Natyashastra, ascribed to the mythical bharata, is encyclopaediain its scope and range. The science is intended as a guide alike to the poet and the player. It was considered the defining treatise of indian classical music. In natyashastra by bharata muni, what are the main. Since love is the most dominant feeling in human life. Sastra, the first sanskrit book on drama, dance and music. He says only those arts that are worthy, are rasa vishesh. The rasa theory has a dedicated section chapter 6 in the sanskrit text natya shastra, an ancient scripture from the 1st millenium bce attributed to bharata. In order to realize rasa that must possess an adequate degree of intellectual and emotional equipment. Natya sastra is considered to be the earliest known surviving text on stagecraft in the world. It had a profound effect on most of the traditional art forms of india. Written by bharatha muni sometime between 200 bc to 200 ad. It was meant as a practical manual for production of successful theatrical performances, which included music and dance as well as acting.
Indian critics and the natyashastra critical stages. This online edition contains the full english translation of the natyashastra including additional notes, proofread and free to read. The main crux of natyashastram is the dance drama opera. Natyashastra is an analytical text of dramatic performance that categorically characterizes fundamentals such as.
The natya shastra was the first major text that dealt with music at length. The theory of rasa described in the text has also been a. The origin of the book is thus shrouded in mythology, but the work itself is indeed living reality. But there can be no denying of the fact that it represents an indian attempt to give shape to its own theatrical philosophywhichwas never lost sight of until the advent of modernity ushered. Natya shastra of bharata muni volume 2 by bharata muni and a great selection of. Thus, when a dancer, with his or her hand movements, depicts, for example, the opening of a lotus flower, his or her eyes are myni to give different emphases to the gesture. The natyasastra deals with the rules relating to theatrical performances, in fact to the science of stage. The rasa theory is mentioned in chapter 6 of the ancient sanskrit text natya shastra, attributed to bharata muni, but its most complete exposition in drama, songs and other performance arts is found in the works of the kashmiri shaivite philosopher abhinavagupta c. Written in sanskrit, mainly in epic slokas with some prose fragments, it is dated by scholars from the 5th century bce to the 7th8th century ce.
It may be the work of several authors, but scholars disagree. Hence the theory of rasa has come to be interpreted differently in later times by lollata, sa. Natyashastra is a detailed compendium of technical instructions about the performing arts. Bharata muni was clear about what was acceptable as art. Natya shastra covers stagedesign, music, dance, makeup, and virtually every aspect of. Although natyasastra is a work on dance, drama and music, yet in the present context of poetics, it. According to bharata muni rasa is extracted from the other ten elements of drama.
The dancedrama source of classical dance is bharata munis natyashastra 1st century bce to 3rd century ce, a comprehensive treatise on the origin and function of natya dramatic art that is also dance, on types of plays, gesture language, acting, miming, theatre architecture, production, makeup, costumes, masks, and various bhavas emotions and. According to pramod kale, who received a doctorate on the text from the university of wisconsin, the surviving version of natya shastra likely existed by the 8thcentury. Abhinavaguptas analysis of natyasastra is notable for its extensive. In rigveda, it connotes a liquid, an extract and flavor. Bharatas natyashastra is the oldest treatise on rasa theory. Rasa theory draws a clear distinction between reallife experience and art experience unordinary. The natya sastra of bharatamuni by board of scholars tr. What are the nine ragas mentioned in the natya shastra. It was also intended as a guide to the poet and to the performer, alike. In modern usage, this word does not include dance or music, but in sanskrit, the term natya refers to the troika of drama, dance and music. After listening to the explanation of the preliminary rites the venerable sages asked bharata muni. The rasa sutra occurs in the sixth chapter of the natya sastra. Pp25ff the reading of this passage seems to be confused.
According to the rasa theory of the natya shastra, entertainment is a desired. This systematic methodology is reflected in its very title natya means theatre and shastra means science. He researched and explained the theory in terms of dhwani, in the book called dhvanyaloka. According to the natyashastra, bhavas are of three types. The text is attributed to sage bharata muni, and its first complete compilation. It is believed to have been written by the mythic brahman sage and priest bharata 1st century bce 3rd century ce its many chapters contain detailed treatments of all the diverse arts that are embodied in the. Traditionally assigned to bharata muni, a legendary sage, natya shastra is one among the famous trio of india, the other two being kautalyas artha shastra and vatsyayanas kama shastra. The answer to this question comprises the rest of the book, which is thus loosely a dialogue. It is also notable for its aesthetic rasa theory, which asserts that entertainment is a desired effect of performance arts but not the primary goal, and that the primary goal is to transport. The rasa theory of natyashastra, states daniel meyerdinkgrafe, presumes that bliss is intrinsic and innate in man, it exists in oneself, that. The term shastra sastra denotes a specific category of literature and the word natya na. It is a theoretical treatise on ancient indian communication in sanskrit literature. Natya shastra project gutenberg selfpublishing ebooks.
The realization of rasa is the result of the union of sthaibhavas, vibhavas, anubhavas, and vyabhikaribhavas. Natya was then taught by god brahma to the mythic sage bharata, who is said to have recorded this teaching in the natyashastra. The idea of rasa in drama or poetry is a unique creation of indian dramaturgy and rhetoric. Bharata munis natyashastra navrasa by shiva chopra youtube. Our summaries and analyses are written by experts, and your questions are answered by real teachers. Elucidating afresh the concept of rasa and all its nine primary kinds largely on the basis of natya shastra of bharata and the commentaries of the tenthcentury aesthetician, abhinavagupta, the book investigates the validity of rasa theory as an aesthetic, more specifically, a literary theory, and how its canons are applicable to modern western. The author of the natya shastra is unknown, and the hindu tradition attributes it to the rishi sage bharata. Natyashastra through eyes of a millenial sachin jadhav medium. The rasa theory has been discussed above only in simplified outlines. Bharata and his natyashastra natya was then taught by god brahma to the mythic sage bharata, who is said to have recorded this teaching in the natyashastra. Bharata muni analysis will help you with any book or any question. The natyashastra is probably the worlds largest and most comprehensive theatre and. So far there only exists in the english language a set of very bad translations of the natya shastra. Rasa siddhanta is unique to indian aesthetics theory.
Apparently, between the 2nd century bce and the 2nd century ce, it acquired the presently known form. Rasa in indian art got prime importance but also that the sages ask about various aspects of rasa, which are mentioned in the book as quoted below. Its authorship, date, and even textual details may be problematic. The natyashastra introduced the theory of bhava and rasa, so central to indian aesthetics. It was written during the period between 200 bc and 200 ad in classical india and is traditionally attributed to the sage bharata the natya shastra is incredibly wide in its scope. Natyashastra, in full bharata natyashastra, also called natyasastra, detailed treatise and handbook on dramatic art that deals with all aspects of classical sanskrit theatre.
While much of the discussion of music is focuses on musical on musical instruments. A key text which deals with the emotional theory of rasa is the natyashastra the textbook on drama, attributed to bharata muni some academics believe that. The discourse is set in a frame where a number of munis approach bharata, asking him about na. In the 9th century, anand vardhan kashmiri pandit supported bharatas rasa theory and natya shastra. Rasa theory in hindi english literature natya shastra youtube. It is known as sutra as it embodies principles set out in a very concise form. Best magic show in the world genius rubiks cube magician americas got talent duration. Rarely looked at, however, are the references to theatre criticism described by bharata. It was written during the period between 200 bce and 200 ce in classical india and is traditionally attributed to the sage bharata the natya shastra is incredibly wide in its scope. Natyashastra project gutenberg selfpublishing ebooks. There is no way to translate the natya shastra without also expressing its meaning in the vedic paradigm in which it was written this work is a vedic shastra after all. It has been suggested that bharata is an acronym for the three syllables.
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