Natyasastra of Bharatamuni- With the Commentary Abhinava Bharati of Abhinava Gupta (Set of 4 Volumes)

DETAILS: 

• Author :  Dr. Parasnath Dwivedi
  
• Publisher ‏ : ‎ Sampurnanand Sanskrit University
  
• Publication date ‏ : ‎ April 1, 2015
  
• Edition ‏ : ‎ 2015th
  
• Language ‏ : ‎ Hindi
  
• ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 8172700407
  
• ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-8172700409
  
• Weight : 5800 g 

ABOUT THE BOOK

नाट्यशास्त्रम् (Natyasastra) of Mahamuni Bharata, meticulously edited and translated by the eminent traditional scholar Dr. Parasnath Dwivedi, stands as a monumental achievement in contemporary Indology. Published by the prestigious Chowkhamba Krishnadas Academy (Varanasi), this definitive four-volume text-critical masterwork represents the only complete edition featuring a fully translated Hindi exposition of the highly complex Abhinava Bharati (अभिनवभारती)—the legendary 10th-century Kashmiri commentary composed by the genius polymath Acharya Abhinavagupta. The core philosophy of this text centers on aesthetic transcendence through the structural unity of performance (Rasa-Nishpatti)—establishing that drama, music, dance, and poetry together constitute a "Fifth Veda" designed to elevate human consciousness to a state of pure, spiritual joy (Ananda).

Written in an uncompromising, highly technical academic register, this edition solves a massive historical challenge for scholars of art theory. While Bharata’s original 36 chapters (Adhyayas) provide the practical architectural layout, stage measurements, and performance rules, it is Abhinavagupta’s Abhinava Bharati that infuses the text with profound philosophical depth. He applies the non-dual metaphysics of Kashmir Shaivism to aesthetics, arguing that when a spectator experiences a performance, their individual ego temporarily dissolves, allowing them to taste the universalized flavor of emotion (Rasa), which is nothing less than a twin brother to spiritual enlightenment (Brahmananda-Sahodara).

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Dr. Parasnath Dwivedi is widely recognized as one of Varanasi's elite classical scholars, celebrated for his mastery over traditional aesthetics, Sanskrit grammar, and Kashmir Shaivism. His work in translating the Abhinava Bharati is a historic milestone; prior to this edition, Abhinavagupta’s dense, highly compact Sanskrit prose was considered nearly impenetrable to all but a few specialized scholars.

The layout of these volumes is designed for advanced academic research. Each page displays the original Natyasastra verse in bold Devanagari script, followed by the authentic Sanskrit text of the Abhinava Bharati. Directly beneath this, Dr. Dwivedi provides his precise, fluent translation alongside modern critical annotations that explain obscure technical terms. This continuous layout makes the set a vital asset for university theater departments, performing arts academies, and manuscript research libraries worldwide.