NRITYA RATNA KOSHA

INTRODUCTION
NrtyaRatnaKosa, published in two parts in the Rajasthana Puratana Granthamala, is
part of a bigger work called Sangitaraja consisting of 16,000 verses (sodasasahasri)
which is described in the colophons as Sangita-mimamsa. The Sangitaraja contains
the

following

RatnaKosas:

VadyaRatnaKosa,

(4)

(1)

PathyaRatnaKosa,

NrtyaRatnaKosa

and

(5)

(2)

GitaRatnaKosa,

RasaRatnaKosa.

Of

(3)

these,

PathyaRatnaKosa edited by Dr. C. Kunhan Raja was published in Bikaner in Ganga

Oriental Series, as No.4, in 1946.

AUTHORSHIP
The question arises as to who is the author of the Sangitraja, of sixteen thousand
verses. Two kings Kumbhakarna and Kalasena claim the title. The anomally arises
from the fact that some Mss. Of the work in their colophons as well as the body of the
text mention Kumbhakarna as the author, while some others mention Kalasena. The
statistical evidence of the MSS of PathyaRatnaKosa are more confusing than
enlightening. Dr. C. Kunhan Raja, on the strength of this type of evidence came to a
rather amusing conclusion that, because the majority of the Mss. Examined by him,
mention Kalasena as the author, a very careful examination of the position leaves no
doubt that Maharaja Kumbha of Mewad is definitely the author. Thus as far as the
three Mss. of NrtyaRatnaKosa are concerned the majority of the references gives the
title of authorship to Kumbhakarna.

Puratatvacarya,Muni Jinavijay from Rajasthana Puratana Granthasala mentioned

that they also consulted the other RatnaKosa in the Sangitaraja MS belonging to the
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library of the Oriental Institute of the M.S. University, Baroda. They unanimously
reveal Kumbhakarna as the author in their colophons.

The NrtyaRatnaKosa is composed in Karika form in Anustupa Meter also following

various other candas like Sardula Vikridita, Vasanta Tilika, Sragdhara, Sikharani.

This, however, raises another question; how to explain the attribution of authorship of
the work to kalasesna? Dr. Kunhan Raja guesses particular MS. The name Kumbha
was surpressed deliberately and that this other name was put in place. His reason for
this rather queer procedure is that someone was using the copy for dancing girls and
he was purposely conceiling the name. but this explanation leaves other related
questions unsolved. Kalasen has a genology of his own which is different from that of
Kumbhakarna, has a different mother and a different queen. As we shall see the
several places mentioned in the colophons of Kalasena are different and situated in the
Marhatta country round about the region of Nasik and Tryambak. So there is no doubt
that Kalasena is a person different from Kumbhakarna, and so this double attribution
of authorship remains unexplained.

A comparative study of Nritya Ratna Kosha and Sangita Ratnakar of Sarngdeva shows
that the former is based upon the later. Not only that, but a long quotation from
Kalanidhi (of Kallinatha) a commentary on Sangita Ratnakar is given in the Nritya
Ratna Kosha. This shows that whoever wrote N.R. he was well versed in Sangita
Ratnakar and its commentary Kalanidhi. In the colophon of Kumbhakarna, we are told
that he wrote a drama in telugu also. Kumbhakarnas proficiency in Sanskrit and
Prakrit, it is possible to accept, but it is straining our credullty to accept that he was
proficient in telugu also. This, however, would be possible for Kalasena or Kaluji as he
is often called. Familiarity with Sangita Ratnakar and Kalanidhi, though possible in
both, can be more easily accepted for Kalasena. Still, however, the attribution of
Sangita Mimamsa to Kumbhakarna being supported by stronger evidence cannot be
shaken by these considerations. So the only way in which we can explain this
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plagiarism is to take it as rather transference of authorship. Some southern Pandita or

Panditas who wrote the Telugu play and tSangita Mimamsa, first presented the
authorship to Kumbhakarna and then transferred it to Kalasena. But we must state
that there is no solid evidence to support this guess and so for the present we must
leave the question here.

ERA
One of the titles of Kalasena is meaning one who is undertaken firmly the task of
setting up the kingdom of Indraseana Raja of the solar dynasty. Considering the fact
that Lakhumadevi belonged to the Nikumbha family we can reasonably identify the
Surya Vamshya Indrasena Raja with Indra Raja in the geneology of the Nikumbha
family. If we take the words Satata-parabhuta as qualifying Indrasena Raja it would
mean Indrasena Raja who was constantly over powered, in which case Kalasena
becomes a contemporary of Indrasena Raja. This would put Kalasena in the 12 th
century A.D. But this is not possible in case of our Kalasena who is the claimant of the
authorship of Sangita Mimamsa as we shall see.

The enquiry about the times of the kings mentioned in the Prasastis of Kalasena leads
us to put him somewhere between 1430-1530 A.D.

KALASA KARANAS
The meaning of the word Kalasa has no prior references. Even the grammarians have
not defined Kalasa as a word in the dictionary; therefore, performing artistes have to
rely on the permutations and combinations of different syllables.
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Ka according to The Students Sanskrit English Dictionery written by Vaman

Shivram Apte means Happiness, Joy, Pleasure. Las on the other hand means to
dance, to grace and to adorn. So after combining the two syllables, Kalasa means a
dance which is happy, joyful and pleasurable performance.

The Kalasa are joyful movements of the complete body where the Anukarana (i.e.
imitation) is an important factor. For instance, in Baka Kalasa, one must imitate the
body movements of the Crane, in Mrga Kalasa, one must emulate the body language of
a pregnant female deer, in Vidyut Kalasa, one moves the body according to lightening
and so on.
In general, Kala means a practical art (mechanical or fine). There are 64 such
practical arts and as mentioned in the Visnu Dharmottara Purana, all arts are
connected to each other; so one can also translate the Kalasa Karanas as Kala and
Karanas combined together.

Karanas are the concerted movements of the hands and feet. It can be defined as the
co-ordination of movements of the hands and feet. According to the popular usage it
means the act of thought, word and deed. Manasa vaca karmana: tridha karanani
actually Karanas are executed when the body as well as the mind are united in dance.
Atma : Kaya samayoga : Nrttasya Karanam bhavet :

The term karana stands for action. Action involving dance which is the graceful
placement of the limbs. This action is different from the ones involved in rejecting
something or taking something as in common activities. Often the word Nrtta is
prefixed to the term as Nrttakarana. But the usage as Karana alone is explained with
analogy of the usage of the name Bhima instead of Bhimasena.

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According to Dr. Padma Subramaniam the sthana represents the definite lines of the
body, within the frame work of which the cari to be performed. It may be a position of
the body with the knees erect or bent. Even when the Nrttahasta undergo their course
of action, sthana may not change. Similarly, caris are performed within the frame work
of sthana. References to Karana are to be found in many ancient works. The temples of
Tanjore, Kumbhakonam, Cidambaram, Tiruvannamalai, Vriddhacalam, have excellent
sculptures of Karana in a systematic manner.

Natya shastra gives 108 Karanas. The Sangita Malika added to it and called it Nohari
quite in agreement with the Sangita Ratnakar. Srikantha in his Rasakaumudi
concludes the nrtyadhyaya by giving the mere number of the varieties of karanas etc.
(Verses 197-305) and gives the description of some karanas but he has not elaborated
them.

Sangita Muktawali gives Sundaram, Tribhangi, Tribhangivalitam, Citraswastikam,

Parsvadvayanatam,

Purahapascannatam,

Parsvaprasaritam,

Prafullam,

Fullam,

Citram and Vcitram as Margi Karanas, but none of these are mentioned by the Natya
Shastra or the previous writers. He also gives some Desi Karanas.

Subhankara of Sangita Damodaran gives one chapter for dance titled as Sruti which
also includes the Anga, Pratyanga & Upanga. The author does not go into detail of
these varieties & only gives their different names.

Sangita Candra follows the Sangita Ratnakar in the description of 108 karanas. Only
in some places the language used by Vipradasa differs from Sarangdeva.

Karana is a unit of dance. In this connection, it is observed: (Ibid. p. 108) Each

Karana is a movement and not a static posture. 108 such Karanas are described in the
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Natyasastra. These Karanas are of various qualities and are all common for both the
sexes.

The Nrtta or dance based on Karanas can be broadly classified as Laghu flowing
gracefully, Visama complicated and acrobatic, and Vikata hilarious. The Karanas
are to be used according to the characterization, taking into account the inevitable
psycho-physical relationship. The Karanas are meant for Vakyarthabhinaya, viz. to
bring out the mood or meaning of the whole sentence through physical action. They
are beautified through Recakas which are ultimately responsible for the artistry of
these movements. They give the necessary soft and virile touch of these movements.

The word Kalasa is used with reference to Karana in NrtyaRatnaKosa. Bharat and
other followers till Sarangdeva do not use this term with reference to Karana. But the
later

writers

were

influenced

by

their

geographical,

historical,

and

cultural

surroundings and so, they added this Kalasa term to Karana. Basically Natyasastra
describes 108 Karanas and Abhinava Gupta in his commentary refers to these
Karanas as part of both Nrtta and Abhinaya. Thus, here division of Kalasa Karana is
mainly based on body language according to animals, birds, lightening, thunder etc.
Thus Kalasa Karanas are like caris and gatis of Abhinaya Darpanam or some Karanas
similar from Natyasatra. Therefore in a nutshell Kalasa Karana are used in different
styles and different forms.

Kumbharaja already mentioned about 108 Karanas in Nritya Ratna Kosha, further he
also dealt in Suddhakarana, Desikarana (trtiya ullhas 2 pariksan) Bhramari
prakarnam Cari Angaharas, Recakas, Vrttis etc.

Vema puts Kalasa as Desi nrtyanga whereas Devana puts them under Desi lasyanga.
Thus our statement saying that Kalasa Karanas is a novel concept of Kumbharaja
remains as it is.
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STHANAKA MANDALA
It is a common knowledge that Bharatas Natyasatra is the most ancient text on
Bharata Natyam. It is regarded as the authoritative text on the present topic i.e.
Sthanakas and Mandalas also. The knowledge of Angas, Upangas, Pratyangas,
Angaharas, Karanas, Caris & Gatis is a prerequisite, if one wishes to delve into the
profundity of the study and discussion on Angika Abhinayan as appearing in the
Natyasastra. Even if one gets all the requirements fulfilled and undertakes this study,
it is very difficult; well-highly impossible to be persistent till its end, since a good deal
of that tradition is now obsolete.

The words Sthanakas and Mandalas are almost synonymous, yet their connotations
differ from each other considerably when they are used in the Natya Shastra.

The N.S. enumerates nine Sthanakas into: six male Sthanakas in the 10 th chapter&
three female ones in the 12 th. These Sthanakas are used to depict some feelings or to
represent some deities.
Besides the Sthanakas and Mandalas, the Natya Shastra enlists certain asanas which
are sitting postures. The description of the asanas occurs in the twelfth chapter of the
N.S. The asanas do not bear any nomenclatures but are known by the purpose they
serve. There are six such asanas. They relate to reclining position.

Sangita Ratnakar, Nritya Ratna Kosha, & Visnu Dharmottar Puran enumerates
sthanakas similarly. They follow Natya Shastra and called them as a Margi Sthanakas.
Sangita Ratnakar and Nritya Ratna Kosha gives 23 Desi Sthanakas which are used in
ordinary cause or in folk dances. Agni Purana & Natya Darpana are silent on this
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topic. Abhinava Guptas commentary on this topic is available. Abhinaya Darpanam

describes 6 different types of Sthanakas & represents altogether a new tradition.

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BIBLIOGRAPHY
1. Kalasa Karnas & Sthanaka - Mandala Bheda by Dr. Sandhya Purecha
2. Nritya Ratna Kosha

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