Social Life in Ancient India: Studies in Vatsyayana's Kamasutra c8.s7.t2.13

c8.s7.t2.13

According to Vātsyāyana a welcome object of presentation to maidens was a colour-box (*puṭolikā*) containing the following colours:—*alaktaka* (the red dye obtained from lac), *manaḥśilā* (red arsenic), *haritāla* (yellow orpiment), *hiṅgula* (vermillion) and *śyāmavarṇaka*; the last named appears to be a vegetable dye, black, blue or green because the word *śyāma* is used to signify all these colours. The commentator says that it means a powder used in painting, of *rājāvarta*, a mineral substance.⁵ A painter surrounded by many cups (*mallakas*) of wet colours is referred to in Bhāsa's *Cārudatta*.⁶ Jayamaṅgalā quotes a beautiful verse apparently from a *śilpaśāstra* about the six great requisites of painting, viz., "knowledge of appearances, correct perception, measure and structure of forms, action of feelings on forms, infusion of grace or artistic representation, similitude and artistic manner of using the brush and colours."¹ Bharata speaks of the pictorial representation of the feelings or rather sentiments, the *rasas*, by different colours, the erotic or amatory sentiment is represented by the *śyāma* or dark colour spoken of above, the sentiment of mirth by white; the piteous sentiment is grey (*kapota*) and the choleric is red, the heroic is yellowish white (*gaura*) and the terrible, black; the repulsive is blue and the amazing, yellow.²