VEDIC BASE OF NATYA SASTRA

Nātya  Śāstra  was created by Supreme Brahman from the  Vedas. The recitative texts  are from Rg Veda, the  musical  songs from Sāma Veda, abhinaya from the Yajur Veda and rasa from Atharva Veda. Thus Nātya  Śāstra  has been brilliantly carved out of the four Vedas embedded with the hidden meanings of the Vedic Scriptures and the Vedāṇgas and is hailed as the fifth Veda.

sarvaśāstrārtha sampannam  sarvaśilpapravartakam !

nātyākhyam paṇcamam vedam setihāsam karomyaham !!

evam sankalpya bhagavān sarva vedānanusmaran !

nātyavedaśtataścakre  caturvedāṇga sambhavam !!

jagrāha pāthyamrigvedāt sāmabhyo gītameva ca !

yajurvedādabhinayān rasānātharvaṇādapi !!

WHAT IS SANGITAM ?

According to SArnga Deva, the three-fold symphony in terms of Song, instrumental music and dance is known as SangItam.

gItam vAdyam tathA nruttam trayam sangItamucyate !

According to Locana PaNdita, GItam comprises of nAda and akshara. Nada is the musical sound while akshara refers to the musical composition in words.

DhAtu mAtu samAyuktam gItamityucyate budhaih !

Tatra nAdAtmako dhAtur mAtur akshara sambhavah !!

Anything which is sung is known as gItam.

gIyata iti gItam !

GItam owes its origin to sAma Veda which is made up of Suddha svara.

sAma VedAt idam gItam samjagrAha pitAmahah!

VAdyam includes string instruments like VINA, drum instruments like Mrudanga, bell metal instruments like cymbals and pipe instruments like flute.

Nrutya consists of abhinayas representing various gesticulations in terms of eye glances, hand poses and feet movements.