The Natya Shastra or Nātyaśāstra is the principal work of dramatic theory in the Sanskrit drama of classical India. It is a set of precepts on the writing and performance of dance, music and theatre. Kalidasa and Asvaghosa were the main pioneers of Sanskrit drama. ...

Text and title

The Natya Shastra was written by the sage Bharata or Bharatamuni who was directly inspired by the god Brahma, according to legend. It is believed to have been written during the period between 200 BCE and 200 CE. Some scholars believe it was written by various authors at different times. Bharata is the name of three different persons in Hindu mythology. ... Brahma, the Creator, is depicted with four heads, each reciting one of the four Vedas. ... (Redirected from 200 BCE) Centuries: 3rd century BC - 2nd century BC - 1st century BC Decades: 250s BC 240s BC 230s BC 220s BC 210s BC - 200s BC - 190s BC 180s BC 170s BC 160s BC 150s BC Years: 205 BC 204 BC 203 BC 202 BC 201 BC - 200 BC... For other uses, see number 200. ...

The text is written in the Sanskrit language, and consists of 6,000 sutras, or verse stanzas, incorporated in 36 chapters. There are some passages that are composed in a prose form. The Sanskrit language (Skt. ...

The name can be loosely translated as The Textbook on Drama. Natya, or nataka means drama, and in contemporary usage does not include dance. However, nataka originally derives from the word meaning "dance" (root: nat). This suggests that in traditional Sanskrit drama, music and dancing, as well as acting, were important.

Theory

The Natya Shastra is incredibly wide in its scope. It consists of minutely detailed precepts for both playwrights and actors.

Bharata describes ten types of drama ranging from one to ten acts. In addition, he lays down principles for stage design, makeup, costume, dance (various movements and gestures), a theory of aesthetics (rasas and bhavas), acting, directing and music, each in individual chapters. Cosmetics or makeup are substances to enhance the beauty of the human body, apart from simple cleaning. ... Yarkand ladies summer fashions. ... A contemporary dancer rehearsing in a dance studio Dance (from Old French dance, further history unknown) generally refers to human movement either used as a form of expression (see also body language) or presented in a social, spiritual or performance setting. ... Acting is the work of an actor, a person in theatre, film, or any other storytelling medium who tells the story by portraying a character and, usually, speaking or singing the written text or play. ... Generally a director is a person or one of a body of persons appointed to manage the affairs of a government agency, company, corporation, group or project. ... Wikibooks Wikiversity has more about this subject: School of Music Look up Music on Wiktionary, the free dictionary Wikisource, as part of the 1911 Encyclopedia Wikiproject, has original text related to this article: Music Wikicities has a wiki about Music: Music MusicNovatory: the science of music encyclopedia Science of Music...

Bharata sets out a detailed theory of drama comparable to the Poetics of Aristotle. He refers to bhavas, the imitations of emotions that the actors perform, and the rasas (emotional responses) that they inspire in the audience. He argues that there are eight principal rasas: love, pity, anger, disgust, heroism, awe, terror and comedy, and that plays should mix different rasas but be dominated by one. Poetics - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia /**/ @import /skins-1. ... Aristotle, marble copy of bronze by Lysippos. ...

External links

• Nãtya Shãstra