नाट्यशास्त्रम् (प्रथम भाग - अभिनवभारती एवं हिन्दी टीका सहित)

-1. 25 ] THE ORIGIN OF DRAMA 5

21-22. At these words of Brahman, Indra bowed to him with folded palms and said in reply, “O the best and holy one, gods are neither able to receive it and maintain it, nor are they fit to understand it and make use of it ; they are unfit to do anything with the drama¹.

23. The sages (muni)¹ who know the mystery of the Vedas and have fulfilled their vows, are capable of maintaining this (Nāṭyaveda) and putting it into practice.”

The Nāṭyaveda and Bharata’s one hundred sons

24. On these words of Śakra (Indra), Brahman said to me; “O the sinless one, you with your one hundred sons¹ will have to put it (the Nāṭyaveda) to use”.

25. Thus ordered, I learnt the Nāṭyaveda from Brahman

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extant Purāṇas (See his Ancient Indian Historical Traditions, London, 1922). According to the native Indian tradition itihāsa is said to be an account of events that occurred in the past, carrying in it instructions about duty, wealth, enjoyment of pleasure, and salvation. The traditional śloka is—

धर्मार्थकाममोक्षाणामुपदेशसमन्वितम् । इतिवृत्तकथायुक्तमितिहासं प्रचक्षते ॥

The same tradition assigns the position of itihāsa to the Mahābhārata the great Indian epic. It is possibly this itihāsa that has been connected with the Nāṭyaveda by the author of the śāstra. Hence it appears that Oldenberg’s theory about the original connexion between epic and dramatic poetry, is worthy of serious consideration. Nāṭyākhyaṁ pañcamaṁ vedaṁ setihāsaṁ karomy aham (15) seems to be very significant. Ag. (I. p. 13) explains setihāsam as itihāsopadeśakarūpaṁ saprabhedam. See Winternitz, Vol. I. pp. 100 ff. 312 n. ² See note on 14-15 above.

21-22 (B.G. same). ¹ It may be tentatively suggested here that the gods represented the primitive Indo-Aryans who possibly had no drama. On this point see the author’s Prācīn Bhārater Nāṭya-kalā (in Bengali), Calcutta, 1945 p. 60 ff.

23 (B.G. same). ¹ The word muni is evidently to be derived from the Pkt. root muṇa ‘to know’ which is most probably not of Indo-European origin.

24 (B.G. same). ¹ The Purāṇas and similar other works totally ignore these one hundred sons of Bharata.

25 (B. G. same).