Nātya Śāstrā : through the looking glass
- Tathagata Singha
- Nov 23, 2016
- 7 min read
Prajāpati- “looked around over all existing things, and beheld all existing things in the threefold lore( the Veda)… I will construct for myself a body so as to contain the whole threefold lore… in this manner he put this threefold lore into his own self and… became the body of all existing things.” -Śatapatha Brāhmana
The Nātya Śāstrā opens up dialectic about Nātya being a Yajña or a Sacrifice, born out of a culmination of the three fold path… or in other words the Vedas. Here it is important to mention that we need to look at the Vedas, not as a text but as a philosophical concept of a universal principle of three foldness [Bhur (Earth), Bhuva (the middle sphere or atmosphere), and Sva (heaven)].
In the theological and philosophical literature of ancient India, there are countless references to the fact that creation and existence are nothing more but nothing less than a huge Yajña itself; Yajña signifying the emergence of dynamic activity out of the womb of stillness or rest.
In this context, Nātya, a Śilpa, is said to be,
“the representation (anukīrtana) of the three worlds and the imitation (anukarana) of the Seven Islands.” – (Nātya Śāstrā)
(I have time and again found it very difficult to find reliable material on Natya Sastra online. Its knowledge is locked away in a few books and texts...but one needs to look hard to find them, find something meaningful. Here, I've tried to put together a brief note on the NS. This is not exhaustive by any means and should only act as a stepping stone to shuttle you in the right direction. As an Indian Filmmaker, I found it imperative to know my roots and hence I began my studies in Natya Sastra...Hope you have as much fun reading this as I had in putting this together)
Itįvritta:
“In the beginning there was desire, which was the first seed of the mind”
-Ŗgveda Samahita
Nātya, a Yajña, is but an organized movement; this movement can only come about with the “desire” of an ‘actor’ to ‘act’. This body of movement, formed of the actions in the NātyaŚāstrā is called the Itįvritta. Thus Itįvritta is the form…that which is seen and experienced. This is the mode through which the Film itself will try to take shape and open up the discourse. The discourse being, that Nātya is not a motionless picture of the universe, but it reflects the dynamic nature of the world characterized by incessant flux of happiness and despair.
The three principle elements of the Plot are the avasthās, arthaprakŗtis and the sandhis; each of which have their five divisions. Below, we shall try to take a brief look at these elements
Avasthās or the Kāryāvasthās:
These are the stages of Plot development…answering the question (with reference to the trajectory of the action) – where to? This development goes through five stages: The Beginning or commencement; Efforts; Possibility of attainment; the restrained attainment and the acquisition of the fruit (of action). These stages are elaborated below:
1: Ārambha
This is the beginning or the first stage in the building up of the Plot development where the “seed” of the story is sown and the protagonist of the narrative reveals his/her eagerness towards the final attainment of the fruit. In other words the revelation of the desire unfolds in this stage. This can happen through the protagonist, his associates, the antagonist or even through a chance happening of Fate( daiva).
2: Prayatna
The second stage embodies effort. What is significant is that it represents the mental stage of the protagonist, who sees that the desired achievement is not possible without the appropriate means. As a result he/she begins to consider and investigate these means. The effort is a consequence of these considerations. This state is often characterized by statements or dramatic speeches embodying the abovementioned thoughts and considerations.
3: Prāptisambhava
The third stage literally means the possibility of attainment. Once the means of attainment is available and is put to use, only then does this stage arise. In this stage a possibility of attainment of the desired fruit becomes evident. But the fruit is yet not attained…and remains a possibility… thus leading the Plot’s development to the next stage…
4: Niyatāpti
The Fourth Avasthā involves the obstacles that arise in the attainment of the final fruit. Though, in the grander scheme of things, the fruit may be ordained, obstacles arise. These obstacles restrain the attainment of the fruit. These obstacles ( keeping in mind that Nātya is a flux of happiness and despair )bring about a doubt as to the bringing of an endangered action to the desired fruition. Thus, this is the stage where actions need to be taken to counter the disruptions.
5: Phalāgama
The fifth and final Avasthā is the attainment of the (ordained)fruit. This state signifies the resultant of the Action set forth in the Ārambha. It is also important to note to note that the “fruit” is naturally set in accordance with the type and character of the protagonist and is appropriate and deserving of him.
Arthaprakŗtis
The NātyaŚāstrā discusses the need of having five instruments of Plot construction itself. These can be collectively called the Arthaprakŗtis. They embody the means of attaining the fruit, thus becoming the fivefold stages of the Action. So, unlike the Avasthās, they answer the question, “How to?”. They are a definition of the path to the attainment of the “fruit” itself. At this stage, it is important to point out that both the Kāryāvasthās and the Arthaprakŗtis mirror the Itivŗtta in its entirety, but each does it from a different angle.
The five Arthaprakŗtis are:
1: Bīija:
The Bīja or the seed is basically the central theme of the Nātya. It defines the kind of fruit (or phalā) the protagonist desires to achieve. So at the beginning, there is a need to sow this seed right, in order to consolidate its final fruition. This can be termed the most important aspect of the Itivŗtta, as the stages of the development of this seed embody the Nātya itself. If the structure of the play can be considered to like that of a tree, then the seed is what eventually leads to the fruit. The Bīja, itself need not be a concrete action. It is but an indication of its commencement.
2: Bindu:
A seed sown need nurturing. Bindu (a drop) is the thread of development, which keeps the fruit continuously in view. This is imperative as the play through incidents and events may seem to divert from the central objective. A constant reminder of the Bīija(seed) and a view of the phalā(fruit) is what keeps reminding us of the nerve of the play. Thus this Bindu is scattered through the narrative, from the point of the sowing (of the seed/ bīja) till the final fruition.
The Bindu can be viewed as :
“An all-sustaining drop of water, without which, no plant can grow and which, having been assimilated by it becomes a drop of juice circulating in the plant and allowing it to regenerate whenever it is broken or cut. It becomes then a drop of resin exuding upon incision and thereby healing it.” – M. Christopher Byrski
3: Patākā:
The Patākā is a sub-plot of the narrative, which has a purpose of its own; leading to a fruit of its own for the patākā-nāyaka (protagonist of the sub-plot) to achieve. However it is not completely independent of the main plot, as the phalā of the patākā and its attainment helps the primary narrative and its protagonist in his/her attainment of the phalā (fruit). Patākā literally means a banner or a flag. In this context, it is a flag that represents the Main narrative itself, even though it does through its individual existence. It can be noted that multiple patākā’s can exist and can be strewn through the narrative but they exist only till about the third or fourth sandhi ( garbha or Vimarśa… these points are discussed later under Sandhi)
4: Prakarī:
Unlike the Patākā, a Prakarī is a small incident in the dramatic plot, which intends to further the development of the main plot. It does not have an independent existence of its own.
5: Kārya:
The fifth of the arthaprakŗtis is kārya. It embodies all that is worth doing in order to attain the final phalā. It is basically the dramatic action as a whole. It is the full result of all efforts put in to see through the stages of development from the Bīja to the Phalā in the Itivŗtta. These efforts are not merely of the protagonist of the principal plot, but also of the characters of the Patākā’s and the Prakarī’s
Sandhi:
Sandhi literally means a joint or a juncture. The joining of the different parts of the plot-matter with each other and of each part with its own sub-parts is a necessity arisen out of the need to have an organic unity in the body of the play. This is the function of Sandhi. It can be noted that the Bīja(seed) is of primary importance as it evolves through the body of the Plot. The Sandhis can be seen as a description of the Bīja through the five stages of action.
These Five Sandhis are:
1: Mukha:
The beginning of the Play, where the “seed” or the Bīja is sown as many matters and sentiments arise(according to the plot being conceived), is termed the mukha-sandhi.
2: Pratimukha:
The pratimukha or progression is understood as that phase, where the seed ( having been sown in the Mukha) bursts out. The “seed”, however, is perceptible but lost to view. This loss however is a metaphorical one and not real.
3: Garbha:
The third stage is known as the garbha- sandhi (garbha literally means the womb). This is the phase, where the Bīja begins to sprout. In terms of the plot, this is the phase of a continuing phases of prāpti(attainment), a-prāpti(non- attainment) and punar anvesana (fresh search) of the phalā (fruit). Prāpti is due to the already put in efforts of the protagonist towards the fruit, leading to a partial gain. However, the opposing forces keep that attainment at bay; hence a-prāpti. Thus the protagonist needs to renew his/her search thus the punar anvesana. This phase coincides with the prāptisambhava avasthā. This stage can be seen to be pregnant with the possibility of attainment.
4: Vimarśa or Avamarśa:
Vimarśa(deliberation) can be seen as a pause over the germ that has sprouted through the Garbha sandhi on account of some anger, distress, temptation or calamity. This phase coincides with the Niyatāpti Avasthā.
5: Nirvahana:
The final Sandhi, coinciding with the Phalāgama avasthā is Nirvahana or accomplishment. The Bīja of the Itivŗtta having gone through its origin( utpatti), it’s bursting out(uddhātana), sprouting(udbheda) and branching off(nirbheda) , as seen through the successive stages in the precise order, going through emotions such as laughter, sorrow, anger etc. is finally collected together as the accomplishment of the final fruit.
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