Which part of the fifth-century Vishnudharmottara Purana is regarded as a source book of Indian art, and of painting in particular?
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 2
The correct answer is Option (2) → Chitrasutra
Option (1) Pratima lakshana — Incorrect. Pratima lakshana is the art of image making, the canons of painting that the Chitrasutra talks about. It is not the source book itself.
Option (2) Chitrasutra — Correct. The Chitrasutra, in the third Khanda of the Vishnudharmottara Purana, is to be considered a source book of Indian art and painting.
Option (3) Roopbheda — Incorrect. Roopbheda is one of the limbs of painting (looks and appearance) explained in the Chitrasutra, not the source book.
Option (4) Varnikabhanga — Incorrect. Varnikabhanga is one of the limbs of painting (use of brush and colours), not the source book.
Note: This topic was not named in the CUET 2026 syllabus, but it was part of the NCERT chapter. In 2025 and 2026, NTA also asked questions on topics in NCERT that the CUET syllabus did not name. So our mocks have questions from every part of the NCERT chapter, to give you enough practice. Read the whole chapter, not only the sub-topics named in the syllabus.
NCERT (2026-27): “The Manuscript Painting Tradition …The third Khanda of the Vishnudharmottara Purana, a fifth century text has a chapter Chitrasutra, which should be considered as a source book of Indian art in general and painting specifically. It talks about the art of image making called pratima lakshana, which are canons of painting. The Khanda also deals with the techniques, tools, material(s), surface (wall), perception, perspective and three-dimentionality of human figures. Different limbs of painting, such as roopbheda or looks and appearance; pramana or measurments, proportion and structure; bhava or expressions; lavanya yojana or aesthetic composition; sadrishya or resemblance; and varnikabhanga or use of brush and colours have been explained at length with examples.” |