Scene I

(The Emperor Akbar's palace. A large audience has assembled before Akbar. His court musician, Tansen, is singing soul-stirring songs while accompanying himself on the tampura.)

(Tansen sings.)

```

Kalpana go kalpana

Tumi amar bandana

Dure tomai rakhbona

Kalpana go kalpana

Mithya mohe kandbona

Kurup prane dakbona

Khudra jaye hasbona

Kalpana go kalpana

Mrittyu dake jagbona

Atma ami marbona

Bhul pathe ar chalbona

Kalpana go kalpana

```

```

Imagination, O Imagination!

You are my life's adoration.

You I shall not keep afar.

Imagination, O Imagination!

In false, binding lies I shall not cry;

I shall not welcome the life

Of impurity's ugliness.

With paltry victory

I shall not smile and rejoice.

Imagination, O Imagination!

To death's call I shall not respond.

The soul am I; no death have I.

No more, never, shall I walk

Along the wrong path.

Imagination, O Imagination!

```

AKBAR: Tansen, you have such a haunting voice. I have never heard anybody sing like you. Your music carries me into the highest world, and there I enjoy such happiness, such delight. Tansen, I shall give you anything you want. You can have anything from me for the asking.

TANSEN: O Emperor, you have already given me name and fame by allowing me to sing for you. What more do I need?

AKBAR: Tansen, although you get everything from me, if you have any special desire, ask me and I shall grant it. Anything that you want from me today I shall immediately give you.

TANSEN: I have everything I want. But I have one thing to tell you. You think that I am the best musician. But there is someone who is far better than I. He is the one who taught me how to sing. I am no match for him.

MINISTER: O Akbar, O Emperor, your Tansen is very clever. He wants to gain more favour from you with his false modesty. Do not believe him. He thinks that by telling you that there is somebody better than he is, he will gain more favour, more love from you. This Tansen is so clever. He is the greatest musician, but he is also the greatest trickster. Do not believe him, my Lord.

AKBAR: No, Tansen, I do not believe you. But if it is true, then you should have told me about him before this.

TANSEN: O Emperor, you will never believe me. If I had told you about him, do you think he would have come to you? He does not care for name and fame as I do. He would not want to sing here at your palace.

AKBAR: He must come and sing here. I shall force him. I am the Emperor Akbar. Everyone is at my behest. He has to come and sing. Go and bring him here.

TANSEN: I can go and bring him here, but I tell you, if you force him to sing for you, he will sing, but he will never sing his real music. He is above name and fame. He shuns society.

AKBAR: All right, then I shall go to his house.

TANSEN: Well, if you go to his house, perhaps he will sing. But he always shuns great men. If he sees that the Emperor has come, he will not sing at all. If I request him, even if I plead with him, it will be useless, because you are a great man, the greatest man on earth. Perhaps if you come with me as my servant, and if I tell him that my servant would like to hear his music, then he may grant my request.

AKBAR: All right, Tansen, I will visit your teacher as your servant. I want to hear your Master's music since you are praising him to the skies. But he had better be good!

From:Sri Chinmoy,The Moghul Emperors, Agni Press, 2001
Sourced from https://srichinmoylibrary.com/me