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Bhagavad Gita and Natyashastra in MoW Register
- 24 Apr 2025
- 2 min read
The Bhagavad Gita and Natyashastra have been added to UNESCO's Memory of the World (MoW) Register, which preserves documentary heritage of global significance.
Bhagavad Gita
- The Bhagavad Gita, a 700-verse philosophical dialogue attributed to sage Vyasa, is embedded in the Mahabharata's Bhishma Parva.
- It features a conversation between Prince Arjuna and Lord Krishna, offering teachings on dharma (duty), karma (action), bhakti (devotion), and jnana (knowledge).
- The Gita synthesizes various Indian philosophies, including Vedic, Buddhist, Jain, and Charvaka, and forms the foundation of Karma Yoga.
Natyashastra
- The Natyashastra, attributed to sage Bharata, is an ancient Sanskrit treatise on the performing arts with around 36,000 verses.
- It forms the foundation of drama, dance, music, and aesthetic experience in Indian culture.
- Central to its philosophy is the concept of Rasa (aesthetic essence), which explores the emotional and spiritual impact of performance.
- It provides guidelines on abhinaya (performance), rasa (experience), and bhava (emotion), influencing classical arts like Bharatanatyam, Kathak, and Kathakali.
UNESCO's MoW Programme
- Launched in 1992, UNESCO's MoW Programme aims to preserve world heritage in manuscripts, oral traditions, audiovisuals, and archives.
- Updated biennially, it currently includes 570 entries, with notable Indian entries such as Rig Veda (2005), Abhinavagupta’s Works (2023), and NAM Summit Archives (2023).
| Read More: UNESCO's Memory of the World Asia-Pacific Regional Register |
