Bharata Muni
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MAY THERE BE GOOD NĀṬYA ŚĀSTRA /THE SCIENCE OF THEATRE/
recorded by the enlightened Bharata.
So, chapter fourteen of the Nāṭyaśāstra of Bharata.
1/ The zones (kakṣyā) of the stage should be established after the division of the three types of theatres, which I mentioned earlier, becomes known.
2/ The director (sūtradhāra) should place the drums between the two doors of the dressing room (kutagara), which I have already described.
3/ Division into Zones (kakṣyā) is determined by traversing the stage. When a person enters a certain Zone, it changes to another at the moment of their exit.
4–7/ By theatrical convention, the Zones determine where the action unfolds: in a house, city, garden, place of amusement, by a river, in an ashram, forest, on land, at sea, in any place of the Three Worlds, among moving or stationary objects, in one of the nine great divisions of the earth or its seven continents, on various mountains, in the invisible world, on the earth’s surface, or in the nether world (rasātala), in places of rest or in the abodes of daityas and nāgas, houses and forests. The Zones should be imagined (note: depicted, planned) in accordance with the city, forest, part of a continent, or mountain where the action takes place.
8/ According to the agreement, one should determine whether the place is outside the locality, inside it, in the middle, nearby, or far away.
9/ According to the agreement on Zones, those who entered the stage earlier are considered to be inside the house, while those who entered later are considered to be outside.
10/ The one who enters the stage with the intention of seeing the first ones must announce their arrival by turning to the right.
11/ The direction in which the drums and the two doors of the dressing room face is always considered east during a performance.
12/ If anyone goes “outside” (i.e., out of the house) on business, he must leave the stage through the same door by which he entered.
13/ If, having gone out, he must re-enter the same house, he may go out, if necessary, through the door through which people who arrive later enter.
14–15/ If out of necessity he goes together with this group and enters the house together with them or alone, two different Zones should be established for them. This other Zone is determined by the order of their movement.
16/ With equals one should walk side by side; with inferiors — so that they surround; maidservants should walk ahead of the master.
17/ A place that is much frequented is considered a distant country. And near and middle distances are indicated similarly, according to the same principle.
18–20/ As the plot requires, gods and demigods may move to cities, forests, seas, and mountains through the air, on a celestial chariot, by the power of yogic abilities, or by other means. But, while appearing in human form, they must move on the ground to be visible as ordinary people.
21/ Gods and demigods can move freely across all nine regions (dvīpa), but humans are prescribed to move only within Bhārata-varṣa (India).
22/ If a person sets off for distant lands, this is indicated by the completion of the action (Akta) and by mentioning it again in the introductory scene (praveśaka).
23/ To indicate the achievement of a goal, one must traverse a certain conventional distance; upon failure, the action should come to an end.
24/ Events lasting a kṣaṇa (moment), muhūrta (48 minutes, 1/30 of a day), yāma (4 hours, 5 muhūrtas), or a day are allowed within a single Act in accordance with the basis (bīja) of the play.
25/ But a month or a year is considered complete with the end of an Act; events occurring more than a year later should not be included in the same Act.
26/ Thus should one observe the rules of the Stage Zones and the accompanying conventions regarding the movement of people within Bhārata-varṣa. Now one should know that the gaits of gods and demigods are similar to human ones.
27–32/ Yakṣas, Guhyakas and the attendants of Kubéra, rākṣasas, bhūtas and piśācas dwell on the great mountain Kailāsa in the Himalayas. Gandharvas, apsarases and Gaṇas — on the mountain Hemakūṭa. On the mountain Niṣadha dwell the Nāgas — Śeṣa, Vāsuki, Takṣaka. The thirty-three groups of gods — on the great mountain Meru. Siddhas and brahmarṣis — on the Blue Mountain, full of lapis lazuli. The White Mountain is the abode of daityas and dānavas; on the mountain Śṛṅgavat come the Pitṛs.
These are the greatest mountains, where gods and demigods dwell. From the perspective of the division into Zones, they should be placed in Jambudvīpa (where these mountains are located).
32–35/ Their actions should be shown according to their habits and powers, but the costumes and makeup should be human. All states of the gods should be depicted in a human way; therefore, they should not be shown as beings that do not blink (such is their nature). For the states and moods in a play depend on glances. First, states are indicated by the eyes, then by gestures and postures (limbs). Such is the exposition on the division into Zones.
36/ Now I will continue the description of local customs (pravṛtti), which, according to experts in drama, are of four kinds: Āvantī, Dākṣiṇātyā, Pāñcālī and Oḍra-Māgadhī.
Why are they called pravṛtti? Because they give information about the costumes, language, and customs of different countries. Since there are many countries, one asks: “How to justify the division into four?” Answer: although all regions have common features, the difference of people by country, dress, language, and manners requires four kinds of performance, connected with four styles—verbal (bhāratī), grand (sāttvatī), graceful (kaiśikī), and violent (ārabhatī). These styles give rise to the four pravṛtti.
37/ The countries at the foot of the Mahendra, Malaya, Sahya, Mekala, and Kalapandjara mountains are called Dakṣiṇāpatha (the Southern Route).
38–39/ Kosala, Tosala, Kalinga, Mosala, and such countries as Dramida, Andhra, Mahā-vainna, and Vanavasika, lying between the Southern Ocean and the Vindhya, always employ the Dākṣiṇātyā-pravṛtti.
This pravṛtti gravitates toward dance, songs, instrumental music, an abundance of graceful style (kaiśikī), and refined gestures.
40–41/ The countries of Avanti, Vidisha, Saurashtra, Malava, Sindhu, Suvira, Anarta, Arvudeya, Dasharna, Tripura and Mrittikavata always follow the Āvantī-pravṛtti.
42/ This pravṛtti is based on the elevated (sāttvatī) and graceful (kaiśikī) styles.
43–45/ The countries of Aṅga, Vaṅga, Utkaliṅga, Vatsa, Oḍra, Magadha, Puṇḍra, Nepāla, Antargiri, Bahirgiri, Pravāṅga, Mahendra, Mālada, Mālyavarttaka, Brahmottara, Mārga va, Prāgyotiṣa, Pullinda, Videha, Tāmralipta and Praṅga adopt the Oḍra–Māgadhī-pravṛtti.
46/ Likewise, other countries of the East, known from the Purāṇas, follow Oḍra–Māgadhī. This pravṛtti is based on the verbal (bhāratī) and graceful (kaiśikī) styles.
47–48/ The countries of Pañcāla, Śūrasena, Kashmir, Hastināpura, Vālhīka, Śālvaka, Madra and Uśīnara, lying near the Himalayas or the northern bank of the Ganges, adopt the Pāñcālī (Pañcāla-madhyamā) pravṛtti.
49/ It is dominated by the sublime (sāttvatī) and furious (ārabhatī) styles: few songs, much movement, and unusual gaits and steps.
50–51/ Entrances to the stage, depending on pravṛtti, are of two kinds: from the right and from the left. In Āvantī and Dākṣiṇātyā — from the right side, in Pāñcālī and Oḍra–Māgadhī — from the left.
52/ In Āvantī and Dākṣiṇātyā, the entrance is through the northern door, in Pāñcālī and Oḍra–Māgadhī — through the southern one.
53/ But depending on the assembly, place, occasion, and meaning, these rules may be combined.
54/ Experts should stage plays in the styles prescribed for the corresponding pravṛtti.
55/ According to the rules, the staging of a play is of two kinds: subtle (sukumāra) and energetic (āviddha).
56–57/ A play requiring energetic gestures and dance movements (aṅgahāra) for depicting cutting, piercing, challenging, employing magic, wonders, and unnatural objects and makeup, having more men and fewer women among its characters, and applying predominantly the exalted (sāttvatī) and furious (ārabhatī) styles, belongs to the energetic type.
58/ These include Ḍima, Samavakāra, Vyāyoga, and Īhāmṛga.
59/ Performances of this type should be executed by gods, dānavas, and rākṣasas — majestic and proud, possessing heroism, energy, and strength.
60/ Nāṭaka, Prakaraṇa, Vīthī and Aṅka are plays of the subtle type; they are based on the depiction of human characters.
61/ Now I will define the two practices (dharmī) mentioned earlier.
62–63/ When a play relies on the natural behavior of characters, is simple and not artificial, depicts the occupations of people, has direct execution without decorative movements, and depends on men and women of various types — it is called realistic (lokadharmī).
64–69/ If a play alters the traditional plot, introduces the supernatural, violates the rules of languages, requires graceful aṅgahāra, includes features of dance, demands traditional performance, relies on celestial scenes and celestial characters—it is traditional (nāṭyadharmī).
If in a play form and speech are given to that which does not exist in reality; if characters hear what is not said or do not hear what is said nearby; if a hill, a cart, a celestial chariot, a shield, armor, a weapon, or a standard are shown in human form; if one actor plays two roles; if a female character appears in the role of a woman with whom marriage is forbidden in reality, or vice versa; if instead of ordinary walking, steps and movements of dance are performed — all this is traditional practice.
72–73/ If ordinary human nature, based on joy and sorrow, is depicted through specific gestures — this is traditional practice. The zonal division on stage, based on many rules, also pertains to traditional practice.
74–75/ A play must always be performed with traditional movements, for without gestures and actor’s actions, feelings do not arise in the spectators. States are natural to all people; gestures are applied as necessary; but decorative movements are considered traditional practice.
76/ Such is the exposition on the division into Zones, the two Practices, and the four local customs. Connoisseurs of drama should know them and apply them appropriately.
77/ I have duly described the mimetic representation through Śākhā (various schools) and Aṅgahāra (types of movement). Next, I shall describe the representation through words consisting of vowel and consonant sounds.
Continuation – in the following publications https://t.me/natyashastra 🙏