Scene 1

DAMODAR: Are you here again? How many times have I to tell you not to come here? If you come here any more I shall punish you. I don’t want you to see our Lord.

BOY: It is our Lord who asks me to come here every day. He loves me and I love him. And I shall come here in spite of you.

DAMODAR: I shall punish you if you come again. What right have you to come here? You are a little boy. You don’t know how to pray or meditate. This place is for grown-ups like me, who know how to meditate and pray.

BOY: Yes, but our Lord is teaching me how to pray and meditate. He is all love for me, and I am all love for him.

DAMODAR: This is my last warning. If I see you here tomorrow, I shall thrash you.

(Enter Chaitanya. The boy bursts into tears.)

BOY (to Chaitanya): This man is scolding and insulting me. He says I must not come here any more or he will beat me.

CHAITANYA (to Damodar): What right have you to say that to this little boy? Damodar, this is my place. I want him to come every day. He is most devoted to me. He is all love for me. I want him. I need him. You have no right to prevent him from coming here. (To the boy.) Today I wish to teach you a special song. This is a song that I have sung millions of times in my life. I have travelled hundreds and hundreds of miles while singing this particular song. I want you to learn it.

Jagannatha swami nayana pathagami bhavatu me

(O Lord of the Universe, do appear before my eyes.)

(The boy sings. Chaitanya corrects him. He sings it again. They practise. Finally, Chaitanya is very pleased.)

CHAITANYA: You have a wonderful voice. I am so happy, so pleased with you. Come here every day.

Damodar, go and bring some food for him.

(Damodar goes out and returns with food. He is in a sulking mood.)

CHAITANYA: My child, sing the song again. That particular song pleases me most. (The boy sings the song most soulfully.) Tomorrow come here again. This is your home. Come every day. And give your mother my divine love and divine blessings.

(The boy bows to Chaitanya with deepest joy and pride. Exit boy.)

DAMODAR: Lord Chaitanya, you are a rogue, or else you are a fool!

CHAITANYA: I am a fool? I am a rogue? Damodar, why do you call me these things?

DAMODAR: You are a rogue because you are not practising what you are preaching. You are asking us to lead a spiritual life, a life of morality, a life of celibacy. But what are you doing?

CHAITANYA: What kind of immoral life have I led?

DAMODAR: You are associating with this boy outwardly, but inwardly you are establishing a vital connection with his mother. Just because of your affection and love for his mother you are showing this boy affection. I know it!

CHAITANYA: Stop, Damodar! Enough of your nonsense! You know very well that I am not doing anything of the kind. Now why do you say that I am a fool? I want to know why you called me a fool?

DAMODAR: Even if you are sincere, even if, as you say, you have nothing to do with his mother, still you are a fool. Why should the world believe you? The world has every right to suspect you. You know that this boy has no father. You know that his mother is young and very beautiful. People will say that just because of his mother you are showing him all affection and love. They will say that you actually care nothing for the boy and that you give him all this attention in order to get his mother in the future.

CHAITANYA: Damodar, the world is full of corruption and vital impurity. The world is very likely to misunderstand me. But I know that I have realised God. I have established my oneness with my Lord Krishna. Lord Krishna was misunderstood when he used to offer his divine love to the Gopis, especially to Radha. He was misunderstood by many, if not all. If people think that I have some bad motive when I show affection to this boy, then let them think it. I cannot satisfy the world. I have to please my inner life, my own soul. I know his mother is extremely devoted to God, extremely sincere in her inner life. I am proud of her spiritual life. I know that one day she will become my disciple. One day she will follow my path. But if the world does not believe me, it is the fault of the world. Damodar, each individual sees others according to his own light. Human beings see me through the darkness of their own impurity. Their minds are full of impure thoughts and impure ideas, which they project into me. But I wish to say that I am millions of miles away from this impurity. My entire being is flooded with purity. When I see the world according to my own Light, I see purity in all of you; I see Light in all of you. A real spiritual Master of my height is infinitely higher than the bonds of morality. The life of morality and vital purification is for you and not for me, Damodar. So do not worry about my life. Think of your own life. I have come into the world to perfect the world, to liberate the world from temptation. I will not be caught by the temptation of the world. A day will come when you will also transcend the barriers of morality and enter into my realm, which is divine, perfect spirituality, the life of oneness, constant oneness with my beloved Krishna. I shall allow this boy to come here every day. He will be very devoted to me. I shall teach him songs; I shall teach him to pray; I shall teach him how to meditate. In him you will find a special gift of my Lord Krishna.