Religion And Art

Abstract

^{Once upon a time, bored with the drudgery of their heavenly duties and cosmic functions, the gods, approached Brahma, the Creator and asked him to make something that is pleasant to look at, lovely to meditate on and enjoyable to be with. The Creator, having considered the seriousness of the request, distilled all the four Vedas into natya- veda (dance-drama). This was supposed to be the Veda of creative art. Dance-drama, he said, "as creative art, will combine what is best from mind and body, spirit and matter, and will engender joy, love and righteousness in all beings. With its charm and beauty it will convey knowledge of life and after life to all men, it will satisfy their desires for play and pleasure, and will remove life's sufferings." This myth of the Veda of the creative art with which Bharata, the ancient Indian aesthetician opens his book on Niityas/istra (the science of dance- drama: a basic classic on Indian aesthetics) really brings to light several aspects of aesthetic experience and its relation to religious experience.}