Slokam:
Sarva Sastraardha sammpannam sarva Silpa pravarthakam |
naataakhyam panchamam vedam setihaasam karomyaham ||
Natya Shastra or Natya veda of Bharata Muni is the first encyclopedic treatise on Indian Drama, dance, music and literature. The first chapter of Natya Sastra deals with the divine origin of Natya and the fourth chapter deals with its production before lord Siva and the last chapter deals with the appearance of Natya on the Earth.
People at the beginning of Tretayuga were leading a mixed life of misery and joy subjecting themselves to the elemental passions of lust, greed, rancor etc. This appalled the lokapalas, i.e., the rulers of the universe like Indra, whose duty is to inculcate into the people the spirit of a adhering to the righteous way of life. So Indra and other gods approached Brahma the creator of the universe and requested him
“kreeDaneeyaka micchaamo drushyam Sravyam cha yadbhaveth”
To create a “Kridaniyakam” (Entertainment) in the form of fifth Veda, pleasing to the eyes as well as the ears, instructive and enjoyable to all the sections of people since some of them were denied the privilege of learning the four Vedas.
Brahma conceded the request and went into meditation recollecting the four Vedas for creating the fifth Veda. He took paThya (word of speech) from “Rigveda”, gaana(music) from “Samaveda” Abhinaya (expression) from “Yajurveda” and Rasa from “Atharvana Veda” which bestows Dharma, Artha, Kama and Moksha the four principle objects of human existence.
jagraaha paaThyamrgveda saamabhyogeetamevacha
yajurvedaadabhinayaan rasaanatharvaNaadapi
Thus the Kridaniyakam created by Brahma is called Natya. Natya means production of a play on the stage, mythology so Natya Sastra contains rules and regulations for writing a play and as well as producing it on the stage.
Brahma taught Natyasastra to Bharatamuni, as desired by Indra. Bharata in turn, taught his hundred disciples who were endowed with the faculties of grahana (reception), dharana (retention). He also taught them the methods of play production and employed them to play various roles suitable to them. He at first was able to employ only three Vritis (Modes o Expression) – Bharati (Speech Proper), Arbhati (Virile Expression) and Satwiti (emotional expression) with this he was not satisfied. Then he approached Brahma with a request for the creation of fourth vritti – Kaisiki (graceful or delicate expression) Brahma created twenty four apsarasa to play the kaisiki vritti. He also entrusted vocal music to sage narada and gandharwas and instrumental music to sage Swathi and his disciples. Thus the divine Natya Brindam was formed. This Brindam produced its first play written by Brahma himself, entitled “Amrutha Madhanam” (A story depicting the defect of the demons) in the open air at the time of a festival of Indra Dhwaja.
The demons were furious and disturbed the play. The play was produced successfully in a closed theatre built on the spot by the divine architect “Viswakarma”. After Brahma pacified the demons by explaining the nature of Natya the presentation was enjoyed by all.
Later the divine troupe along with Brahma went to Kailasa, the abode a Lord Shiva and presented two plays while witnessing the lord shiva thought of his own Nritta (Pure Dance). He then suggested that Nritta to be incorporated in the purvaranga of play production so that the meanings of songs rendered could be clear to the audience. The Saint Tandu (who codified the rules pertaining to Siva’s Nritta) ordered by Lord Shiva, taught Nritta to Braratha Muni,
comprising of Karanas, Angaharas, and rechkas. This Nritta was called as Tandava after saint Tandu.
Highly please with Natya, the gods and demons began to respect the disciples of Bharata and began to insult the high and low. Finally they were cursed by the sages. Bharata interviewed and sent his disciples to the earth during the region of emperor Nahusha. Through them Natyam was established on the earth. Then the curse ended and the Bharatas regained entry into heaven.