Bhagavad Gita & Natyashastra in UNESCO Memory of the World Register

Art and Culture Snippets for Prelims

1. Bhagavad Gita & Natyashastra in UNESCO Memory of the World Register
   UNESCO has inscribed the Shrimad Bhagavad Gita and Bharat Muni’s Natyashastra into its prestigious Memory of the World Register, recognizing their immense cultural and historical value.
2. Shrimad Bhagavad Gita – A Timeless Philosophical Text
   Embedded in the Mahabharata’s Bhīṣmaparva, the Gita comprises 700 verses in 18 chapters, detailing a dialogue between Lord Krishna and Arjuna. It integrates Vedic, Buddhist, Jain, and Cārvāka philosophies and is a globally admired text on duty, ethics, and spirituality.
3. Bharat Muni’s Natyashastra – The Foundation of Performing Arts
   Codified around the 2nd century BCE and conserved at the Bhandarkar Oriental Research Institute, the Natyashastra outlines principles of drama (nāṭya), music (saṅgīta), performance (abhinaya), emotion (bhāva), and aesthetics (rasa). It remains central to Indian performing arts traditions.
4. Key Quote from Natyashastra
   “No meaning can blossom forth without rasa” — this fundamental aesthetic principle from Natyashastra continues to influence global literature and performing arts.