The Dictionary 149 only the master of the stage, but of the cosmos. (See also Cidambaram; Natya Sastra; Siva.) NATH. Name of a north Indian sect of Tantric Saivism, also known as Kanphata Yogis. The founders of the sect appear to have been Matsyendranath and Goraksanath or Gorakhnath (probably tenth century C.E.), who are widely credited with the development of Hatha Yoga. Both are also regarded as Siddhas, perfected human beings who have achieved liberation from rebirth and have supernormal powers, including immortal bodies. This sect accepted members from all caste groups and has enjoyed considerable prominence in north India. (See also Goraksanath; Hatha Yoga; Kanphata; Kundalini; Matsyendranath.) NATHDWARA. Site of Sri Nathji, an image of Visnu. The image, of black stone, was brought to Nathdwara (forty-eight kilometers north of Udaipur in Rajasthan) in 1669 from Mathura to prevent its destruction by Aurangzeb’s Mughal forces. NATRAJ. See Nataraja. NATYA SASTRA. The Science of Drama. This Sanskrit text, attributed to the sage Bharata, presents in some 5,600 verses an analysis of the dramatic arts in a comprehensive fashion, with attention to language, makeup, costuming, music, the stage, and other features of performance. One of its most important contributions is the presentation of the theory of Rasa (particularly in chapters 6 and 7), the dominant aesthetic theory for the evaluation of both drama and poetry. The text begins with a description of the origin of drama, in which creation of drama is attributed to the creator god Brahma, who taught Bharata this material as "the fifth Veda." Such a statement indicates a desire to invoke authority in support of the teachings presented, and to link the teachings to Vedic and Brahmanical tradition. It is stated that the first dramatic presentation was an enactment of the battle between gods and demons, at which