A Mythical Commentary on Saradatanayas Bhavaprakasa
By K. S. Ramaswami Sastri
Summary
In this brief note, the author discusses a little‑known ‘mythical’ commentary on Śāradātanāya’s Bhāvaprakāśa, an important treatise on classical dance and drama. The commentary, preserved in a single manuscript, embellishes the technical descriptions with stories about the divine origins of dance. It narrates how Śiva taught the tāṇḍava to Bharata and how celestial nymphs assisted in composing the Nāṭyaśāstra. The author summarises these legends and points out that they reflect the medieval tendency to sacralise performing arts by linking them to mythological episodes. Although the commentary adds little technical insight, it offers a glimpse into how scholars sought to legitimise artistic practices through myth. The note calls for a critical edition of the text and encourages further research into regional commentarial traditions on dance treatises.
Conclusion
The note concludes that while the mythical commentary does not advance technical knowledge, it illustrates how narratives were used to sanctify the arts. Preserving and studying such texts can enrich our understanding of cultural attitudes toward performance.