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NATYAŠĀSTRA AND INDIAN THEATRE*
Radhavallabh Tripathi
LIST OF ABBRIVATIONS – N$: Nātyaśāstra of Bharata, Edn. published from Oriental Institute, Baroda in four Volumes. – Abh. : Abhinavabhārati commentary on NS by Abhinavagupta, published in the Edn. of N$
as above. Abhinava : Abhinavagupta, Mal. / Mālavikā. : Mālavikāgnimitram of Kālidāsa.
Vikram. / Vik. : Vikramorvašīyam of Kālidāsa - K. : Kālidāsa.
Br.: Brāhmaṇa – KSS : Katyāyana Srauta Sutra MB. : Mahābhārata
The word Nātya, literally meaning the practice of a dancer or an actor has been defined in laxicons as the combination of dance, singing and playing of musical instruments'. Tauryatrika and Lāsya are mentioned as its synonymns.2
In the tradition of NS, the concept of Nātya embraces all the functions of theatre. Nātya has been viewed here in the light of our philosophical traditions within an ethical and cultural framework. The values and social functions of art have also been kept in view in the concept of Nātya in our tradition.
Technically, Nātya lies in the practice of the artistes. Therefore, the word prayoga rightly comes to be equated with it. The externalised form of Nātya, to be visualised by an audience, is prayoga'. Sometimes it is also termed as abhinaya4. Kalidasa rightly suggests that prayoga is sine qua one of Nātyaśāstra'. This is the practical outlook with regards to the concept of Nātya and accordingly the definitions of Nātya, to quote Bharata's Nātyaśāstra can be simplified in the following terms :
DISC Fantal steps as Chifaa: 1 HSE fulla arcefirrefuted II (NŠ. 1.119)
Prayoga and abhinaya are therefore invariably linked to Nātya, but they definitely do not cover the hole gamut of Natya To understand Nātya in its totality, we will have to turn to its creative process starting from subtle psychological levels and leading to the manifestation of Natya in an audio-visual form.
Nātya is created on three levels. First, a poetic or dramatic piece is created by an author, which is subsequently taken up for production on the stage by the performing artists. Visualisation of this stage production by an audience forms the final stage of Nātya.
* Lecturers Delivered under the Annual Lecture series of L. D. Institute of Indology, Ahmedabad - 1989.
