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Citra-Kală in Jaina Canonical Literature
283
the third place in the frequently mentioned lists of seventy two arts in the agamas,11 and also in the sixty four arts of the females as mentioned in the Jambudvipa-prajñapati,12 (c. 3rd century A. D.) Vatsayayana in his Kamasutra has suggested that a nāgaraka (better citizen) should have a lute, a painting-board (citraphalaka) and a casket full of brushes (vertitkä-samudgaka) in his bed chamber.13
The Bhagayati Sūtra, the Jñātādhammakatha (c. late 3rd century A. D.) and the Aupapātikasūtra (c. 3rd century A. D.) refer to a class of people known as mamkhas.14 Abhayadeva (c. 11th Century A. D.) in his commentary on Bhagavati-Sūtra has explained the word mamkha as special type of mendicant whose hands were engaged with picture-board. 15 They appears to have been professional entertainers like many others who were called on to perform at the time of royal celebrations.16 It is important to note that the tradition of mankhas existed as early as sixth century B. C. (It is a well known fact that Ghośāla, an ascetic and a contemporary of Mahāvīra, was the son of a mankha). It is still a matter of conjecture as to whether the painting was done directly on the picture board or on a canvas (pata). Abhayadeva has rightly interpreted the word 'citra-phalaka' as picture-board. The Nala-carita Națaka makes the distinction between phalaka and pata. It says, “here is the board, this is the canvas, this is the brush and here are the colours". (idam phalakam, esha citrapatah, iyam ca tulika, ime ca Varnasambhāraha).17 However, it also appears that when phalaka was used the pata was asually pasted or mounted on it.18
We know that the story told by the mamkhas was also shown on a citra-phalaka from which it is abcundtly clear that the form of art was narrative. The form of this narrative art can be easily understood if we take into consideration the important features of early Indian narrative art in stone. The representation of Buddhist jätakus, on the Stūpa at Bhårhut, säñçi and Bodhagaya are examples of the early Indian narrative art in stone. Here we notice 'Unilocal narration as the most striking feature of this art.19 Two or more events, in spite of being far apart in time, were shown at one place. Thus, time factor was completely eliminated and all the
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