Natyashashtra Of Bharat Muni

Bharata Muni

Bharata Muni was an ancient Indian sage and dramatist credited with writing the Natyashastra, the foundational text of Indian performing arts. 

• About him: Very little is known about Bharata Muni as a historical figure, and the name "Bharata" may refer to a group of scholars or an ancient acting tradition rather than a single person. However, tradition holds him as the mythical author of the treatise, often called the "father of Indian theatrical art forms".
• Time period: The exact date of the Natyashastra's compilation is debated, with scholarly estimates ranging widely from 500 BCE to 500 CE. 

The Natyashastra

The Natyashastra, or "Science of Drama," is an encyclopedic Sanskrit treatise covering all aspects of the performing arts. 

• Content: The text, typically comprising 36 chapters and over 6,000 verses, systematically details:
• Dramatic composition and plot structure.
• The theory of rasa (aesthetic experience) and bhava (emotions).
• Acting techniques (abhinaya), including gestures, speech, costumes, and makeup.
• Stage and theatre construction.
• Musical scales, instruments, and vocal performance.
• Dance styles, movements, and expressions.
• Significance: Because of its comprehensive nature, the text profoundly influenced subsequent Indian aesthetics, music, dance, and literary traditions. It is often referred to as the "fifth Veda," symbolizing its importance and its creation from the essence of the four Vedas. 

The creation of the Natyashastra

According to the legendary account found in the text itself, the Natyashastra was divinely inspired by the god Brahma. 

How it was created

• Brahma's intervention: The gods approached Brahma, concerned about the lack of entertainment and morality among the people. Brahma recognized the need for a new Veda that would be accessible to all, including those not permitted to hear the existing four Vedas.
• A "fifth Veda": Brahma then created a "fifth Veda," the Natyaveda, by combining elements from the existing scriptures:
• Recitation (pathya) from the Rigveda.
• Music (gana) from the Samaveda.
• Expression and gestures (abhinaya) from the Yajurveda.
• Sentiments (rasa) from the Atharvaveda.
• Bharata's role: Brahma gave this new knowledge to the sage Bharata, instructing him to codify and document it. Bharata, in turn, passed on the knowledge to his 100 sons and trained them to become actors. 

Why it was created

• To provide moral guidance and enjoyment for all: The Natyashastra was created not just for entertainment but to provide moral instruction and elevate the consciousness of all sections of society. It was meant to address the full spectrum of human experience, including happiness and misery, and to offer rest and peace to the weary.
• To unite and teach: The performing arts were seen as a unifying force, conveying spiritual wisdom, cultural traditions, and ethical values in an accessible format. It is a holistic art that combines multiple disciplines to transport the audience into a higher, more reflective state of being.
• To protect the art form: A mythological incident involving demons disrupting the first performance led to the need for a structured and well-defined theatrical practice, emphasizing the importance of stage worship and the proper conduct of a play. 

Bharata Muni's Nāṭyaśāstra, a comprehensive treatise on the performing arts, details the 11 fundamental elements or aṅgas essential for a successful dramatic production. These elements collectively bring forth the aesthetic experience (rasa) for the audience. 

The 11 nāṭya-aṅgas are:

1. Rasa (रस): Aesthetic sentiment

• Explanation: The supreme, delectable aesthetic experience that is the ultimate goal of any performance.
• Details: It is the audience's emotional response, a refined and heightened aesthetic pleasure, and the culmination of the artistic effort. Bharata identifies eight primary rasas:
• Śṛṅgāra (शृङ्गार): Erotic/Love
• Hāsya (हास्य): Comic/Humor
• Karuṇa (करुण): Pathetic/Sorrow
• Raudra (रौद्र): Furious/Anger
• Vīra (वीर): Heroic/Courage
• Bhayānaka (भयानक): Terrible/Fear
• Bībhatsa (बीभत्स): Odious/Disgust
• Adbhuta (अद्भुत): Marvelous/Wonder 

2. Bhāva (भाव): Emotive state

• Explanation: The emotions portrayed by the actor that determine the rasa.
• Details: Bhāvas are the mental and emotional states that are communicated to evoke the rasa in the audience. They can be categorized into three types:
• Sthāyī Bhāvas: The eight permanent or stable moods that correspond directly to the eight rasas.
• Sañcārī/Vyabhicārī Bhāvas: The 33 transitory or fleeting emotions that support and enrich the main sthāyī bhāvas.
• Sāttvika Bhāvas: The eight involuntary, psycho-physical reactions (e.g., trembling, weeping) that are spontaneously manifested due to intense emotion. 

3. Abhinaya (अभिनय): Histrionic representation

• Explanation: The art of acting and conveying the emotion and story through physical and vocal means. It is the actor's art of communication that bridges the performance and the audience.
• Details: It has four components:
• Āṅgika: Conveying emotion through body movements, gestures, and postures.
• Vācika: Conveying emotion through speech, intonation, dialogue, and song.
• Āhārya: Conveying emotion through costumes, makeup, and stage decoration.
• Sāttvika: Conveying genuine emotion through involuntary expressions (the sāttvika bhāvas). 

4. Dharmī (धर्मी): Practice of performance

• Explanation: The two practices or styles of dramatic representation.
• Details: The two modes of dharmī are:
• Lokadharmī: Naturalistic and realistic representation, mirroring the conduct of the real world.
• Nāṭyadharmī: Conventional and stylized representation, often symbolic and poetic, suitable for the stage. 

5. Vṛtti (वृत्ति): The four styles of performance

• Explanation: The four styles of theatrical production that determine the overall tone and nature of the play.
• Details: The four vṛttis are:
• Bhāratī: The verbal style, with dominance of speech and dialogue.
• Sāttvatī: The grand and emotional style, representing the qualities of truth and emotion.
• Kaiśikī: The graceful and delicate style, full of beautiful costumes, feminine movements, and music.
• Ārabhaṭī: The energetic and violent style, used for battles, conflict, and heroic scenes. 

6. Pravṛtti (प्रवृत्ति): Regional styles

• Explanation: The four regional traditions of performance, which represent the customs and conventions of different geographical areas.
• Details: These styles are defined by the local customs, clothing, and linguistic variations. The four pravṛttis mentioned in the Nāṭyaśāstra relate to the Avanti, Dakṣiṇātya, Pāñcālī, and Magadhī regions. 

7. Siddhi (सिद्धि): Success of the production

• Explanation: The successful outcome of a play, which is determined by the audience's response.
• Details: This includes the audience's appreciation and transport into the emotional state intended by the performance. Siddhi can be twofold:
• Daivikī (Divine): Spontaneous, divine-like success.
• Mānuṣī (Human): Man-made, cultivated success. 

8. Svara (स्वर): Musical notes

• Explanation: The vocal music and the arrangement of musical notes that accompany the drama.
• Details: This includes the seven musical notes (ṣaḍja, ṛṣabha, gāndhāra, madhyama, pañcama, dhaivata, niṣāda) and their application in different emotional contexts. 

9. Gāna (गान): Song

• Explanation: The vocal performance, including songs and chants, that is integral to the dramatic narrative.
• Details: The Nāṭyaśāstra provides a detailed framework for the use of songs (dhruvā-gāna) in specific situations, such as entry, transition, and exit. 

10. Ātodya (आतोद्य): Instrumental music

• Explanation: The instrumental music that supports and enhances the vocal performance and the dramatic action.
• Details: This includes the rhythmic elements (tāla) and the different types of musical instruments used. 

11. Raṅga (रङ्ग): The stage

• Explanation: The performance space itself, including its design and construction.
• Details: Bharata Muni details the precise measurements and types of playhouses suitable for dramatic productions.