Natyashastra by Bharatmuni

TOPIC OF THE BLOG:-

This blog is a part of a other blog named Indian Poetics click here to read about What is Indian Poetics?, Alamkara, Dhavni, Vakrokti. In this blog I am going to give my understanding about Natyashastra and Rasas given by Bharatmuni.

WHAT IS NATYASHASTRA AND WHAT IT IS ABOUT?

According to Satya Dev Chaudhary, the first available book of discipline is NATYASHASTRA by Bharata, who is thus accepted to be the first Acharya of the Sanskrit Poetics. The last eminent of Acharya of this science is Panditraja Jagannatha, the author of Rasagangadhara. Bharata is believed to be belonging to second century BC 2 second century AD and Jagannatha belonged to 17th century AD.

The Natyashastra is a treatise on the performing arts, particularly Indian classical dance, music, and theater. It is one of the oldest and most comprehensive texts on performing arts, written in Sanskrit by the sage Bharata Muni around 200 BCE to 200 CE. The Natyashastra covers various aspects of performing arts, including the origin of theater, types of stages, various forms of dance, music, and instruments, acting, costumes, makeup, and stagecraft. It also outlines the emotions, moods, and sentiments that should be expressed through the performing arts.

The text is divided into 36 chapters, and it is said to contain 6000 slokas or verses. It provides detailed instructions on every aspect of performing arts, including the training of artists and the organization of theatrical performances. The Natyashastra has been influential in shaping the performing arts in India and beyond. It has been a source of inspiration for various dance forms, music, and theater, and its influence can be seen in various forms of art across South and Southeast Asia. It is still studied and referenced by scholars, artists, and practitioners of performing arts today.

RASA THEORY:-

In simple words if we see Rasa means emotions which we experience through our life time and sage Bharata give basic and important Rasas which are 8 and last one given by Abhinavgupta, sort of 5 in in total there are 9 Rasas accepted as important Rasa. Here are these 9 Rasas given below:-

• Rati - Love
• Hasa - Laughter
• Soka - Grief
• Krodha - Anger
• Utsaha - Courage
• Bhaya - Fear
• Jugupsa - Digust
• Vismaya - Wonder

Rasa-Sutra:-

Vibhava/ Anubhav/ Vyabhicarbhava/ Samyog/ Rasa-Nispattih

🎀According to Bhatt Lollat, Rasa does not exist, it is produced (રસ હોતો જ નથી એ ઉત્પન્ન કરવામાં આવે છે.)

🎀According to Sri Sankuka, There is no rasa, rasa is not even produced, only presumption (perception) occurs. (રસ હોતો નથી, રસ ઉત્પન્ન પણ નથી થતો, માત્ર અનુમાન (ધારણા) થાય.) And if it is Conviction (પ્રતીતિ) it has these four:- 1) યથાર્થ 2) સદૃશ્ય 3)સંશય 4)મિથ્યા.

🎀According to Bhatt Nayak, Rasa is not produced, not inferred, felt. And if the performer feels this, the audience feels it. (રસ ઉત્પન્ન નથી થતો, અનુમાનિત નથી થતો, અનુભવાય છે. અને જો આ અભિનય કરનારને અનુભવાય તો પ્રેક્ષકને અનુભવાય.)

🎀 According to Abhinav Gupta, Interest occurs when the performer, audience, creators, and all anticipate and exult in the value generated. (રસ નિષ્પત્તિ થાય જ્યારે અભિનય કરનાર, પ્રેક્ષકો, સર્જકો અને બધા જ્યારે ઉત્પન્ન થયેલા ભાવને અનુમાનિત કરે અને ઓતપ્રોત થાય.)