Vishnudharmottara Purana (Art and Architecture)
by Bhagyashree Sarma | 2021 | 59,457 words
This page relates ‘Elements of Drama (c): Bodily Movements� of the study on the elements of Art and Architecture according to the Vishnudharmottara Purana: an ancient text whose third book deals with various artisan themes such as Architecture, Painting, Dance, Grammar, etc. Many chapters are devoted to Hindu Temple architecture and the iconography of Deities and their installation rites and ceremonies.
Go directly to: Footnotes.
1.3. Elements of Drama (c): Bodily Movements
The ṅgԲⲹ includes the histrionic representation of the limbs which is simply known as physical gestures. In the ṭyśٰ, three kinds of physical gestures are accepted. The gestures expressed with major classification of the body parts are termed as śī i.e., physical expression, mukhaja i.e., facial expression and ṣṭṛt i.e., different movements of the entire body.[1] The movements of the ṅg fall in the śī type of gesture and the expressions of ܱṅg fall under the mukhaja type of gesture.
The ṅg i.e., major classification of the body parts are six in numbers viz.,
The ܱṅg denote different parts of the face. These are also six in numbers viz.,
The movements of limbs used to bear a great importance in dramatic representation. These are discussed in detail here.
i) Head Movements:
In the վṣṇܻdzٳٲܰṇa, seven types of movements of the head are recorded. These are termed as:
Among those 첹첹 denotes giving lecture, asking questions and natural talk.[3] Kampita i.e., shivering head shows anger, threatening, arguing etc.[4] Udyuta i.e., slowly shaken head shows grief, astonishment etc.[5] Vidhuta type of movement expresses suffering by cold or old age or because of the consumption of liquor.[6] ʲٲ type of movement shows achievement, joy and sportiveness.[7] 屹ٲ movements shows raised head with pride[8] and abadhuta movement indicates massages, conversation etc. In the ṭyśٰ also, similar types of opinion has been given.[9] But in the Բⲹ岹貹ṇa nine kinds of head movements are accepted.[10] In the Բⲹ岹貹ṇa the varieties viz., ܻ屹ٲ, kampita and 貹ٲ are seen to be accepted like the վṣṇܻdzٳٲܰṇa.
ii) Chest Movements:
There are five kinds of chest movements accepted by the վṣṇܻdzٳٲܰṇa as well as the ṭyśٰ[11] .These are�
- ܲԲ,
- nirbhugna,
- prakampita,
- ܻ屹ٲ and
- sama.[12]
Different movements of chest indicate different situations in a Drama. The terms ܲԲ and nirbhugna projects the word bhugna which means being crooked because of illness[13] . The movement called ܲԲ denotes the position in which someone acts to be killed by weapon or suffering from heart diseases. The վṣṇܻdzٳٲܰṇa speaks that in this position the actor should hold the chest by hand.[14] This posture can be observed even in modern theatrical performances. In the term nirbhugna, the word bhugna is preceded by the prefix nir, which is used to denote the opposite form.[15] So, the opposite of the word bhugna is nirbhugna which means not crooked. Justifying the meaning of the term nirbhugna, the վṣṇܻdzٳٲܰṇa suggests that in the position of nirbhugna, the actor should slightly stiff the chest to show the status of pride. At the time of laughing, weeping or showing fear, the chest is thrown up and it is called prakampita movement.[16] In the ܻ屹ٲ movement, the cheast postion is kept slightly upward to show normal breathing and also yawning.[17] Again when the chest is kept in a normal position with elegant posture it is called sama.[18]
iii) Waist Movements:
The term 첹ṭi is used to denote the waist part in Sanskrit. This word is used in both masculine and feminine gender in Sanskrit.[19] The վṣṇܻdzٳٲܰṇa seems to take the word 첹ṭi in feminine gender and makes the divisions of waist movements in feminine gender.
Five types of waist movements are accepted here. These are�
This book explains all these in a projected manner. ʰ첹辱 i.e slightly shaking movement should be adopted in the walking of hunch backs, dwarfs and persons of short height.[20] should be adopted in going for a walk and ܻ屹 should be taken in sportive movement by uplifting the waist part in a certain way.[21] In movement, the middle portion of waist should be undulated and adopted to show doing exercise and looking over the shoulders.[22] When someone turns back and the actor focus the back of that person, at that time the actor should take the Ծṛt movement.[23]
iv) Side Movements:
There are five kinds of side movements accepted in the վṣṇܻdzٳٲܰṇa and these are�
Samunnata movement should be adopted to show retreat. The term nata denotes the action of saluting someone.[24] According to the վṣṇܻdzٳٲܰṇa nata movement is adopted in approaching someone. The ٲ movement shows triumph, happiness and joy. The term ٲ means expanded.[25] Vivartita movement is taken to take circular movement and 貹ṛt movement is taken to show fear[26] whereas the ṭyśٰ suggests it as the movement adopted in returning.[27] In the ṭyśٰ, the side movement called unnata is mentioned which suggests the position of going backward.[28] The side movement called samunnata is not accepted in the ṭyśٰ.
v) Nose Movements:
In Sanskrit the term is used to denote nose. is a feminine term and that is why in the վṣṇܻdzٳٲܰṇa as well as in the ṭyśٰ, the varieties of nose movements have been mentioned in feminine gender.
Six kinds of nose movements are accepted in the վṣṇܻdzٳٲܰṇa[29] as well as in the ṭyśٰ.[30] These are�
If a person feels good smell by taking long breath with his nose, the movement is called dz and if the smell is pungent than the nostrils automatically become contracted upward and this position is called ṛṣṭa movement.[31] Likewise Բ i.e., bent nostrils denote pleasant state, Ի i.e., lowered nostrils denote the unpleasant state, ūṇi i.e., nostrils drawn together shows disgust and 屹ī denotes nose in normal position.[32] In this context the ṭyśٰ explains the positions of nose as—in Բ position, the lobes of the nose should cling for a while.[33] In Ի, the lobes should be in rest position. Rest of the positions is explained by the ṭyśٰ as it is found in the վṣṇܻdzٳٲܰṇa.[34]
Footnotes and references:
[2]:
tasya śirohastoraḥpārśvakaṭīpādata� ṣaḍaṅgāni/ netrabhrūnāsādharakapolacibukānyupāṅāni// Ibid., 8.13
[6]:
[7]:
parirārhita� sādhane vismaye harṣe līlāyāṃca tadiṣyate/ Ibid., 3.24.6
[8]:
sakṛdܻ屹ٲ� cordha� tadܻ屹ٲmiṣyate/ ucchrāye darśane garve tattathordhvanirīkṣaṇe// Ibid., 3.24.1-7.
[9]:
ṭyśٰ, 8. 17-29
[11]:
ṭyśٰ, 10.1
[12]:
վṣṇܻdzٳٲܰṇa, 3.24.25
[14]:
śastakṣate vighāte ca hṛdroge ca tadiṣyate/ վṣṇܻdzٳٲܰṇa, 3.24.27
[16]:
վṣṇܻdzٳٲܰṇa, 3.24.27-28
[22]:
vyāyāme tvatha samprāpte vyāvṛttaprekṣiteṣu ca/
Բ 첹ṭistajajñairԾṛt vartiteṣu ca// Ibid.3.24.42
[23]:
paraṅgmukhasyābhimukhī Ծṛt parikīrtitā/ Ibid., 3.24.40
[24]:
Monier Monier Williams, A Sanskrit-English Dictionary, p.525
[25]:
V.S Apte, The Student’s Sanskrit English Dictionary, p.766
[26]:
[27]:
…�..vinivṛte tv貹ṛtṃ�./ ṭyśٰ, 10.17
[30]:
ṭyśٰ, 8.126-127
[33]:
Բ muhuḥśliṣṭapuṭā…�../ ṭyśٰ, 8.127
[34]:
Ibid., 8.128