Welcome back, Rishi.
15 topics with diagrams, 10 flashcard decks, 62 quiz questions, 11 mock-exam questions. Tap into any of them.
Overall progress
How to use this
- Topics — full notes with embedded diagrams. Tap any topic to expand.
- Cards — 10 flashcard decks: rasas, sthayibhavas, six limbs, iconography, Sanskrit glossary, philosophy schools, Buddhism, Jainism, architecture, key figures.
- Quiz — multiple-choice quizzes by category. Toggle to Match mode for pair-matching games (rasas↔sthayibhavas, deities↔vahanas, Sanskrit↔meanings).
- Exam — write answers like a real online exam. Reveal model and self-grade.
- Ref — quick-lookup tables and visual cheatsheets.
Your answers, ratings, scores, and progress save automatically on this device.
Memorise these first
If you only have an hour: nail these three.
- The 9 rasas with sthayibhavas (Rasa flashcards →)
- The Shadanga verse and its six limbs (Six Limbs flashcards →)
- Vishnu's & Shiva's attributes (Iconography flashcards →)
Topic map
Reset
Wipe answers, ratings, and progress on this device. Useful for a clean second pass.
Topics
Full notes. Tap any topic to expand. Sources are tagged in cyan.
Flashcards
Tap the card to flip. Use ← → to navigate. Mark as known to remove from the deck.
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Quiz
Multiple-choice questions across all topics. Tap an answer for instant feedback. Your best score per category is saved.
Mock Exam
All 11 questions from the question bank. Type your answer, then reveal the model answer to compare. Self-grade so the dashboard tracks your weak spots.
Aim for ~250–350 words per answer. Always (1) name the source text, (2) define key terms, (3) give at least one named example.
Poor — missed the source / key term / example. OK — got the structure but thin on detail. Good — source named, key terms defined, example deployed, conclusion clear.
Quick Reference
Glance these the morning of the exam.
Timeline of Indian Aesthetics
Panchavarna — five-colour system
The Shadanga Verse
| Limb | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Rūpa-bheda | Differentiation of form |
| Pramāṇa | Proportion, measurement |
| Bhāva | Emotional expression |
| Lāvaṇya-yojanam | Grace and rhythm |
| Sādṛśyam | Recognisable likeness (NOT photographic) |
| Varṇika-bhaṅga | Use of colour and tone |
More Quotable Sanskrit
Drop these into answers — they show grounding in primary texts.
Truth · Sacred · Beautiful. The aesthetic-ethical triad. Test for any work: does it carry truth, ethical/sacred dimension, and beauty? All three are required.
"The visible reflects the mental." Foundational principle distinguishing Indian aesthetics from Western mimesis. Art shows the artist's inner vision, not nature directly.
Bharata's Rasa Sutra (Natyashastra Ch 6). "Rasa is produced from the union of vibhava (causes), anubhava (visible expressions), and vyabhicaribhava (transient emotions)." The cooking analogy in formula.
The etymology of pratima. "Copy" + "measure" = a measured embodiment of inner vision. NOT a copy of nature. Use this if you get the iconography question.
Xie He, 6th c. China. "Spirit Resonance, Life-Force." The first of the Six Canons of Painting. Direct parallel to Indian bhava + chetana.
Multiplicity of truths · Conditional truth. Jain principles. No single perspective is complete; every judgment is conditionally true. Visible in Ranakpur's 1,444 unique pillars — many truths, one whole.
The Nine Rasas
| Rasa | Sthayibhava | Theme |
|---|---|---|
| Shringara | Rati | Love · erotic |
| Hasya | Hasa | Laughter · comic |
| Karuna | Shoka | Compassion · pathos |
| Raudra | Krodha | Anger · furious |
| Vira | Utsaha | Heroism · valorous |
| Bhayanaka | Bhaya | Fear · terrible |
| Bibhatsa | Jugupsa | Disgust · odious |
| Adbhuta | Vismaya | Wonder · marvellous |
| Shanta | Shama / Nirveda | Peace · tranquillity (added by Abhinavagupta) |
Components of Rasa
| Vibhava | Cause / stimulus of emotion |
| — Alambana vibhava | Primary cause (the person/object) |
| — Uddipana vibhava | Supportive factors (moonlight, season…) |
| Anubhava | Visible expression (gesture, expression, action) |
| Vyabhicharibhava | Transient emotions supporting the dominant one |
| Sthayibhava | Permanent emotional state — becomes rasa when conditions align |
Vishnu — attributes
| Chakra | Time, cosmic order |
| Shankha | Sound, primordial creation |
| Gada | Strength, authority |
| Padma | Purity, creation |
| Blue complexion | Vastness of the sky |
| Vahana — Garuda | Mind, transcendence |
| Reclining on Ananta | Infinite cosmic time |
Shiva — attributes
| Jatamukuta | Matted hair tied up |
| Crescent moon | Control over time |
| Third eye | Sun, moon, fire / past, present, future / absolute knowledge |
| Trishul | Creation, preservation, destruction |
| Damaru | Primordial sound; rhythm of creation |
| Nilakantha (blue throat) | Consumed halahala poison |
| Vahana — Nandi | The bull, dharma |
| Forms | Linga · Dhyani · Nataraja · Ardhanarishvara |
Indian vs Western Aesthetics
| Indian | Western |
|---|---|
| Rasa (essence) | Mimesis (imitation) |
| Symbolic, layered | Naturalistic, illusionistic |
| Viewer participates (rasika) | Viewer observes |
| Cyclical time, multi-perspective | Linear time, single viewpoint |
| Metaphysical reality | Physical reality |
| Often anonymous, collective | Individual genius |
| Asks: what experience? | Asks: how accurate? |
Vastu Purusha Mandala
| Manduka Mandala | 8×8 = 64 squares (smaller structures) |
| Paramasaayika Mandala | 9×9 = 81 squares (larger structures) |
| Brahmasthana | Central 9 squares — sacred core, void + bindu |
| Sattva forms | Square / rectangle — residences, temples |
| Rajas forms | Polygonal — institutions, workplaces |
| Tamas forms | Circular / elliptical — public, ritual spaces |
Hindu temple as body
| Garbhagriha | Heart / womb — centre of consciousness |
| Shikhara / Vimana | Head — spiritual elevation |
| Mandapa | Body — movement, interaction |
| Central axis | Spine |
| Pradakshina patha | Path of devotion (circumambulation) |
Schools of Indian Philosophy
Astika (accept Vedas): Nyaya · Vaisheshika · Sankhya · Yoga · Mimamsa · Vedanta
Nastika (reject Vedas): Charvaka · Buddhism · Jainism
Note: classification has nothing to do with belief in God.
Buddhist mudras
| Dhyana | Meditation — hands rest in lap |
| Bhumisparsha | Earth-touching — at enlightenment |
| Abhaya | Fearlessness — open palm raised |
| Dharmachakra | Turning the wheel of law — teaching |
| Varada | Boon-giving — open palm down |
Three named architecture examples
Konark Sun Temple (13th c.) — Surya as cosmic charioteer. 24 wheels = 12 months × 2 cycles (also sundials). 7 horses = days of the week. East-facing. Kalinga / Orissa subset of Nagara.
Auroville (1968) — Mirra Alfassa. Galaxy plan. Matrimandir at the centre = Brahmasthana. Modern, organic, expanding interpretation of mandala.
Akshardham, Delhi (2005) — Direct continuation of traditional temple architecture. Strong central axis, symmetry, hierarchy, water and gardens, traditional materials.
Source texts cheat sheet
| Natyashastra | Bharata Muni · ~3rd c. CE · drama, dance, music, rasa |
| Vishnudharmottara Purana (Chitrasutra) | Ch. 35–43 · painting, iconography, six limbs |
| Shilpa Shastras | Sculpture, image-making, iconometry |
| Sthapatya Veda | Architecture, Vastu |
| Dhvanyaloka | Anandavardhana (9th c.) · theory of suggestion |
| Abhinavabharati | Abhinavagupta · commentary that added Shanta rasa |
Always: name the source. Define the key term. Give a named example. Indian aesthetics asks what experience does art create; Western asks how accurately does it represent.