THE NĀṬYAŚĀSTRA

CHAPTER ONE

THE ORIGIN OF DRAMA

Salutation

1. With a bow to Pitāmaha¹ (Brahman) and Maheśvara² (Śiva) I shall explain the Canons of Drama³ (Nāṭyaśāstra) which were uttered by Brahman.

Sages question.

2-5. Once in the days of yore, high-souled sages such as, Ātreya¹ and others who had subdued their senses, approached the pious Bharata² the master of dramatic art during an intermission of studies (anadhyāya). He (Bharata) then just finished

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1 (B. G. same). ¹ Pitāmaha (the Grand-father) is a Purāṇic epithet of the Vedic god Brahman. For, the Pitṛs (the Fathers) such as Aṅgiras, Bhṛgu, Dakṣa and Marīci and others, whose descendants peopled this earth, were their progeny. In the later literature and religion of India, Brahman gradually recedes in the background and practically vanishes. His place is taken by the extra-Vedic Śiva, and Viṣṇu in his fullfledged Purāṇic character.

² Maheśvara (the Great God) is another name of Śiva who is originally a pre-Vedic deity. Salutation to Śiva along with Brahman, is very rare in Indian literature.

³ By 'drama' in this connexion is to be understood any play in its theatrical and literary character. For on this point Ag. (I. p. 7) says that the NŚ. is meant for the producer (of a play) as well as the poet (=playwright). कविप्रयोक्तृरुपदेशपरं शास्त्रमिति.

2-5 (B.G. same). ¹ Ātreya—There are two Ātreyas. One is a disciple of Yājñavalkya (Mbh.) and another that of Vāmadeva (Brahma P.) See Vidyalankar, Jīvanī-koṣa, sub voce.

² Purāṇas except the Matsya (24. 28-30) are silent on this Bharata, the authority on the Canons of Drama.