Studies in the History of Sanskrit Poetics v1.c6.1

v1.c6.1

Although Indian tradition glorifies Bharata, the reputed author of the *Nāṭya-śāstra*, with the title of *muni* and places him in a mythic age, the widest possible divergence of opinion exists among scholars as to his actual date; and he has been variously assigned to periods ranging from the 2nd century B.C. to the 2nd century A.D.¹ That he is the oldest writer on dramaturgy, music and kindred subjects, whose work has survived, is generally admitted; but at the same time the question arises as to how far the extant version of his work represents his original text. As there are indications that it has been subjected to considerable rehandlings in later times before it assumed its present shape, this question has an important bearing on the date of the supposed author.