The Natyashastra

 Discovering the Foundations of Indian Performing Arts & Literary Criticism

Introduction to Indian Poetics

Introduction: The Origin of Dramatic Art

The Natyashastra, accredited to the sage Bharata Muni, stands as India’s oldest surviving discourse on performing arts, encompassing theatre, dance, music, and poetics. Composed between 200 BCE and 200 CE, it is well-regarded as the Natyaveda (Fifth Veda), synthesizing foundations from the four Vedas: speech (Rigveda), song (Samaveda), acting (Yajurveda), and emotion (Atharvaveda). 

Bharata systematized pre-existing artistic traditions into 6,000 verses, creating an encyclopaedic guide for creators, performers, and audiences. Unlike earlier fragmented works (e.g., by Parasara or Narada), the Natyashastra offers a complete framework for natya (drama) as a vehicle for moral education, aesthetic pleasure, and spiritual elevation.

I. Core Poetics & Literary Thoughts

The Natyashastra establishes foundational theories for Indian aesthetics, influencing Sanskrit and Bhasha (vernacular) literary traditions. Key concepts include:

• Rasa (Aesthetic Sentiment):
• The foundation of Indian poetics, rasa is the supreme emotional experience evoked in the audience. Bharata identifies eight primary rasas:

1. Shringara (love/beauty)
2. Hasya (comedy)
3. Karuna (pathos)
4. Raudra (fury)
5. Vira (heroism)
6. Bhayanaka (terror)
7. Bibhatsa (disgust)
8. Adbhuta (wonder)

• Later theorists like Abhinavagupta (10th–11th century CE) added Shanta (tranquility) as the ninth rasa.

• Rasa arises from the interplay of vibhava (determinants), anubhava (consequents), and vyabhicaribhava (transitory emotions).

• Bhava (Emotional States):
• Bhavas are the emotional states that manifest rasa. They are categorized into:

• Sthayibhava (8 enduring emotions, e.g., love, anger).
• Vyabhicaribhava (33 transitory emotions, e.g., anxiety, envy).
• Sattvikabhava (8 involuntary physical reactions, e.g., tears, trembling).

• Abhinaya (Expression):
• The technique of "carrying meaning to the audience" through four modes:

1. Angika (body: gestures, postures).
2. Vachika (speech: dialogue, meter, modulation).
3. Aharya (external: costumes, makeup).
4. Sattvika (internal: emotional authenticity).

• Dharmi (Conventions):
• Two performance styles:

• Lokadharmi (realistic, mundane representation).
• Natyadharmi (stylized, symbolic theatricality).

• Vritti (Styles of Narration):
• Four modes of expression tailored to evoke rasa:

• Bharati (verbal emphasis).
• Sattvati (emotional emphasis).
• Kaisiki (graceful, lyrical).
• Arabhati (energetic, forceful).

III. The Ten Forms of Drama (Dasarupakas)

Bharata classifies rupakas (visual performances) based on plot, heroes, and rasa dominance:

1. Nataka (Heroic Romance):

• Plot: Well-known epics (e.g., Ramayana).
• Hero: Divine/kings (e.g., Rama in Uttararamacharita).
• Rasa: Shringara or Vira.
• Acts: 5–10; avoids direct violence (uses interludes).

2. Prakarana (Social Drama):

• Plot: Original stories of commoners (e.g., merchants).
• Hero: Brahmin/merchant (e.g., Mricchakatika).
• Rasa: Shringara.

3. Samavakara (Mythological Spectacle):

• Plot: Gods vs. demons (e.g., Samudramanthanam).
• Structure: 3 acts; 12 heroes; mixes joy/sorrow.
• Rasa: Vira supported by Shringara.

4. Ihamrga (Divine Conflict):

• Plot: Gods fighting over women (e.g., Rukminiharana).
• Rasa: Shringara; avoids battles (focus on abduction).

5. Dima (Supernatural Epic):

• Plot: Grand conflicts (e.g., earthquakes, eclipses).
• Characters: Gods/demons (16+ heroes).
• Rasa: Excludes Shringara/Hasya.

6. Vyayoga (Heroic One-Act):

• Plot: Single-day battle (e.g., Madhyamavyayoga).
• Rasa: Vira; minimal female roles.

7. Anka (Tragic Monodrama):

• Plot: Lamentation post-catastrophe (e.g., Unmatta Raghava).
• Rasa: Karuna; one act.

8. Prahasana (Satirical Farce):

• Types: Suddha (mockery of elites) or Samkirna (vulgar humor).
• Example: Mattavilasa Prahasana.

9. Bhana (Monologue):

• Structure: Single actor narrates others’ voices (e.g., Sringarabhushana Bhana).
• Rasa: Shringara/Adbhuta.

10. Vithi (Intimate Play):

• Scope: One act; 1–2 characters; all rasas.
• Features: 13 stylistic devices (e.g., soliloquies).

Uparupakas (minor forms) like Natika (Ratnavali) blend elements of Nataka and Prakarana.

IV. Literary & Cultural Legacy

The Natyashastra’s influence permeates Indian arts:

• Theory: Commentaries by Abhinavagupta (Abhinavabharati) expanded rasa theory into a universal aesthetic philosophy.

• Theatre: Rules for plot (itivritta), diction (kavya), and staging informed classical plays (Kalidasa, Bhavabhuti).

• Dance: Codified Angika abhinaya (e.g., mudras in Bharatanatyam).

• Music: Defined swaras (notes), talas (rhythms), and instrumentation (Chapter XXVIII–XXXIV).

• Modern Relevance: Principles of rasa and abhinaya support contemporary Indian cinema, theatre, and dance.

V. Conclusion: The Eternal Fifth Veda

Bharata’s Natyashastra excels a mere technical guide. It positions natya as a sacred, transformative experience—yajna (sacrifice) for the modern age. By integrating ethics (dharma), emotion (bhava), and artistry (shilpa), it asserts that drama mirrors the cosmos: "Nothing in the world exists that cannot be represented in natya" (NS I.116). For scholars of Sanskrit poetics or Bhasha literatures, it remains the bedrock of India’s aesthetic universe, where art is both a celebration of life and a path to enlightenment.

"When the world, oppressed by sorrow,
sought refuge in entertainment,
Brahma created the Fifth Veda—
the Natyaveda, accessible to all."
— Natyashastra I.14–17

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