Natya Shastra · Chapter 1

śrīrastu
bharatamunipraṇītaṃ nāṭyaśāstram
atha prathamo 'dhyāyaḥ
praṇamya śirasā devau pitāmahamaheśvarau /
nāṭyaśāstraṃ pravakṣyāmi brahmaṇā yadudāhṛtam

samāptajapyaṃ vratinaṃ svasutaiḥ parivāritam /
anadhyāye kadācittu bharataṃ nāṭyakovidam

munayaḥ paryupāsyainamātreyapramukhāḥ purā /
papracchuste mahātmāno niyatendriyabuddhayaḥ

yo 'yaṃ bhagavatā samyaggrathito vedasammitaḥ /
nāṭyavedaṃ kathaṃ brahmannutpannaḥ kasya vā kṛte

katyaṅgaḥ kiṃpramāṇaśca prayogaścāsya kīdṛśaḥ /
sarvametadyathātattvaṃ bhagavanvaktumarhasi

teṣāṃ tu vacanaṃ śrutvā munīnāṃ bharato muniḥ /
pratyuvāca tato vākyaṃ nāṭyavedakathāṃ prati

bhavadbhiḥ śucibhirbhūtvā tathā'vahitamānasaiḥ /
śrūyatāṃ nāṭyavedasya sambhavo brahmanirmitaḥ

pūrvaṃ kṛtayuge viprā vṛtte svāyaṃbhuve 'ntare /
tretāyuge 'tha samprāpte manorvaivasvatasya tu

grāmyadharmapravṛtte tu kāmalobhavaśaṃ gate /
īrṣyākrodhādisaṃmūḍhe loke sukhitaduḥkhite

devadānavagandharvayakṣarakṣomahoragaiḥ /
jambudvīpe samākrānte lokapālapratiṣṭhite

mahendrapramukhairdevairuktaḥ kila pitāmahaḥ /
krīḍanīyakamicchāmo dṛṣyaṃ śravyaṃ ca yadbhavet

na vedavyavahāro 'yaṃ saṃśrāvyaḥ śūdrajātiṣu /
tasmātsṛjāparaṃ vedaṃ pañcamaṃ sārvavarṇikam

evamastviti tānuktvā devarājaṃ visṛjya ca /
sasmāra caturo vedānyogamāsthāya tattvavit

neme vedā yataḥ śrāvyāḥ strīśūdrādyāsu jātiṣu /
vedamanyattataḥ srakṣye sarvaśrāvyaṃ tu pañcamam // BhN_1.13* //
dharmyamarthyaṃ yaśasyaṃ ca sopadeśyaṃ sasaṅgraham /
bhaviṣyataśca lokasya sarvakarmānudarśakam

sarvaśātrārthasampannaṃ sarvaśilpapravartakam /
nāṭyākhyaṃ pañcamaṃ vedaṃ setihāsaṃ karomyaham

evaṃ saṅkalpya bhagavān sarvavedānanusmaran /
nāṭyavedaṃ tataścakre caturvedāṅgasambhavam

jagrāha pāṭhyamṛgvedātsāmabhyo gītameva ca /
yajurvedādabhinayān rasānātharvaṇādapi

vedopavedaiḥ sambaddho nāṭyavedo mahātmanā /
evaṃ bhagavatā sṛṣṭo brahmaṇā sarvavedinā

utpādya nāṭyavedaṃ tu brahmovāca sureśvaram /
itihāso mayā sṛṣṭaḥ sa sureṣu niyujyatām

kuśalā ye vidagdhāśca pragalbhāśca jitaśramāḥ /
teṣvayaṃ nāṭyasaṃjño hi vedaḥ saṃkrāmyatāṃ tvayā

tacchṛtvā vacanaṃ śakro brahmaṇā yadudāhṛtam /
prāñjaliḥ praṇato bhūtvā pratyuvāca pitāmaham

grahaṇe dhāraṇe jñāne prayoge cāsya sattama /
aśaktā bhagavan devā ayogyā nāṭyakarmaṇi

ya ime vedaguhyajñā ṛṣayaḥ saṃśitavratāḥ /
ete 'sya grahaṇe śaktāḥ prayoge dhāraṇe tathā

śrutvā tu śakravacanaṃ māmāhāmbujasambhavaḥ /
tvaṃ putraśatasaṃyuktaḥ prayoktā'sya bhavānagha

ājñāpito viditvā'haṃ nāṭyavedaṃ pitāmahāt /
putrānadhyāpayāmāsa prayogaṃ cāpi tattvataḥ

śāṇḍilyaṃ caiva vātsyaṃ ca kohalaṃ dattilaṃ tathā /
jaṭilambaṣṭakau caiva taṇḍumagniśikhaṃ tathā

saindhavaṃ sapulomānaṃ śāḍvaliṃ vipulaṃ tathā /
kapiñjaliṃ vādiraṃ ca yamadhūmrāyaṇau tathā

jambudhvajaṃ kākajaṅghaṃ svarṇakaṃ tāpasaṃ tathā /
kaidāriṃ śālikarṇaṃ ca dīrghagātraṃ ca śālikam

kautsaṃ tāṇḍāyaniṃ caiva piṅgalaṃ citrakaṃ tathā /
bandhulaṃ bhallakaṃ caiva muṣṭhikaṃ saindhavāyanam

taitilaṃ bhārgavaṃ caiva śuciṃ bahulameva ca /
abudhaṃ budhasenaṃ ca pāṇḍukarṇaṃ sukeralam

ṛjukaṃ maṇḍakaṃ caiva śambaraṃ vañjulaṃ tathā /
māgadhaṃ saralaṃ caiva kartāraṃ cogrameva ca

tuṣāraṃ pārṣadaṃ caiva gautamaṃ bādarāyaṇam /
viśālaṃ śabalaṃ caiva sunāmaṃ meṣameva ca

kāliyaṃ bhramaraṃ caiva tathā pīṭhamukhaṃ munim /
nakhakuṭṭāśmakuṭṭau ca ṣaṭpadaṃ sottamaṃ tathā

pādukopānahau caiva śrutiṃ cāṣasvaraṃ tathā /
agnikuṇḍājyakuṇḍau ca vitaṇḍya tāṇḍyameva ca

kartarākṣaṃ hiraṇyākṣaṃ kuśalaṃ dussahaṃ tathā /
lājaṃ bhayānakaṃ caiva bībhatsaṃ savicakṣaṇam

puṇḍrākṣaṃ puṇḍranāsaṃ cāpyasitaṃ sitameva ca /
vidyujjihvaṃ mahājihvaṃ śālaṅkāyanameva ca

śyāmāyanaṃ māṭharaṃ ca lohitāṅgaṃ tathaiva ca /
saṃvartakaṃ pañcaśikhaṃ triśikhaṃ śikhameva ca

śaṅkhavarṇamukhaṃ śaṇḍaṃ śaṅkukarṇamathāpi ca /
śakranemiṃ gabhastiṃ cāpyaṃśumāliṃ śaṭhaṃ tathā

vidyutaṃ śātajaṅghaṃ ca raudraṃ vīramathāpi ca /
pitāmahājñayā'smābhirlokasya ca guṇepsayā

prayojitaṃ putraśataṃ yathābhūmivibhāgaśaḥ /
yo yasminkarmaṇi yathā yogyastasmin sa yojitaḥ

bhāratīṃ sātvatīṃ caiva vṛīttimārabhaṭīṃ tathā /
samāśritaḥ prayogastu prayukto vai mayā dvijāḥ

parigṛhya praṇamyātha brahmā vijñāpito mayā /
athāha māṃ suraguruḥ kaiśikimapi yojaya

yacca tasyāḥ kṣamaṃ dravyaṃ tad brūhi dvijasattama /
evaṃ tenāsmyabhihitaḥ pratyuktaśca mayā prabhuḥ

dīyatāṃ bhagavandravyaṃ kaiśikyāḥ samprayojakam /
nṛttāṅgahārasampannā rasabhāvakriyātmikā

dṛṣṭā mayā bhagavato nīlakaṇṭhasya nṛtyataḥ /
kaiśikī ṣlakṣṇanaipathyā śṛṅgārarasasambhavā

aśakyā puruṣaiḥ sā tu prayoktuṃ strījanādṛte /
tato 'sṛjanmahātejā manasā'psaraso vibhuḥ

nāṭyālaṅkāracaturāḥ prādānmahyaṃ prayogataḥ /
mañjukeśīṃ sukeśīṃ ca miśrakeśīṃ sulocanām

saudāminīṃ devadattāṃ devasenāṃ manoramām /
sudatīṃ sundarīṃ caiva vidagdhāṃ vipulāṃ tathā

sumālāṃ santatiṃ caiva sunandāṃ sumukhīṃ tathā /
māgadhīmarjunīṃ caiva saralāṃ keralāṃ dhṛtim

nandāṃ sapuṣkalāṃ caiva kalamāṃ caiva me dadau /
svātirbhāṇḍaniyuktastu saha śiṣyaiḥ svayambhuvā

nāradādyāśca gandharvā gānayoge niyojitāḥ /
evaṃ nāṭyamidaṃ samyagbuddhvā sarvaiḥ sutaiḥ saha

svātināradasaṃyukto vedavedāṅgakāraṇam /
upasthito 'haṃ brahmāṇaṃ prayogārthaṃ kṛtāñjaliḥ

nāṭyasya grahaṇaṃ prāptaṃ brūhi kiṃ karavāṇyaham /
etattu vacanaṃ śrutvā pratyuvāca pitāmahaḥ

mahānayaṃ prayogasya samayaḥ pratyupasthitaḥ /
ayaṃ dhvajamahaḥ śrīmān mahendrasya pravartate

atredānīmayaṃ vedo nāṭyasaṃjñaḥ prayujyatām /
tatastasmindhvajamahe nihatāsuradānave

prahṛṣṭāmarasaṃkīrṇe mahendravijayotsave /
pūrvaṃ kṛtā mayā nāndī hyāśīrvacasaṃyutā

aṣṭāṅgapadasaṃyuktā vicitrā vedanirmitā /
tadante 'nukṛtirbaddhā yathā daityāḥ surairjitāḥ

sampheṭavidravakṛtā cchedyabhedyāhavālmikā /
tato brahmādayo devāḥ prayogaparitoṣitāḥ

pradadurmatsutebhyastu sarvopakaraṇāni vai /
prītastu prathamaṃ śakro dattavānsvaṃ dhvajaṃ śubham

brahmā kuṭilakaṃ caiva bhṛṅgāraṃ varuṇaḥ śubham /
sūryaśchatraṃ śivassiddhiṃ vāyurvyajanameva ca

viṣṇuḥ siṃhāsanaṃ caiva kubero mukuṭaṃ tathā /
śrāvyatvaṃ prekṣaṇīyasya dadau devī sarasvatī

śeṣā ye devagandharvā yakṣarākṣasapannagāḥ /
tasminsadasyabhipretānnānājātiguṇāśrayān

aṃśāṃśairbhāṣitaṃ bhāvān rasān rūpaṃ balaṃ tathā /
dattavantaḥ prahṛṣṭāste matsutebhyo divaukasaḥ

evaṃ prayoge prārabdhe daityadānavanāśane /
abhavankṣubhitāḥ sarve daityā ye tatra saṅgatāḥ

virūpākṣa purogāṃśca vighnānprotsāhya te 'bruvan /
na kṣamiṣyāmahe nāṭyametadāgamyatāmiti

tatastairasuraiḥ sārdhaṃ vighnā māyāmupāśritāḥ /
vācaśceṣṭāṃ smṛtiṃ caiva stambhayanti sma nṛtyatām

tathā vidhvaṃsanaṃ dṛṣṭvā sūtradhārasya devarāṭ /
kasmātprayogavaiṣamyamityuktvā dhyānamāviśat

athāpaśyatsado vighnaiḥ samantādparivāritam /
sahetaraiḥ sūtradhāraṃ naṣṭasaṃjñaṃ jaḍīkṛtam

utthāya tvaritaṃ śakraṃ gṛhītvā dhvajamuttamam /
sarvaratnojjvalatanuḥ kiñcidudvṛta locanaḥ

raṅgapīṭhagatānvighnānasurāṃścaiva devarāṭ /
jarjarīkṛtadehāṃstānakarojjarjareṇa saḥ

nihateṣu ca sarveṣua vighneṣu saha dānavaiḥ /
saṃprahṛṣya tato vākyamāhuḥ sarve divaukasaḥ

aho praharaṇaṃ divyamidamāsāditaṃ tvayā /
jarjarīkṛtasarvāṅgā yenaite dānavāḥ kṛtāḥ

yasmādanena te vighnāḥ sāsurā jarjarīkṛtāḥ /
tasmājjarjara eveti nāmato 'yaṃ bhaviṣyati

śeṣā ye caiva hiṃsārthamupayāsyanti hiṃsakāḥ /
dṛṣṭvaiva jarjaraṃ te 'pi gamiṣyantyevameva tu

evamevāstviti tataḥ śakraḥ provāca tānsurān /
rakṣābhūtaśca sarveṣāṃ bhaviṣyatyeṣa jarjaraḥ

prayoge prastute hyevaṃ sphīte śakramahe punaḥ /
trāsaṃ sañjanayanti sma vighnāḥ śeṣāstu nṛtyatām

dṛṣṭvā teṣāṃ vyavasitaṃ daityānāṃ viprakārajam /
upasthito 'haṃ brahmāṇaṃ sutaiḥ sarvaiḥ samanvitaḥ

niścitā bhagavanvighnā nāṭyasyāsya vināśane /
asya rakṣāvidhiṃ samyagājñāpaya sureśvara

tataśca viśvakarmāṇaṃ brahmovāca prayatnataḥ /
kuru lakṣaṇasaṃpannaṃ nāṭyaveśma mahāmate

tato 'cireṇa kālena viśvakarmā mahacchubham /
sarvalakṣaṇasampannaṃ kṛtvā nāṭyagṛhaṃ tu saḥ

proktavāndruhiṇaṃ gatvā sabhāyāntu kṛtāñjalīḥ /
sajjaṃ nāṭyagṛhaṃ deva tadevekṣitumarhasi

tataḥ saha mahendreṇa suraiḥ sarvaiśca setaraiḥ /
āgatastvarito dṛṣṭuṃ druhiṇo nāṭyamaṇḍapam

dṛṣṭvā nāṭyagṛhaṃ brahmā prāha sarvānsurāṃstataḥ /
aṃśabhāgairbhavadbhistu rakṣyo 'yaṃ nāṭyamaṇḍapaḥ

rakṣaṇe maṇḍapasyātha viniyuktastu candramāḥ /
lokapālāstathā dikṣu vidikṣvapi ca mārutāḥ

nepathyabhūmau mitrastu nikṣipto varuṇo 'mbare /
vedikārakṣaṇe vahnirbhāṇḍe sarvadivaukasaḥ

varṇāścatvāra evātha stambheṣu viniyojitāḥ /
ādityāścaiva rudrāśca sthitāḥ stambhāntareśvatha

dhāraṇīśvatha bhūtāni śālāsvapsarastathā /
sarvaveśmasu yakṣiṇyo mahīpṛṣṭhe mahodadhiḥ

dvāraśālāniyuktau tu krutāntaḥ kāla eva ca /
sthāpitau dvārapatreṣu nāgamukhyau mahābalau

dehalyāṃ yamadaṇḍastu śūlaṃ tasyopari sthitam /
dvārapālau sthitau caubhau niyatirmṛtyureva ca

pārśve ca raṅgapīṭhasya mahendraḥ sthitavānsvayam /
sthāpitā mattavāraṇyāṃ vidyuddaityaniṣūdanī

stambheṣu mattavāraṇyāḥ sthāpitā paripālane /
bhūtayakṣapiśāśca guhyakāśca mahābalāḥ

jarjare tu vinikṣiptaṃ vajraṃ daityanibarhaṇam /
tatparvasu vinikṣiptāḥ surendrā hyamitaujasaḥ

śiraḥparvasthito brahmā dvitīye śaṅkarastathā /
tṛtīye ca sthito viṣṇuścaturthe skanda eva ca

pañcame ca mahānāgāḥ śeṣavāsukitakṣakāḥ /
evaṃ vighnavināśāya sthāpitā jarjare surāḥ

raṅgapīṭhasya madhye tu svayaṃ brahmā pratiṣṭhitaḥ /
iṣṭyarthaṃ raṅgamadhye tu kriyate puṣpamokṣaṇam

pātālavāsino ye ca yakṣaguhyakapannagāḥ /
adhastādraṅgapīṭhasya rakṣaṇe te niyojitāḥ

nāyakaṃ rakṣatīndrastu nāyikāṃ ca sarasvatī /
vidūṣakamathauṅkāraḥ śeśāstu prakṛtirharaḥ

yānyetāni niyuktāni daivatānīha rakṣaṇe /
etānyevādhidaivāni bhaviṣyantītyuvāca saḥ

etasminnantare devaiḥ sarvairuktaḥ pitāmahaḥ /
sāmnā tāvadime vighnāḥ sthāpyantāṃ vacasā tvayā

pūrvaṃ sāmaṃ prayoktavyaṃ dvitīyaṃ dānameva ca /
tayorupari bhedastu tato daṇḍaḥ prayujyate

devānāṃ vacanaṃ śrutvā brahmā vighnānuvāca ha /
kasmādbhavanto nāṭyasya vināśāya samutthitāḥ

brahmaṇo vacanaṃ śrutvā virūpākṣo 'bravīdvacaḥ /
daityairvighnagaṇaiḥ sārdhaṃ sāmapūrvamidaṃ tataḥ

yo 'yaṃ bhagavatā sṛṣṭo nāṭyavedaḥ surecchayā /
pratyādeśo 'yamasmākaṃ surārthaṃ bhavatā kṛtaḥ

tannaitadevaṃ kartavyaṃ tvayā lokapitāmaha /
yathā devastathā daityāstvattaḥ sarve vinirgatāḥ

vighnānāṃ vacanaṃ śrutvā brahmā vacanamabravīt /
alaṃ vo manyunā daityā viṣādaṃ tyajatānaghāḥ

bhavatāṃ devatānāṃ ca śubhāśubhavikalpakaḥ /
karmabhāvānvayāpekṣī nāṭyavedo mayā kṛtaḥ

naikāntato 'tra bhavatāṃ devānāṃ cānubhāvanam /
trailokyāsyāsya sarvasya nāṭyaṃ bhāvānukīrtanam

kvaciddharmaḥ kvacitkrīḍā kvacidarthaḥ kvacicchamaḥ /
kvaciddhāsyaṃ kvacidyuddhaṃ kvacitkāmaḥ kvacidvadhaḥ

dharmo dharmapravṛttānāṃ kāmaḥ kāmopasevinām /
nigraho durvinītānāṃ vinītānāṃ damakriyā

klībānāṃ dhārṣṭyajananamutsāhaḥ śūramāninām /
abudhānāṃ vibodhaśca vaiduṣyaṃ viduṣāmapi

īśvarāṇāṃ vilāsaśca sthairyaṃ duḥkhārditasya ca /
arthopajīvināmartho dhṛtirudvegacetasām

nānābhāvopasampannaṃ nānāvasthāntarātmakam /
lokavṛttānukaraṇaṃ nāṭyametanmayā kṛtam

uttamādhamamadhyānāṃ narāṇāṃ karmasaṃśrayam /
hitopadeśajananaṃ dhṛtikrīḍāsukhādikṛt

etadraseṣu bhāveṣu sarvakarmakriyāsvatha /
sarvopadeśajananaṃ nāṭyaṃ loke bhaviṣyati // BhN_1.113* //
duḥkhārtānāṃ śramārtānāṃ śokārtānāṃ tapasvinām /
viśrāntijananaṃ kāle nāṭyametadbhaviṣyati

dharmyaṃ yaśasyamāyuṣyaṃ hitaṃ buddhivivardhanam /
lokopadeśajananaṃ nāṭyametadbhaviṣyati

na tajjñānaṃ na tacchilpaṃ na sā vidyā na sā kalā /
nāsau yogo na tatkarma nāṭye 'smin yanna dṛśyate

tannātra manyuḥ kartavyo bhavadbhiramarānprati /
saptadvīpānukaraṇaṃ nāṭyametadbhaviṣyati

yenānukaraṇaṃ nāṭyametattadyanmayā kṛtam // BhN_1.117* //
devānāmasurāṇāṃ ca rājñāmatha kuṭumbinām /
brahmarṣīṇāṃ ca vijñeyaṃ nāṭyaṃ vṛttāntadarśakam

yo 'yaṃ svabhāvo lokasya sukhaduḥkhasamanvitaḥ /
so 'ṅgādyabhinayopeto nāṭyamityabhidhīyate

vedavidyetihāsānāmākhyānaparikalpanam /
vinodakaraṇaṃ loke nāṭyametadbhaviṣyati // BhN_1.119* //
śrutismṛtisadācārapariśeṣārthakalpanam /
vinodajananaṃ loke nāṭyametadbhaviṣyati // BhN_1.119** //
etasminnantare devān sarvānāha pitāmahaḥ /
kriyatāmadya vidhivadyajanaṃ nāṭyamaṇḍape

balipradānairhomaiśca mantrauṣadhisamanvitaiḥ /
bhojyairbhakṣaiśca pānaiśca baliḥ samupakalpatām

martyalokagatāḥ sarve śubhāṃ pūjāmavāpsyatha /
apūjayitvā raṅgaṃ tu naiva prekṣāṃ pravartayet

apūjayitvā raṅgaṃ tu yaḥ prekṣāṃ kalpayiṣyati /
niṣphalaṃ tasya tat jñānaṃ tiryagyoniṃ ca yāsyati

yajñena saṃmitaṃ hyedadraṅgadaivatapūjanam /
tasmātsarvaprayatnena kartavyaṃ nāṭyayoktṛbhiḥ

nartako 'rthapatirvāpi yaḥ pūjāṃ na kariṣyati /
na kārayiṣyantyanyairvā prāpnotyapacayaṃ tu saḥ

yathāvidhiṃ yathādṛṣṭaṃ yastu pūjāṃ kariṣyati /
sa lapsyate śubhānarthān svargalokaṃ ca yāsyati

evamuktvā tu bhagavāndruhiṇaḥ sahadevataiḥ /
raṅgapūjāṃ kuruśveti māmevaṃ samacodayat