Scene 4

MASTER: I have come to visit you, Kadu, and I am in a mood to show some of my occult power. You can invite all your friends, relatives and spiritual brothers and sisters. Today I shall perform a miracle. I have never performed any miracles in public, but today I am going to do it since most of you people have no faith in me at all.

KADU: Master, I do have faith in you, I do have faith in you. You don’t have to show me your occult power. But if you want to show it to others, then naturally I shall invite them. Everyone will be very happy and delighted to watch, I am sure.

MASTER: All right, invite them.

(Kadu calls his servant. Enter servant bowing.)

KADU: Go and invite all my friends and relatives and all my spiritual brothers and sisters. Today Master is going to perform some miracles for us. He is going to use his occult powers. Everyone is invited.

(Exit servant. Moments later, enter friends, relatives and other disciples.)

MASTER (to Kadu): Where is your son, Kavir?

KADU: Oh, he is studying in his room, Master.

MASTER: Bring him here. I wish to see him.

(Exit Kadu. Re-enter Kadu, followed by Kavir with folded hands.)

MASTER: Now watch. Here is Kavir. Kavir, I am going to strike you once very hard. You will definitely be knocked unconscious by my blow.

KAVIR: Oh Master, I don’t want to. I don’t want that to happen.

MASTER: Is there anybody here among my disciples who wants to participate in this miracle? After I knock the person unconscious, I will touch his head and revive him.

(Several disciples step forward to volunteer.)

ONE DISCIPLE: Master, it is such an honour to be struck by you — such a joy, such a source of pride, such an honour!

OTHER DISCIPLES: Please choose me!

KAVIR: No! Master chose me first. I want to be struck by Master. I want to do it.

MASTER: All right, Kavir. Come here.

(Master strikes him and Kavir falls down, unconscious. His mother begins to cry.)

MASTER: Now I shall perform the miracle. I am touching his head. (Places his hands on Kavir.) Kavir, arise!

(No response from Kavir’s inert body. Onlookers become alarmed.)

DISCIPLE: Somebody get a doctor!

MASTER: No, no! I can do it, I tell you, I can do it. Just the other day I performed this miracle at Ratan and Rohini’s house. Where is Ratan? Ask him to come here. (Exit one of the onlookers to get Ratan.) He will tell you that I did it. He said, “Master, use your power. You have the power.” And I did it. Today I have invited everybody here to watch me, but now this power is not working.

(Enter Ratan. The women are crying. The men are terribly angry with the Master.)

RATAN: Master, what is the matter? Why aren’t you using your occult power? Please, please do it. I know you have the capacity. You did it for my daughter; you can do it here also. Master, Master, why are you allowing yourself to be embarrassed when you have such tremendous spiritual and occult power? (Ratan touches Master’s feet and pleads.) Master, look at Kavir. Please touch his head. (Master touches Kavir’s head. Kavir immediately gets up and looks around.)

KAVIR: Oh Father, where was I? I seemed to be in another world. I saw my mother crying for me. I don’t know where I was, but my mother and father couldn’t see me. Master, I don’t want to play your game any more.