The gods of Indian sculpture are cosmic beings, embodiments of some great spiritual power, spiritual Idea and action, in most psychic significance, the human form of a vehicle of this soul meaning, its outward means of self expression; everything in the figure, every opportunity it gives, the face, the hands, the posture of the limbs, the poise and turn of the body, every accessory has to be made instinct with the inner meaning help it to emerge, carry out the rhythm of the total suggestion, and on the other hand everything is suppressed which would defeat this end, especially all that would mean an instance on the merely vital or physical, outward or obvious suggestions of the human figure. Not the ideal physical or emotional beauty, but the utmost spiritual beauty or significance of which the human form is capable, is the aim of this kind of creation. The Devine self in us is its theme, the body made a form of the soul is its idea and its secrete.
And therefore in front of this art it is not enough to look at it and respond with the aesthetic eye and the imagination, but we must look also into the form for what it carries and even through and behind it to pursue the profound suggestion it gives into its own infinite. The religious or hieratic side of Indian sculpture is intimately connected with the spiritual experiences of Indian meditation and adoration, soul realization is its method of creation and soul realization must be the way of our response and understanding.
The sculptural tradition of this country has a significant characteristic not seen in that of any other country. The images, whether they are in seated, standing or reclining postures, are invariably composed in a manner that reflects the grace of dance movements. Dane forms of this country express emotions in a lucid, richly flavored, aesthetically pleasing manner which lingers on in the heart of the observer. Dance communicates various feelings by way of changing expressions on the face; flexions and postures of the body like bending, curving and supplicating; and lastly, through the mudra or gestures of the hands.
The shilpi is required to know the grammar of dance in great detail. After having understood the concepts of dance forms, he has to integrate the right rhythm and measurements to this format and add, to the whole, his own response to beauty. Depending upon the context in which the sculptural image is to be place, the shilpi should form, flex the limbs, shift gracefully curve the posture of the image, so that not only the sense of beauty in the viewer is touched, but the inner essence of the image is also communicated. In the process of communicating all this, it becomes necessary to exaggerate or magnify certain natural bodily characteristics of the image.
Dance flexions are not been adapted verbatim by the sculptors. Only relevant, meaningful aspects which would fit in contextually with the composition of the sculptural piece have been incorporated. The flexions of arms and legs, and arching of the body can be represented easily in metal sculptures. But this is difficult when working with stone. The stretching and extending of limbs has to be much more subtle and held closer to the main body (this is the constraint of the material itself), and yet evoke a response in the observer. The grammar of flexions in dance take on a different meaning and connotation in the eyes of the shilpi. The divisions of this grammar are bhanga or body flexions and curvers, asana or postures and mudra or gestures.
The curves and flexions of the body are called bhanga. This can be classified into three types: abhanga, samabhanga, athibhanga. Sine the flexions of the body are in three parts in all of these, each is also known as tribhanga.
When a figure is erect, without any bend of displacement of weight away from the center of gravity or bodily plumb line, and the arms and legs plaed in a stable position with a direct gaze, the sculptural image is called samapada sthanakam.(stable erect posture in equilibrium). When such image is represented in an arched, curved or flexed posture, its height is found to be less than that of the erect figure.
The samapada sthanakam or erect posture of an image denotes the balanced stable position of a measuring balance in equilibrium, which does not sway or shift. When the image is represented in an abhanga posture, it portrays the serenity and gentleness of satvikabhava. An image in samabhanga posture characterizes sensuousness (sringara) and passion (rajasa). Athibhanga signifies the aggression and pride of vira (valour).
These are the three bhanga postures that are largely used for fashioning images meant for worship. Their faces should be represented with a serene expression, the eyes compassionate and the lips parted in a benevolent smile. Since the basis for images created for worship is their gracious ability to cleanse and purify the soul of the devotee, these principles should be adhered to.
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2.1 Sthanakam:
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Samapada sthanakam is an erect posture, with the feet equidistant about the Madhya sutram, The head and body are held erect, with legs and arms held close together, the body is without any flexion in any direction, and the gaze is direct. Images of Chandrashekhara and Vishnu are good examples of this stance.
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2.2 Asanam:
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The posture of an image seated on a pedestal, with one leg folded and the other hanging down is known as asanam or asinam. There can be several varieties of asanam.
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2.2.1 Sukhasanam:
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The body is held without shift or curve to any side, with one leg folded flat and the other hanging in a very reposeful manner. This posture is usually favored for Shiva and Vishnu images which are consecrated separately( without supporting figures) and are called Sukhasana Vishnu or Sukhasana Shiva.
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2.2.2 Padmasanam:
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An Image sitting cross-legged, with the feet facing upwards and resting on the thighs, and the body held erect, is said to be in padmasanam or kamalasanam.
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2.2.3 Lalitasanam:
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Seated with feet on the pedestal, with one leg held vertically and the other folded flat, the image is in Lalitasanam. This posture can be observed in the seated Vinayaka image.
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2.2.4 Maharaja Lilasanam:
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In the above posture, with the right leg held vertically and the left folded flat, if the right elbow I placed on the right knee with the hand gracefully bent down or held close to the chest, and the left hand supported on the ground, with the body arched in a relaxed manner, it is called maharaja lilasanam. Budha and simhanatha images are usually fashioned in this posture
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2.2.5 Virasanam:
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When one leg is hung down and placed on the round with the other leg bent, with the foot resting on its thigh, and the body is held erect in a n aggressive manner, the whole figure denotes a regal bearing. This is called virasanam or heroic pose. Vyakhyana Dakshinamurthi is a suitable example of the posture.
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2.2.6 Uthkutikasanam:
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The posture is known as Uthkutikasanam when one leg is supported vertically on the pedestal and the other is hung down. Yoga Dakshinamurthi and Ayyanar images are good examples.
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2.2.7 Yogasanam:
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Yogis, with their senses disciplined and the mind focused on the divine, lose themselves in a state of joy. This is yogic trance or yoganilai. The posture adoped by yogis who are in this state is called yogasanam. There is a variation of yogasanam where the legs are crossed with the feet touching the genitals. The knees are bound to the body with a yogapattam (yoga band). Ond hand is held, with the wrist place on the knee, in a casual danda gesture. The other hand has a gnana or chinmudra.
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2.2.8 Garudasanam:
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The right leg is folded inward with its knee supported on the ground, the left leg is bent and stretched away from the body with the foot resting on the ground. This posture is called garudasanam, usually depicting Garudazhvar.
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2.3 Sayanam (reclining posture):
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Sayanam shows he body and head resting on the pedestal, with arms and legs stretched out.
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There are five basic actions of the hands – bending, gathering together, spreading, stretching and heaping up – that a person uses naturally to express his intentions. Shilpa texts have placed the hasta or the hands in a specific order unique to sculpture, which enhances the expressions of the image. This is called hastha lakshanam. The language of hands can be described as the expression of the ‘soul in movement’.
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3.1 Abhaya Hasta:
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This gesture conveys the meaning of protection and reassurance to devotee that there is nothing to be afraid of. In this position, the four fingers from index to little finger are held vertically above the plane of the hand while the thumb is bent close to the index finger. In the dance tradition, this hasta is called pathaka or flag (denoting either a beginning or supreme lordship)
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3.2 Varada Hasta:
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When the abhaya hasta is held upside down with the palm facing outward, it is known as varada hasta. This hasta expresses tenderness and the act of giving.
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3.3 Kataka Hasta:
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When thumb is brought forward slightly and curved towards the palm, the middle and ring fingers joined and brought forward slightly, the little and index fingers bent only at their top joints, the form is called kataka hasta ( since it closely resembles the hold of a kataka or crab).
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3.4 Simha Karna Hasta:
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This hasta is very similar to the kataka hast, except that the middle finger is curved further inward into the palm, followed by the ring finger. The other fingers stay in the same position as the kataka hasta. This hasta resembles the ear of a lion, hence its name.
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3.5 Vyakhyana Hasta:
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This hasta expresses insight. The thumb is held perpendicular to the palm and the index finger is bent forward so as to touch the tip of the thumb. The remaining three fingers are held close together vertically above the palm. This gesture symbolizes a man of knowledge.
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3.6 Suchi Hasta:
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When the forefinger is held vertically upward from the palm, and the remaining fingers are held in kataka hasta, the form is known as suchi hasta. This is used to point out or draw attention to any occurrence.
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3.7 Tar janee Hasta:
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Tarjanee means to create fear. A variation of the suchi hasta, this gesture denotes retribution. To enhance the effect, the forefinger and the palm are bent back a little.
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3.8 Kartari Mukha Hasta:
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This Mudra is formed with the thumb and ring finger close together and curved inward into the palm, the little finger either held erect or bent slightly, the middle and index fingers held vertically upward with the middle finger leaning forward a little and the forefinger held back from it to indicate the open scissors’ effect.
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3.9 Ardha Chandra Hasta:
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Ardha Chandra hasta describes a half moon. In this form, the four fingers are held together, vertically to the palm, with the thumb held rigidly away from them, To give a clear effect of a half moon, this gesture should be held at an angle an not flat.
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3.10 Ardha Pataka Hasta:
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The ardha pataka form shows the forefinger and middle finger held vertically upward from the palm with all the other fingers curved inward into the palm. This gesture expresses the dvaiata concept of the duality of paramatman and jivatman. It can seen in the images of Madhvacharya.
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3.11 Trishula Hasta:
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Trishula hasta is formed with the palm held vertically upward, the little finger and thumb touching each other and bent towards the palm and the other three fingers extended upwar d, separate from each other. This stands for the three-pronged instrument known as the trishula.
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3.12 Kati Hasta:
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Held at the level of the hip of the image, this mudra has the thumb pressed into the hip and the other fingers spread away from the thumb and held together in line with the palm. The little and forefinger are slightly away from the hip and arched gracefully while the middle and ring fingers rest on the hip. If the fingers are held facing upward a little, the image derives a more regal personality. This is found in the images of Skanda.
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3.13 Alingana Hasta:
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The gentle embrace of the Deva and his Devi is depicted with the hand in alingana hasta. The arm is shown either around the waist or the shoulder. The middle and ring fingers are pressed firmly down, wile the fore finger and little finger are raised gracefully away.
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3.14 Dhanur Hasta:
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As the name indicates, this hasta represents the holding of a bow. The middle and ring fingers are placed over the bow, with the palm turned inward. The forefinger and little finger are raised gracefully above. The thumb is bent forward until its tip rests on the bow.
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3.15 Damaru Hasta:
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This gesture represents the holding of a small drum known as damaru. The fingers are spread fully and then curved inward towards the palm as if holding the drum. The middle and ring fingers rest lightly on one side of the drum and the thumb on the other side. The forefinger and the little finger are raised up and curved gently away from the hand. This mudra can be seen in figures of a dancing Nataraja.
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3.16 Anjali Hasta:
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When both the hands in abhaya hasta are held close together at the level of the chest, it is known as anjali hasta. Sometimes flowers, a garland or a chain of rudraksha beads are held in the hands. This gestures can be seen in the images of worshippers of god.
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3.17 Dhyana Hasta:
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In seating images, the dhyana hasta is formed with the left hand opened fully placed on the lap, over which a similarly opened right hand is placed. Both the hands face upward and the fingers are held in abhaya hasta.
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3.18 Gaja Hasta:
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When the hand is stretched straight out, and the palm slopes downward from the wrist, with the fingers bent gracefully like tendrils on a creeper, this regal mudra reminiscent of an elephant’s trunk, is called gaja hasta. This hasta can be seen in the images of Nataraja.
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