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Piyal Bhattacharya
Contributing Scholar Indian Aesthetics & Nāṭyaśāstra

Piyal Bhattacharya

Founder & Artistic Director · Centre of Art and Divinity
Chidakash Kalalay Centre of Art and Divinity (Kolkata, West Bengal, IND)
PID: PV-2026-PB01
chidakash.spanda@gmail.com
Peer-Reviewed Articles
2
PIJCACE Journal
Ideas Essays & Dialogues
0
Poorvam Ideas Platform
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Peer-Reviewed Journal Articles (PIJCACE)

2 articles
Performance, Dance, and Theatre Studies Open Access
Mar 07, 2026

The Metaphysics of ‘Embodiment’ in Bharata’s System of Nāṭya: The Dynamics of ‘Extra-Daily’

Authors: Piyal Bhattacharya · PIJCACE Vol. 1, No. 2

This critical essay examines the metaphysical foundations of embodiment in Bharata's Nāṭyaśāstra, arguing that the sthānas, cārīs, and karaṇas are not merely physical movements but psychophysical embodiments of cosmic tattvas. Drawing on parallels between the cosmological unfolding described in Taittirīya Upaniṣad and the theatrical universe of nāṭya, this study demonstrates how Bharata systematically creates an 'extra-daily' performance dimension through consecrated space, non-empirical time (tāla), and embodied gravitational presence. The essay explores how expansion of space through sthānas manifests specific energies (rūpa and guṇa), how cārīs dynamically explore floor and aerial space, and how karaṇas serve as epistemological tools for acquiring embodied knowledge. Central to this analysis is the concept of Kaiśikī vṛtti, which transforms daily actions into extra-daily artistic expressions capable of generating alaukika rasa experience. This metaphysical framework reveals Bharata's system as a parallel universe creation on stage, where psychophysical embodiments serve the ultimate purpose of delivering dharmic teachings while elevating both performers and spectators beyond mundane emotional experiences.

DOI: 10.63752/pijcace.0102W01
Aesthetics and Art Philosophy Open Access
Jun 01, 2025

Bharata Muni as a Microcosm of Cosmic Emanation: Sustaining, Offering and Expanding Nāṭya through Icchā, Jñāna, and Kriyā

Authors: Piyal Bhattacharya · PIJCACE Vol. 1, No. 1

This paper examines Bharata Muni through a traditional śāstrika lens, moving beyond historical debates to interpret him as a cosmic principle of performative knowledge (nāṭya-jñāna). Using Sanskrit philological analysis, the study unpacks the name Bharata as bharati-rāti-tanoti (sustains-offers-expands), revealing a microcosmic model of cosmic emanation functioning through icchā (will), jñāna (knowledge), and kriyā (action). The analysis demonstrates how Bharata represents not merely an individual scholar but a community of artists—a sampradāya embodying the dharma of manifesting and offering theatrical knowledge for collective benefit. Drawing from the Nāṭyaśāstra, Abhinavabhāratī, Upanishads, and dharmaśāstra texts, the paper establishes connections between aesthetic theory and spiritual goals, positioning nāṭya as a means to transcend material existence and achieve Self-realization. The study reveals how Bharata's system transforms both performers and spectators through rasa (aesthetic experience), leading from material engagement to spiritual awakening. This interpretation emphasizes nāṭya's role as dharmic practice rather than mere entertainment, offering a framework for understanding Indian performance traditions as vehicles for mokṣa (liberation) through the integration of artistic excellence with spiritual discipline.

DOI: 10.63752/pijcace.vol.1.issue.01S.001