Indian Art: A History of Indian Art from the Earliest Times up to the Third Century A.D. c8.s1.7

c8.s1.7

VI—MISCELLANEOUS—Mithuna (Man-Woman motif), Chatasraḥ Pradiśaḥ (Four Quarters), Sumeru (Golden Mountain), Dyāvā-Pṛithivī (Father-Mother Principle), Vimāna (Divine Mansion, Devagṛiha), Salilam (Water), Vātaraśanā (Nudity motif), Mahā-Nagna (Primeval Nude, same as Digambara), Mahā-Nugnī (same as Kālī, the Black Mother), Pur (Divine City, Ayodhyā), Deva-Sadana (abode of the Gods, also called Nāka; the former in Buddhism as Harmikā and the latter as Sukhāvatī), Grāvāṇau (Clashing Rocks), Guhā, Agni-Guhā (cf. Indra-śaila cave of Buddha’s life), etc. It shows how rich the heritage of Vedic symbols was inherited in art, literature and mythology, and inspiring there new motifs and themes. Whatever be the religion, Indian tradition had accepted the above alphabet of symbols to build an elegant language of form and meaning (Śabda and Artha). Just as literature reflects the mind of India so does its art as a mirror of her soul. The concrete forms in Art have been made use of by the artists to interpret and vitalise the meanings and beliefs handed down through generations. A genuine study of Indian Art requires the understanding of the meaning of symbols created in antiquity and received as tradition by the people. For example, we may look into some of them.