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Prashanthi Bullettin -
September 28th, 2005
September 28th, 2005
This evening was again a very lucky one for all devotees and
students. The Higher Secondary School students of the X
class had been preparing to stage a Sanskrit Drama for a
very long time, close to a year. Swami had said that He
would give them an opportunity. Their fortunate moment had
come and Swami had given His consent for the Drama to be
staged this evening.
All the participants were seated in their costumes during
Darshan time. A huge backdrop with a black curtain was
placed at the rear end of the Kulwant Hall. The title of the
drama was put up on the backdrop in white letters - Satyam
Vada Dharmam Chara - which also happens to be the motto of
our Institute. At Darshan time, Bhagawan came in the car and
went out of the Kulwant Hall. After a while, Swami returned
and went into the interview room.
All the participants were waiting anxiously for Swami's
green signal. At 4.00 p.m. Swami came out of the interview
room and sat on the dais, right at the centre. All the drama
boys had taken their position behind the backdrop. Vedam
chanting continued for a while and at 4.05 p.m. Swami asked
them to begin their drama. A few boys came forward with a
beautiful large card giving the details of the programme.
Swami Blessed the card and the boys.
The drama began with a dance to the song 'Ramana Ramudu
Kodanda Ramudu?' The dance was very well choreographed and
concluded with a dialogue between two fathers whose sons
happen to study at Swami's School and have currently
returned home for their Diwali vacations. Both of them feel
privileged to be fathers of children who study at Swami's
school. The dance was part of the initiative taken by one of
the sons to celebrate Deepavali. The other son had gathered
the Balvikas children of his locality and had arranged for a
presentation in the evening. Both fathers prepare to go for
the presentation.
Now begin the Sanskrit skits. Two Chinna Kathas written by
Swami were depicted through a Sanskrit play, one
illustrating the power of 'Satyam Vada' and the other
demonstrating the importance of 'Dharmam Chara'.
The first play: There is a thief in town who happens to
stumble into the premises of a Guru who is teaching his
disciples. The thief approaches the sage and pleads with him
to help him out. He has taken to this profession out of
compulsion, to feed his family. He is unable to give up all
his bad habits, including stealing. The sage advises him for
a while and demands the thief to give up just one bad habit
of his and that would take care of his welfare. The thief
ruminates a lot and unable to give up drinking, gambling and
stealing; finally decides to give up speaking lies which was
very common for him.
The sage is pleased and blesses the thief. The next day, as
the thief is getting ready at night to take his loot from
some house near the palace, he spots another man who
questions him as to what he was doing here. In fact that man
was the king in disguise taking rounds of inspection at
night. The thief, remembering his promise to the sage,
confesses that he was a thief and was getting ready to steal
for the night. The king was very impressed at the honesty of
the thief. Suddenly, the king gets a bright idea and wishes
to check the security system at his own palace. Therefore,
he tells the thief that he too was a thief and would help
him in stealing from the palace treasury provided he was
ready to share the loot equally amongst themselves. The
thief immediately agrees to this.
The king in disguise guides the thief very easily to the
treasury of the palace. There, among other gems and jewels,
he shows the thief a box containing three very precious
diamonds. The thief is thrilled. He takes one and gives the
second to the king in disguise and leaves the third in the
box. The king is surprised and asks him to pick up the third
one too. At this the thief replies that he had promised to
share the loot equally. So how could they share the third
one? Besides, he says that the purpose of looting was only
to sustain the family and not to hoard wealth. The king was
again stunned at the genuineness of the thief.
The next day in the palace, the king raises the issue of the
theft and sends his treasurer to check the treasury. The
treasurer returns stating that all was fine but the three
diamonds had gone. Now the king is shocked. He realizes that
there is something fishy. He sends the treasurer again to
search properly and meanwhile calls for the thief from the
village. On enquiry, the thief honestly narrates the entire
episode.
Finally, the king having his own suspicions orders the
treasurer to be searched. To everybody's dismay and shock,
they find the second diamond inside the turban of the
treasurer. But all are surprised as to how the king knew all
this. Then the king removes the third diamond from his robe
and narrates the whole story to his courtiers.
Needless to say, the treasurer is given the pink slip and
the erstwhile thief is now appointed as the treasurer of the
palace treasury. That is the power of 'Satyam Vada'. Just
following one virtue made the thief into a nobleman!
The second skit - Dharmam Chara. The sage Mahatapa was very
arrogant of his spiritual prowess. He had gained several
powers on account of his yogic practices. Once while
performing his tapas, a bird showers its droppings on him.
Furious with the bird, the sage mutters that he should burn
the bird into ashes. Even as the sage utters these words the
bird literally burns into ashes. The sage realizing the
power of his words is filled with great pride. With all his
pride and arrogance he goes into a nearby village to beg for
alms.
He goes to one house and shouts - Bhavati Bikshan Dehi. The
housewife calls out from inside that she is serving her
husband and therefore the sage should wait for a while.
Hearing this reply, the sage gets very annoyed. Who was this
unworthy lady who could make a sage like him wait for alms?
Sensing his anger from within the house, the woman shouts
back, "Don't think you can burn me like the bird in the
forest'.
Hearing this, the sage was shocked. How did this lady come
to know of an incident that occurred somewhere deep inside
the forest some time back? Amazed at her omnipresence, he
then pleads with her to reveal the secret of her powers. She
confesses that she had done no great penance. All that she
did was serve her husband with total commitment and
devotion. That was her Svadharma. She then advises the sage
to go to the butcher in Mithilapuri and seek wisdom from
him.
This further shocks the sage. How could a mere butcher
impart wisdom to him? Yet, out of curiosity he goes to
Mithilapuri and seeks for the butcher. The butcher welcomes
the sage saying, "O so the lady sent you to me, please
come'. Again the sage is dumbfounded to find all these
people manifesting such omnipresence.
The butcher then explains how it is most important for each
one to do their duty perfectly. Atmadharma is most
important. One need not go to the forest and do penance.
Staying in the society and performing ones own duties, but
with detachment and offering everything to the Lord, is by
itself a great Sadhana.
This Upanishadic play concluded by quoting Swami's statement
- Hands in society and Head in the forest. Both plays were
very well presented. The Sanskrit was so lucid and simple
that all of us could easily understand all the dialogues. In
fact the public applauded after every scene, proof that all
could understand very well.
As the final scene came up, wrapping up the play, Swami went
into the interview room. Spirits were a little down. But
yet, the students continued the play. As they were about to
complete the final group song, Swami again came out into
their midst and there was loud applause. They repeated the
final song. Swami smiled, clapped and Blessed them with
Abhaya Hasta. All of them were Blessed with group photos.
Swami spoke to some of them too.
He sat for a while showering the Blessing of His Darshan on
all of them. At around 5.05 p.m., He took Aarti and retired
for the day. The X class boys were filled with joy. The Lord
had finally answered their prayers and had given them an
opportunity to offer their play at His Lotus Feet. Enthused
by their success, plans are already on for the XI and XII
class drama!!
Source:
http://radiosai.org/pages/PB.htm
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