A History of Indian Literature v3.c35.s2.13

v3.c35.s2.13

The arrangement is in no way systematic and makes us feel that probably we do not have here a work of single author, but a compilation of older and more recent texts, before us. The original work, presumably, was a sūtra-text, in the manner of the oldest scientific writings². The memorial verses (kārikās), that relate to the histrionic art, had early already existed. It is, however, not possible to determine the time when the oldest texts, from which our work was compiled, were written. And, likewise, we have yet to establish the time when the redaction of the text-book, as we have it, took place³. The fact that it did undergo such a final redaction is proved by its purāṇa-style construction and as a regular dialogue between the Muni (Bharata) and the ṛṣis. With regard to the time of its composition we can only say this that a work on dramaturgy ascribed to Bharata did indeed exist during the time of the poet Bhāsa¹. Kālidāsa mentions not only the Nāṭyaśāstra, but knows also its law-giver Bharata². Mātṛgupta, a contemporary of Kālidāsa, is believed to have written a metrical commentary on it³.