Vada in Theory and Practice: Studies in Debates, Dialogues and Discussions in Indian Intellectual Discourses c10.s1.1

c10.s1.1

*Nāṭyaśāstra* is one of the most voluminous texts on performing and visual arts, theatre, aesthetics, poetry and drama produced more than two thousand years ago. Bharatamuni who is said to be the author of the *Nāṭyaśāstra*, came to be regarded such a great authority on *nāṭya* (theatre) in his life, so that some other *munis* (sages) out of their curiosity and a keen desire to understand *nāṭya* approached him and asked him a number of questions about it. Bharata’s replies to their questions and counter-questions in the presence of his actor-students, led to the compilation of a voluminous text — the *Nāṭyaśāstra*, which was structured in the form of a dialogue. This is the structure adopted in the Āgama texts also.