Natya Veda - Origin of Dance Drama Music

The Gods & Godesses pleaded Lord Brahma to create another veda which would be simple for the common man to understand. Lord Brahma then inspired by Shiva Parvathi created the Panchamaveda, Fifth veda, Natyaveda, an essence of the other four vedas. he took

1. Pathya (words) form the Rigveda,
2. Abhinaya (gesture) from the Yajurveda,
3. Geet (music and chant) from Samaveda and
4. Rasa (sentiment and emotional element) from Atharvaveda to form the fifth veda, Natyaveda.

The Dance performed by Lord Shiva is known as Tandava, which depicts his violent nature as the destructor of the universe. The tandava performed with joy is called Ananda Tandava and performed in violent mood is called Rudra Tandava. There are 7 types of Tandava. Namely

1. Ananda Tandava,
2. Tripura Tandava,
3. Sandhya Tandava,
4. Samara Tandava,
5. Kaali tandava,
6. Uma Tandava and
7. Gauri Tandava.

Tandava has vigourous, brisk movements .The dance performed by Goddess Parvathi is known as Lasya, in which the movements are gentle, graceful and sometimes erotic also. scholars call Lasya as the feminine version of Tandava. Lasya has 2 kinds. Jarita Lasya and Yauvaka Lasya. Godess Parvathi tought Lasya dance form to Usha, daughter of Banasura, a demon. Usha taught the same to the Gopikas of the city of Dwaraka, Lord Krishna's birth place.

After creating this natyaveda, Lord Brahma gave the same to sage Bharata and asked him to popularise this veda on earth. Following the words of Lord Brahma, sage Bharata wrote Natyashastra or the Science of Dramaturgy, a great, comprehensive work on the science and technique of drama, dance and music.