नाट्यशास्त्रम् (प्रथम भाग - अभिनवभारती एवं हिन्दी टीका सहित)

LXXIX

Samapāda, Vaiśākha, Maṇḍala, Ālīḍha and Pratyālīḍha (XI. 50-71), and female postures (sthāna) (XIII. 159-169) such as Āyata, Avahittha and Aśvakrānta. These and the various gestures described in the Nāṭyaśāstra may also be helpful in studying specimens of the ancient sculpture and painting. It should be noted in this connection that the Samarāṅgaṇasūtradhāra a medieval encyclopoedic work while describing the rules of making images describes (ed. GOS. Vol. II. p. 301ff) the hand gestures etc. almost in the language of the Nāṭyaśāstra.

4. Metrics

Fiftyeight varieties of metre of sama, ardhasama and viṣama types have been described in the Nāṭyaśāstra (XVI). All these are perhaps anterior in time to the Chandaḥ-sūtras of Piṅgala. One important aspect of this description is that the name of the following metres are different in the NŚ. e. g. Drutavilambita = Hariṇapluta (NŚ), Bhujaṅgaprayāta = Aprameyā (NŚ), Sragviṇī = Padminī (NŚ), Mālinī = Nāndīmukhī (NŚ), Hariṇī = Vṛṣabha-ceṣṭita (NŚ), Mandākrāntā = Śrīdharā (NŚ), Pṛthvī = Vilambita-gati (NŚ), Kusumita-latā-vellitā = Citralekhā (NŚ).

5. Poetics

The Nāṭyaśāstra enumerates (XVII. 43-106) four poetic figures (alaṃkāra), ten Guṇas and ten faults (doṣa) of a composition. In brief these may be called the earliest writings on poetics. To the theory of Sentiment (rasa) and the States (bhāva) (VI-VII) also the same remark applies.

6. Costumes and Ornaments

Detailed descriptions of ornaments, and directions about costumes to be used by characters in a play according to their social status, profession, religious faith, and tribal origin etc. are given in the Nāṭyaśāstra (XXIII. 1-67, 110-127). These may throw interesting light on the social life of the Indian people in the remote past.

7. Mythology

The Nāṭyaśāstra mentions (I-V, XXXIII-XXXIV, XXXVI) numerous gods, goddesses, demigods etc. Classified according to the system adopted by Hopkin in his 'Epic Mythology' they are as follows :

(a) Lower Mythology : Serpent, Birds, Waters. (b) Spirits : Pitṛs, Bhūtas, Rākṣasas, Asuras, Daityas, Dānavas, Yakṣas, Guhyakas. (c) The eight great gods ; The Sun-God, the Moon-God, the Wind-God, the Fire-God, the God of death, Varuṇa and Ocean, Indra, the Dikpālas (World-protector). (d) The Host of Spirits : Gandharvas, Apsarasas, Kāma, Aśvins, Maruts, Rudras, Viśvedevas, Ādityas, (e) Divine Seers : Bṛhaspati, Nārada, Tumburu. (f) Earthly Ṛṣis and Personages :