Exploring the Vedic Basis of Bharata's Natyashastra

According to Bharata, the Nāṭyaveda was divinely revealed by Brahmā himself, compiling the essence of all four Vedas and serving as the quintessence of all arts and sciences. In his proclamation, Bharata declares:

sarvaśāstrārthasampannaṁ sarvaśilpapravartakam |
nāṭyākhyaṁ pañcamaṁ vedaṁ setihāsaṁ karomyaham || 15 ||

evaṁ saṅkalpya bhagavān sarvavedān anusmaran |
nāṭyavedaṁ tataś cakre caturvedāṅgasambhavam || 16 ||

jagrāha pāṭhyam ṛgvedāt sāmabhyo gītam eva ca |
yajurvedād abhinayān rasān ātharvaṇād api || 17 ||

vedopavedaiḥ sambaddho nāṭyavedo mahātmanā |
evaṁ bhagavatā sṛṣṭo brahmaṇā sarvavedinā || 18 ||

“I shall now relate the Nāṭyaśāstra, the fifth Veda, which is replete with the knowledge of all śāstras and the initiator of all arts and crafts. Thus, following this resolve, the divine Brahmā, recalling all the Vedas, created the Nāṭyaveda, which encompasses the essence of the four Vedāṅgas.”

Brahmā comprehended the Ṛgveda as the text to be recited, the Sāmaveda as the songs to