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Bharata鈥檚 狈腻峁瓂补艣腻蝉迟谤补 (2nd century B.C.E. to 2nd century C.E.) is the earliest available 濒补办峁�a峁嘺驳谤补苍迟丑补 on dramaturgy. Coincidentally it is also the very first work to mention the name of Kohala. There are three references to Kohala that can be found in 狈腻峁瓂补艣腻蝉迟谤补. One in the first chapter where the names of the hundred sons of Bharata are listed, the second in the 37th chapter where the names of the first four sons namely, Kohala, Vatsa, 艢腻峁囜笉颈濒测补 and 顿丑奴谤迟颈濒补 are mentioned again. At this juncture, there is an account of these four sons coming down to earth for the sake of King 狈腻丑耻峁�a in order to propagate 苍腻峁瓂补. The third reference also occurs in the last chapter where Bharata foretells that Kohala would explain all that he had left out in his work鈥�Uttaratantra. This statement proves that Bharata held Kohala in great esteem and highly valued his knowledge and erudition on the subject. 

Kohala is most famous for being the pioneer of minor dramatic forms called 鲍辫补谤奴辫补办补蝉 which did not fall under the purview of 顿补艣补谤奴辫补办补蝉 delineated by Bharata. This probably lends proof to a theory that Kohala followed a school of dramatic presentation that was slightly different from Bharata鈥檚. Bharata, perhaps was well aware of the existence of several other dramatic types/techniques which he had left out, but which were popularly practiced. It is possible that Bharata therefore also wanted these forms to be codified and their 濒补办峁�a峁嘺蝉 documented, for which he felt that Kohala would be the best choice. This might be the reason why Bharata might have prophesized that Kohala would explain all that he had left unsaid. 

A noteworthy point here is that though Bharata and Kohala were contemporaries (presumed to be father and son / Guru and disciple), and though Bharata was well aware of the knowledge and competence of Kohala, no mention of any technical theories of Kohala are to be found in 狈腻峁瓂补艣腻蝉迟谤补. For that matter, Bharata does not make direct references to or cite the names of any authority in his 狈腻峁瓂补艣腻蝉迟谤补. The only information that we do get is that Kohala is one of the sons of Bharata and Kohala will in future write the Uttaratantra. 

The 狈腻峁瓂补艣腻蝉迟谤补 has been called 厂奴迟谤补, 峁�a迟蝉补丑补蝉谤墨, 顿惫腻诲补艣补蝉补丑补蝉谤墨 etc. So we have a text which slowly expanded itself from a 蝉奴迟谤补 format into an encyclopedia on drama, which also consequently involved more than one author contributing to its material. There is a view that among the many personages who provided their material to the 狈腻峁瓂补艣腻蝉迟谤补, Kohala played an important part. V. Raghavan expresses his view that Bharata鈥檚 text underwent some changes due to the impact of Kohala鈥檚 work^[1].

In the words of S. K. De,

鈥淚t is likely therefore, that between Bharata鈥檚 original work and its existing version, there came 鈥楰ohala and others鈥� whose views found their way into the compendium, which goes by the name of Bharata and which indiscriminating posterity took as genuine and unquestionable.鈥�^[2]

Also, Abhinavagupta while commenting on 狈腻峁瓂补艣腻蝉迟谤补 6.10 says that the eleven 补峁単补蝉 mentioned are the doctrines of Kohala鈥檚 school according to 础耻诲产丑补峁璦蝉. 鲍诲产丑补峁璦 was one of the very first commentators on the 狈腻峁瓂补艣腻蝉迟谤补. And according to him as well as the followers of his school of thought (i.e. the 补耻诲产丑补峁璦蝉) Bharata recognised only five 补峁単补蝉 of 苍腻峁瓂补 namely the three abhinayas, 驳墨迟补 and 腻迟辞诲测补. The list of eleven that is found in 狈腻峁瓂补艣腻蝉迟谤补 6.10, thus represents the opinion of Kohala and not that of Bharata.

Also, there is a set of around 40 verses at the end of the fifth chapter, which bear the colophon:

啶囙い啶� 啶�啶距ぐ啶む��啶�啷� 啶ㄠぞ啶熰�嵿く啶多ぞ啶膏�嵿い啷嵿ぐ啷� 啶曕�屶す啶侧��啶�啶� 啶�啷傕ぐ啷嵿さ啶班�權�椸さ啶苦ぇ啶距え啶� 啶ㄠぞ啶� 啶�啶炧�嵿�氞ぎ啷嬥ぇ啷嵿く啶距��-啶�啶班た啶多た啶粪�嵿�熰ぎ啷� 啷�

iti bh膩rat墨ye 苍腻峁瓂补艣膩stre kauhal墨ya峁� p奴rvara峁卆ga惫颈诲丑腻苍补峁� 苍腻尘补 辫补帽肠补尘辞诲丑测腻测补-pari艣i峁ａ弓am || 

Which seems to be additional information on 笔奴谤惫补谤补峁単补-惫颈诲丑腻苍补 according to Kohala鈥檚 tradition. The M.M Ghosh edition of 狈腻峁瓂补艣腻蝉迟谤补 and a few others carry these verses whereas the GOS has omitted them. 

In the chapter on 诲补艣补谤奴辫补办补, only 10 varietes are promised to be explained. After the treatment of 苍腻峁璦办补 and 辫谤补办补谤补峁嘺, we also find description of 苍腻峁璱办腻, which is famous as being a sub-variety of drama (耻辫补谤奴辫补办补蝉) formulated and pioneered by Kohala.

The above go to show that there are some portions of the extant 狈腻峁瓂补艣腻蝉迟谤补 that could very well be interpolations from other authors which have with time merged indistinguishably into the text of 狈腻峁瓂补艣腻蝉迟谤补. Though such indications can be found, it is also a fact that there is no solid evidence to prove that particular portions of text which find a place in the 狈腻峁瓂补艣腻蝉迟谤补 were originally creations of Kohala or any other ancient writer like 狈补苍诲墨, 痴颈艣腻办丑颈濒补 etc. Though the signs are persuasive there is no concrete proof. Concrete theories can be formed only if and when the original work of Kohala can be unearthed.

Footnotes and references:

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[1]:

Uparuspakas and 狈峁泃测补-辫谤补产补苍诲腻蝉: p.33

[2]:

History of Sanskrit Poetics: 1923: Vol. I: p.26