Mother, give me the Light of Knowledge, the Light of Discrimination and the Light of Renunciation

Dramatis personae

NAREN (VIVEKANANDA)

SRI RAMAKRISHNA

DISCIPLES OF SRI RAMAKRISHNA

Scene 1

(It is night. Inside the Kali Temple, Naren is meditating. After a while, he prostrates himself before the statue of Mother Kali.)

NAREN: Jnana viveka vairagya de ma. Mother, give me the Light of Knowledge, the Light of Discrimination and the Light of Renunciation, so that I can always see you.

(Enter Sri Ramakrishna hurriedly.)

SRI RAMAKRISHNA: Naren, have you asked Mother Kali for money for your family? What have you been doing?

NAREN: What a surprise! I forgot all about it.

SRI RAMAKRISHNA: No harm. I shall give you another chance. Ask her for money, for material wealth. Mother will give it to you.

(Naren turns to the statue and begins meditating again.)

NAREN: Mother, give me the Light of Knowledge, the Light of Discrimination and the Light of Renunciation. Mother, Mother of mine, Mother of my heart and soul.

SRI RAMAKRISHNA: Again the same thing? Why do you forget that your mother and brothers and sisters are all starving? Ask the Mother to save your family from poverty. This is the only time that you can ask the Mother for that. I will not be able to give you the same opportunity every day. I am ready to give it to you any time. But Mother will not allow it. Today I have promised you because Mother has told me that she will fulfil your prayers today, no matter what you ask of her. Now you have lost your second chance. But I wish to give you another chance. Please, my son, this time don’t forget. Remember, you must ask the Mother for material wealth. That is what you need. Right now you don’t need spiritual wealth.

NAREN: No, I won’t take any more chances. I do not need material wealth. I want nectar from the Mother, and not anything else. For gourds and pumpkins I will not ask. I can ask only for the nectar-fruit.

SRI RAMAKRISHNA: Since you cannot ask the Mother for material wealth and prosperity, then I wish to say that you will never have a comfortable life. But from now on you will be able to manage. You and your family will not starve. You will be able to live at least from hand to mouth. Mother will do that much for you. (He shouts) Come, all those who are here! No matter where you are! Come! All my disciples, come!

(Enter disciples.)

SRI RAMAKRISHNA: You people have told me that my Naren has become an atheist. Look! He could not ask for material wealth from my Mother. Do you know that he starves? His mother and his sisters and brothers have no food at home. Yet he could not ask Mother Kali for material wealth. Nowhere on earth will you find anyone who can equal my Naren. He is your leader. He will lead and guide you. He will preserve you. This body of mine is completing its role. Soon I will belong to the other world. (To Vivekananda.) Naren, my child, sing a song. I shall meditate while you sing.

(Naren sings. Sri Ramakrishna meditates in deep trance.)

Sundara hate sundara tumi
nandana bana majhe
nishidin jena antare mor
tomari murati raje
tumi chhara mor nayan andhar
sakali mithya sakali asar
chaudike mor bishwa bhubane
bedanar sur baje
pabo kigo dekha nimesher tare
ei jibaner majhe

(You are beautiful, more beautiful, most beautiful,
Beauty unparalleled in the garden of Eden.
Day and night may Thy image abide in the very depths of my heart.
Without You my eyes have no vision,
Everything is an illusion, everything is barren.
All around me, within and without,
The melody of tenebrous pangs I hear.
My world is filled with excruciating pangs.
O Lord, O my beautiful Lord,
O my Lord of beauty, in this lifetime, even for a fleeting second,
May I be blessed with the boon to see Thy Face.)

Vishwamitra

Dramatis personae

VISHWAMITRA (A POWERFUL KING)

ATTENDANTS AND ADMIRERS OF VISHWAMITRA

VASHISTHA (A GREAT SAGE)

NANDINI (COW OF VASHISTHA)

ARMY OF VISHWAMITRA

ARMY OF NANDINI

MESSENGER FROM THE SUPREME

Scene 1

(King Vishwamitra and a group of attendants and admirers are in the forest. They are returning to the palace after hunting. On their way they see the cottage of the great sage Vashistha and decide to pay him a short visit. Vashistha welcomes the King and his party.)

VASHISTHA: Your Majesty, you are tired. You are exhausted. You are thirsty. You are hungry.

VISHWAMITRA: O sage, you are perfectly right. But this is not the place where I could expect anything, let alone food. Your poverty beggars description.

VASHISTHA: I see, Your Majesty, I see.

(Vashistha enters into his hermitage and comes back with a large quantity of milk. The King and his attendants are wonder-struck.)

VASHISTHA: Let me serve the King. You all serve yourselves, please.

VISHWAMITRA (after drinking): Ah, my thirst is quenched. The milk is most delicious. O sage, where did you get this milk?

VASHISTHA (smiling): King, I shall tell you later on.

(The sage enters into his hermitage and comes out with a most delicious meal — a variety of dishes. The King and his attendants are simply amazed.)

VASHISTHA: Your Majesty, let me serve you. (To the others.) You all serve yourselves, please.

(While all are eating, Vashistha chants.)

Aum

Purnam adah purnam idam
purnat purnam udacyate
purnasya purnam adaya
purnam evavashisyate

(Infinity is that.
Infinity is this.
From Infinity, Infinity has come into existence.
From Infinity, when Infinity is taken away, Infinity remains.)

VISHWAMITRA: O sage, God made a mistake. He didn’t give me an ear for music. But he has made me a really practical man. Please tell me the source of your milk and all the food that you have offered us just now.

VASHISTHA: Ah, don’t you know the source, my source, my only source?

VISHWAMITRA: I am all curiosity. For God’s sake, do not exploit my patience!

VASHISTHA: Your Majesty, yonder you see my Nandini.

VISHWAMITRA: That cow?

VASHISTHA: Yes. To you she is just an ordinary cow. But to me, my Nandini is my all. She gives me everything I need. She is my protection. She is my salvation. She is my perfection.

VISHWAMITRA: O sage, you may stop now. Everybody knows that Vashistha is a wise sage. I wish you to be wiser. And it is I who can make you so.

VASHISTHA: O King, do make me wiser. I really want to be wiser than I am now.

VISHWAMITRA: I can make you infinitely wiser, this very day. Look, you are pure, but poor. You are pure, but obscure. Vashistha, you love your cow. The cow is your daughter. Now, don’t you want the entire world to appreciate and admire your child? I am the mightiest King on earth. Thousands and thousands of people come to my palace. They all will adore your Nandini. And you need not feel sorry, for I shall give you one thousand cows in return. Only let me have your Nandini.

VASHISTHA: Impossible.

VISHWAMITRA: I shall give you anything you want: money, property, name, fame, whatever you want, in the twinkling of an eye. Just let me have your cow.

VASHISTHA: Impossible.

VISHWAMITRA: Sage, you are a fool! Enough of your audacity. Don’t exploit my patience. Don’t exploit my compassion. Must I unseal your ears so that you can hear from others about my powers? Don’t you know that there is no human being on earth who is not at my express command? How dare you defy me! You don’t deserve my earnest request. You deserve, rightly deserve, my lofty contempt. Your audacity knows no bounds. Therefore I shall give you nothing, absolutely nothing! Vashistha, I am taking your cow away!

VASHISTHA: Impossible.

(Vishwamitra commands his attendants to seize the cow. Nandini charges Vishwamitra’s men with such force that they all run for their lives.)

VISHWAMITRA: I am disappointed, I am disheartened.

VASHISTHA: And badly defeated.

VISHWAMITRA: Defeat! No defeat. Vishwamitra never accepts defeat. Victory, here, there, everywhere: that is my name! I am going back to my palace. Soon I shall be back with my indomitable force, and then I shall take your Nandini away.

VASHISTHA: Impossible.

VISHWAMITRA: You fool! You are the worst fool I have met in this incarnation. (Addressing the heavens.) God, this fool has no equal on earth. Anyway, Vashistha, I shall be back soon. In the meantime drink milk from your Nandini to your heart’s content, for this will undoubtedly be the last chance for you to enjoy her milk.

VASHISTHA: Impossible.

VISHWAMITRA: The entire world knows that I am a man of action, immediate action. Your vast ignorance does not permit you to recognise who I am. I don’t blame you, but I do blame your ignorance.

(Vishwamitra hurriedly leaves the hermitage, followed by his attendants.)

Scene 2

(Vashistha and Nandini.)

VASHISTHA: Nandini, your mother is Kamadhenu, the cow that fulfils all desires, earthly and heavenly. She has blessed you with her infinite capacities. You are now blessing me. You fulfil all my wishes. You are my everything.

NANDINI: Master, my Lord, you are my all. To serve you, to please you, to fulfil you, I came into the world. Your aspiration and realisation are fulfilling the Supreme in a unique manner. You are His chosen son. You are His colossal pride.

VASHISTHA: Nandini, the King will soon come back with a very large force. And then, God alone knows.

NANDINI: O greatest sage, like God, you and I know perfectly well that I am going to defeat the King easily. I shall produce an army infinitely more powerful than the army of King Vishwamitra. I shall smash his pride. He has told you that this time he will take me away. I assure you that I shall make him touch your hallowed feet. He must and he will.

(Enter suddenly Vishwamitra with a very large army.)

VISHWAMITRA: Vashistha, so — are you ready? Death is inviting you and your cow!

(Immediately Nandini produces a most powerful army. A battle ensues in which the whole army of King Vishwamitra is destroyed by Nandini’s army. Only the King is left alive.)

VISHWAMITRA: Forgive me, O sage, forgive me. You are my life’s only haven. My army is gone. Helpless, hopeless and meaningless my life now is. Once again I implore your loftiest bounty.

(Vishwamitra prostrates himself before Vashistha. Vashistha places his right palm on Vishwamitra’s devoted head.)

VASHISTHA: O King, I forgive you. My Nandini forgives you. Ask for any boon; I shall grant it immediately.

VISHWAMITRA: What need have I for any boon from you right now? Once I was the mightiest King and now, without my army, I am nothing. My life is worse than useless. Glory gone. Pride gone. What remains is a sea of tears.

VASHISTHA: Nothing is gone. I give you all back.

(Vashistha sprinkles sacred water on the dead bodies of Vishwamitra’s soldiers. Life is restored. Once again they are ready to fight against Nandini’s soldiers. Vishwamitra’s joy and pride now know no bounds. Once more he challenges Nandini. In a few minutes’ time Nandini again destroys Vishwamitra’s whole army. Vishwamitra’s life is at her mercy.)

VISHWAMITRA (to Vashistha): You have conquered me with your spiritual power. Our physical strength and military strength are no match for your spiritual strength. But listen, Vashistha, listen. I tell you I shall utterly smash your pride before long. I shall launch into the life of spirituality. I shall give up my palace, my kingdom and all that I have. I shall practise austerities. I shall meditate day in and day out until I have reached my Transcendental Goal. I shall transcend your highest height. I, Vishwamitra, accept no permanent defeat. God in Heaven is my witness!

VASHISTHA: Vishwamitra, in the realm of the Spirit, rivalry cannot live. If or when you transcend my spiritual height I shall garland you. I shall adore you. I shall worship you.

VISHWAMITRA: Action, action! I am a man of action. I don’t talk, I don’t preach, I just act. Today I touched your feet. Tomorrow I shall make you touch my feet. I shall cross the sea of ignorance-dream. I shall face the One Absolute alone. And then I shall see you, Vashistha, kissing the dust of my feet.

VASHISTHA (raising his right hand in the form of benediction): Tathastu [so be it].

(Nandini bursts into roaring laughter. Exit Vishwamitra.)

VASHISTHA: Nandini, my child, Vishwamitra has at last left us. What shall we do now? Shall we eat or shall we meditate?

NANDINI: My Lord, let us meditate first and then eat.

VASHISTHA: Fine, my child, that’s a splendid idea.

(Both Vashistha and Nandini start meditating. Light and delight are sporting in their eyes. Enter a divine messenger from the Supreme.)

MESSENGER: O peerless sage, the Supreme has sent me to you with a most special message: Vishwamitra in the distant future will become a sage. But your highest height he will never be able to transcend. The Supreme treasures your life on earth. You are His best instrument on earth. With you and through you He is manifesting His Divinity’s Height and Immortality’s Light on earth. (Turning to Nandini.) Nandini, the Supreme is highly pleased with you. With His infinite Love, Infinite Joy and infinite Pride, He unites the breath of your most devoted service to the life of your Master’s dedicated surrender.

(Exit messenger. Nandini sings.)

Tumi amai diyechha aj
samarpaner bani
ami tomai sapechhi mor
kusum hriday khani
andhar rate ashru sathe
moher karar ajanate
simar gehe thakbona ar
jani ami jani
tumi amar jenechhi ma
chirantaner rani

(Today You have given me the message of surrender.
I have offered to You my very flower-heart.
In the dark night with tears,
In the unknown prison-cell of illusion,
In the house of the finite,
No longer shall I abide.
I know You are mine.
I have known this, Mother,
O Queen of the Eternal.)

Dhruva

Dramatis personae

KING UTTANPADA

UTTAMA, DHRUVA (HIS SONS)

SURUCHI (MOTHER OF UTTAMA)

SUNITI (MOTHER OF DHRUVA)

A VAST AUDIENCE AT THE PALACE

FIRST SAGE

SECOND SAGE

THIRD SAGE

FOURTH SAGE

FIFTH SAGE

SIXTH SAGE

SEVENTH SAGE (THE LEADER OF THE SAGES)

INDRA (THE LORD OF THE GODS)

YAMA (THE KING OF DEATH)

DEMONS AND RAKSHASAS

LORD VISHNU

Scene 1

NARRATOR: There was once a great king whose name was Uttanpada. He had two sons, Dhruva and Uttama. Uttama’s mother was Suruchi, and Dhruva’s mother was Suniti. Suruchi happened to be the favourite wife of Uttanpada. Naturally, her son Uttama became Uttanpada’s favourite son.

(King Uttanpada’s palace. The King is seated on his golden throne. Around him is a vast audience. Suruchi’s son, Uttama, comes and sits on his father’s lap. Uttanpada begins to caress him. Seeing this from a distance, Dhruva comes running to sit on his father’s lap, too. But he is caught and held back by his stepmother, Suruchi.)

SURUCHI: Dhruva, stop! You are such a fool! Don’t you know that you are Suniti’s son and not mine? How dare you approach your father? It is only my son who is permitted to sit on his lap. You must never dare to approach your father for kindness, affection or love. Only my son, Uttama, will have everything that your father has and is. You stay away from the King, Dhruva. I give you a last warning.

(King Uttanpada is totally indifferent to the situation. The audience is terribly shocked. Dhruva begins shedding bitter tears.)

SURUCHI: Dhruva, now get away from here. I don’t want to see you any more. You must know that it is my Uttama who is going to inherit his father’s regal throne and not you! Never! Go and stay with your mother and don’t come here. Don’t bother us!

Scene 2

(Dhruva enters his mother’s room. He is shaking with anger and, at the same time, crying with sorrow. His mother is all concern for him.)

DHRUVA: Mother, Suruchi has badly scolded and insulted me. I was going to my father, but she held me back. She said I had no right to approach my father for affection and love because I am your son. She has insulted me and scolded me. She said it is her son who is going to inherit my father’s throne and not me. She showed me such contempt, Mother, I can’t tell you! She was so mean. She asked me to leave the place, and not to come near my father any more. There were many, many people who saw me being insulted, but my father did not care at all. He did not say a word in my favour. Mother, what am I going to do with such a father and such a mean, cruel, nasty stepmother?

SUNITI (fondling her son): Dhruva, my child, don’t cry, don’t weep, don’t feel sad and miserable. God knows what is best for us. He will one day make us happy. He will really give us what we need most. You pray to God. Today you have been insulted by your stepmother. Well, I have been insulted by her since she came into your father’s life. She insults me at every moment — mercilessly, without any cause. I too suffer, I cry within. And now that you have also been insulted, my dearest son, I feel my heart is broken. But what can I do? What can you do? Only God, the ever-compassionate Father, can put an end to our suffering. Let us pray to Him to give us joy and inner illumination. We shall see that our inner joy will infinitely surpass Suruchi’s pleasure. Let us not enter into the world of competition, my son. I have been praying to God every day and, beginning today, I wish you to join me.

DHRUVA: Mother, I want to pray, I want to meditate, but I don’t know how. I don’t know anything about it.

SUNITI: My son, yonder is a forest. Go there and look around. You will find people praying and meditating. Ask them how to pray, how to meditate, how to invoke God — His Love and Light. They will teach you.

DHRUVA: Mother, is it true?

SUNITI: Yes, my son.

DHRUVA: Mother, I am off. I shall come back only when I have brought for you Joy, Delight and Blessings, all from God.

(Exit Dhruva. Suniti sheds soulful tears, while her only son leaves for the forest to pray to God.)

Scene 3

(Dhruva is wandering in the forest all alone, looking for some spiritual people. He sings.)

Dake amai dake
dake akash dake batash
dake shashi tara
dake shyamal nibir kanan
dake jharna dhara
hasi dake ashru dake
dake kshina sur
dake prabhat sandhya dake
dakichhe dupur
sabai khunje khelar sathi
dake amai ai
charidike ekiy dhwani
bela baye jai
dake amai dake

(The sky calls me,
The wind calls me,
The moon and the stars call me.

The green and the dense groves call me,
The dance of the fountain calls me,
Smiles call me, tears call me.
A faint melody calls me.

The morn, noon and eve call me.
Everyone is searching for a playmate,
Everyone is calling me, “Come, come!”
One voice, one sound, all around.
Alas, the Boat of Time sails on.)

(Finally Dhruva comes to a spot where he sees seven sages meditating together. Most humbly he bows down before them.)

DHRUVA: Dear sirs, please help me. I am looking for someone to teach me to pray and meditate.

FIRST SAGE: We shall help you, we shall teach you. But before that, tell us who you are and what brings you here.

DHRUVA: My name is Dhruva. My father is King Uttanpada and my mother is Suniti. This morning my stepmother, Suruchi, insulted me so cruelly, so brutally, so unbearably. She said that my brother, Uttama, will inherit the throne.

SECOND SAGE: So you want to inherit your father’s throne. Is that your prayer? Is that why you have come into the forest?

DHRUVA: No, certainly not! I don’t want my father’s throne. I want to have joy and inner happiness that will forever last. I want to share with my mother that kind of joy. My mother has taught me that earthly possessions have no value. Let Uttama have my father’s throne; let him have everything from his kingdom. I do not need earthly possessions to make me happy. I wish only to see the Feet of God; I wish to realise Him. I wish to be eternally happy, divinely happy, supremely happy.

THIRD SAGE: We are so pleased with you, Dhruva. We shall help you.

FOURTH SAGE: You have to pray from now on to Lord Vishnu. It is he who will be able to grant you the boon. He will be able to make you the happiest man on earth and your mother the happiest woman on earth.

FIFTH SAGE: We shall teach you how to pray to him, how to meditate on him.

SIXTH SAGE: Your sincerity, your inner cry for God, your true love of God, have given us tremendous joy and we offer you our blessingful pride.

DHRUVA (again bowing down to the seven sages with deepest gratitude): O divine sages, then please teach me how to pray and how to meditate.

LEADER OF THE SAGES: Come and sit in front of me, Dhruva. Dhruva, this is how you will pray. You will pray to the Lord Vishnu: “O Lord Vishnu, I wish to please you, I wish to serve you, I wish to become totally, unconditionally yours.” And this is how you will meditate: you will not allow any thought to enter into your mind; you will keep your mind absolutely free from thoughts and ideas. Only try to feel all the time within your heart the lotus-feet of Lord Vishnu. This is how you should pray and how you should meditate. Your prayer and your meditation will undoubtedly bring Lord Vishnu right before you. He will bless you with his infinite affection, with his infinite compassion, love, joy and pride. If you pray and meditate, in the near future you are bound to see him and your desire, your aspiration, is sure to be fulfilled. You are a young boy. You have been mistreated by your stepmother, your father has been indifferent to you, your mother has been suffering for a long time and you are dissatisfied with this world. When your aspiration is fulfilled your whole being will be flooded with joy, eternal joy. You and your mother will be the perfect instruments of God on earth. With our blessings go to pray and meditate over there. That place is called Madhuvana, the honey-forest. You pray and meditate there and from here we shall keep our conscious concern on you. We shall think of you and meditate on your divine, supreme success. Now go and pray over there. Madhuvana is most beautiful and most inspiring.

(Dhruva bows to the leader of the sages, then to the other six sages with utmost humility and gratitude.)

DHRUVA: O sages, O seekers of the highest magnitude, O greatest lovers of God, my whole existence is grateful to you.

(All the sages bless Dhruva with utmost joy and pride and Dhruva departs.)

Scene 4

(Dhruva is now in the Madhuvana practising severe austerities. He is determined not to eat anything until he sees the lotus-feet of Lord Vishnu. As his aspiration is increasing, his inner strength is increasing too. The mountains and meadows are shaking before him with reverential awe. His power of meditation is frightening. The earth itself it wonder-struck. The dwellers in Heaven are all extremely worried. They feel that if this is the way Dhruva prays and meditates, then his power will soon far exceed their own. Indra and Yama meet together. They want to put an end to Dhruva’s penance, his austere life, his overwhelming power of meditation. They want to play a trick on Dhruva. With their occult power they take the form of Dhruva’s mother, Suniti, and enter into the grove of Madhuvana. Dhruva is in deep trance.)

SUNITI: My son, I have found you at last. I am totally lost without you. It was your presence that gave me joy; it was your presence that made my life worth living on earth. In your absence I have no one to think of me, no one to protect me, no one to care for me. Feel your mother’s heart, Dhruva. I need you. Come back with me, my son. Now that you know how to pray and meditate, come back to the palace with me. You can meditate there.

(Suniti sings.)

Madhuman me parayanam
madhumat punarayanam

(Sweet be my departure from home.
Sweet be my return.)

SUNITI: At home you can do everything you want to do. You will see the feet of Lord Vishnu. Dhruva, my darling, come. Come with me.

(Dhruva is in deep trance. He does not hear a word of his “mother’s” affectionate, loving, commanding voice. Exit Suniti.)

(Enter Indra and Yama. Since Indra and Yama failed in their first attempt, they bring all kinds of evil spirits and demons to destroy Dhruva totally. Enter demons and rakshasas. They attack Dhruva.)

INDRA AND YAMA: Eat him up, eat him up! Kill him! Destroy him, destroy him! He will surpass us — a mortal, an insignificant creature! He will surpass us if we don’t stop him from praying and meditating!

(Dhruva, still in deep trance, does not budge an inch. His gaze passes beyond, far beyond, into the very breath of the demons and rakshasas who leave in fear, frustration and disappointment.)

Scene 5

(Indra and Yama come before Lord Vishnu. They bow down to him.)

INDRA AND YAMA: O Lord, how is it that you are not fulfilling Dhruva’s desire? Can you not grant his boon? His power of meditation will soon surpass all our spiritual power. We pray to you to save us. If you don’t want to grant his boon, let us grant it. Let us go on your behalf. Let us go and please him.

LORD VISHNU: O Indra, O Yama, it is not so easy. You cannot fulfil Dhruva’s aspiration; you cannot feel his heart. He is great, he is supremely great. But I shall fulfil him, and I shall fulfil your desires as well. I shall go and ask him to stop praying and meditating. Then you will be pleased. You will still have your enormous light and power, but my Dhruva will have a life, a world of his own.

INDRA: O Lord Vishnu, as long as he does not surpass me, I will be most grateful to you. I want nobody to surpass me; I want to be the Lord of the gods, the cosmic gods. I want to remain the most powerful one here in Heaven and there on earth.

(Lord Vishnu gives Indra a delicate, soulful, blessingful and compassionate smile. Exeunt Indra and Yama.)

Scene 6

(Dhruva is in deep meditation. His whole being is meditating on the lotus-feet of Lord Vishnu. His inner being is surcharged with supernatural power. Enter Lord Vishnu with his discus, Sudarshan Chakra, his mace and his conch, a diadem on his brow. He comes with his infinite glory and stands in front of Dhruva, his dearest and greatest devotee. He places his hands on Dhruva’s devoted head. Dhruva opens his eyes with supreme astonishment. Immediately he touches the feet of Lord Vishnu.)

LORD VISHNU: My dearest, my fondest child Dhruva, I am the object of your prayer, I am the object of your meditation. I am most pleased with you; I am most proud of you. I have come here to fulfil your desires and your aspirations.

DHRUVA: My Lord, if you are really pleased with me, then you know what I want. I want only to be all the time at your lotus-feet. I am your child; I want to serve you.

(Lord Vishnu touches Dhruva’s forehead with his conch. Immediately Dhruva receives inner illumination. All the supernal qualities, the infinite divine Light, Peace and Bliss of Lord Vishnu enter into him.)

LORD VISHNU: Dhruva, my Dhruva, ask me for any boon. Immediately I shall grant it.

DHRUVA: O my Lord, my eternal Lord, you have given me everything I wanted. You have given me all that I wanted and beyond, far beyond my imagination’s flight. What more do I need?

VISHNU: No, Dhruva, I want to give you something more. I want to give you a particular place of your own. Yours will be a divine station far above the earthly world. You will become one with the real Dhruva: Dhruva Tara, the pole-star. You will sustain all the stars and other planets in their course. You will guide the aspiring, seeking, struggling world. You will show the earth the world of Light and Delight. You will be the guiding light, the pole-star. It is with you that the earth-consciousness will enter into my life of infinite Peace, Light and Bliss. Dhruva, I bring your mother back into your heart. It was she who advised you to pray to God; it was she who inspired you to come into the forest and meditate. Today all her sufferings have come to an end. In you your mother will have her supreme glory and satisfaction. Also, I bring before you the seven sages who inspired you, who helped you, who taught you how to pray and meditate. Dhruva, you have far surpassed them now. They will be all joy, all pride for you because they want someone on earth to be supremely divine, supremely unconditional, supremely great. They want someone to be my most perfect instrument, and they will now see in you my supreme manifestation.

(Enter Suniti who, seeing her dearest son, is overwhelmed with delight. She touches Lord Vishnu’s feet, then sits beside her son with enormous joy and pride, shedding tears of gratitude to Lord Vishnu.)

SUNITI: O Lord Vishnu, you have heard my son’s prayers. You are our own, our very own. Each breath of ours, each heartbeat of ours is for you.

(Vishnu offers her his brightest smile. Then the seven sages enter. Seeing Dhruva, they are overwhelmed with joy, delight and pride. One by one they touch the feet of Lord Vishnu and Dhruva.)

ALL THE SAGES: Dhruva, long, long before you were born we were praying to Lord Vishnu to see his lotus-feet. It is you who have brought down into the world before us his presence, our cherished Goal. It is because of you that we are seeing the chosen object of our adoration today. It is your prayer and meditation that has brought our Lord Vishnu here. If not for you, centuries would have passed by and we would not have seen the lotus-feet of our Lord Supreme. It is because of you that today we can kiss the golden feet of our Lord Vishnu, the eternal Lord. Dhruva, Dhruva, our hearts are all gratitude, our lives are all gratitude, our realisation is all gratitude to you, to you, to you.

Two divine liars: are they really so?

Dramatis personae

KRISHNA

SATYAVAMA (HIS WIFE)

DURVASHA (A GREAT SAGE VERY DEVOTED TO KRISHNA)

Scene 1

(Krishna’s palace. Krishna and Satyavama are together.)

SATYAVAMA: How is it that people think you are full of compassion? I see that you have no compassion at all. Look at your greatest devotee. He is repeating your name so devotedly and so soulfully! But you don’t care for him. All he eats is a blade of grass now and then, because there is nobody to feed him.

KRISHNA: What do you want me to do?

SATYAVAMA: Why don’t you ask someone to look after him? You have so many admirers and devotees. Why don’t you ask someone to bring food to Durvasha every day, so that he can continue his meditating and still have proper food to eat.

KRISHNA: He does not need that kind of food.

SATYAVAMA (becoming angry): He does need it, but you don’t supply it.

KRISHNA: No, no. His food is different, entirely different.

SATYAVAMA: I am sure that if I take him some proper food, delicious food, right now, he will eat voraciously.

KRISHNA: Well, perhaps you are right. You can try it. Go to him on the other side of the Jamuna, and then come back and tell me what he says about the food.

Scene 2

(Satyavama, having prepared a most delicious meal, goes to the River Jamuna, and tries to cross it. The Jamuna is a tiny river that is usually knee deep, but when there is a flood or a storm, it has to be crossed in a ferryboat. Satyavama sees that the water is raging like the surges of the sea. The boatman refuses to take her across because of the danger. Satyavama, depressed and angry, returns to the palace.)

SATYAVAMA: Krishna, I went to cross the river to take food to your dearest disciple, but the river was hostile to me. Do something!

KRISHNA: All right. Go and say this to the river: “If my Lord Krishna has not seen the face of any woman other than me, then calm down.”

SATYAVAMA: How can I say this? I know how many women friends you have. I cannot say to Jamuna that you have never seen the face of any woman but me. It is all lies! Jamuna will never calm down. You have seen the faces of millions of women. To say that you have only seen my face is ridiculous!

KRISHNA: Go. Go and say what I have told you to Jamuna and see what happens.

Scene 3

(Satyavama stands at the edge of the raging river.)

SATYAVAMA: O Jamuna, if my Lord Krishna has not seen the face of any woman but me, then please calm down so that I may cross.

(The river subsides and she crosses.)

SATYAVAMA (thinking aloud): I am sure the Jamuna has allowed me to cross just to please Krishna.

(She comes to the place where Durvasha is meditating. He is in a high trance, but slowly opens his eyes when she approaches him.)

SATYAVAMA: O Durvasha, I have observed that for many weeks now you have been repeating my Lord’s name with deepest devotion, and you have taken almost no food. Today, I have brought you food which I myself have prepared for you.

DURVASHA (still in a meditative mood, touches the feet of Satyavama): Mother, your compassion is food enough for me. Yet I am supremely grateful that you have thought of me and brought me food.

(Satyavama has to feed Durvasha herself as he is still in a trance-like state. When he has finished the food, Durvasha bows and touches Satyavama’s feet.)

SATYAVAMA: Now I am going home. I am happy that you are pleased with my meal.

(Exit Satyavama. Durvasha resumes his deep meditation, and a little later Satyavama returns.)

SATYAVAMA: O Durvasha, please do something for me. There is no boatman at the river and my Lord is on the other side. I cannot cross because of the storm. While I was coming here it was also stormy, but my Lord made the river subside. But now my Lord is not here. Please tell me what I should do.

DURVASHA: This is very easy, Mother. I will tell you. Go and say this to the river: “If Durvasha has not eaten anything but a few blades of grass for many years, then you must calm down, O Jamuna.”

SATYAVAMA: You fool! You liar! I have just fed you a most delicious meal with my own hands, and now you are asking me to say this!

DURVASHA: Mother, please tell the river what I have told you. I will come with you.

(Exeunt Durvasha and Satyavama.)

Scene 4

(Satyavama and Durvasha at the river.)

SATYAVAMA (sarcastically, to the river): If Durvasha hasn’t taken anything to eat for several years except a few blades of grass, then please, Jamuna, calm down. (The waters subside. Satyavama is surprised and angry.) Durvasha, your Lord is a liar and you are a liar! I am caught between two liars. But at least I am able to go home.

(Exit Satyavama.)

Scene 5

(Krishna’s palace.)

SATYAVAMA: Krishna, you are a liar and you have taught your dearest disciple also how to tell lies.

KRISHNA: What lies have we told?

SATYAVAMA: You said that you have never looked at any woman’s face in your life except mine. How can it be? Millions of women you have seen. We have so many relatives, including your own mother, your sister and many others around us. So how can you say that you have not seen any other woman’s face?

KRISHNA: Satyavama, you don’t understand my spiritual knowledge. You are my dearest. You and I are one. When I look at any woman, immediately I see your face in that person. All women to me are represented by you. When I look at any woman’s face, physically it is different, but according to my inner wisdom, inner light, I see that it is you who are that particular person. You are the Divine Mother and I am the Divine Father. So I see my female part, you, inside everyone. How, then, can I say that I am seeing somebody else? It is you I see in different forms, in different shapes.

SATYAVAMA (satisfied): I see. You are dealing with your universal consciousness. You are the Lord and I am your divine Shakti. But what about this liar Durvasha? He is your devotee. I fed him a delicious meal with my own hands. And immediately afterwards he said that he had not eaten anything but a few blades of grass for several years!

KRISHNA: Dearest Satyavama, all the while you were feeding him, Durvasha was in trance. He always remains in trance. And in trance what he eats is delight, ecstasy. That is his only food. He has practically lost all outer consciousness. On rare occasions he comes down to the earth-consciousness. Most of the time he is in his highest transcendental Consciousness, where he is communing with me. I feed him Peace, Light and Bliss. When he told you that he had taken only blades of grass, he was speaking the truth. He ate your food, true, but he didn’t get any taste from the food you gave him. He was only drinking my divine nectar all the time. Before he entered into this rigorous discipline, this austere life, he decided that he would eat only blades of grass after beginning serious meditation. That particular idea is still in his mind, and he still thinks that he is eating only grass and nothing else, for he is not aware of outer things, earthly things. He has lost the consciousness of the outer world. So if you give him delicious earthly food, he gets no more taste from your meal than he gets from grass. That is why he could say that he had not eaten anything other than a few blades of grass for many years.

SATYAVAMA: You have convinced me, my Lord. I am most grateful to you. I withdraw my charges.

(Krishna smiles.)

O world-renouncer, be careful!

Dramatis personae

CHAITANYA

A GROUP OF HIS DISCIPLES

THE YOUNGER HARIDAS (A DISCIPLE)

GOVINDA, A DISCIPLE

Scene 1

(Chaitanya and a group of disciples. Enter the younger Haridas.)

CHAITANYA: Haridas, I understand that you have brought rice from Madhavi?

HARIDAS: Yes, my Lord.

CHAITANYA: You have brought rice to me from a woman?

HARIDAS: Yes, my Lord.

CHAITANYA: From a beautiful woman?

HARIDAS: Yes, my Lord.

CHAITANYA: You have drunk her beauty?

HARIDAS (embarrassed): Yes, my Lord.

CHAITANYA: I shall never see your face again! Never! You have renounced the world, but you have looked at her face. How many times have I told you not to look at women’s faces, but to look at their feet? I told you to bring food for me. But you didn’t have to bring food from a beautiful woman. You have looked at her face and drunk her beauty to your heart’s content. Haridas, you have betrayed your spiritual life. I can’t have you with me any more.

(Haridas touches the Master’s feet, weeping bitterly.)

CHAITANYA: Haridas, enough. In this life I shall not see your face any more. (Calls.) Govinda, Govinda! Take him away! Take Haridas away.

(Enter Govinda.)

GOVINDA (quietly to Haridas): Haridas, Haridas, don’t worry. Lord Chaitanya will forgive you one day. Right now he is just punishing you, but you know that his love is for everyone. His love is boundless, and it is for everybody,

(Exeunt Haridas and Govinda. A few minutes later, enter Haridas crying and touches Chaitanya’s feet. When Chaitanya ignores him he starts singing, imploringly.)

Khama karo khama karo ei sheshbar
samarpiba jaya malya charane tomar
ami taba asimer mauna barabhay
tumi sindhu ami bindhu mor parichai

(Forgive me, forgive me, this is the last time, forgive me.
I shall offer to You at Your Feet the garland of Victory.
I am the silent compassion of Your Infinity.
You are the Ocean, I am the tiniest drop.
This is my only identification.)

CHAITANYA: No, Haridas, no more. I won’t look at your face. You deserve this punishment. You should know not to look even at a wooden statue of a woman. Even the sages are tempted by women. Your renunciation was no renunciation. It was all a show — a farce! You deserve your punishment. In this lifetime I shall not see you any more. Do whatever you want with your life.

HARIDAS: Lord, I shall wait and see for a few months. If you do not accept me again, then I shall commit suicide. I shall cast this body, this life, into the Ganges.

CHAITANYA: Don’t threaten me, Haridas. Do anything you want with your life. Die today if you want to. I don’t need you. You have cast a slur on the life of renunciation. Householders can do anything. My householder disciples have received instructions from me about how they can lead a regulated vital life, about how they can control their vital life. In your case, you accepted the life of renunciation. After that, how can you enter into the world of mental and vital enjoyment, Haridas? I am ashamed of you. A world-renouncer does not behave as you have behaved. Leave the path of the sannyasin. Who asked you to offer your life entirely? Who asked you to pretend? Who asked you to deceive the world? Leave this place for good.

HARIDAS: Lord, since you will not see me any more, my life is useless. I shall enter into the other world. From there I shall serve you. This life without you is death, and I embrace death in order to offer you my dedicated service from Heaven. In Heaven also you have your divine existence. You have appreciated my voice many times, my singing capacity and my chanting. From Heaven, I shall sing through my soul and please you here, my Lord.

CHAITANYA: Haridas, leave me.

(Haridas touches the feet of his Master for the last time and leaves.)

CHAITANYA (to the others): I know he will take his life. But I have to show the world that the life of renunciation is not a joke. He who accepts the life of renunciation must not mix with women, wealth or worldly possessions. This path is arduous. This life is most difficult. Its goal is the Goal of Goals. I tell you, to commit suicide is the worst possible sin. But if one gets the inner assurance from his spiritual Master that the Master approves, the Master can compassionately relieve him of the sin of committing suicide. Then he will not suffer from it. Haridas is getting my inner assurance. I shall permit him to commit suicide, and I shall free him from that sin. He will be able to serve me in Heaven. From Heaven he will be able to sing inwardly, and please me with his divine voice. But I wish to warn you people, only on very rare occasions do spiritual Masters tolerate suicide. In his case, I shall tolerate it and forgive him. But this is an exception. Don’t commit suicide, thinking that you will be able to come down into the world again and make better progress. On the contrary, when you commit suicide, you take a wrong turn and go backwards. Not only do you lose your potentialities and destroy all your possibilities, but you start your spiritual journey over again from the very beginning. You are lost, totally lost. You delay your progress immeasurably. So, my children, never commit suicide. Be brave. Fight the world. Face your inner weaknesses and conquer them. Strengthen your inner life; strengthen your outer life. Act like a hero. Be the master of yourself. God has to be pleased in this world. Temptation has to be conquered; illumination has to take place on earth, in you, in each individual in the entire world.

Jajati

Dramatis personae

JAJATI (A KING)

SUKRACHARYA (FATHER-IN-LAW OF JAJATI)

DEVAJANI (DAUGHTER OF SUKRACHARYA AND WIFE OF JAJATI)

JADU (ELDER SON OF JAJATI AND DEVAJANI)

TURBASU (YOUNGER SON OF JAJATI AND DEVAJANI)

SHARMISHTHA (OTHER WIFE OF JAJATI)

DRUHYU (ELDEST SON OF JAJATI AND SHARMISHTHA)

ANU (MIDDLE SON OF JAJATI AND SHARMISHTHA)

PURU (YOUNGEST SON OF JAJATI AND SHARMISHTHA)

Scene 1

(Sukracharya and Jajati are together.)

SUKRACHARYA: Jajati, you have deceived my daughter, and you have deceived me. While you were married to my daughter, Devajani, you also got married to Sharmishtha secretly, and she has given you three sons. You have deceived us badly. Without my knowledge, without my daughter’s knowledge, you did all this. You deserve severe punishment from me. I curse you. You will be paralysed. You will not be able to move at all from now on. The end of your life has come. (Jajati falls to the ground and cannot move at all.) Old age will enter into you immediately. (Jajati’s whole face changes.)

JAJATI: Forgive me, forgive me, Father I have done a terrible thing to your daughter and to you. Is there any way I can be forgiven?

SUKRACHARYA: No forgiveness for a rascal like you! But I can tell you only this, that if anybody is willing to take your paralysis on himself, and to take on your old age, he can do so, and you will be freed. Then, eventually, if you want to take these sufferings back again, you can. If nobody agrees, if nobody will take on your paralysis and your dotage, then you will have to suffer in this condition until the end of your life.

JAJATI: Oh, I am so grateful to you! I have so many devoted sons. I am sure one of them will do this for me. I have two sons by your daughter, Devajani, and three sons by Sharmishtha. I am sure one of them at least will gladly listen to me. Why only one? All of them will listen. Everybody will be eager to fulfil my desire. I am always so kind to them; they are so affectionate to me. I am so proud of them; they are so fond of me. I am grateful to you, Father.

(Exit Sukracharya.)

Scene 2

(Jajati is lying down. Beside him are his two wives and his five sons.)

DEVAJANI: What have I done? I made a mistake by complaining to my father. His curse is more severe than your crime. Ah, what is to be done?

(Both of his wives feel sorry. They are nursing their husband.)

JAJATI (to his sons): Don’t feel sorry for me, my children. Don’t feel sorry, my wives. My father-in-law, Devajani’s father, is still kind to me. He has told me that if anybody wants to take on himself my paralysis and my old age, he can do so. You know, my children, I have been so kind to you, so affectionate to you. I have helped you in every way. You are all young. You will allow me to live on earth for a few more years with joy, enthusiasm, energy and vitality. And then when I die you will regain your health, your strength, your vitality, your energy, everything. And mind you, whoever does this for me will be King. Whoever takes on my old age, my paralysis, my disease, will be King. (To Jadu.) Jadu, look how I am suffering, my son, my eldest son. Now do me this favour. Take this incapacity from me. Just for a few years I shall enjoy life, and then I shall give you my throne.

JADU: Father, forgive me. Even for a moment I could not bear to have that kind of disease. I want to enjoy the world. You have done much for me and I am grateful to you. But I cannot take away your disease.

JAJATI (to his second son): Turbasu, will you accept my disease for a few years?

TURBASU: Father, forgive me. Old age is a very serious type of disease. One loses one’s brain. When the brain is gone, everything is gone. Father, I am grateful to you for what you have done, and I shall ever remain grateful. But I can’t take on your paralysis and your old age.

JAJATI: Devajani’s sons have disappointed me. Now let me try Sharmishtha’s sons. (To Druhyu) Druhyu, you know how I am incapacitated. I can’t speak well, I can’t move. You have love for me. Do me the favour — take my disease.

DRUHYU: Father, forgive me, forgive me, forgive me. This life of mine is only for joy and pleasure. This life is to see people, mix with people and get joy from the world — nothing else. Father, I can’t. I cannot do it. You are suffering outwardly, and I shall suffer inwardly for you. But I cannot suffer both inwardly and outwardly for you, Father. Forgive me, but I am ready to suffer only inwardly for you.

JAJATI (to Anu): Anu, Anu, will you not take on yourself my disease?

ANU: Father, forgive me. I want to live a pure life. I know that if I take your disease on myself I will suffer and I will not be able to pray to God. I won’t remain pure, Father. I want to realise God as soon as possible, so I cannot think of your disease. I feel sorry for you, but I am helpless. Forgive me.

JAJATI (to Puru): Puru…

PURU: Father, you don’t have to ask me. I shall take your disease.

(Puru touches the feet of his father and immediately falls to the ground. His whole face is changed. His body becomes the body of an old man. He is totally paralysed. Sharmishtha begins shedding tears.)

SHARMISHTHA (to Jajati): Look! Look! Look what you have done! You are an old man. You have already enjoyed the world. And now you have ruined my son, my youngest and dearest son. He could have enjoyed the world. He could have done much for the world. You have ruined his life!

PURU: Mother, don’t scold my father. Let him enjoy the world for as many years as he wants to. Then, when he is satisfied, he will take his disease back. Even if he does not want to, if he wants to enjoy the world to the end of his life, let him enjoy. I shall enjoy his suffering. Let him enjoy the pleasures of the world.

(Jajati sheds tears of gratitude.)

JAJATI (to Puru): Just a few years, a few fleeting years I shall enjoy, and then I shall take my disease back and you will be King. I shall make you King. (To his other sons.) You ungrateful creatures! I will have nothing more to do with you. Get out of my kingdom! Get out! It is I who could have made you happy and prosperous. I did so much for you, but you have disappointed me bitterly, and my punishment is severe. You four are banished from my kingdom.

Scene 3

(Many years have passed. Jajati enters Puru’s room. Puru is lying on his bed, asleep, and is not awakened by Jajati’s entrance.)

JAJATI (to himself): Ah, I have seen the world, I have enjoyed the world. I have been mixing with friends, having parties, living an ordinary life, but there is no joy, no satisfaction in it. I have seen that money cannot make me happy, women cannot make me happy, earthly possessions cannot make me happy. What can make me happy? Only God.

(Jajati sings.)

Amar katha bhabi kebal tai parane byatha
kemane hai hasbe mane madhur nirabata
bhabi kebal manda amai amiy amar ari
nemi hiyay tomai prabhu nitya jena smari

(I always think about myself,
That is why my heart is full of pangs.
Alas, how can sweet silence smile in my mind?
I always think ill of myself.
I am my only enemy.
With sanctified heart, may I always remember You, my Lord Supreme.)

JAJATI: The life of pleasure can never satisfy any human being. What man needs is a life of joy and fulfilment. In order to have joy and fulfilment we must swim across the sea of desire and enter into the sea of aspiration. In me the life of desire has totally ended, and now the life of aspiration slowly begins. (He calls aloud.) Puru! Puru!

(Puru wakes up. Jajati goes and touches him.)

JAJATI: Puru, I wish to take back my disease from you. My son, you become King now. Let me take my punishment. I shall pray to God in this state and try to realise God through my prayers and meditation. You have pleased me most, my son, and you have my blessingful love, joy and gratitude. My kingdom is yours. Everything I have is yours.

(Jajati falls down. His body is paralysed. His face becomes aged and wrinkled.)

PURU (gets up as a young man again): Father, I am glad and proud that I have pleased you in your own way. Now, in your life of aspiration, in your life of love for God, I wish God to fulfil you.

Siddhartha becomes the Buddha

Dramatis personae

SIDDHARTHA (LATER, THE BUDDHA)

SUJATA (A DEVOTEE)

FIRST ASCETIC

SECOND ASCETIC

THIRD ASCETIC

FOURTH ASCETIC

FIFTH ASCETIC

Scene 1

(Siddhartha is sitting under a tree in high meditation. Enter five ascetics.)

FIRST ASCETIC: O Siddhartha! Siddhartha! Look at Siddhartha!

SECOND ASCETIC: I am sure he will soon realise the highest Truth.

THIRD ASCETIC: Without fail.

FOURTH ASCETIC: We have also been crying for our realisation. We have been praying to God and working so hard in our inner life. But still the realisation of God is a far cry for us. I am happy that at least one person will realise God.

FIFTH ASCETIC: At least Siddhartha will reach the highest Truth. It does not matter who reaches the Truth first; I want people to be free from ignorance.

FIRST ASCETIC: Let us not disturb him. He is in deep meditation, in trance. Let us not disturb poor Siddhartha. May God bless him. He has not been eating at all. He drinks only water. He is so weak, so weak. Poor fellow! Such a hard, austere life! I am sure God will soon grant him illumination.

SECOND ASCETIC: He could have enjoyed all the pleasures of the world. He was the Prince, and in every way he could have lived a life of pleasure.

THIRD ASCETIC: He knows that the life of pleasure cannot give him abiding satisfaction.

FOURTH ASCETIC: But it is very difficult to overcome vital movements, vital pleasure.

FIFTH ASCETIC: God has something special to do with Siddhartha’s life. I can clearly see it.

(Enter Sujata, who bows down to Siddhartha and places before him a bowl of sweetmeats. Siddhartha opens his eyes and accepts food from Sujata.)

SUJATA: O Sage, I am so grateful to you that you have accepted my food. For days you have not eaten anything. Your body has become so weak, so thin. Now I shall bring food for you regularly. You pray to God; I shall serve you. I am so glad, so grateful that you will accept my devoted service.

SIDDHARTHA: I have come to understand that starvation is not right. The extreme path is not the right way. The middle path is by far the best. To reach the highest Truth one need not stop eating altogether. One has to eat a moderate amount of food. The food that is necessary for health, to keep the body fit, one must eat. But at the same time one must not be a voracious eater. When I realise the highest Truth, mine will be the middle path.

FIRST ASCETIC: Shame, shame! Look at Siddhartha! He is eating food!

SECOND ASCETIC: Look who is serving him! Such a beautiful girl!

THIRD ASCETIC: Well, what can you expect? How long can one control his vital life?

FOURTH ASCETIC: Alas, Siddhartha has fallen.

FIFTH ASCETIC: He does not deserve our appreciation and admiration. He has taken sweetmeats from such a beautiful girl. He is serving his senses and he is feeding his body. See, the life of pleasure has already started. A woman is enough to destroy a man’s aspiration no matter how sincere, how devoted he is. One beautiful woman is enough to take even such a great aspirant from the path of Truth. Let us go.

FIRST ASCETIC: Whom to blame? The girl or Siddhartha?

SECOND ASCETIC: I blame the girl. She has ruined Siddhartha’s aspiration.

THIRD ASCETIC: I blame Siddhartha. Who asked him to be so weak? If he had been strong in his mind he could have rejected her.

FOURTH ASCETIC: Well, we must remember that it is a difficult task to conquer the wrong movements of the vital.

FIFTH ASCETIC: It is difficult also to pray to God, to meditate on Truth.

FOURTH ASCETIC: But since he made an attempt to realise the Highest, he should have continued.

FIFTH ASCETIC: I feel sorry for him. At the same time I feel that he can be of no use to us now. I thought that he would illumine us as soon as he got his own illumination.

THIRD ASCETIC: I thought the same. But now it is impossible. Let us leave, let us leave. Siddhartha has failed, Siddhartha has fallen.

(Exeunt the five ascetics. All this time Sujata is feeding Siddhartha and showing her loving, soulful gratitude to him. Tears of gratitude are flowing from her eyes.)

SIDDHARTHA: Sujata, don’t pay any attention to them. They are ignorant people. From ignorant people we can expect only ignorance. You have come to feed me, and I am grateful to you. My blessingful joy you will always feel.

SUJATA: O Sage, I don’t pay any attention to those ascetics. They are fools. They do not see your utmost sincerity. They do not see your burning cry for Truth, for God. It will take them thousands of years to realise God, but I clearly see that very soon you will reach your goal. I see that the day of your realisation is fast approaching.

SIDDHARTHA: They came, and now they have left. They saw something in me, and that is why they wanted to stay. But when they saw me take food from you, they left. They left just because their minds are still impure; just because their vitals need more purification; just because they could not identify their lives with my aspiring consciousness and your dedicated consciousness. Your dedication knew and felt the depth of my aspiration. And my aspiration feels the depth of your dedication. Sujata, I bless you with all my heart and soul. Here I shall sit, here at the foot of the Bodhi tree. Here I shall realise the Truth. I shall not move from this spot any more. Even if I suffer from cold or hunger or thirst, or from anything else, I shall not move. Here at this very place my Illumination must take place. And I shall put an end to sorrow.

(Sujata bows to Siddhartha and leaves. Siddhartha sings.)

Hihasane shushyatu me shariram
twagasthi mangsam pralayancha jatu
aprapya bodhing vahukalpa durlabham
naivasanat kayamatah chalishye

(Here on this seat may wither my body;
Skin, bone and flesh may be destroyed.
Without getting the supreme Wisdom
Attainable only with difficulty
In myriad aeons,
Definitely I shall not move from this seat.)

(Siddhartha meditates. He is having visions of life. The life of pleasure, vital movements, sex forces — all are trying to enter into him.)

SIDDHARTHA: Ah, these lower vital movements are trying to enter into me. No, I shall not permit them. I have my inner strength, indomitable strength. I shall fight against them.

(Siddhartha meditates with tremendous determination. Suddenly his whole being is flooded with Light. He starts to sing.)

No more my heart shall sob or grieve.
My days and nights dissolve in God’s own Light.
Above the toil of life my soul
Is a Bird of Fire winging the Infinite.

I have known the One and His secret Play;
And passed beyond the sea of ignorance-Dream.
In tune with Him, I sport and sing,
I own the golden Eye of the Supreme.

Drunk deep of Immortality,
I am the root and boughs of a teeming vast.
My Form I have known, and realised,
The Supreme and I are one — all we outlast.

(All of a sudden his body begins radiating a golden Light and Siddhartha becomes the Enlightened One, the Buddha.)

BUDDHA: I know, at last I know the Truth! I know the way. I know the way to end sorrow, to exterminate the tree of suffering. From today I shall serve humanity with my inner Light. I have seen the Truth, and this Truth every human being on earth will achieve. My Truth is for all. My Love is for all. My Realisation is for all. I am for all. This life of mine, this dedicated life of mine, is for humanity’s use. Now that I have the Transcendental Light within me, I shall go out into the world to teach others.

(Exit the Buddha.)

Scene 2

(The five ascetics are meditating. Enter the Buddha.)

BUDDHA: Now I have come to Benares, a sacred place. (He sees the five ascetics.) Ahhh! Here are the five ascetics who came to me and left me.

FIRST ASCETIC: Look, here is Siddhartha again.

SECOND ASCETIC: But this time he cannot fool us.

THIRD ASCETIC: Certainly not. He cannot fool us any more.

FOURTH ASCETIC: But look at him. He looks different.

FIFTH ASCETIC: I see something in him, something strange.

FIRST ASCETIC: Well, I seem to see some Light in him.

THIRD ASCETIC: His whole face is glowing.

FOURTH ASCETIC: His face? His entire body is glowing!

FIFTH ASCETIC: He is illumined, totally illumined!

(The Buddha approaches them. One by one they touch the Buddha’s feet. The Buddha, with his compassionate smile, blesses them.)

SECOND ASCETIC: Siddhartha, you are no more Siddhartha.

THIRD ASCETIC: You are the Enlightened One.

FIRST ASCETIC: O Buddha, we are bathing in the sea of your Light.

FOURTH ASCETIC: O Buddha, we are your first disciples.

ALL TOGETHER: With us the journey of your manifestation begins. With us the manifestation of your mission begins.

(The Buddha gives them a smile of compassion, joy and pride.)

BUDDHA: You have my Compassion. You have my Light. You have my Bliss, my children, my sweet children.

Sariputra, you are a fool

Dramatis personae

THE BUDDHA

SARIPUTRA (A DISCIPLE)

Scene 1

(The Buddha and his disciple Sariputra.)

SARIPUTRA: O Lord Buddha, I am sure that you are the greatest of all spiritual Masters. Nobody before you attained to your height, and nobody after you will be able to equal you. You are unparalleled. You will always remain unparalleled. Nobody has come near your realisation, and nobody will ever come near your realisation.

BUDDHA: Sariputra, how do you know that nobody before me has ever attained to what I have attained? And how do you know that nobody will surpass me in the future? How can you make this kind of utterance? Do you know anything of the past? Do you know anything of the future?

SARIPUTRA: O Lord, I do not know anything about the past or the future, but I know everything about you.

BUDDHA: Sariputra, you are a fool. You know very little about me. A spiritual Master of my calibre cannot be known totally by anybody on earth. You see my outer history, my outer life. But my inner life you do not see, you cannot see. In my outer life I do perhaps ten things a day. In my inner life I am doing millions of things daily. The inner life of a spiritual Master will always remain a mystery. The outer life of the Master may be observed, but it will not always be understood. Very often it will be misunderstood. So, Sariputra, about my outer life you know practically nothing, and about my inner life you know nothing at all.

SARIPUTRA: I know nothing, true. But I know who you are. You are my liberation and you are my All.

BUDDHA: Sariputra, do not think of the past. Do not think of the future. Think only of the present. The past we have left behind. The future has not yet arrived. To think of things that we have left behind is useless, and to think of things that have not yet happened is equally useless. Forget about the past. Forget about the future. Think only of the present. It is today that you have to aspire. It is today that you have to realise. It is today that you have to manifest. It is today that you have to conquer all your desires. It is today that you have to bring to the fore all your aspiration. It is today that you have to become what you inwardly are, the Light. It is today that you have to give to the world at large what you are, the Light.

Two disciples

Dramatis personae

FIRST DISCIPLE

SECOND DISCIPLE

MASTER

Scene 1

(Two disciples in a room in their Master’s ashram.)

FIRST DISCIPLE: I told you, I told you, I told you!

SECOND DISCIPLE: What did you tell me?

FIRST DISCIPLE: I told you that our Master has nothing. Nothing! He has no spiritual power. He has no occult power. He knows only how to talk. He talks about transcendental Reality and universal Consciousness and all about what he can do with his occult power. But it is all lies. He knows how to talk and we know how to listen to him. But he has nothing, nothing. Look, he has been suffering from his rheumatism for the last three months. If he had even an iota of occult power, he could have cured himself.

SECOND DISCIPLE: My heart tells me that he has the capacity to cure himself, but that God is asking him to have this experience.

FIRST DISCIPLE: He says he is taking on our karma, but we have done nothing. I have done nothing wrong. You and the other disciples have done nothing wrong. What happens is that he blames us when he does something wrong. Who knows what he has done wrong in the inner world? That’s why he gets punishment. And outwardly he blames us.

SECOND DISCIPLE: He never blames us. And I believe him when he says he is taking our karma.

FIRST DISCIPLE: You believe him? Then believe him. Remain with him and suffer. Die with him.

SECOND DISCIPLE: I shall die with him. Not only shall I die with him, but I shall die for him.

FIRST DISCIPLE: God created two types of people on earth: one type to deceive, another type to be deceived. One type to be rogues, the other type to be taken advantage of.

(Enter the Master. The first disciple begins to edge away. The second disciple touches the Master’s feet.)

MASTER (to the first disciple): So you know that I have no capacity, that I just brag? I am not the right Master for you. You will do the best thing by going to some other Master, or waiting for the right Master to come to you. Leave me. Go home and live peacefully. (To the second disciple.) You believe in me. It is my duty to help you, to guide you. Now tell me, do you really feel that I take your ignorance, your imperfection into my body? Or do you just say it because you have studied my philosophy and books written by others? You have read about Ramakrishna, who took away the impurity, imperfection and ignorance of his disciples and suffered so much. Many, many spiritual Masters have said they have done the same. Do you think that I am just saying it because so many of them have said it? Do you think I am only talking, or do you think I actually take these things from you?

SECOND DISCIPLE: Master, I know what you take from me. Every day you take from me insincerity, obscurity, impurity, jealousy, doubt, insecurity and many other imperfections. Where do they go? I give them to you; they come to you. If there is nobody else on earth who believes it, I don’t mind. Even if you tell me that you don’t take it, that it is your own karma, I will not believe you. I know that God is giving you this experience for my sake. If I had gone through this particular experience, perhaps I would have died.

MASTER: My child, there are two reasons why I suffer. One reason is that I really take upon myself the burdens, the imperfections, the undivine qualities of my close disciples. That is what the Supreme wants me to do. There are two ways to take this karma. One way is to take it on oneself and suffer, and the other way is to throw the imperfections of the disciples into the Cosmic Consciousness. But the easier way, infinitely easier, is to take it on oneself. It is a direct way. You are suffering, and directly I touch you and take away your suffering. The other way is like carrying you to a different place, to the Universal Consciousness. The Cosmic Consciousness can be seen as a refuse heap. I take your impurities and imperfections and make them into a bundle. Then I have to carry that bundle there and throw it away. But the other way I just touch you and, like a magnet, I take away your sufferings, your pains, your undivine qualities. That way is easier and that’s why I do it. God wants me to do this. I say to God, “God, my children love me so much and I do not love them, I don’t please them.” Then God says to me, “Look how you suffer for them. Look at your own love, My son — how sincerely, how devotedly you love them. You feel that in your children’s perfection is your perfection, which is absolutely true. They love you just because they feel that if they can possess you, they will possess everything. They love you to have you; you love them so that you can bring them to Me. You love them because you feel that if you can bring them to Me, then you have played your part. By loving you for themselves, they feel that they have played their part. And when you love them, when you bring them to Me, to your Highest, then you feel that you have played your part.” (Pauses.) Also, God has given me another reason to suffer. Many people come to me with only desire, desire, desire. They come to me only to fulfil their desires. But when they see that I am paralysed with pain, that I am also subject to suffering and disease, that I am as weak as they are, they say, “He is an invalid, he is helpless. How can he help us in any way? How is he better than us?” They feel the best thing is for them to go to somebody else who can help them, and many leave. But the truth of the matter is that God wants these people to leave me. This is the only way He can throw them out of my spiritual family. When they leave, my boat becomes lighter and can then go much faster towards the Goal. God wants desiring people, unaspiring people, to leave their Master and make the Master’s boat lighter. So these are the reasons I suffer. When a sincere disciple sees that I am suffering for him, he says, “If I really love my Master, then I should give him only joy.” So the disciple makes a promise, an inner promise: “I want him to be constantly proud of me. Nothing will give me greater joy than to see that my Master is always proud of me.” So the disciple does not make any more mistakes and the Master becomes happy and proud.

(The first disciple touches the Master’s feet.)

FIRST DISCIPLE: Master, for so long I was a faithless, inhuman creature. From today on I shall be your faithful, devoted disciple.

SECOND DISCIPLE: Master, I have been your devoted, faithful disciple for so long. Today you have told me the secret of your suffering. From today on I consider myself an important, conscious part of you. I consider myself an arm of yours. Master, your compassion is my life’s only salvation.

FIRST DISCIPLE: Master, your forgiveness is my life’s only salvation.

MASTER (to the first disciple): By recognising your stupidity, your ignorance, you have brought your divinity to the fore. (To the second disciple.) By recognising me, my spiritual Truth, you have manifested God’s Divinity on earth. You have manifested God’s Will on earth.

Akbar, Tansen and Haridas

Dramatis personae

THE EMPEROR AKBAR

TANSEN (COURT MUSICIAN OF AKBAR)

A LARGE AUDIENCE

MINISTER IN AKBAR’S COURT

HARIDAS (MASTER OF TANSEN)

Scene 1

(Akbar’s palace. A large audience has assembled before Akbar. His court musician, Tansen, is playing soul-stirring music. Tansen sings.)

Kalpana go kalpana
tumiy 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, 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 play 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 play. 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. Don’t 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. Don’t believe him, my Lord.

AKBAR: No, Tansen, I don’t 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 play here at your palace.

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

TANSEN: I can go and bring him here, but I tell you, if you force him to play, he will play, but he will never play 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 play. But he always shuns great men. If he sees that the Emperor has come, he will not play at all. If I request him, even if I plead with him, it will all 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 condescend to 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!

Scene 2

(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 play. For some time I have been longing to hear your music. Today my master, Tansen, has brought me to you. Please play.

HARIDAS: I am sorry. Today I am not in the mood to play 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 play 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 play I get tremendous joy. Today I wish you to play 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 play.

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

HARIDAS: Tansen, what is wrong with you today? Your music is absurd. You are playing 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 play well.

HARIDAS: No matter how sad you are, Tansen, I can’t imagine how you can play so badly.

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

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

(Haridas snatches away Tansen’s vina and starts playing 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 ekyi 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 ashha
hiya khani dhekechhe mor
andhar sarbanasha
alor pakhi alor pakhi
abar eso phire
jyotir dhara banan kare
namo amar shire
dak ditechha urdhe jete
jabo keman kare
bandi 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 played all wrong today. After hearing you I realise how badly I have played. Forgive me, forgive me.

AKBAR (bows): I always thought that my master was the best musician, but he was sincere enough to say that you play far better than he does. I didn’t believe him. But now that I have heard you, I know that undoubtedly you are a far better musician. 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.)

Scene 3

(Akbar’s palace.)

AKBAR: Tansen, how it is that you cannot play so well? Your master lives in a poor cottage, whereas you have all kinds of advantages and opportunities. Even then you cannot play as well as he. I appreciate your sincerity in telling me that he plays far better than you do, but I cannot account for this. Why is it? What prevents you from playing as well as he does?

TANSEN: O Emperor, I play for you, for human beings; I play for name and fame; I play for wealth. My teacher plays for God, the Lord Supreme. For him, there is only God. God is everything. I want to please human beings who live in the world of human pleasure; he wants to please the Absolute Supreme. When one plays for the world, one gets what he wants: appreciation, admiration, flattery. But when one plays for God, the Absolute, one gets God’s boundless Grace, His boundless Blessing and Transcendental Delight. God, the Infinite Compassion, enters into his music and, at every moment, he plays celestial, transcendental, soul-stirring music — music that awakens the Universal Consciousness, music that feeds the Universal Consciousness, music that manifests the Universal Consciousness in aspiring souls.

AKBAR: Tansen, you are a great musician, but your sincerity is greater than your music. Your inner depth is by far the greatest. Your inner wisdom is by far the best. I bow to your music with love. I bow to your sincerity with joy. I bow to your inner wisdom with my heart’s gratitude.

Not how many hours you meditate, but how you meditate

Dramatis personae

KRISHNA

ARJUNA

CARTMAN

Scene 1

(Krishna and Arjuna are walking along the street. All of a sudden they see a man drawing a cart loaded with flowers.)

ARJUNA: Krishna, look! A man is drawing a cart loaded with all kinds of flowers. Are they not beautiful?

KRISHNA: Yes, they are really beautiful.

ARJUNA (to the cartman): What are you doing with these flowers, my friend? Where are you going?

(The man pays no attention to Arjuna. He continues pulling the cart. Exit cartman.)

KRISHNA: Arjuna, let us follow him.

ARJUNA: That’s a nice idea.

(Exeunt Krishna and Arjuna.)

Scene 2

(The cartman has reached his destination. Enter Krishna and Arjuna.)

ARJUNA: What are you going to do with all these flowers? It seems to me that you have already brought a few cartloads of flowers here. What a huge pile of flowers I see! What are you doing with so many flowers?

MAN: I have no time to speak to you. I am now employed in serious business. I can speak only to one person on earth, and that is Bhima, the second Pandava.

ARJUNA: Why?

MAN: Don’t argue with me. He is the greatest spiritual seeker of all. When he meditates just for a minute or two before his meals, saying, “O Mighty Lord Shiva,” he offers thousands of flowers to the Lord. His concentration is most intense; his meditation is most sincere. Look, in his family he has a brother named Arjuna, who only offers one flower at a time to Lord Shiva. He just shows off, meditating for hours. God alone knows when Arjuna will come to realise that his meditation, his power of concentration, is nowhere near his brother Bhima’s.

ARJUNA: Krishna, enough humiliation! You are humiliating me in every way! Why do you humiliate me so badly?

KRISHNA: This is not humiliation, my dearest Arjuna. This is illumination. I am teaching the world through you. I wanted to teach you that it is not how many flowers you offer or how many hours you meditate that counts, but rather your power of concentration, your power of dedication. You pray to this god and that god. You want to please all the gods. You collect many flowers and offer them to Lord Shiva one by one, for two hours every day. Each time, while offering a flower, you utter the name of Lord Shiva. You think that, since you offer many flowers to Lord Shiva and the other gods for so many hours, you are the best seeker. This is your pride, O Arjuna. It was my boundless love and compassion for you that wanted to shatter your pride. O Arjuna, again and again I tell you, you are my dearest disciple, my dearest friend. You have established your eternal oneness with me.

(Arjuna sings.)

Ami tomar phul tumi amar kul
ami tomar dhenu tumi amar benu
ami tomar gan tumi amar pran
ami tomar khama tumi amar rama

(I am Your flower,
You are my Golden Shore.
I am Your divine cow,
You are my Flute, Divine Flute.
I am Your song, celestial song,
You are my Life, Eternal Life.
I am Your forgiveness,
You are my Beauty, Inner Beauty.)

Prajapati and his three students

Dramatis personae

PRAJAPATI (THE CREATOR AND THE GREATEST OF ALL SAGES)

A COSMIC GOD, A MAN, AN ASURA (STUDENTS OF PRAJAPATI)

Scene 1

(The abode of Prajapati. Enter three students for spiritual instruction: a cosmic god, a man and an asura. Prajapati is highly pleased to see them.)

PRAJAPATI: Please sit here in front of me. (All bow and are seated.) What can I do for you three? Why have you come to me?

COSMIC GOD: We have come here for spiritual instruction. We have come here to learn from you that which will really make us great and fulfil our lives.

PRAJAPATI: Wonderful, wonderful! I shall teach you. But you have to stay here for some time. Then one day I shall invite you to come before me, and I shall give you spiritual instruction, my divine advice. (All bow to Prajapati with deep gratitude.) But first of all, I wish to know if you have any special desire, something that you feel you need most in your life. Mind you, this has nothing to do with your spiritual instruction. It is just something I want to know, you can say, out of curiosity. I want to know what each one of you has as your greatest desire.

ASURA: O greatest of all sages, O peerless sage. I want to conquer the world with my vital power. I want to lord it over the world. I want to prove to the world at large that I am the greatest and most powerful here on earth and there in Heaven.

PRAJAPATI: Ah, that is a splendid wish! (Turning towards the man.) Now, what about your desires?

MAN: O Creator, O Father of the entire universe, my sole desire is to become one with your whole creation. With my heart’s pure, soulful love, I want to become inseparably one with your entire creation — totally one with each human being, with each creature, with each object that you have created here on earth.

PRAJAPATI: That is a splendid idea! Indeed, it is a splendid wish. (Turning towards the god.) And what do you want most in your life?

COSMIC GOD: O Absolute, O sage of the highest magnitude, O peerless one, O transcendental one, I wish to illumine the universe with my soul’s Light. I wish to illumine your entire creation with my soul’s divine Light.

PRAJAPATI: Indeed, that is a marvellous desire! (To all.) I have three rooms here — one for each of you. Every day you will be served food in your rooms, and you will spend all your time in meditation. I shall call you when I feel that you are ready to receive my instruction.

(Exeunt the three students, bowing to Prajapati.)

Scene 2

(The cosmic god, the man and the asura meet together in another hall of the house.)

ASURA: I know I can easily become the most powerful being both in Heaven and on earth. I know I have that capacity. I am not bragging, I tell you. What I say is just a mere fact.

MAN: I know that I can be the most loving person on earth. My heart has the capacity to love everyone and everything on earth. I know I shall do it. God has given me the most loving heart, and I shall utilise it; I shall offer it to serve Him in His creation.

COSMIC GOD: I know I shall be able to illumine the whole world with my soul’s Light. God has given me that capacity, and He wants me to use it to illumine His creation. I will do it, and when I have done it, I will see God’s Face brimming with transcendental Delight, for my success is undoubtedly His success.

Scene 3

(The three students come before Prajapati and bow to him.)

PRAJAPATI: Today it is time for me to give you my spiritual instruction, my divine advice. I wish to advise each of you separately. We will start with the god. (The god bows to Prajapati.) Now tell me, what kind of advice do you actually want from me?

COSMIC GOD: O Prajapati, you know what is best for me. I want my life to be really fruitful, meaningful and soulful.

PRAJAPATI: Da. (On hearing this the god is struck with confusion.) It seems that you have not understood my instruction. Go over there for a while and meditate on what I have said. Come back when you have understood my advice. We shall meditate here until you return.

(The god bows to Prajapati and moves away, out of their sight. The other three meditate together.)

COSMIC GOD: I don’t understand it. I thought he would give me some special teaching, something that would illumine me all at once so that I could illumine the world. But what he has said, I do not understand at all. Let me meditate on it… (Meditates.) Ah, I have found the answer.

(The god rushes back to Prajapati.)

PRAJAPATI: So, you have understood what I said?

COSMIC GOD: Yes, my Lord, I have understood.

PRAJAPATI: Then tell me.

COSMIC GOD (with folded hands): You want me to lead a most disciplined life; you want me to control all my senses. You want me to live a life of total discipline and perfect Perfection.

PRAJAPATI (overjoyed): Yes, my child, you have understood my advice; you have understood my philosophy. (To the man.) Now it is your turn. (The man comes with folded hands.) Tell me what you actually want. What kind of advice do you need?

MAN: My Lord, I want you to tell me how I can feel that my life has special meaning on earth. I want to lead a life of happiness and fulfilment. This is all that I want.

PRAJAPATI: Da.

(The man is totally confused. He cannot make anything out of it.)

PRAJAPATI: Ah, I know it is difficult for you. Now you can move away from here for a little while and meditate on what I have said, and come back when you have understood it. It may take a little while, but we shall wait for you here.

(The man bows to Prajapati and goes aside. Prajapati, the god and the asura meditate together.)

MAN (from a distance): I will never understand this Prajapati. Just one word — Da. What does he mean? What does he actually mean? What does he want me to understand? I thought he would tell me something very deep and secret, something sacred that would give me all joy, all satisfaction, all perfection, all at once. Instead of doing that, he just says Da. I can make neither head nor tail of it. Anyway, let me meditate on Da and if I get any answer, I will go back to him… (Meditates.) Aah, I have found the answer!

(The man rushes back to Prajapati.)

PRAJAPATI: It seems you have found the answer; you have understood my advice. Now tell me what you have learned.

MAN: Ah, my Lord, at long last I have understood what you meant. You want me to give everything that I have and everything that I am. All that I have and all that I am you want me to give away freely, soulfully, devotedly and unconditionally to the world at large. Am I correct?

PRAJAPATI (joyfully): Right, you are absolutely correct, absolutely correct, my son; you have understood my advice; you have understood my philosophy. (To the asura.) Come up, please.

(The asura comes before him and bows with folded hands.)

PRAJAPATI: Your two friends have understood my philosophy. I am sure you will also easily understand my philosophy. But before I teach you, I would like to ask you what you actually want. Is there anything specific that you need from me which will really help you in every way?

ASURA: My Lord, I want you to decide on my behalf. I don’t know what will actually make me the most powerful and the happiest being at the same time. Please, make me the happiest and the most powerful.

PRAJAPATI: Indeed, that is a splendid desire. Now here is my advice — Da.

ASURA: Confusion, all confusion! You have thrown me into a sea of confusion! I do not know what it all means.

PRAJAPATI: O my son, do not be disturbed, do not be confused. Like these two, you can also move away from here and meditate on it for a while. I am sure you will understand my advice. And when you get the answer, come back to me. In the meantime, we shall meditate here.

(The asura bows to Prajapati with folded hands and moves away.)

ASURA (from a distance): What does this old man mean? This old man has no sense. I came to him for power, only power. If he had given me advice on how to acquire boundless power, I would have been the happiest person on earth. Here, there, everywhere I want to be the Lord, the Lord Supreme. I want the whole world to be at my feet, but he didn’t understand me; he didn’t feel my heart’s desire. Now I am all confused. He has simply thrown me into a sea of confusion, this old man. I thought he would at least use some Sanskrit phrases, some mantras. They say that in Sanskrit mantras there is tremendous power. I would repeat them millions of times in order to get power. But he didn’t use any. I thought that he would ask me to repeat a particular portion of the scriptures, but he didn’t do that. I thought that he would disclose some secret and, with that secret, I would be able to lord it over the whole world, and make the world touch the dust of my feet. But alas, he just said Da. I am helpless and I am hopeless. I came to him for help, but I am helpless with what he has said to me. Anyway, what can I do? This is my fate, my deplorable fate. Let me meditate on his stupid word, Da. (Meditates.) Aah, I have understood, I have understood! It is so easy, so easy!

(The asura runs to Prajapati.)

PRAJAPATI: So, you have understood my philosophy, I am sure. Tell me about it.

ASURA (with folded hands): I have understood the depth of your philosophy. It means that I must be compassionate, be affectionate, be full of concern all the time. Am I correct?

PRAJAPATI (overjoyed): You are absolutely correct, my child. You have understood the very depth of my philosophy. Be compassionate. Let your outer being and inner being be full of compassion. In all that you say, in all that you do, show only compassion, a flood of compassion. Only then, here on earth and there in Heaven, will everybody appreciate you, admire you and adore you. Be a sea of limitless compassion. (To all.)

PRAJAPATI: O cosmic god, O man, O asura, I am satisfied with your understanding of my spiritual instruction. Go back to your homes and, from now on, do the things that you have learnt. O asura, use your compassion as power. O man, use your love as power. O cosmic god, use your illumination, your Light, as power. Asura, your compassion is your boundless power. Man, your love is your infinite power. God, your Light is your transcendental power. When you three work together my Dream becomes my Reality, and my Dream-Boat touches the Golden Shore of the ever-transcending Beyond. It is you three who can manifest me, fulfil me and make me feel that my creation is something of which I can be eternally proud. Only your loving concern for me, your total dedication to me, your constant oneness with me can make my creation and cosmic manifestation Divine, Immortal and Perfect. You will make my world a land of Beauty, a land of Light and Delight, a land of Love, a land of Compassion, a land of Illumination, a land of Perfection and a land of absolute Fulfilment. You can do it, and you must do it. Once it is done, I, the Creator, will dance with highest pride and deepest gratitude.

(The three students bow.)

MAN: We shall do it, we shall do it. We shall please you, we shall fulfil you, we shall be your most chosen instruments. Through us you will manifest yourself on earth.

COSMIC GOD: In us and through us you will offer your Light to Heaven.

ASURA: O Prajapati, we are of you and we are for you.

PRAJAPATI: My children, you three are of me, you three are for me. From now on I will be nothing but a garland of gratitude if you fulfil my desire, my aspiration, my realisation.

ASURA: O Prajapati, we shall do it, we shall do it, we shall do it! With your boundless Light, with your boundless Love, with your boundless Compassion, we shall do it.

MAN: You are ours and we are yours. Forever we shall take part in your cosmic Lila and fulfil you here, there, everywhere. Today, tomorrow, eternally, we shall work together. Together we shall be in your heart to love you, to please you, to fulfil you. Together we shall play with you, sing with you, dance with you.

COSMIC GOD: Together we shall run towards the highest Goal, which is You, You the eternal Reality, the everlasting, the ever-fulfilling, the ever-illumining Reality.

(Prajapati blesses his students with tearful gratitude.)

PRAJAPATI: I offer you not only my gratitude but all my pride, because in you I have found three most worthy students.

THE THREE STUDENTS: We offer you our deepest gratitude, deepest love, deepest adoration; everything that is divine in us. In you we have found our Haven, our Goal.

I am fallen

Dramatis personae

A GREAT MASTER

HIS DISCIPLE (ALSO A GURU)

KING (DISCIPLE OF THE GURU)

MINISTER

Scene 1

(The home of a great Master. Enter his disciple, who is also a Guru.)

DISCIPLE: Master, Master, I need your blessing.

MASTER: Blessing? What for?

DISCIPLE: O Master, you know that the King has been bothering me for a long time. He wants me to initiate him. He says he is an old man and may die at any moment, so he needs initiation. Yesterday I finally agreed to do it. I told him that I would this evening initiate him. Now I have come here for your blessing, Master.

MASTER: You fool! How can you initiate the King? Don’t you know that he has been wallowing in the pleasures of ignorance all his life? He has led an absolutely corrupt life, and you want to initiate him? Does he have one iota of purity or sincerity, not to speak of spirituality? How can you dare to initiate him? I can’t bless you. Go and initiate him. It is your problem.

DISCIPLE: Master, he pleaded with me on so many occasions that this time I could not refuse. What shall I do now?

MASTER: Do whatever you like. You have to pay the penalty for your foolishness. And it is not only foolishness. There is also a subtle ego, an unconscious ego involved, which you have not noticed.

DISCIPLE: Master, I didn’t know anything about that ego. How has it attacked me?

MASTER: My son, you won’t like to hear this, but I know you will understand. When you initiate the King, everybody will come to learn about it and they will think, “What a great spiritual Master he is.” You will become famous overnight, and there, I tell you, your spiritual progress will end.

DISCIPLE: Master, Master, save me, save me! If I don’t initiate him, the King will punish me; and if I do initiate him, my spiritual life will be ruined. What am I going to do, Master? Please help me. I am at your feet.

MASTER: Go and initiate the King and then come back to me. Let me see what I can do for you.

(The disciple touches the Master’s feet with deepest gratitude and leaves.)

Scene 2

(The King is ready for initiation. He has shaved his head and cut off his beard and is sitting in front of the spiritual teacher. The King sings.)

He jogiraj dikkha amai dao go aji dikkha
rupantarer amar bani pabo aji shikkha
ghurbona ar dure dure
nachbo shudhu hriday pure
gaibo giti premer sure
dekhbo amai pran mukure
nirabatar lagi ami magi aji bhikkha

(O Yogi of the highest magnitude, initiate me.
Today offer me your initiation.
Today I shall learn the immortal message of transformation from you.
I shall not wander any more in the farthest corners of the world.
I shall only dance in the city of my heart.
Inside the city of my heart I shall sing songs of Love Divine,
And I shall see myself in the mirror of my sanctified heart.
Today I beg of you to offer me only one thing: silence, silence.
O Yogi of the highest magnitude, initiate me today.)

(The King touches his feet.)

KING: You have taken all my impurity, all my imperfections. In return I give you my whole kingdom and all its wealth. Anything you want from me is yours. O Guru, I am at your command. My royal family is at your command. My subjects are at your command. And all my possessions are at your command.

GURU: O King, from now on I expect you to lead a spiritual life, a divine life. From your example, your kingdom will begin a new life, a life of purity, a life of renunciation, a life of divine perfection.

KING: Guru, I know, I know. I am most grateful to you for initiating me. I was not worthy of being initiated, but from now on, through my acts, I shall prove to you that I can be what you want me to be, and I shall not betray your trust.

(The King sings.)

Jagiyachhe bishwanath asundar prane
chalilam shashwater ahana sandhane

(The Lord of the Universe is awakened inside the heart of ugliness itself.
Now towards the Eternal Dawn I march,
I run towards the Eternal Dawn.)

(The Guru blesses the King with joy and pride, and then leaves.)

Scene 3

(The King’s Guru comes to his own Master.)

MASTER: So? You are becoming famous now. Unconsciously you wanted name and fame, and it shall soon be yours. Thousands and thousands of people will come to know about you and a great many will want to become disciples of the King’s Guru. You have no idea what you have done to your spiritual life. You have taken boundless impurity, ugliness, filth, ignorance and inconscience from the King. You have fallen, you have fallen. You have fallen far beyond your imagination.

(The disciple touches the Master’s feet.)

DISCIPLE: Oh Master, forgive me, forgive me. Please purify me.

MASTER: There is only one way you can be forgiven.

DISCIPLE: Tell me, please. I will do anything.

MASTER: Get a large sign and write on it: “I am fallen, I am fallen. By initiating the King, I am fallen.” Write it down. (The disciple gets a sign and writes it down.) In bold letters.

DISCIPLE: Yes, Master.

MASTER: Now tie it around your neck with some string. (The disciple does it.) Now you must walk around the city and let everyone see what you have done.

DISCIPLE: Oh Master, if the citizens see this, what will happen to me? The King’s anger will know no bounds. He will punish me severely.

MASTER: I know, I know. The King will arrest you, the King will punish you, the King will do everything. But if you want to be forgiven by God, then you have to do it. Only by being sincere and truthful will you be forgiven.

DISCIPLE: What you say is true. I am going. I shall walk along the street with this confession draped around my neck.

Scene 4

(The King in his palace. Enter a minister.)

MINISTER: Your Majesty, do you know what your Guru is doing? He is walking around the streets mocking you. He is wearing a sign around his neck which says: “I am fallen, I am fallen. By initiating the King, I am fallen.”

(The King becomes furious.)

KING: What! What an insult! First he initiates me and then he laughs at me, telling the world that I am corrupt and useless! He shall see the power of my anger! Have him arrested.

(Exit Minister. In a few minutes the King’s Guru is brought in.)

KING: What kind of audacity do you cherish? What kind of stupidity do you enjoy? Your insolence knows no bounds!

GURU: O King, I am helpless. I too have a Master, and because I initiated you my Master is totally disgusted with me. He says that you did not deserve initiation, that only a spiritual person, a sincere seeker can be initiated. You have done countless wrong things. You have led an undivine, unspiritual life, and I initiated you before you were actually ready for spiritual life. That is why my Master is furious with me. He said that only if I acknowledge my mistake by wearing this sign will God forgive me.

KING: So it is your Master who is causing me this disgrace! That rogue! I knew you were a sincere man, a good man. You would not have caused me such embarrassment. Your Master will be arrested and you will be freed. Your Master will be thrown into my deepest dungeon and left there for the rest of his life. (To Minister.) Minister, have my Guru’s Master arrested and brought here immediately!

(In a few minutes the Master is brought before the King.)

KING: Aaah, you fool, you rogue, you rascal! What embarrassment you have caused me! How you have disgraced my royal family and my dear subjects! You know what you have done! I will not waste a moment more on you. You shall spend the rest of your life in prison.

(The disciple-Guru bursts into tears.)

GURU: Oh no, oh no. It is impossible. Oh King, it is I who have initiated you, and it is I who should pay the penalty. Let me remain in prison for the rest of my life, but don’t punish my Master. He has hundreds and thousands of disciples. They will be fatherless.

KING: Let his disciples be fatherless! He has made me an object of ridicule. He has mocked me, as though I were some insignificant creature. This is my kingdom, this is my world. And I sentence him to lifelong imprisonment.

Scene 5

(One week later. The King’s Guru has been fasting to protest his Master’s imprisonment. He is visiting his Master in jail.)

MASTER: Since I am eating, you should also eat.

DISCIPLE: No, until I can bring about your release, I will not eat. It is I who have been the cause of your suffering. It is I who deserve punishment. If I had not initiated the King, he would have punished me. But by initiating him, I have involved you in the picture, and now I shall not rest until I have saved you.

MASTER: No, I involved myself. When you came to me I could have said to you, “Yes, it is a splendid idea. You have done the right thing.” But I told you that it was wrong of you to initiate the King. It is my fault that I am here. I should have kept silent.

DISCIPLE: How could you have kept silent? When your spiritual son does something wrong it is your duty to correct him, to perfect him. It is through this humiliation that I can enter into the domain of perfection. How could you have ignored me, how could you have been indifferent to me? You did the right thing, you did your duty. You showed me your utmost concern and for that I am most grateful. (The Master smiles.) I shall not leave you here. I shall fast unto death, if need be.

Scene 6

(The King’s palace.)

MINISTER: Your Majesty, your preceptor will soon die from his fast, and then some calamity may take place. Please forgive my saying this, your Majesty, but if your Guru dies in the palace in this way, your subjects may misunderstand.

KING: Call him. Bring him here.

(Exit Minister.)

(Minister returns with King’s Guru, who has become extremely weak from fasting and can hardly walk.)

KING: O Master, O Guru, tell me what you wish.

GURU: O King, you know what I want. I want you to release my Master. I initiated you, I pleased you. Now you please me. Release my Master.

KING (to Minister): Bring me a large piece of paper. (Minister brings the paper. The King writes something on it, saying each word as he puts it down.) “I am illumined. I am illumined by the initiation of my Guru.” (Puts the sign around his neck.) Now, let us go to see your Master.

(Exeunt omnes.)

Scene 7

(The prison. Enter the King, Minister and Guru. The King and his Guru both have their signs on.)

KING: I have come here to set you free. Now, have you anything to say? Whatever you do, I shall gladly accept.

(The Master places his right hand on the King’s head and his left hand on his disciple’s head.)

MASTER (to the King): My blessing illumines you. (To his disciple.) My blessing forgives you and liberates you.

Editor's introduction to the first edition

These thirteen plays offer guidance as direct and soul-elevating as that given by a Guru to one of his close disciples. Indeed these are dramatised teachings of a great spiritual Master, Sri Chinmoy, who teaches in many ways, but most revealingly through personal communication. Even though the one-to-one equation cannot be present in a book, the demands on disciples as stated in the plays indicate his concern with personal action and understanding as vitally necessary to spiritual well-being and progress.

Although these plays are only fragments of a total teaching which includes as its means of expression poems, essays, short stories, lectures, songs, music, philosophic articles, questions and answers, aphorisms, all in prodigious quantity and soul-elevating quality, the impact of the teaching is heightened by the play form. And these fragments are connected to Sri Chinmoy’s total teaching by his sure knowledge of what is necessary for God-realisation and God-manifestation. Anyone who has close contact with Sri Chinmoy understands that this observation is an understatement. There is never a false note sung by this Singer of the Song Divine. He is all-compassion, all-wisdom, all-love, all-power and bliss.

His handling of the play form allows no superfluity. All is exposed and concentrated as though on an operating table by a master surgeon. It is a matter of life or death of the spirit. If you choose life the plays suggest specific choices:

First, to raise your prayer to the highest:

Second, to purify your understanding: Third, to transform your personal actions: Writing about thirteen plays out of a vast total work is a little like the blind man touching the tail of an elephant and describing the elephant as a rope. In a deeper sense the tail contains the essence of the whole elephant, and if the blind man can see with his inner vision, nothing will be hidden from him.

The reader’s inner vision can connect the teachings of the plays to the whole body of Sri Chinmoy’s work, and especially to the reader’s own life. The guidance contained in the plays can then carry on God’s play in earnest for the general reader as well as carry on the continuing saga of those of us already caught in Sri Chinmoy’s spiritual net.