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NĀṬYA IN BHARATA’S NĀṬYAŚĀSTRA: VEDIC ORIGIN

By

Nabanarayan Bandyopadhyay

Professor and Director

School of Vedic Studies

Rabindra Bharati University

Kolkata- 700 050

Âà mkî ÖààÂàÞ Âà mO°²þÌqÞ Âà yà âwùà Âà

yà §ývà ñ

Âà y uàçªààç Âà mmî §ýtê Âàà¹ÜçpOÐtÂàî uÂÂà

YÎumç ññ (NŚ I.116)

So claims Bharata in his Nāṭyaśāstra (=NŚ) about the prime importance of

Nāṭyaveda. The question is why it is Nāṭya as well as Veda? The term veda
means ‘knowledge’ and ‘source of knowledge’ also. Hence Indian mind
always tends to obtain any kind of knowledge in respect of religion,
philosophy, literature, art, architecture etc. from this grand repository (ywë
wçÀàmî ZàâyÁuâm). This very term Veda is not only confined to the four
Vedas only but has been extended to the called fifth Veda namly
Nāṭyaveda and four Upavedas. Bharata says:

otêt¿uë uÎàÐuÞ j yàçqÀçÎuÞ yyÞªàíÑtî ñ

sâwÏumÎj vàç§ýÐu ywê§ýtàêÂàäÀÎàê§ýtî ññ

ywêÎààeànêyÈqÂÂàÞ ywêâÎàÌqZàwmê§ýtî ñ
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Âàà¹Üà©uÞ q¸jtÞ wçÀÞ yçâmÑàyÞ §ýÊàçÈuÑtî ññ

(I.14-15)

About the nature of nāṭya he opines this:

ÂààÂààsàwàçqyÈqÂÂàÞ ÂààÂààwÐnàÂmÊà¾t§ýtî ñ

vàç§ýwæÙààÂàä§ýʽàÞ Âàà¹ÜtçmÂtuà §æýmtî ññ

(I.112)

He states further about Naṭa:

Âà¹þ ¢âm oà¾wnêsåmÞ Âàà¹þuâm

vàç§ýwæÙààÂmÞ ÊysàwyÞuäQÞý

uÐtàmî mÐuàmî Âà¹àç swçmî ñ

This dramatic art form combines all sorts of Vidyās and Kalās:

ywêÎààeàâ½à âÎàÌqàâÂà §ýtàêâ½à âwâwoàâÂà j ñ

¡OÐtÂÂàà¹Üç ytçmàâÂà mÐtàÀçmÂtuà §æýmtî ññ

(I.118)

Since we do not come across any original Sanskrit text on dramaturgy

earlier than that of Bharata barring some references to Naṭasūtras by
Śilālin and Kr̥śāśva, we cannot but depend upon observations made by
Bharata. Regarding origin of drama he referred to the source of the four
Vedas in clear terms:

kªàíàÑ qàºÜtæªwçÀàmî yàtÇuàç ªàãmtçw j ñ

ukäwFÀàÀâsÂàuàÂàî ÊyàÂàànwê½ààÀâq ññ (I..17)

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So four characteristics of drama – pāṭhya (text), gīti (song), abhinaya

(acting), rasa (sentiment) have its genesis from the four Vedas. The
question is how we can relate these features to the respective Vedas? In
this connection, I would like to quote the following lines from Bharata: The
Nāṭyaśāstra by Kapila Vatsyayan:

“Important is the fact that he identifics pāṭhya, articulated spoken

word, not just the word (śabda) from the R̥gveda. The incanted word, the
spoken word and its trams-mission, is a fundamental premise. So also is
the case with identifying the Yajurveda as the source of ritual and body-
language and gestures. Vedic Yajña as a performative act is considered as
a base. The methodology and structure of a total presentation must have
been understood and its practice was still rigorous enough to enable the
author further to compare the preservation of theatre (nāṭya) as being
analogous to yajña. The same is true in respect of the Sāmaveda and
Bharata’s identifying the musical sound, the sung note as source. The
mention of the Atharvaveda for drawing upon the techniques of sattvika ??
to the understanding of the physis- psychical system. One word elaborate
on the several allusions to Vedic practice in the Nāṭyaśāstra to prove that
the text comes at a time when the Vedas were not a remote theoretical
function-head, but were an immediate experience. The Nāṭyaśāstra is early
enough in a living and vigorous tradition of both the Vedas and the
Brāhmaṇas. The mention of these sources is no mere lip-service.” (p.14)

The best illustrations of articulated spoken words are the dialogue hymns
of the R̥gveda, e.g., Yama - Yamī- Saṃvāda (10.10), Pururavas-Urvaśī-
Śaṃvāda (10.95), Varuṇa-Indra-Saṃvāda (4.42) , Saramā-Paṇi-Saṃvāda
(10.108) etc. The conversation between Indra and his wife Indrāṇī from
the tenth maṇḍala of the R̥gveda may be cited as an example of the
Prahasana element vyāhāra which is a humerous dialogue between two or
three persons. That the Vedic Yajña is a performative act is displayed by
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the method of offering oblations in the fire to the deities with the utterance
of the words like óà3wu, ¡Ðmä óàè3x¹î , uk,uç3ukàtÑç, wàè3x¹îþþ . It has
beautifully been expressed in the following śloka :

jmäâsêÎj jmäâsêÎj õàÇuàÞ q¸jâsÊçw j /

Ñåumç j qäÂàõàêÇuàÞ mÐtè uÖàà¾tÂàç Âàtß //

Theatrical element in the performance of Somakraya, Akṣakriḍā, Pāriplava?

etc. may also be taken note of in this connection. There is no doubt that
nr̥tya, gīta and vādya were in vogue in India from Vedic period onwards. In
the mantra of the R̥gveda (9.66.8) we come across the reference of
dancing by women at the time of preparation of Soma juice. In the Kr̥ṣṇa
Yajurveda (7.5.10) there is mention of dancing and singing by dāsīs around
Mārgātīya fire. Sāmaveda is the great source of music (yàtwçÀàâÀÞ ªàãmÞ
yÞkªàíàÑ âqmàtÑß). In the Aśvamedha sacrifice there were two
vīṇāgathins - one Brāhamaṇa and the other one Rājanya. In the Mahāvrata
also young girls dance around the sacrificial altar. There is the tradition of
acting represented by mock quarrel, fight, etc between Śudras and Āryas.
References to different musical instruments like āghāṭī, āḍambara,
kāṇḍavīṇā, vāṇa etc. are available in the Vedic lore various forms of
amusement were part of the programmes of the Sabhās and Samitis of the
Vedic era. All these aspects contributed amply to the origin of nāṭya. Above
all rasa or sentiment is the quintessence of all aesthetic arts. Regarding
rasa Edwin Gerow in the History of Indian Literature: Indian Poetics
propounded as follows (p.145):

" The term rasa is well attested in early Indian literature in the
allied senses of "sap / essence" and "taste" - both notions are deeply
imbued with over- tones of liquidity, in as much as both the sap, the
essence of plants, etc., is liquid and the capacity to taste takes that
peculiar form of liquidity (as its object as, for example, in sugar cane), …
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citations of the objective reference of rasa go back all the way to the
R̥gveda, where not unexpectedly it often designates the "essence"... of the
Soma plant; the subjective reference ( to taste) goes back at least to the
Śatapathā Brāhmaṇa (ywFxàÞ ÊyàÂààÞ âkœç§ýàuÂàtîß e.g.14.5.4.11.in
the Br̥hadāraṇyaka)... The question of when the specifically aesthetic
flavour of rasa first appears in the literature is disputed.... The oldest work
to connect itself (in some way) with the rasa as a definable aesthetic
principle is the Nāṭyaśāstra of Bharatasvamin..."

The Atharvaveda has referred to many plants and their use for
curing diseases. There are many Bhaisajyasūktas and Śuktas relating to
Śānti and Puṣṭi Karmans in this Veda. So the primary meaning of rasa i.e.
sap / essence / liquidity/ taste may be connected to these liquid materials
referred to in the Atharvaveda. Hence transference of primary meaning to
secondary meaning as aesthetic pleasure out of sāttvika bhāva can be
traced in this context.

Mythology has an important role to the growth and

development of various arts. We can pay our attention also to Vedic
mythology in respect of origin and development of nāṭya. As per Vedic
tradition Brahmā is the first creator of all things in the Universe and gave
names to these all selecting words from the Vedas (cf. wçÀÎàÆÀçÇu
¥wàÀàè qæn§ýîyÞÐnàÎj âÂàtêtç). According to Bharata, the best occasion
of performing Nāṭyaveda was Indradhvaja festival i.e. Śuklā Dvādaśī of
Bhādramāsa. The myth relating to the victory of the gods over the demons
was firstly displayed by the actors:

mÀÂmçpÂàä§æýâmrê÷îwà unà Àèè¾uàß

yäÊèâkêmàß/

yÞÄý¹çþâwôw§æýmà ²çþùsçùàÑwàO¾t§ýàß// (I.58)

To get rid of dangerous elements, Jarjara, a symbol of Indra's vajra was

employed and being employed even now at Purvaraṅga. While preparing
theatrical hall ( raṅgālaya) various Vedic gods like Maruts, Lokapālas,
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Varuna, Mitra, Agni, Ādityas, Rudras are kept as protectors at different

places, Brahmā in the centre:

¥wÞ âw«ÂàâwÂààÎààu Ðnàâqmà kkêÊçyäÊàß/

Ê®îªàqãºþÐu tÁuç mä ÐwuÞ ríûà Zàâmâ™þmß//

(I.93)

Even the actors comprising heroes, heroines, etc., are protected by the
respective deities - Indra, Sarasvatī, Oṃkāra and Hara.

Since long plots of the dramas for amusement pertain to the Vedavidyā Itihāsa,
Ākhyāna, Śruti, Smr̥ti, Sadācāra etc, the stories concern imitation of the
activities of the gods and demons, kings and the kins, etc:

ÀçwmàÂààtyäÊà½ààÞ ÊàÖààtn §äý¹äþâÈrÂààtî ñ

§æýmàÂàä§ýʽàÞ vàç§çý Âàà¹Üât¾uâsoãumç

The two premier dramas viz, Tripuradāha and Amr̥tamanthana have its
origin in Vedic Purāṇic mythology.

The influence of the Vedas as reflected in Nāṭya is in the

structural aspect of the theatrical hall where raṅgapujā is generally
performed. Here we find the mixture of Śrauta, Smārta, and Paurāṇika
forms of rituals. The Vedic god Viśvakarman is the main architect but
human efforts have not been done away with.

ÀçwàÂààÞ tàÂàyã yæâ˜þªàæêÑçxä qwmçxä jñ

u¾ÂàsàwàÀî âwâÂàÏqÂÂààß ywF sàwà âÑ

tàÂàäxàßññ

mÐtàöçw§æýmèsàêwèÂàê âwÐqoFm
tàÂàäxßñ (II.22-23)

The deities mentioned by Bharata while performing adhivāsa are

noteworthy because most of them are Vedic : Mahādeva , Brahmā, Candra,
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Sūrya, Vāyu, Dikpāla, Asvins, Mitra, Agni and Rudra. Similarly different
deities are installed in the Maṇdala. Later forms of worship including
offering and utterance of mantras are prescribed for the Raṅgālaya . Hence
the basic principle of change and continuity of the religion of the Vedas is
conspicuously perceived here.

The Vedic origin of Nāṭya is not discussed by Bharata alone – Later

Writers of Kalāśāstras opined in the same way Śārṅgadhara says:

¦ýªukäßyàtwçÀçÇu wçÀà°jànêwê½àß §íýtàmî ñ

qàºÜÞ jàâsÂàuàmî ªàãmÞ ÊyàÂàî yÞªàæü qøsåß ññ

Kalpinātha is his Ṭikā of Saṅgītaratnākara propounded this :

¦ýªààâÀtä©uwçÀtåv¾wçÂà j jmätähFw ÀÙàÐu wçÀ¾wç

ây÷ç

mÀnêsåmÂàà¹ÜZàâmqàÀ§ý sÊmtäâÂàZà½àãmÐu
jmäâwêoqäÚxànê

ÄývÐu ÎààeÐu wçÀtåv¾wçÂà wèâÀ§ý¾wÞ wçâÀmÂutî ñ

Sometimes Nāṭyaveda is called Upaveda :

yàtwçÀÐuàçqwçÀß ªààÂowêwçÀßñ

According Mallinatha – Âàà¹ÜwçÀ ¥w ªàãmZààoàÂuâwwÕàuà ªààÂowê

£°umçñ ¡âsÂàuZààoàÂu âwwÕàuà mä Âàà¹ÜwçÀ ¢¾uä°umç ñ

In view of above discussion it is clear that Nāṭya has its Vedic origin and in
course of time this famous form of art has undergone various influences of
different sources to make itself superb and entertaining with a view to
following pious wish of Bharata:

ÀäßhàmàêÂààÞ ótàmàêÂààÞ Îààç§ýàmàêÂààÞ

mqOÐwÂààtî ñ

âwóàtkÂàÂàÞ vàç§çý Âàà¹ÜtçmÀî sâwÏuâm ñ

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oÈtë uÎàÐutàuäÏuÞ âÑmÞ räâ÷âwwoêÂàtî ñ

vàç§ýàçqÀçÎàkÂàÂàÞ Âàà¹ÜtçmÀî sâwÏuâm ññ (I.114-

115)

REFERENCES

1. Nātyaśāstra of Bharatamuni with the comm.. of Abhinavabhāratī, ed.

K.L. Joshi, 4vols, 3rd ed, Delhi, Parimal Publication, 1994.
2. The Nāṭyaśāstra of Bharatamuni, trans. Board of Scholars, Rāga
Nr̥tya Series no. 2, Delhi: Satguru Publicayion, n.d.
3. Bharata Nāṭyaśāstra, ed. and trans. Sures Chandra Banerjee and
Chhanda Chakrabati, 4vols, Calcutta: Nabapatra Prakashan, rpt,
1985-
4. Vatsyayan, Kapila. Bharata: The Nāṭyaśātra, New Delhi: Sahitya
Akademi, 1996 rpt. 2007.
5. Tripathi,Radhavallabh, ed. Nāṭyaśāstra and the Indian Dramatic
Tradition, Samīkṣīkā Series no. 3, New Delhi: National Mission for
Manuscripts and Dev Publishers & Distributors, 2012.