India as Known to Panini: A Study of the Cultural Material in the Ashtadhyayi c8.s14.3

c8.s14.3

Music comprised *nṛitya* (dance), *gīta* (song), *vāditra* (instrumental music), and sometimes also *nāṭya* (stage-acting). The *Khantivādi Jātaka* mentions these four branches together as part of royal entertainment (*gīta-vādita-nachchesu chekā nāṭakitthiyo gītādīni payojayiṁsu*, *Jāt.* III.40). Kauṭilya also treats *gīta*, *vādya*, *nṛitta*, and *nāṭya* as parts of music (*Arth.* II.27, p. 125). The *Ashṭādhyāyī* refers to all of them, e.g. song is referred to as *gīti* (III.3.95) and *geya* (III.4.68), a vocal singer as *gāthaka* (III.1.146) and *gāyana* (III.1.147), a songstress as *gāthikā* and *gāyanī*, a dancer as *nartaka* (III.1.145 as explained by Patañjali), dance as *nṛitya* (I.3.89, VII.2.57), and a player on an instrument as *parivādaka* (III.2.146). Stage acting is mentioned as *nāṭya* (IV.3.129).