A Beginners Note On Natyashatra

 

A Beginners Note On Natyashastra, Its Origin And Other Relevant Knowledge

The Natyashastra is an ancient and comprehensive Sanskrit treatise on the performing arts, often called the "fifth Veda". Attributed to the mythical sage Bharata Muni, it is considered the foundational text for Indian classical dance, music, and drama. The text provides a detailed framework for performance and aesthetics, which has profoundly influenced Indian culture for centuries. 

Origin of the Natyashastra

The precise date and authorship of the Natyashastra are uncertain, with estimates for its compilation ranging from 200 BCE to 200 CE. Some scholars believe it was the work of multiple authors, but tradition credits the sage Bharata with its composition. 

The text's legendary origin is recounted in its first chapter: 

• Divine request: The gods, led by Indra, requested the creator god Brahma to create a new Veda that would be accessible to all four classes (varnas), including women and commoners.
• Compilation by Brahma:Brahma created the Natyaveda by combining elements from the four existing Vedas:
• Words (pathya) from the Rigveda.
• Music (geeta) from the Samaveda.
• Gestures and action (abhinaya) from the Yajurveda.
• Aesthetics and sentiment (rasa) from the Atharvaveda.
• Entrustment to Bharata: Brahma then gave this new knowledge to Bharata Muni, who was to teach it to his sons for performance. 

Key concepts within the Natyashastra

The Natyashastra is an encyclopedic work of around 6,000 verses spread across 36 or more chapters. It covers every aspect of staging a production. 

The Rasa-Bhava Theory

This is the most celebrated contribution of the text, explaining how an audience experiences emotion through art. 

• Bhava (Emotion): Refers to the inner state or feeling portrayed by the actor.
• Rasa (Aesthetic Flavor): Is the emotional response that the performance evokes in the audience. It is the audience's subjective experience of the bhava. The text identifies eight rasas corresponding to eight bhavas:
• Shringara (Love): Erotic
• Hasya (Laughter): Comic
• Karuna (Sorrow): Pathetic
• Raudra (Anger): Furious
• Vira (Heroism): Heroic
• Bhayanaka (Fear): Terrible
• Bibhatsa (Disgust): Odious
• Adbhuta (Wonder): Marvelous
• A ninth rasa, Shanta (Peace), was added by later commentators like Abhinavagupta. 

The Four Abhinayas

The Natyashastra classifies the four ways an actor communicates emotion to the audience: 

• Angika: Body movements, gestures, and postures, including specific hand gestures (hastas or mudras).
• Vachika: The verbal aspect, including dialogue, lyrics, and intonation.
• Aharya: Costume, makeup, and stage decoration.
• Sattvika: The involuntary expressions of emotion, such as horripilation, tears, or a change in voice. 

Dance and music

The text details the fundamental grammar of Indian classical dance and music. 

• Dance: Describes the 108 basic dance units called karanas, which combine hand and foot movements. It also distinguishes between two styles: the energetic Tandava (associated with Shiva) and the gentle Lasya (associated with Parvati).
• Music: Systematically covers musical theory, including the harmonic scale (shrutis), melodic scales (gramas), and four classifications of musical instruments:
• Stringed (tata)
• Wind (sushira)
• Percussion (avanaddha)
• Solid (ghana). 

Stagecraft

The Natyashastra includes detailed instructions for constructing a proper playhouse, including dimensions, shapes (square, oblong, and triangular), and rituals for consecrating the stage. 

Enduring Significance And Influence

The Natyashastra's impact extends far beyond Sanskrit drama and continues to shape Indian performing arts today. 

• Foundation for classical arts: It serves as the bedrock for Indian classical dance forms such as Bharatanatyam, Kathak, Odissi, and Kuchipudi, all of which use its principles of rasa and abhinaya.
• Source of aesthetics: Its theories of aesthetics inform Indian music, art, and even modern Indian cinema, especially the concepts of rasa and bhava.
• Spiritual purpose: It views art not merely as entertainment, but as a spiritual path capable of elevating the audience to a higher state of consciousness and providing both worldly and spiritual insight.
• Living tradition: The text's teachings have been passed down for centuries, continually reinterpreted and adapted by generations of artists and scholars.