NANDUAL

PLAY OF BILVAMANGALA

Bv: How far is Vrndavan? Can anyone say? Can anyone help a blind man find his way? Where is Vrndavan? Does anyone know how far? OH!! What's the use? Who'll hearme? I have lost my way. God knows where I am. The holy men say go to Vrndavan. There you can meditate on the supreme Lord Sri Krsna and you can die in peace. Well I can die in peace anywhere. Do you hear that my Lord I can die in peace anywhere.

?Nandulal?

NL: I heard you. Old man! You certanly have a loud voice.

BV: Who's there?

NL: Only a cowherd boy. I've come because you're disturbing my cows with your shouting. I brought you a bowl of hot milk to calm you down.

BV: Hot milk? From where?

Nl: From a householder near by. Surely you must hear the bells from their evening worship?

BV: Ah yes the bells. Now the sun sets in the west. Another day has come and gone.

NL: Come sit down over here. Sit down and rest yourself and drink.

BV: (sitting) Ah. (drinking) AH!!! you are kind to an old man. This milk is delicious tell me what is your name? My name is Bilvamangal. And yours?

NL: My name is Nandulal. I'm a cowherd boy in this village.

BV: And what village is that?

NL: The village of Vrndavan.

BV: Vrndavan? The land of Krsna? Oh!! Vrndavan I'm here at last. Nandulal. Please describe this place to me.

NL: Well...there's not much to describe. Just a bunch of trees.

BV: Just a bunch of trees?! (aughing) Why don't you know these are special trees. They are kalpa vrkasa, wish fulfulling trees. Beneath their roots lie valuable stones and jewels. These trees can whatever you want. Tell me, are you from Vrndavan.?

NL: I've lived here practically all my life.

BV: Well I'm supriesed that you don't know about these things but I suppose you're just a simple cowherd boy. You're very fortunate to live in this special place just depending upon Krsna's land and Krsna's cows. Since time imemorial saints have made pilgrimage here. To meditate in these forests. To bathe in

the river Yamuna. Because Lord Krsna had his pastimes here. And you live here, where these pastimes unfolded and all you see is a bunch of trees?

Krsna: Well Old man if you wish to meditate and become god there is no sense in wasting you time with me.

BV: One cannot become god. My little friend. God is already God.

NL: Everyone comes here with a different story. Some say nature's God. Come say we can become God. Some say there is no God.

BV: Well who gives them the power to say such things? They may say so much but one cannot even speak, or hear, or see by his own strengt. At the time of death everyting stops and nobody can stop death. It is the Supreme Lord Krsna who is giving them the power to speak. And you live in Krsna's own abode. You should know this.

NL: Give me your hand and I'll show you the????

NL: You know old man I'll like you.

BV: (laughs) And I like you too Nandulal. Tell me, how can one go the river Yamuna? Upon coming here one must bathe in it's waters and chant Hare Krsqna. Then one can be clean both externaly and internaly.!!!

NL: Give me your hand and I'll show you ?the way.?

BV: Nandulal, better that you find yourself some rich merchant and then he reward you for your kindness. I'm just a blind man. I have nothing.

NL: Then you are qualified. Come it's getting late it's time for your evening bath.

Scene Two

Opens with BV: (singing Govinda Jaya Jaya himself) Sitting alone in Vrndavan I

am getting so many realizations. I have nothing. Everyone has abandoned me. But it gives me a laugh. Where's my affectionate mother and father now? Where are my elders? Where are my friends and lovers? Where have they gone? Who will give me news of them? All that is left in this life is a list of names. No more mother, father, friends and relatives. They come together for a brief moment in eternal time and then, -finished. We try so hard to enjoy that which is destined to die.

Oh Krsna, you have shown me that naked form of existance. By your strength it has tastless to me. Dear Krsna how kind you are. Hare Krsna (he begins to sing and Nadulal comes in and sits down beside him)

BV: Nandulal is that you?

NL: Of course it's me. Are you expecting anyone else? I brought your milk.

BV: You are very sweet to bring me this hot milk at the end of each day. How wonderful Nanulal tell me, have you ever thought about growing old?

NL: Growing old? No!

BV: Some day you'll be old like me.

NL: I will?

BV: In our youth we never think about things like that. We think our youth will last forever and ever but then suddenly our whole life is gone. Therefore we should always remember Krsna. We must understand that we are eternal spirit souls. Not only you and I but the trees and the ants and all living creatures great and small. We are all parts of God. If we become pure at heart we can see Krsna everywhere.

NL: Is that why you chant so much. Everyday when I come here you are always chanting.

BV: Yes you should also chant.

NL: This meditation is for saints and yogis. I'm only a cowherd boy.

BV: No my friend. It's for everyone. Everyone is inquiring as to the goal of life.

Nl: Everyone?

BV: Yes everyone is asking questions. The birds are getting up early in the morning asking chirp where is the worm. And the spider is waiting in his web asking when will the fly land on my web. And the dogs are all barking woof woof....What do you want? Who do you think you are? Keep away from here woof woof... So each of us is asking questions. But what are our questions? Where is something to eat? How can I defend myself? Who will give me sex life? Where will I find a place to sleep? These are ours questions. But when one comes to the questions of soul then he has come to the something real. When will I be free from attachement to this mundane world? Oh my Lord when ?I? will my eyes be decorated with tears of love flowing constantly while I chant you Holy Name. Hare Krsna.

NL: The name of Krsna is very special.

BV: Yes and I'll tell you a secret.

NL: What kind of secret?

BV: The holy name of Krsna is not an ordinary sound. Golokera premadhana Hari Nama Sankirtana. It is decending to us directly from His eternal abode therefore we should humbly chant Hare Krsna.

NL: Old man you're funny, speaking so much philosophy to a little boy. Come, it's getting late. It's time for your evening bath.

BV: Nandulal as we walk together let's chant Hare Krsna (begins chanting) Well? NL: I can't do that.

BV: No?

NL: If my friends see me chanting I don't know what they'll say.

BV: Oh Nandulal.

NL: But you go on. I like when you chant.

BV: Alright then. (Begins chanting and they exit)

Scene 3

BV: (having bhajan Nandulal comes in and joins him for a few mantras) How very fortunate to grow up in the place like this. Nandulal make me a promise.

NL: What kind of promise?

BV: Promise me that you will never leave Vrndavan. There's no need for you to ever leave here.

NL: Well I'm certainly not going to make that kind of promise. There's a big world around us. So much to look forward to.

BV: What's to look forward to? Birth, death, disease, old age? That's what everyone has to look forward to. Nothing more. But you are a young boy and I an old man. Young boys reraly listen to the advice of old men.

NL: Old man, what did you do before you came here? When you were young?

BV: When I was young boy like you I would sit stare out the window at the blue sky, and the horizont and the cloud. But I was bored?

NL: What is bored?

BV: Well it's ... well when you come from a rich family like me...I never had to worry about where to sleep or what to eat. Always dressed in the finest cloth

and when I grew I married a chaste wife. I had friends family and I never had to work. In other words I was miserable. I didn't know what to do with myself. By and by I became a woman hunter. Finally I took up with a prostitute. Oh! Nandulal I shouldn't polute your mind with this nonsense besides I've come here to forget the past and devote myself completely to Lord Krsna.

NL: She must have been very beautiful.

BV: Who?

NL: The prostitute!

BV: Nandulal, for God's sake! You're not helping me at all dragging up the madness of my past life.

NL: I think you should tell me all about it old man.

BV: How can you ask such a thing?

NL: In that way I can benefit from your experience, so I won't make the same mistake myself. You own it to me. Tell me what was her name?

BV: Her name was Cintamani. She was enough to drive a man crazy. Soft lips, beautiful form, everything a man can desire. Except for one thing, she didn't give a damn about anyone she just wanted a money. I was an addict for that woman I even left my father's funeral to go to her. In fact there was a horrible storm that night. I'll never forget it! Lightning flashed everywhere. It rained so hard you couldn't see two feet in front of you. And I had to cross the river. So I ran to several boatman "Please take me across. Common boatman take me across. I have to get across the river." None of them would take me. They all thought I was crazy. But I was ready to risk my life to spend night with her. What did I care? I had practically given her every penny I had. She had me on a hook. For her I flapped about like a fish out of water. I saw a log drifting by the shore line. I jumped in and grabbed onto it. Holding onto it for dear life, I crossed the raging river. When I reached the other side I saw what I'd been holding on to a corpse. When I reached her place I had to scale the wall, but not arope or vine.

???: Oh no. A cobra was hanging right there. Have you seen the way they hang? I should be dead dead. Finally when I entered her room she was amazed. Amazed that I could even think of coming to her ?room she was amazed? in such a storm. Then she spoke to me in a strange way, "You risked your life for me, a prostitute? What a fool you are. So much attached to this bag of flesh and blood. This body that you are so fond of will soon grow old and die. Then what will you do? If only you were so attached to Lord Krsna, then you could achieve something trully good." I couldn't believe my ears but somehow her words penetrated into my

stone like heart. I trembeled and I felt my whole existance change. Well I became a mendicant. I walked here and there. I fasted, and performed austerities but in the core of my heart I was still obsessed by lust. Then one day, in the market place, I saw a women of greatest beaty. My deceitful eyes declared "Here is a treasure that will bring me happiness". Oh! Foolish I followed her home

and there I approached her husband who invited me to stay with them. "I have a request to make of you", I said. "Of course you are a sadhu you are a guest in my home I will give you what ever you want." "I want your wife." He was shoked but he agreed. Yes, of course whether good or ill I cannot refuse a guest whatever your intentions." That night I entered her room. There she waited me shy and afraid. "I can't understand this. This couple is making such a sacrifice just to appease my lust. Why they're just like a mother and father to me. Oh my Lord I don't want this. I don't want this. Then I spoke to her. "Mother oh mother, please give me your hair pins. Yes your hair pin. Now go. Lust my eternal enemy burns like fire and is never satisfied and by lust I am carried away to a land where all that matters is desires of the body.

BV: I forget that I am spirit would and even worse I forget my dear most friend Sri Krsna. Blinded by lust my eye betray me. So I blind them (screams and

covers his eyes).

NL: Old man!!

BV: Oh Vrdnavan. Upon coming here even the greatest problems of life are easily solved.

NL: Old man you are very brave. You have given up everything for your Krsna. Come, it's getting late. It's time for your evening bath.

?repetition

BV: Oh Vrndavan. Upon coming here even the greatest preoblems of life are easily solved.

NL: Old man you are very brave. You have given up everything for your Krsna. Come, it's getting late. It's time for your evening bath.

??????

BV: Nandulal promise me you'll never leave Vrndavan.

NL: I promise. I'll never leave.

Scene Four

BV: (having Bhajan strained and impatient, slowly) Where is he? It's past his time. What's keeping him? Oh my heart. Oh, Nandulal where are you? Oh! Who is this Nandulal that I should worry about him so? How has this affection come about. Just because he brings me milk every day?! If only I could have so much love for Krsna. Oh Nandulal. What will I do. Where are you? Oh my heart. Why does he not come to comfort me? This Nandulal is like no other person I can think of nothing else but Him. Why does he not come. I love Him more that a most dear friend.

NL: Old man what's wrong? Usually when I come up the path you're always chanting but today you sit silently.

BV: Oh Nandulal (heart attack).

NL: (rushing over) Old man! Are you all right?

BV: You did not come. I was worried.

NL: What's wrong. Tell me. What's wrong?

BV: It's my heart. My life is finished. Hare Krsna.

NL: Lie still let me massage your ????. Common don't be stubborn. You're be all right.

BV: Oh do not worry. This body is old. It is meant to die.

NL: Don't talk just breathe.

BV: If I live or die that is up to Krsna and if I die at least it wil be here in Vrndavan.

NL: Don't talk like that. You must like otherwise who will help me become Krsna conscious?

BV: Simply think of Krsna and always chant His holy name (Begins chanting Hare Krsna and suddenly feels better) Nandulal. Nandulal I feel better. Your

massaging has given me new life.

NL: No it's because of you sincere chanting so Krsna is letting you stay a

little longer to help conditioned souls like me.

BV: Nandulal I think that you know more about Krsna than you're willing to

admit. Please tell me something about Krsna ?a? story, go on,. it will give me strength.

NL: Well, in Vrndavan everyone is absorbed in thoughts of Krsna. Just like the cowherd boys think that Krsna wants to sit down I'll make Him a nice place or Krsna wants to eat I'll get Him some nice food. But they cannot forget Krsna even for a moment. They go to sleep thinking of when they will play ?with? Krsna.

NL: Early the next day they run to His house and eagerly wait for mother Yasoda to dress Krsna. Mother Yasoda would see a boy standing by the ?door? and she would say "Well Bisala, why are you standing there? Come in and tie this bells around Krsna's ankles. So quickly he would run into the house and while he was tie the anklebells on, Krsna would jokingly hit him on the head with his flute. BV: Laughs.

NL: Then Krsna and His friends would go to the fields and run and play. Thay do not know that He is God. They think that Krsna ?is? their most lovable friend. BV: Yes in Vrndavan no one think that Krsna's God not Nanda Maharaj or Mother Yasoda. Not the cowherd boys not anyone.

BV: Nandulal, help up an old man like me. AH! Now I realize that you are Krsna Himself (grabs him).

NL: Let go of me. Let go.

BV: I can't let go of you.

NL: I hear my mother calling. Let go.

BV: I cannot!

NL: I'll get in trouble if I don't go home.

BV: No it's impossible for me to ever let you go.

NL: I'll get in.

NL: Old man watch out. Don't step on those ants.

BV: (Turnaround quickly and let go of Nandulal) What? Where? Oh Krsna! I see you in my minds eye looking at me. Yoiu are the abode of infinitive beauty and wisdom. You are nectar for the eyes and ears.

NL: But I am not easily attainable. (he teases BV and then hides)

BV: (he tries to grab Krsna)

BV: Ah Krsna I came to Vrndavan with a struggle seeking liberation from the

suffering of life. Now liberation is standing at my door with folded hands waiting to serve me. (he chases his again) Where are you? You may have slipped from my grasp but you will never slip from my heart.

NL: Old man I'm here. Try to catch me (exits) Here I am.

BV: Oh Krsna where are you? (exits)