SIX LIMBS OF INDIAN PAINTING:

SHADANGA
“Roopabhedah pramanani bhava-lavanya-yojanam |
Sadrishyam varnakabhangam iti chitram shadakam ||”

1. Roopa-Bheda (Knowledge of Form or Form Impact)

2. Pramana (Proportion)
3. Bhava (Expression)
4. Lavanya-Yojnam (Aesthetic Scheme)
5. Sadradhyam (Similitude)
6. Varnika-Bhanga (Color Scheme)
 
 SHADANGA (SHAD-ANGA)
It is a one of the rule of art of painting written in ancient period, a word
consist of 2 very important words, one is shad, means 6 and anga,
means part. Shadanga consist of the six limbs, or canons of art, on
which the whole art of painting depends. If a painting with any subject is
a body so these shadanga are the body parts of it and if the painting
lacks any of the parts of shadanga, it was considered as an incomplete,
fruitless and meaningless creation. The word shadanga is very well
elaborated in a text Vishnu dharmottarapurana As most of us are aware
about the lord of dance shiva nataraj, and the divine architect
vishwakarma, so because lord Vishnu was the first painter according to
hindu mythology, who drawn the image of Urvashi on his thigh with
mango leaf and infuse the life into it to break the proud of Indra. This is
story of Nara- Narayan from Bhagavat purana, and depicted in a form of
a sculpture in Dashavatara temple in deogarh. This is the reason that the
rules of painting are layered down in Vishnu dharmottara. And this
reason makes the painting lively.
 Roopa-Bheda (Knowledge of Form or Form Impact)
Sakuntalam :
Made by Raja Ravi Varma
• Rupa-bheda consists in the knowledge of special characteristics
of things – natural or manmade; say, the differences in
appearances among many types of men, women or natural
objects or other subjects of the painting. Rupa is ‘form’, visual
as well as mental and ‘Bheda’ means ‘Difference’, such as the
difference between forms instinct with life and beauty and the
forms which have no beauty, no life. The study and practice of
Rupabheda enable us to see and depict things as they are and
as they appear visually. From our birth to the day of our death,
we live with Rupa (Form), seeing it with our eyes, touching it
with the five organs of our senses, and feeling it with our mind.
Jyoti Pasyati Rupani—which means the light which sees (and
shows) forms, light waves from the planets, as well as the inner
light of our soul, reveal Form to us, diversely shaped, differently
moulded and coloured. Endless and varied are the forms which
our senses feel, perceive and observe. Rupabheda means the
analysis and synthesis of forms given to us by our five senses
and our soul, or mind.
 Pramana (Proportion)
• Boddhisatvapadmapani • Ajanta Cave No.1
• Pramāṇa, means measure, in Indian philosophy, the
means by which one obtains accurate and valid
knowledge (pramā, pramiti) about the world. A
basic particular size and proportion of any
character in art. It is the correct spatial perception
of the objects painted and maintaining a sense of
harmony, balance and a sense of proportion within
the figure and also in its relation to other figures;
and to the painting as a whole. The sense of
proportion also extended to the way major figures
are depicted by placing at the centre and
surrounding them with lesser figures in smaller size
symbolizing their status with the main figure. The
Indian artists were guided more by the proportions
than by absolute measurements. The proportions
were often symbolic and suggestive.
 It is a state of mind, translated as feeling, emotion, mood, devotional state
Bhava (Expression) of mind. emotional energies created through the paintings. It is the
expression of the character which fulfils the meaning of the painting and
the concept or the story behind. The Natyashastra identifies eight rasas
with eight corresponding Bhava as:
1. Śṛngāram: Which means, Love, Attractiveness.
2. Hāsyam :Which means, Laughter, Comedy.
3. Raudram :Which means, Fury (Anger)
4.Kāruṇyam :Which means, Compassion, Tragedy Holds the bhava.
Soka (Sorrow)
5. Bībhatsam :Which means, Disgust, Aversion.
6.Bhayānakam :Which means, Horror, Terror.
7. Vīram :Which means, Heroic mood (Energy).
8. Adbhutam :Which means, Wonder, Amazement (Astonishment).
Since color is a major medium in painting, the emotions and moods are
expressed through manipulating colors, their density, tones, lines, light,
shades etc. The ingenuity, imagination and skill of the artist discover their
limitations here.
 Lavanya-Yojnam (Aesthetic Scheme)
Shakuntalam: By Raja Ravi Varma
• Infusion of grace, it is a planning to create a
beautiful and graceful environment, along
with the beauty of the character. Emotive
and lyrically graceful portrayal of the
painting. So in totality, it is the creation of
grace, beauty, charm, tenderness and
illuminating the painting and the hearts of
the viewer. It aims to uplift and brighten the
mood of the figures, the viewers and the
surroundings.
 Sadradhyam (Similitude)
This is perhaps the most challenging task of creating a painting. Sadrisyam suggests the degree to
which a depiction is similar to an artist’s vision or the subject itself. In a way, it is also a way of
depicting similitude.
Why do poets often compare a woman’s locks of hair with a snake? Why is a beautiful girl called
‘moon-faced’? Why are her lips like rose petals and eyes like those of a deer? Well, THIS is similitude
in a literal sense. Of course, artists cannot draw snakes instead of a lady’s tresses or a moon instead
of her face. The delineation must come from their artistic way of painting.
FOR EXAMPLE

• It enhance the character of any individual and

make him complete in itself. For example
Mriganayani (eyes like a deer eyes), nose
should be like a parrot beak, waist should be
like a tree-trunk, thighs should be like a
banana trunk, fingers like lotus petals, lips like
fresh busted flower, etc. Lets take an example
of Buddha. The Buddha is traditionally
regarded as having the Thirty-two
Characteristics of a Great Man (Mahāpuruṣa
lakṣaṇa).
. Varnika-Bhanga (Color Scheme)
• Varnakabhangam - An artistic way of making use of the brush and
colours.
• The term translated means the way a subject is being drawn and
coloured. So, obviously, there shall be the use of brush and pigments.
What this principle focuses on, is the way the strokes are being
applied to a canvas, and the knowledge of the artist about the
different colours.
• Here is a very interesting piece from mythology, where the great Lord
Shiva speaks about the knowledge of varnas to his wife, Parvati. He
says, “Everything is futile – the repeating of mantras and the telling of
beads, austerities and devotion, unless one has gained the knowledge
of Varnas—the true significance of the letterings and the luster and
virtue of figures.”
• Indeed, you will tremble, or only end up applying meaningless strokes
Radha bani thani on your canvas until you have learnt how to use the brush right.
While all the above five principles can be mastered simply via
perception, you can never learn varnakabhangam without some real,
hands-on practice.
• Every Great Painting Consist of all these above mentioned point.

 
that's why these six limbs are very important to be understood to
make paintings. It means the use of colour in an artistic style for
creating an aesthetic sense. There should be appropriate colour
scheme to express the idea and atmosphere in a painting. Opposite or
wrong colours should not be used otherwise the painting will be
unattractive. For this the painter should be versatile and dexterous in
the application of colour. He should have keen knowledge about
colour and the ways to handle it. He should have the knowledge of
what colour scheme can make a definite atmosphere lively. Each and
every colour has its own intensity and identity which reflect the
prominent mood of human behaviour. Varnika-Bhangahas been
placed in the last of limbs of Indian painting so that after the
completion of a picture the colours may in properly added.