Post No. 9882
Date uploaded in London –22 JULY 2021
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tamilandvedas.com, swamiindology.blogspot.com
Atreya asked Bharata the reason for writing Natya sastra.
Bharata said,
Natyaveda was created by Brahma. Long long ago people of this world, goaded by greed and avarice, and jealousy and anger took to uncivilised ways of life.(Literally Gramya = vulgar).
The world was then inhabited by Gods, Demons, Yakshas Rakshasas, Nagas and Gandharvas . Various lords were ruling. At that time gods led by Mahendra approached Brahma and requested him to give them something which would not only teach them but be pleasing both to eyes and ears. Since Sudras are not allowed to listen to Vedas why not create a fifth Veda which would be accessible to all varnas/ castes
Brahma agreed. He dismissed the petitioners and meditated in solitude. Then he took
words from the Rigveda,
music from Sama veda,
movements and make up from Yajur veda and
emotional acting from the Atharvanaveda.
Then he called Indra and others and said,
Here is the Natyaveda. Let the Suras/Devas practise it. It requires persons who are smart, intelligent, observant and self controlled.
Indra pondered and then said that the Suras were unable to practise it since they did not have all the qualifications. Sages are self controlled and grasped with the Vedic knowledge. Then Brahma entrusted it to me.
Brahma said to me
You have a large number of sons and students and so you practise it. So I practised it with my sons and trained them in words, emotions and movements:_
Bharati
Sattavati
Arabhati and
Vrtti
When I informed Brahma what I have done, he promised me to give all the materials required. I myself had seen Siva dancing with movements, gestures and emotions. When I said females were good to perform with grace, he created Apasaras. He created Narada and Gandharva to sing. He provided Swati and his disciples to play on instruments
When I reported to him all the practices were done, rehearsals over, he asked me to perform the first show in the Flag festival of Indra.
I commenced the performance with an interesting
Nandi= benedictory singing of eight sentences from the Vedas. When it was staged with fights and roars resulting in the defeat of the demons by devas Brahma and other gods were so pleased with the performance that they showered presents on the actors:-
Indra gave the flagpole ,
Brahma a crooked stick,
Varuna a gourd
Surya an umbrella
Siva a Siddhi
Vayu a fan
Vishnu a throne,
Kubera a crown
Sarasvati acoustics
And others — Yakshas, Rakshasas and Nagas suitable ones.
After the first show, defeated demons became angry and caused the director to become unconscious on the stage. Indra used his flagpole to thrash all the demons. It crushed —- jarjara— all the demons. Then they all wished that ‘jarjara’ be there for ever to protect them . Indra said So be it.
–subham—
Tags- Natyasastra, fifth veda, Bharata, Story, Jarjara
Tamil and Vedas 