Scene II

(Haridas' home. Enter Tansen and Akbar in the guise of Tansen's servant. Haridas is meditating.)

TANSEN: Master, here is my servant. He has been begging me for a long time to bring him to hear your music. Today I have brought him.

AKBAR (to Haridas): Lord, I will be so grateful to you if you would sing. For some time I have been longing to hear your music. Today my Master, Tansen, has brought me to you. Please sing something for us and play on your tampura.

HARIDAS: I am sorry. Today I am not in the mood to play or sing at all. I do not know why. Otherwise I would listen to your request. You look quite nice and smart. I am happy that my Tansen has such a good servant. You look beautiful, you look powerful. I am sure you are pleasing your Master in every way.

TANSEN: Master, it is true that this servant is pleasing me in every way. I am most pleased with him and proud of him and, as a reward, I have brought him here. Please sing for him just a little. It will be difficult for me to bring him here again.

HARIDAS: Tansen, when I refuse to do something, rest assured that I will never do it. I am not in the mood today. Today my mind is all concentrated on God. You came to me to learn music. I taught you many things, and now when you sing I get tremendous joy. Today I wish you to sing for me. Let your servant and me hear your music. It will transport me into the highest realm. Your music will inspire me to go deep within and commune with my Inner Pilot. Now, Tansen, please sing.

(Tansen bows to Haridas and starts singing. Soon he starts singing wrong notes.)

HARIDAS: Tansen, what is wrong with you today? Your music is absurd. You are singing like an absolute beginner. You, my greatest student! Is anything wrong in your family? Are you upset?

TANSEN: No, no, my family is all right. But today I had the greatest hope that my servant would be able to hear your music. You did not listen to my request, and that has made me very sad. Perhaps it is my sadness that is creating this problem and making it difficult for me to sing well.

HARIDAS: No matter how sad you are, Tansen, I cannot imagine how you can sing so badly.

TANSEN: Master, it seems to me that I am singing everything correctly. You are saying that I am singing badly, but I feel that I am singing everything as I used to sing before, as you have taught me.

HARIDAS: Tansen, you liar! I have not taught you to sing like this. It is all wrong.

(Haridas snatches away Tansen's tampura and starts singing the same song most soulfully and hauntingly. The music comes from another world. Akbar is in deep trance. Tansen is listening with deepest inner delight.)

(Haridas sings.)

Ekti katha ekti sur eki jhankar

Nam dhare ke dakchhe jena amai barebar

Kothai achi kothai jabo

Nai jena thikena

Ghumer ghore karchhi shudhu

Ami becha kena

Kata bhangi katai gari

Katai kari asha

Hiya khani dekhechhe mor

Andhar sarbanasha

Alor pakhi alor pakhi

Abar eso phire

Jyotir dhara bahan kare

Namo amar shire

Dak ditechho urdhe jete

Jabo keman kare

Bandhi je mor paran khani

Ekti andhar ghare

Alor pakhi alor pakhi

Alor pakhi alo

Prane amar rekhona ar

Ektu andhar kalo

```

One thought, one tune, one resonance —

Who calls me ever and anon?

I know not where I am,

I know not whither I shall go.

In dark amnesia,

Myself I buy, myself I sell.

All I break, again all I build.

All I hope to be mine, mine alone.

Alas, my heart is eclipsed

By dark and wild destruction-night.

O Bird of Light, O Bird of Light,

With your glowing and flowing flames

Do enter into my heart once again.

You are calling me to climb up

And fly into the blue.

But how can I?

My heart is in prison

In the strangled breath of a tiny room.

O Bird of Light, O Bird of Light,

O Bird of Light Supreme.

In me, I pray, keep not an iota of gloom.

```

TANSEN (at the end of the music): Master, forgive me. I know I have sung all wrong today. After hearing you I realise how badly I have sung. Forgive me, forgive me.

AKBAR (bows): I always thought that my Master was the best singer, but he was sincere enough to say that you sing far better than he does. I did not believe him. But now that I have heard you, I know that undoubtedly you are a far better singer. How sweet your voice is! I am so grateful to you and also I am so grateful to my Master for bringing me to you today.

HARIDAS: May God bless you, my son. May God bless your devoted head. You are serving your Master, who is my fondest son.

TANSEN: I am also fond of my servant.

AKBAR: Lord, I am also proud of my Master, Tansen.

(Akbar and Tansen bow and leave.)

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