Author: S N Ghoshal Sastri
Publisher: Chaukhambha Orientalia
Year: 1978
Language: English
Pages: 1015
ISBN/UPC (if available): N/A
Description
VOLUME I
Fine Arts, Music and Literature are the three principal streams of Aesthetic culture, and this work utilizes materials from these direct sources of aesthetic experience. This work attempts to explore elements of Aesthetics from all possible sources of Indian Treatises, Philosophy, Literature, Faith, Cult and Creed as delineated in the classic works of renowned teachers and scholars.
Aesthetics is not an independent system of Indian philosophy, yet it assures Summumbonum; that all other systems do; - is a paradox.
Principles of Indian Aesthetics are neither strictly limited to a particular discipline, nor a system; theist, atheist, and secular. They are strewn profusely all over the Indic studies - prehistoric, Vedic, classic, historic and modern. On the other hand, it is an independent system of Western Philosophy. With an exception of the few, almost all the modern works and dissertations on Aesthetics in India are more or less impregnated with Western concepts than true Indian ones.
There is a fundamental difference between Indian Aesthetics and other systems of Indian Philosophy, Faiths, Cults, and Schools. The former is supernatural, divine and super sensuous to some extent. They may not be always justified by logical propositions. The latter is natural, mundane and justifiable by logical maxims. In a world, one if the kingdom of the heart and other is the realm of the head.
All the dormant feelings of the aesthetic experience are virtually impersonal, though they appear otherwise. Love relished aesthetically does not stimulate the sex. Laughter cuts joke with no body. Pathos results in no pain. Anger provokes none to hit. Energy inspirits no man to jump up to an adventure. Hate generates no hatred. Wonder strikes no astonishment; but every feeling matures there in a pure and impersonal Happiness.
The aim of other Philosophies is to get rid of the pain and suffering and to flee away from the bondage of the world; but ours is to convert the pain and suffering into pleasure and peace; the poison into nectar and the mundane life into a divine hermitage. Elements of Indian Aesthetics are, therefore, neither preserved in the dry canonical injunctions, nor in the contradictory philosophical speculations. They find their roots deep down in the mystic esoteric concept of
'Tao-in-One' and unveil the secret how does one's own should could look back at the Paramount soul, face to face.
Almost all the Faiths, Cults and Philosophies stand firm to fight against pain and suffering. Only Indian Aesthetics and Esoteric expands arms to welcome them. It is they, who win immortality by defeating the mortal death. History of Indian Literature records that pathos in the heart of a poet transforms into poetry. Saddest thoughts of a singer move this mind in forms of sweetest songs.
This work covers the entire sphere of Indian Aesthetics. In addition to the common sources of Aesthetic thoughts and concepts, available in printed works, it is substantiated with very rare MSS resources, preserved in the shelves of research centers in India.
VOLUME II
PART I
HISTORY AND THOUGHTS OF INDIAN ARTS
The Part I deals with history, thoughts and techniques of Indian Iconography beginning from the pre-historic age, right up to the twelfth century AD; traceable from ruins; remnants, relics of ancient models, Tantras, Puranas, Literature etc. Tantras anf Puranas, dated approximately after the twelfth century AD, did contribute little fresh; since later works on Iconography had been considered more a subsidiary study to Architecture; like Mansard, Samarangana-sutradhara etc. than independent works on Iconography.
The Subject -matter of Part II, Volume II is the complete text of the Pratimadhikarana, Pingalamata, under the Jayadrathayamala-tantra with the special studies in history and philosophy of approximately hundred tantrika images of four grades (i) the supra-divine, (ii) the divine (iii) the divine-non-divine and (iv) the mundane, along with the dancing appellation of Siva. The ideas of Nataraja (Natesvara) is conventionally supported by the mythical and philosophical background and appreciated as to be the National emblem of the Indian Arts. It has already been ascertained above, whatsoever a distinguished image, painting and art-model, we may have; none of them is a creation of an artist's own whim and each and every one of them has its own independent thought and technique.
The scope of Part III, Volume II, is the Mudrasastra or Gesturology. Alike Tantra, Mudra suggests scores of sense in reference to the appropriate context. In spite of the ancient and ripe heritage, a scientific study of the same witnesses a continued study and persistent practice in the atria culture, conveying some authentic ingredients, as located in the excavation of the Indus Valley Civilization and indicated to textual references from our great Epics, Myths, Legends and Literature-the Vedic and the Classic. But no earlier documentary evidence of the same has come to our hands till the discovery of Mudradhikaranas of the Picumata and the Pingalamata had been made.
The prime source of Part IV, Volume II is the Turadhikarana of the Picumata, Brahmayamala-tantra, that circumscribes the entire field of the constructive Arts, including Primitive Arts, Artistic Handicrafts, al sorts of ornamental Arts and the Art of Alimpana or Alpana, on floors and scrolls. In addition to them, we find here the scientific technique of making Lekhya-pratikrti (sketches & painting) and Lepya-pratikrti with the help of fine clay, wax, the paste of conchshell, the boiled paste of wood-apple, tamarind-seed paste etc. on soft cotton cloth, silk-sheets, barks, birches, parchments etc. in the nature of rolled up scrolls.
If these elements of Indian Aesthetics, accumulated in Volume II with its four component parts, may illumine and inspire the heart of an aesthete with aesthetic beauty, bliss and relish; the strenuous labour of the humble writer would enjoy sincere relief and true satisfaction.
PART II
THE TANTRIKA ICONOGRAPHY
The Part II of the Elements of Indian Aesthetics, Vol. II is here especially introduced by the epithet Tantrika Iconography. Does it claim that Iconography is an exclusive subject of the Tantra-sastra? Not at all. Detailed studied in Iconography are quite implicit in Puranas as well. Both the studies- the Tantrika and the Pauranika-are the co-ordinate and subordinate studies of the Vedas. The Veds are also the exponent of the image-worship and thereby he image-maker. But the nature and character of the both styles of Images differ fundamentally. The Vedic worships, the word-image, that is hymns of the Vedas, composed of words, representing the sense-images of celestial and natural powers, united in two-in-one process of the yamala concept, are the true images of those Divinities. The Tantrika, on the other had, worships concrete images on which they super-impose all the physical, organic, mental and spiritual powers of the God, who appears on the screen of their meditation.
The second facsimile of the present volume, entitled, The Tantrika Iconography is devised on two broad sections; Part II (A) and Part II (B). The former section prepares a critical edition of the Pratimadhikarana of the Pingalamata, under the Jayadratha-yamalatantra, or the Jayadrathadhikara, the other branch of the Brahmayamala-tantra, supposed to be the earliest documentary work on Indian iconography of the Leftist Sakta Faith, dealing approximately with hundred images, planned on the five fundamental doctrines of the cosmic and mundane orders of evolution as described above.
PART III
INDIAN GESTUROLOGY
Picu-Bhairava said: Let me now tell how we could sanctify and purify our hands. What is the definition of the mudra (Gesture) and which are their common characteristics. These mudras may lead to the way of success all noble works and fulfil all desires of a man.
The mudras (gestures) indicate invariably the position of the Supreme Energy, that is accumulated in all direction; like East, West etc. and affixed in particular parts of a human body; such as the mouth, the eyes and other limbs. They are nothing but the symolic implications of Siva (The Paramount Light) and Sakti (the Supreme Energy) (They suggest the proportion and exuberance of Light and Energy, centred in particular parts of limbs.
Both the ring-fingers and the little fingers, tied like a mat and the two middle fingers should be made up-turned, hidden-tipped and extended to the back. Two forefingers should kiss both the middle fingers. This is called the samaya-mudra; which may be made in the eve of the tantrika culture. These rest four mudras are indicated for the benefit of tantrika devouts. (These are very difficult gestures. Only a verbal translation is given here. IT requires a practical culture with the help of the authorized tantrika culturists. They are more clearly explained in the Pingalamata)
PART IV
PRIMITIVE ARTS, CRAFTS AND ALPANA
With all the special features and qualities of the previous parts the present part, the fourth in the series of the voluminous work entitled Elements of Indian Aesthetics, is being introduced to the world of scholars. Undoubtedly a glorious achievement but it has been a matter of much grief and regret for all students of Indian aesthetics that its learned author has not lived to see this volume through the press. A silent and sincere academic worker Dr Shivanarayan Ghoshal passed away quietly on July 29, 1983 when the last few formats at the proof stage still required his careful attention.
The source and scope of Part IV. Alike all other parts of the present volume, the prime source of Part IV too, is the Brahma-Yamalatantra. Among the five broad adhikaranas (topics) of the Tantra, the Picumata, Turadhikarana may be appreciated as to be the documentary evidence of Primitive Arts and Crafts in India, working with those materials, which the primitive people, not only of India; but of all over the world, had used to practise with stones, bones, wood, metal, clay, hard cells etc.
It is, therefore, transparent that the art of alpana is not a vague caprice of an artistic mind with no definite science and philosophy behind it, but the diagramic alpana in the nature of Yantra, Cakra and Mandala suggests those symbolic divine powers and planes, units of the supra-sensuous energies and a spiritual ladder of the soul for his psycho-spiritual elevation to goal of the Be-all and End-all and End-all, for which he aspires intellectually and endeavours psycho-spiritually.
Contents
VOLUME I
Aesthetic Beauty and Blass in Indian Literature and Philosophy
PART ONE: HISTORICAL & CULTURAL ELEMENTS
Cultural Elements
Historical Elements
PART TWO: ELEMENTS OF INDIAN PHILOSOPHY
Philosophy & Science of Sound
The Function of a Sense
Supremacy of Suggestion
Nature of Relish
Departure of Neo-rasa-school from the scholastic school
The Reservoir of Beauty and Bliss
Aim of an Aesthete
PART THREE: LITERARY ELEMENTS
Letters and Literature
Poets and Aesthetes
Poetry and Poetics
Nature of Poetry
Poetry and Suggestion
The Realm of Relish
The Fountain of Relish: Pratibha
PART FOUR: ELEMENTS OF POETIC DICTION
A Poet's workshop
Success in making Literature
Bearing and Personality of a Poet
Season in India
A Poet's Work-shop II
Appendix:
Index
Errata
Bibliography and abbreviation
VOLUME II - in four parts
PART I
TWO STREAMS OF INDIAN ARTS
PART I: HISTORY, THOUGHTS AND CANON OF INDIAN ICONOGRAPHY
Universalism in Indian Arts
Arts in Pre-historic, Pauranika & Classic Ages
Cultural Colonization of India
Poetry and Arts
Form, Beauty and Relish
Reciprocity between Colour and Relish
The Physique of a Feature
Learnig and Fine Arts
Poets and Poetry
Measurement in Constructive Arts
Art of Evolution
Art-culture in Mythic Literature
Role of Iconography in Indian Life
Confluence of Two Streams: Northern and Southern
Buddhist Cannon of Iconography
Index
Errata
Bibliography & Abbreviation
VOLUME II - in four parts
PART II
THE TANTRIKA ICONOGRAPHY
PART II (A)
Wood for images and system of measurement
Murti-nirmana or Art of Image-making
The Source Mss. And their influences
PART II (B)
Myths Behind the Siva-Tandava
The Earliest Image of Nataraja
Two Streams of Indian Fine Arts
Chronology of Tantrika Art
Images of Nataraja devised by the South Indian School
Index
Bibliography & Abbreviation
Errata
VOLUME II - in four parts
PART III
INDIAN GESTUROLOGY
Applied Gesturology in the Abhinaya-darpana
Gesturology in the Visnudharmottara
Exclusive Contributions of the Visnudharmottara
Universal Appeal in Gesturology
Later Works on Gesturology
Index
Errata
Bibliography and Abbreviation
VOLUME II - in four parts
PART IV
PRIMITIVE ARTS, CRAFTS AND ALPANA
PART (A)
PRIMITIVE ARTS AND ARTISTIC HANDICRAFTS
Earliest documents of Artistic Handicrafts in India
Images of Supra-divine Deities
The Skull-bowl in a Tura-yaga
Ritual and domestic implements
Yantra-Karma or constructions for Sixfold Occultism
PART (B)
ARTISTIC HANDICRAFTS & ALIMPANA
Art of Alimpana (Alpana) & Artistic Handicrafts
Technique of Ornamental Art
The Tantrika Art of Ornamentation
Ornamental Art and Calligraphy
Ornamental Arts in Indian Mythic Festivals
Less Important Festivals and Socials
Art of alimpana in Socio-ritual caremonies
The Folk Art in India
Index
Bibliography & Abbreviation
Errata