Bhagavad Gita and Natyashastra in UNESCO’s Memory of the World Register

In a major cultural milestone, the Bhagavad Gita and Natyashastra manuscripts have been included in UNESCO’s Memory of the World Register, as announced on April 17, 2025. This prestigious recognition celebrates India’s spiritual and artistic legacy, marking a proud moment for the nation. Prime Minister Narendra Modi hailed the development as a global acknowledgment of India’s timeless wisdom that has nurtured civilization for centuries.

Understanding UNESCO’s Memory of the World Register

• The Memory of the World (MoW) Programme was launched by UNESCO in 1992.
• Its primary aim is to preserve and provide universal access to documentary heritage of global significance.
• The MoW Register includes materials like manuscripts, oral traditions, audio-visual content, and printed documents.
• It safeguards texts that might be endangered by conflict, neglect, or decay, making them accessible to future generations.
• As of 2025, the Register features 570 entries from 72 countries, representing a rich diversity of human knowledge and creativity.
• Only two entries per country are allowed during each selection cycle, ensuring fair representation.
• India now has 14 entries, with the Gita and Natyashastra being the latest additions.

Significance of the Bhagavad Gita

• The Bhagavad Gita is a 700-verse dialogue in Sanskrit found in the Bhishma Parva of the epic Mahabharata.
• Attributed to sage Vyasa, it is dated roughly to the 1st or 2nd century BCE, although it was written down later.
• The Gita is a conversation between Lord Krishna and Arjuna, set on the battlefield of Kurukshetra.
• It presents Krishna’s spiritual guidance to Arjuna, who is confused and morally troubled about fighting his own kin.
• Major themes include dharma (duty), karma (action), bhakti (devotion), and jnana (knowledge).
• It synthesizes multiple philosophical schools like Vedic, Buddhist, Jain, and Charvaka traditions.
• Globally, it is one of the most translated Indian scriptures and has been a guide for spiritual seekers and leaders alike.
• The manuscript added to UNESCO’s register is specifically preserved at the Bhandarkar Oriental Research Institute in Pune.

Importance of Natyashastra

• The Natyashastra, attributed to Bharat Muni, is an ancient Sanskrit treatise on performing arts.
• It contains around 36,000 verses, and is also known as Nāṭyaveda or Gāndharvaveda.
• Believed to have been codified around the 2nd century BCE, it sets the foundation for drama, dance, music, aesthetics, and performance in India.
• The text includes rules for nāṭya (drama), abhinaya (expression and performance), rasa (aesthetic flavour), bhāva (emotions), and saṅgīta (music).
• One of its most significant ideas is rasa, the emotional essence a performance must evoke in its audience.
• Bharat Muni stated that “no meaning can blossom forth without rasa”, underlining the core purpose of artistic expression.
• According to scholars, Natyashastra doesn’t just guide artists; it creates a “parallel reality” where viewers emotionally engage with the narrative.
• Like the Gita, the Natyashastra manuscript added to UNESCO’s register is held at the Bhandarkar Oriental Research Institute, Pune.

India’s Presence in the Register

• India now has 14 entries in UNESCO’s Memory of the World Register, reflecting its vast and diverse intellectual heritage.
• The list includes ancient and medieval manuscripts, medical texts, religious scriptures, and philosophical commentaries.
• Notable Indian entries include:
  • Rigveda (2007) – The oldest among the four Vedas.
  • Gilgit Manuscripts (2017) – Early Buddhist texts on birch bark.
  • Abhinavagupta’s writings (2023) – Extensive philosophical works.
  • IAS Tamil Medical Manuscripts (1997) – Early knowledge of Siddha and Ayurvedic medicine.
  • Ramcharitmanas (2024) – A 16th-century devotional retelling of the Ramayana.
• These entries showcase the country’s contributions to spirituality, medicine, science, aesthetics, and governance across centuries.
• The inclusion of the Gita and Natyashastra strengthens India’s standing as a guardian of civilisational knowledge.

Global Relevance of Bhagavad Gita

• The Bhagavad Gita is not just a religious text but a universal guide for ethical and moral conduct.
• Leaders like Mahatma Gandhi, Aldous Huxley, and Albert Einstein found profound wisdom in the Gita’s teachings.
• Its focus on selfless action (nishkama karma) and the balance between duty and spirituality makes it relevant across cultures.
• The Gita promotes mental discipline, clarity of thought, and emotional strength in moments of crisis.
• It continues to inspire scholars, psychologists, politicians, and philosophers worldwide.
• UNESCO’s recognition affirms its global philosophical value, making it a vital part of humanity’s intellectual legacy.

Global Influence of Natyashastra

• The Natyashastra has shaped performing arts not only in India but also across Southeast Asia.
• Countries like Thailand, Cambodia, Indonesia, and Sri Lanka reflect its influence in their classical dance and theatre traditions.
• It forms the theoretical base for Indian classical forms like Bharatanatyam, Kathak, Kathakali, and Odissi.
• The text has been studied internationally by aestheticians, theatre critics, and cultural historians.
• Concepts like rasa theory have found application in modern literary criticism and cinema studies.
• Its systematic approach to expression, stagecraft, and musical notation makes it relevant to both traditional and contemporary performing arts.
• With this global honour, the Natyashastra gains new prominence as a universal text on aesthetics.

Role of Bhandarkar Oriental Research Institute

• Both the Bhagavad Gita and Natyashastra manuscripts recognised by UNESCO are preserved at the Bhandarkar Oriental Research Institute (BORI) in Pune.
• BORI is one of India’s oldest institutions dedicated to Indological research, founded in 1917.
• The institute houses rare manuscripts, inscriptions, and ancient texts across disciplines like philosophy, linguistics, poetics, and dramaturgy.
• These manuscripts are often written on palm leaves or birch bark, requiring specialised care and conservation.
• BORI’s efforts in digitisation and preservation have ensured these works are accessible to global scholars and cultural institutions.
• The recognition by UNESCO validates BORI’s critical role in safeguarding India’s intellectual legacy.

Political and Cultural Reactions

• The inclusion of the Gita and Natyashastra drew widespread applause from Indian leaders and scholars.
• Prime Minister Narendra Modi described the event as a “proud moment for every Indian”, showcasing India’s timeless wisdom and rich culture.
• Union Culture Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat called the manuscripts “philosophical and aesthetic foundations” of India’s worldview.
• Several news platforms described this as a historic step in recognising India’s civilisational achievements on the world stage.
• Cultural experts noted that such international recognition can encourage educational reforms, inspire new research, and promote cultural diplomacy.
• It also renews attention toward heritage conservation and the need for archiving traditional knowledge with modern technology.

Educational and Scholarly Importance

• The recognition by UNESCO encourages curriculum inclusion of these ancient texts in educational institutions worldwide.
• The Bhagavad Gita is already a part of several academic syllabi in philosophy, religion, and ethics.
• The Natyashastra, though traditionally studied in performing arts colleges, is gaining attention in interdisciplinary studies like cultural theory and aesthetics.
• The rasa theory, for instance, is now examined in film studies, literary criticism, and psychology.
• Scholars can now access digitised versions of these manuscripts, enabling comparative studies with other global philosophical and artistic systems.
• The inclusion acts as a catalyst for multilingual translations, wider research, and global conferences focused on Indian knowledge systems.

Broader Implications for Indian Cultural Diplomacy

• The inscription strengthens India’s position in cultural diplomacy, showcasing its soft power rooted in knowledge traditions.
• With increasing global conflicts and cultural divides, texts like the Gita and Natyashastra offer ethical, artistic, and spiritual frameworks for dialogue and understanding.
• They reflect India’s capacity to harmonise diversity—blending religious, artistic, and philosophical traditions into a single intellectual stream.
• Promoting these texts internationally can aid in building cultural bridges, especially in Asia, Europe, and the Americas.
• India can use this opportunity to lead international heritage preservation forums, positioning itself as a knowledge economy with ancient roots.
• These texts also reinforce the importance of multiculturalism and universalism, both key values in global governance and education.

Preservation and Digital Access

• A major outcome of the UNESCO inscription is the commitment to preserve and provide universal access to these manuscripts.
• Institutions like Bhandarkar Oriental Research Institute and National Archives of India are working on digitisation projects.
• These efforts involve high-resolution scanning, metadata tagging, and translation support, ensuring broader reach.
• The Memory of the World Programme ensures these works are not lost to time, conflict, or natural decay.
• Public accessibility helps in academic use, cultural engagement, and general awareness.
• It also allows younger generations to connect with heritage digitally, using tools they are familiar with.
• International organisations can now collaborate with Indian institutions to jointly research, translate, and promote these works.

Conclusion

The inclusion of the Bhagavad Gita and Natyashastra in UNESCO’s Memory of the World Register is more than symbolic—it is a reaffirmation of India’s timeless role in shaping global thought and art. These texts not only reflect India’s past but also offer wisdom for the present and future. With rising interest in cross-cultural heritage, this recognition serves as a beacon of India’s civilisational resilience and intellectual generosity.

1. How does the inclusion of Bhagavad Gita and Natyashastra in UNESCO’s Memory of the World Register reflect India’s cultural soft power? (250 words)
2. Why is the concept of ‘rasa’ in the Natyashastra considered fundamental to understanding Indian aesthetics? (250 words)