v e example o f p a la c e a r c h i t e c t u r e mxaiogcix «£
•i
found in th e H ayapaseniya S u tta in an account o f th e
VimSna o f SurySbha Deva, r e f e r s to g ra c e fu l f ig u r e s o f
S aL abhanjika women ( L a la tth iy a s a la b h a h jiy a ) ? ^ He a lso
speaks in c o n n ectio n w ith th e d e s c r ip tio n o f atefc a big
t h e a t r e h a ll (PreksS-ghara-m andiava) given in th e same work,
and sa y s t h a t i t was su p p o rte d on many columns and was
f u rn is h e d w ith a te r r a c e d r a i l i n g , gatew ays w ith
t
a r c h i tr a v e and S ila b h a E jik a f ig u r e s .
Dr. V.S.Agrawal g iv e s an i n t e r e s t i n g d e s c r ip tio n
1
^
o f S S lab h affjik as tak en from th e same R ly ap asen iy a S a tta :
"The S a la b h a n jik a women carved on th e v ed ik a p i l l a r s were
sta n d in g i n v a rio u s g ra c e fu l p o se s, w e ll-s u p p o rte d (on
ero u c h an t f i g u r e s ) , b e a u tif u lly ornam ented, w earing garm ents
p a in te d in v a rio u s c o lo u rs , and n e c k la c e s o f v a rio u s d e sig n s,
s le n d e r w a iste d , having round prom inent b r e a s ts , eyes w ith
x s i 9 1 " " Indian" A r t,""p .2 2 4 .
10. Ib id .
11. Ib id . p . 67.
12. Ib id .
~
553
r e d c o rn e rs and b lack c u rly h a i r , s ta n d in g under Asoka
t r e e s h o ld in g t h e i r d is te n d e d boughs, s t e a l in g th e h e a r t s
o f th e gods a s i t were w ith t h e i r r o l l i n g g la n c e s and
f
te a s in g a s i t were w ith th e p la y o f t h e i r eyes.
IS
He
f u r t h e r inform s u s t h a t “VYe a have a c tu a l specim ens o f
both B jd d h is t and J a in x m k r a i l i n g s to which th e above
d e s c r ip tio n e q u a lly a p p l i e s . ”
14
Dr. A graw al-also draws a t t e n t i o n g« gteS to th e
d e s c r ip tio n o f th e s le e p in g chamber o f a queen in th e
NSygdhamm^, Kaha, whose p i l l a r s .were endowed w ith - s ta tu e s
( S a la b h a n jiy a )^
D isc u ssin g th e M athura a r t s t y l e and
c o n te n ts , he sa y s, “Female beauty i s th e stro n g p o in t o f
th e M athura s c u lp tu re and i l l u s t r a t e d by th e sta n d in g
i
f i g u r e s o f SaLabhanjika” women on th e r a i l i n g p i l l a r s . ”
.
ig
t
He a ls o r e f e r s to th e ^ a la b h a B iik ls in GlhdhSra a r t and
sa y s, “The Gandhara a r t i s t s a lso t r i e d th e lom en-and-T ree
M o tif showing fem ale f ig u r e sta n d in g u nder a t r e e in
t
S a la b h a h jik S 1p o se . “
i
a re extrem ely week.
17
These f ig u r e s , however, in h i s o p in io n
ig
The p o p u la r m o tif o f S d la b h afljik a s c u lp tu r e
seems to have in s p ir e d th e p o e t R Sjasifekhara ( 9 th c e n t. A.D,)
because he names one o f h i s p la y s a s “V id d h a sala b h an jik a. “
The word i s e x p la in e d by a in d a r i in h e r commentary
13. In d ia n A rt, p . 224.
14. Ib id .
15. ' In d ia n A rt p .6 7 .
16. I b id . p p .216-17.
17. I b id p .2 7 4 .
IS . I b id .
554
G a m atak a ra ta ra n e in
i o f t h i s drama a s 1Viddhesu
*
•
c c h id rlta sta m b h e su fealabhaH jikSy-^ i . e. a s t a t u e t t e in
p e r f o r a te d p i l l a r s . .
Vyalas,
L ik e S H a b h a n jik a Vyala i s a ls o a well-known
f ig u r e in In d ia n a r c h i t e c t u r e . The Vyala f ig u r e s a re
g ro te sq u e s c u lp tu r e s o f com posite p a r t s o f d i f f e r e n t
a n im a ls. They a re known a s le o g ra p h s .
S h ri Bam Has in h i s la s s a y on th e A r c h ite c tu r e
of, th e Hindus e x p la in s Vyala in t h i s way*. » i m oulding
u se d above th e c o rn ic e which ta k e s i t s name from being
g e n e ra lly ornam ented w ith th e f ig u r e s o f th e anim al
c a l le d V yala. ,,2°
The Sam aradganasU tradhara o f Bhoja m entions
16 V yalas. These a re s H arina (D e e r),. G rdhra ( V u ltu re ),
/
m
t
Suka ( P a r r o t ) , Kukkuta ( Gock), Simha (L io n ), SS rudula
( T ig e r ) , Vrka (w o lf), Aja (G o a t), Gandaki (R hinoceros
Fem ale), Gaja ( H e p h a n t ) , Kroda (Hog), Asva (Ifo s rs e ),
t
M ahisa (B u ffa lo ), Svana (Dog), l a r k a t a (Monkey), and
K hara (Donkey).
0*1
A parSjitaprocccha a lso m entions tosdi th e s e
16 k in d s o f V yalas. 22 According to i t , th e fa c e s o f th e s e
s
16 an im als g iv e 16 k in d s o f V yalas. I t -$ays t h a t a V ylla
19.
20.
21.
22.
l&ssay an to e x a z s k ito s to x s erf to e Mtodassc gcx
V id d h a sa la b h a n jik a .p .
• iff.
Dr. A.K.Goomarswamy has given ^ i n t e r e s t i n g d e t a i l s
o f th e o r i g i n and h i s t o r i c a l developm ent o f
^SuLabhaKjika in A ^ts O r i e n t a li a V o l.V II.
"Essay on th e A r c h ite c tu r e o f th e Hindus, p . Z4
S S .75-27-28. Vy&Lah sodasa n i r d i s t a harinoghrdhakah
sukah / Kukku^a|i s i Ahadar da 1 av a j ag an d ak ig ajah
kroda^vamafllhlsasvSnomarakatah k h a ra ity a m i / /
AP. 2 3 3 ,4 -6 . *
555
h a s a body in th e form o f a se rp iln t and hands,- f e e t , t a i l
a r e taken from o th e r VySlas?3
Dr. V.S.Agrawal w hile d e s c rib in g e a rly a r t
fas form s’ sa y s, "U arly In d ia n a r t in v e n te d a number o f
f a n c i f u l f ig u r e s a s Sim ha-vyala, e t c . , in which a
p a r t i c u l a r head was jo in e d to a d i f f e r e n t body. L a te r
t
S lip a t e x t s g iv e t h e i r number a s s ix te e n each re p re s e n te d
m s ix te e n p o se s, g iv in g an a g g re g a te o f 256 forms.'*
P4
The le a r n e d s c h o la r f u r t h e r say s, "T h eir v a r ie ty and
p o s e s , once form ulated^w ere s u b je c t to e la b o r a tio n by
in g e n io u s s c u lp to r s , iv o r y - c a rv e r s , e t c . , a s i n th e a r t
o f Begram p la q u e s . The meaning o f th e s e m o tifs i n In d ia n
l i t e r a t u r e i s t h a t they a re so many a tte n d a n ts (Gana%
Pram atha) o f one Budra. "Bach in d iv id u a l^ alth o u g h born a s
a s a human being ^ c a r r ie s in h i s fa c e th e physiognomy o f
a b ir d o r an anim al, th e d i f f e r e n t form s being c a lle d
25
Ih a-m rig a , anim als o f fancy o r fa b u lo u s c r e a t u r e s ," *
As to th e h is to r y o f Vyala f ig u r e s in In d ian
a r c h i t e c t u r e S h ri I,A .D haky sa y s, " I t s form i s too
o b v io u sly Achaemfhian in i n s p i r a t i o n . I t s e a rly e n try
in to I n d ia goes, by common co n sen t, a s f a r back a s th e
Maury an p e r io d ."
OR
He f u r t h e r sa y s, "The Vy’S la , a t tim es
a ls o known in Vastu a s V a ra la (-k a ). VirSLa and V irH ik S ^
23.
24.
25.
2
& ,.
I b id .
In d ia n A rt p.72*
I b id .
The VyaLa f ig u r e s on th e M edieval tem ples o f
I n d ia , p • 11.
558
?ias favoured in the decoration devices o f the AndhraSunga and Kushaha-Kshtrapa
Age as w ell. I t s fa fresh
s*
*
impact from Scythian sources through the interm ediary °
o f Gandhara i s equally in evidence. I t also fig u re s in
the c re a tio n s o f Gupta p erio d . In post-G upta epoch i t
tran sg ressed the t e r r i t o r i a l lim its o f India! i t sa ile d
with the
smsi
many a rt-s e e d s from In d ia to a the f e r t i l e
s o ils o f Lanka and South-east Asia, e sp ecially Java. ”97
*
In the medieval p erio d these fig u re s became more popular
in a rc h ite c tu re . Shri Dhaky says, “But i t s palmy days
o f p o p u larity came with the dawning o f Medieval p erio d
when i t s development a tta in e d phenomenal p ro p o rtio n s,
matched only by i t s u b iq u ity throughout the len g th and
breadth o f the su b c o n tin e n t.”28 Shri Dhaky has given an
in te n siv e study o f t h is period in th is work.
K anotalI;
Like Salabhahjika and Vysla, K apotalf i s also ■
a popular fea tu re in Indian a rc h ite c tu re . I t i s also
known as Kapota, KapotSlika and Kapotap&Lika.
I t s meaning in S anskrit le x ico n s may f i r s t be
noted. Amara says, ”Eapotap'Slikayam Vittnkam.,,29VitShka
i s explained by Kslrastsfemin as Paksivisramartham bahiranirg
amitam daru, vakradaravadharah, paksipanktih ta rn u tk iry a te .
27.
28.
29.
30.
Ib id .
Ib id .
AK. I I . 16.
AK., p.77.
557
i . e . a p r o je c tin g wood f o r th e r e s t in g o f b ir d s , a
iv\.
row o f b ir d s i s a ls o c arv ed on i t . s i r lo n ie r-W illia m s
g iv e s th e word K a p o tlll which i s e q u iv a le n t to K ap o ^all.
He t r a n s l a t e s i t a s f r i e z e o r c o rn ic e .
I t i s a lso r e f e r r e d to i n V iivakarm a V a stu s'sstra ,
B rh at Sam hita, B havisya P aran a, Kdmikggamastitra and
Sup rabhedagama.
Op
S h ri Ram Raz e x p la in s t h i s term th u s s nA Kapotam
i s a s e c tio n o f m oulding made in th e form o f a p ig e o n 's
head. I t i s a crowning member o f c o rn ic e s , p e d e s t a ls and
e n ta b la tu r e s , when employed in th e l a t t e r , i t o f t e n
c o n n ec ts u t i l i t y w ith beau ty , inasmuch a s th e beak o f th e
qq
b ir d i s so p la c e d a s to se rv e th e p u rp o se o f a s p o u t .M
Dr, P.K, Acharya e x p la in s th u s: "A p ig eo n -h o u se,
anijt a v ia ry , 'p r o p e r ly d o v e -rid g e , d o v e - l i s t
may be
re n d e re d by crown-work, f i l l e t , g a b le -e d g e , and even by
c o rn ic e . In Tam il, Kapotakam i s e x p la in e d a s ' a moulding
m asonry. *1,34
T h is i s a l l about SaLabhafijikg, Vyala and K a p o tlli.
Now we come to s c u lp tu r e s d e sc rib e d in AdhySya
21 which d e a ls w ith th e A haryabhinaya. B h a rata d e fin e s
•
n CVSCO ■d?
CO CO CO CO
«
«
#
S a n s k r it
Ency. o f
E ssay on
D ie t, o f
E n g lish D ic tio n a ry .
Hindu Arch. pp. 300-ID 1.
th e a r c h i te c t u r e o f th e Hindus, p .2 4 .
Hindu Arch. p .l]D .
558
Ahdryabhinaya as Nepathyajo vidhih.
I t lit.m eans
contrivances born oat o f Nepathva,! .e . contrivances for
the sake o f Hepa thy a. Nepathya includes, according to
Bharata^Pusta, Alamkira, Angaracana and SanjTva.
I have
already discussed a Alaamklra in the section on ornaments.
A&garacaria, I w ill discuss in the section on Painting.
Here I take Pusta and SaSjtva*
Pusta i s explained by Amara as '’Pustam lepyadi
ty n
^
OQ
karmani.« Hemacandra also gives a sim ilar meaning.
Lepya i s p lasterin g, moulding or modelling. So Pusta
comes to mean mouldings or modellings plastered with
clay, wood, cloth, leath er a^djiron. Pusta was recognized
I
as a Slip a as we find i t to. be one o f the three meanings
given in Hemacandra8s Anekarthasamgraha.
So we are no t
A Q
wrong in taking i t as a shaping art.
This Pusta i s o f three kinds s Sandhima,
Vyajima, and VestimaJ Sandhima Pusta includes forms
made o f K illjE ja,!.e. leaves o f Bhurja (Birch) and Verm
(Bamtoo), leather and cloth . Vyajima Pusta means one
which i s made o f Yantra - meachanical device. AG explains
4.Q
i t as shapes made by weaving cotton yarn." Vestlma means
35.
36.
NS 2 .3 .
NS 2 .5 .
37.
AK. II. 28-29.
38.
39.
AC. I I I . 5 8 6 , p . 368.
40.
Anekarthasamgraha, I I . 182.
NS Vbl. I.p . 110.
559
th e form s which a re enveloped in to som ething or^_AG
e x p la in s i t a s t h a t which i s covered w ith l a c and v/ax^1
The o t h e r re a d in g i s C estim
a and Dr. M.M.Ghosh t r a n s l a t e s
»*
i t a s ' a moving o b j e c t. *.
O
The P u s ta made by Sandhima and Vyajima p ro c e s s e s
in c lu d e s , a s s t a t e d in v e rs e 9 , m ountains, c a r r a ig e s ,
c e l e s t i a l c a r s , s h i e ld s , arm ours, b anners and t r e e s .
AQ
San.i Tv a.; S a n jiv a i s th u s d e fin e d in th e NS. »Yah4 PrS^inUn
p rav e so v a i s a n jiv a i t i s a c r y n i t a h . l i t .
th e meaning
w ill be th e e n tra n c e o f th e anim als on th e s ta g e . Does
t h i s mean t h a t a c tu a l l i v i n g an im als were brought on th e
stag e? Dr. M.M.lGhosh sa y s, '’T his seems to show c le a r ly
t h a t som etim es l i v i n g anim als were b ro u g h t on th e s ta g e .
T his however seems very u n lik e ly . We must remember t h a t
S a n jiv a i s one o f th e P u s ta s . T h e re fo re , we must ta k e th e
l i n e to mean t h a t s c u lp tu r e o f th e s e an im als d e s c rib e d in
th e n e x t v e rs e should be brought on th e s ta g e . Because
they a re l i f e - l i k e they a re c a lle d S a n jiv a . These anim als
a c c o rd in g to NS a re o f th re e kinds* ( i ) Those having fo u r
fe e t, ( i i )
Those having two f e e t and ( i i i )
___ ___ ________________________
41.
42.
43.
44.
45.
Those having
1
Ib id .
NS V o l.I M g .T ra n s . (Second re v is e d E d n .) p .4 ll .
NS 2 1 .9 .
NS 21.162.
NS Eng. T rans. Vol. X.( Second re v g is e d S d n .).p .4 3 4 .
560
no f e e t .
%-
C reeping anim als (U raga) l i k e s e rp e n ts
have no f e e t (JipM a), $ ir d s and men have two f e e t
(D vipM a) and f e a s t s o f v i ll a g e s and f o r e s t s have fo u r
Thus in th e IS we have re f e r e n c e s to fo u r k in d s
i
o f sc u lp tu re s-jV lz . S a la b h a ry ik a , Vy§la, K a p o ta li and,
P u s ta made in th re e ways.
46.
IS 21.162-163.