GUWAHATI: The Shrimad Bhagavad Gita and Bharat Muni’s Natyashastra have been inscribed in UNESCO’s Memory of the World Register, marking a global recognition of two of India’s contributions to spiritual and artistic literature. Prime Minister Narendra Modi commended the development on Friday, April 18.
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“The inclusion of the Gita and Natyashastra in UNESCO’s Memory of the World Register is a global recognition of our timeless wisdom and rich culture,” Modi posted on X. “The Gita and Natyashastra have nurtured civilisation, and consciousness for centuries. Their insights continue to inspire the world.”
UNESCO’s Memory of the World Register is an international initiative to preserve documentary heritage of global significance. It includes manuscripts, texts and documents that have had a profound influence on societies across eras.
The Bhagavad Gita, a spiritual dialogue between Lord Krishna and Arjuna, forms part of the Bhīṣmaparva section of the Mahabharata. Comprising 700 verses across 18 chapters, it offers philosophical reflections on duty, righteousness, and liberation. Over the centuries, it has been translated into multiple languages and remains central to global interpretations of Indian philosophy.
Scholars regard the Bhagavad Gita as a text that synthesises Vedic, Buddhist, Jain and materialist thought streams, making it a vital part of India’s intellectual tradition.
Alongside it, Natyashastra, attributed to Bharat Muni and believed to have been codified around the 2nd century BCE, serves as the earliest known treatise on performing arts. Preserved at the Bhandarkar Oriental Research Institute, the text contains detailed expositions on drama, emotion, performance, and music, covering over 36,000 verses.
Considered the foundation of Indian theatre and aesthetics, Natyashastra laid the groundwork for the development of rasa theory — an idea that artistic meaning is incomplete without emotional experience. Its insights continue to influence the study of literature and performing arts globally.
