The Shrimad Bhagavad Gita and Bharat Muni’s Natyashastra have been included in UNESCO’s Memory of the World Register — a global program that protects and honours important documents with exceptional historical and cultural value.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi reacted to this achievement. “A proud moment for every Indian across the world! 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. The Gita and Natyashastra have nurtured civilisation and consciousness for centuries. Their insights continue to inspire the world,” said PM Modi in a post on X. UNESCO’s Memory of the World Register acknowledges important historical documents, manuscripts, and texts that have shaped societies over time. The Bhagavad Gita, a sacred conversation between Bhagwan Krishna and Arjuna, is seen as a key spiritual and philosophical guide.

On the other hand, the Natyashastra, written by the ancient sage Bharat Muni, is considered the foundational text for performing arts, particularly theatre, dance, and music. The Bhagavad Gita, which consists of 700 verses spread over 18 chapters, is a part of the Bhīṣmaparva (chapters 23-40) in the Mahabharata. It is presented as a conversation between Bhagwan Krishna and Arjuna, taking place just before a major battle, where Krishna helps Arjuna overcome his feelings of despair. The Bhagavad Gita is an important text in India's long-standing intellectual tradition, bringing together ideas from various philosophies, including Vedic, Buddhist, Jain, and Cārvāka. Because of its wide-ranging and profound philosophical insights, the Bhagavad Gita has been read for centuries worldwide and translated into many languages. 

The Natyashastra, preserved at the Bhandarkar Oriental Research Institute, is believed to have been written around the 2nd century B.C. It is considered the foundation of Nāṭyaveda, an oral tradition of performing arts, and consists of 36,000 verses, also known as the Gāndharvaveda. This ancient text provides a detailed framework for various art forms, including nāṭya (drama), abhinaya (performance), rasa (aesthetic essence), bhāva (emotion), and saṅgīta (music). The Natyashastra is a key text that explores Indian theatre, poetics, aesthetics, dance, and music. One of its most important ideas is Bharatamuni’s statement that “no meaning can blossom forth without rasa.” This timeless insight has had a lasting impact on literature and art around the world.