Vishnudharmottara Purana (Art and Architecture)
by Bhagyashree Sarma | 2021 | 59,457 words
This page relates ‘Standing Postures� 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.
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2.3. Standing Postures
In the վṣṇܻdzٳٲܰṇa standing postures are determined separately for male and female. The defference of physical structure and way of standing position between male and female may be the reason behind this classification.
In the վṣṇܻdzٳٲܰṇa six kinds of standing postures are discussed for men viz.,
The ṭyśٰ also accepts these varieties.[1] Standing with easiness by keeping one foot in normal position and other places obliquely is called ṣṇ posture.[2] The word sama denotes the equal position.[3] In 岹 position, both the legs are placed at a distance of one .[4] This posture is seen in the auspicious performance of Brahmins.[5] This posture is also used to denote jumping of birds and sitting in chariot or aeroplanes.[6] In ś type of standing posture the gap between two feet should be two and half s, thighs should be inclining and feet are placed.[7] This posture is used to show the carriage drawn by horses.[8] In The student’s Sanskrit English Dictionary of V.S Apte, the ś posture is mentioned as a kind of attitude, mostly carried in shooting.[9] In the ṇḍ posture the distance between two legs should be three s and it should be adopted to show the striking action with bow and thunderbolt.[10]
According to the վṣṇܻdzٳٲܰṇa, the ṇḍ posture becomes ḍh when the distance between two legs is five s.[11] The Ś岹첹貹ܳ states that in ḍh posture the right leg should be extended and the left leg should be contracted.[12] This position is used to denote furious things as well as taken at the time of fighting.[13] Due to the edition of the prefix called prati which means opposite[14] , pratyḍh posture denotes that posture which is totally the opposite of ḍh posture. The վṣṇܻdzٳٲܰṇa also agrees on it and accepts pratyḍh posture as the reverse form of ḍh posture.[15] According to the ṭyśٰ, the soldiers release the missiles from pratyḍh posture after taking an aim from ḍh posture.[16]
There are three types of standing postures of women viz.,
- ⲹٲ,
- 屹ٳٳ and
- ⲹԳٲ.
The ⲹٲ posture is used at the time of offering flowers by entering in the stage and 屹ٳٳ posture is used to show erotic gestures.[17] The ṭyśٰ does not talk about the stading postures of female. Point to be noted here is that the standing postures recommended for man in the վṣṇܻdzٳٲܰṇa are also seen to adopt by the women in the classical dances of India. In the Բⲹ岹貹ṇa, standing postures adopted in dance are called as ṇḍ and there are ten kinds of standing postures are accepted in the Բⲹ岹貹ṇa.[18]
Footnotes and references:
[1]:
ṭyśٰ, 11.51
[3]:
V.S Apte, The Student’s Sanskrit English Dictionary, p.585
[5]:
[...] Ibid., 3.23.4
[6]:
[...] Ibid.,3.23.5
[7]:
[...] Ibid.,3.23.6-7 ś
[8]:
[...] Ibid.,3.23.7-8
[9]:
V.S Apte, The Student’s Sanskrit English Dictionary, p.536
[10]:
ṇḍ� syāttrīṃstālāntarameva ca/ dhanurvajraprahāraṇa� maṇḍalena prayojayet// վṣṇܻdzٳٲܰṇa, 3.23.9-10
[12]:
[...] Ś岹첹貹ܳ, Vol.1, p. 192
[13]:
[14]:
[...] Ś岹첹貹ܳ, Vol.3, 253
[15]:
[...] վṣṇܻdzٳٲܰṇa, 3.23.16
[16]:
[...] ṭyśٰ, 11.71
[17]:
[...] վṣṇܻdzٳٲܰṇa, 3.23.20 & 22
[18]:
[...] Բⲹ岹貹ṇa, 260-261