TRUTH AND BEAUTY

Narration: The following drama is adapted from an essay by His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prapbhupada, which appeared in one of the first issues of "Back to Godhead" magazine. We hope the audience will try to appreciate and understand the valuable message of this story, for it concerns all of us in our pursuit of truth and beauty. There may sometimes be arguments about whether truth and beauty are compatible terms. Indeed it appears that truth is frequently rather startling and unpleasant, so how is one to express truth and beauty at the same time? In reply, we may emphatically assert that the actual truth, which is absolute, is always beautiful. Truth is so beautiful that many sages, saints and devotees have left everything for the sake of the truth. And everyone of us has the urge to search for truth alone, for the truth is not only beautiful, but also all-powerful, all-resourceful, all-famous, all-renounced and all-knowledgeable.

Unfortunately, 99.9 precent of the people have no informtion of the truth, and are pursuing untruth only, in the name of truth. We are actually attracted by the beauty of truth, but since time immemorial we have been habituated to love of untruth, appearing like truth. Therefore, to the mundane person, truth and beauty are incompatible terms. This mundane idea of truth and beauty is explained in the following drama..........

SCENE ONE THE FOREST...ENTER THE JESTER BLOWING CONCHSELL....

Jesrter: All glories to the Prince! The Prince! The Prince! The beautiful Prince! And here he comes now! Oh, just see the beauty of this Prince! He's just like the rising sun on a clear spring day. And just see the strenght of this Prince... He's as strong as thousands of elephants! And just listen to the Prince sing...

Prince: La la la la la la la!!!

Jester: Oh! He's just like a canary and just see how rich he is... he... he may be the richest man in the world! And just see how famous he is... he happens to be Kamahl Roy Puri the third! (claps and get audience to applaud) And just see how much knowledge he has...

Prince: A mans ability to retain information is based on a variety of many important factor. The individuals mental apparatus is supplied knowledge in conjuction with birth, nationality, peer-group influence, intestinal fortitude, determination, and, of course the weight of favourable and unfavourable activites in accordance with the modes of nature.

Jester: Oh! He's just like a walking encyclopaedia! And just see how renounced he is... You're not attached to any of this, are you?

Prince: Of course not!

Jester: Oh! Isn't he wonderful?! The Prince... the Prince... the beautiful Prince!!! (exits blowing conch...)

Prince: Being rightfully appreciated, I, handsome and distinguished Prince that I am, am also a young man. And as is the interest of all young and capable men, I desire a suitable spouse. Now, not just any ordinary woman will do, rather she must possess the utmost in womanly qualitets. Chastity, beauty, shyness, kindheartedness, humility, ability to speak sweetly, encouraging, intelligence, cleanliness, punctuality... Are but a few of the necessary requirements of my bride to be. In a word,

she must be perfect, and as comparable to as is possible! Wherever will I find such a woman...?

(enter Govinda Devi chanting Hare Krishna )

Govinda D.: Simply by chanting Krihna's glories all the sinful contaminations, accumulated by contact with this material world are immediately eradicated! Therefore, if one truly seeks unending happiness then he will take to the process of bhakti-yoga or devotional service!

Hare Krishna Hare Krishna.......

Prince: Just see the power of sincere desire! Just as I go in quest of the most beautiful and suitable bride, the personification of womanhood appears before me. I must make haste, so as not to waste this opportunity to fulfill my life's desire. (coughs mildly, to attract her attention... She sees him and covers her head, turning away shyly...) Excuse me, o most delicate and tantalising lady. Oh but I must enquire from you: What is your name?

Govinda D.: Surely, you are not asking me of my indentity o most distinguished gentleman. I am just an insignificant daughter of a cowherd man.

Prince: (aside) Not only is she beautiful but modest as well... oh flower of the forest! Do not be coy with me... reveal to me your name! I happen to be Kamahl Roy Puri the third, and I do not toleralte insubordination in my subjects!

Govinda D.: Oh king of the Puris, please do not be angry with me! I am greatly embarrassed by your aggressive inquiries. It is not at all proper for a young girl to be speaking so intimately with a young man if she has not been properly introduced to him by her parents or guards. This is a vedic injunction... If a woman neglects scriptural injunctions she is considered to be no bettter than a prostitute. Besides, I don't even know if you are a devotee of Krishna!

Prince: Besides all of her other good qualities, she is chaste, clever, able to speak sweetly, and highly learned in vedic instructions.(Prince goes up behind the lady and surprises her) (laughing) My dear lady, if you insist on being a difficult prize to capture, I will do whatever is necessary to gain your hand... (at that moment, the Jester enters blowing conch...)

Jester: Oh! The Prince... the beautiful Prince! (blows conch...)

Prince: Jester! Jester, come here! I wish to have a word with you.

Jester: The beautiful Prince wants talk to me! (blows conch)

Prince: Jester! It's all right my little friend! I have heard from reliable sources, that are acquainted with everyone in this village. Is this true?

Jester: Oh yup yup yup yup yup!

Prince: All right my good man. I have one request to make from you. I wish to know the name of the beauutiful maiden who is standing over there.

(Jester walks right over to her to get a closer look...)

Jester: Oh that's easy! That's Govinda Devi dasi! she's the daughter of Jagadish Dasthe farmer. He lives on the east side of town and... hoo hoo... he takes care cows...hee hee yup yup yup!!

Prince: Very good! Very good! And to show my appreciation, here's a little token of my gratitude... (hands Jester some trinket) (exit Prince)

Jester: (in amazement) Golly! Gold! All glories to the Prince! The Prince! The beautiful Prince! (exits blowing conch...)

SCENE TWO AT THE PLACE OF JAGADISH DAS... JAGADISH IS ON STAGE...

ENTER THE PRINCE

Jagadish: My dear Prince! To what do I owe the pleasure of having you as my guest?

Prince: My dear Sir, are you not Jagadish das, the farmer? The coweherd man?

Jagadish: I am he. How can I help you?

Prince: I have heard from reliable sources, that you have one very beautiful daughter, by the name of Govinda Devi dasi. Is this true?

Jagadish: She is my daughter. Has she done something wrong?

Prince: Oh no! No, of course not. On the contrary, I find her to be very... pleasing. I'll come right to the point my dear farmer. I have come here today to ask for your daughters hand in marriage. If you oblige me, I will be permanently indebted to you. Indeed, my wealth will be yours!

Jagadish: You need not tempt me with riches, Oh Prince! I would gladly consent to you wedding my daughter. I accept your proposal. Come back in one week and you may take my daughter as your bride. This will give her time to prepare for you!

Prince: My dear farmer, you have made me a very happy man! Thank you very much! Thank you!

Jagadish: Thank you! (Prince exits) Govinda Devi! Govinda Devi! Govinda D.: Yes, father, what is it?

Jagadish: I wish to speak to you. Come here! Govinda D.: How can I serve you father?

Jagadish: My dearest daughter, I have wonderful news for you! Prince Kamahl Roy Puri The Third wishes to take you as his bride!

Govinda D.: Oh! But father, I have heard that this prince is simply a materialistic man, interested only in money and sense gratification. Not only that... he's not even a devotee of Krishna! I'm not against marriage , but at least he must be a devotee of the Lord.

Jagadish: (angrily) Listen to me you ungrateful girl! It may be true the prince is a materialistic man, but he's a highly respected man within the community. besides, I've given my consent to the Prince that you would become his bride. Now in one week he is going to come and take you away as his bride, do you understand? Do you understand?

Govinda D.: Yes, father.

Jagadish: Now go and prepare yourself for the Prince. (exits cackling)

Govinda D.: Now what am I going to do? (tearfully) My father has arranged my marriage with a man who is interested only in materialism. How will I become Krishna conscious now? I have to prepare myself to be taken away by him in only one week! One week. Since this Prince is so attracted to the beauty of this body, which is actually only a combination of obnoxious and abominable substances, I will not only prepare myself for his return, but I will present to him a gift, which is the essence of this beauty. In order to achieve this end I will take this purgatives and laxatives. Let us see how enticed our sweet Prince will remain! (exits vomiting)

SCENE THREE OUTSIDE THE PLACE OF JAGADISH... ONE WEEK LATER... JESTER ENTERS BLOWING CONCH... ENTER THE PRINCE

Prince:(singing) Today is the big day!!! Today I achieve what I rightfully derserve! Today I attain the perfection of my life! Govinda Devi!... (Jester also calls out and the Prince rebukes him) Govinda Devi! Come forward your Prince awaits you.

Govinda D.:(from offstage) Coming, my Prince! (enters staggering and coughing)

Prince: Who are you, you ugly wretch? (appalled)

Govinda D.: I am your lovely wife to be!

Prince: (terafully) No! You cant be! Where is your beauty? Govinda D.: Oh that! I saved it for you so that you can take it wherever you go!

Prince: What do you mean?

Govinda D.: Just wait a moment and I'll get it for you. (exits and brings on a sack...) Here, my Prince, is it beauty you so long desired! Now you can enjoy it to its fullest satisfaction! (Prince and Jester peer catiously in to the sack and then see what the contens are! They both recoil in disgust...)

Prince: What is that?

Govinda D.: Oh, a little mucus, loose stool, urine, some blod, a few little worms and lots of vomit!

Prince: What kind of joke is this?

Govinda D.: I'm not joking Prince. The joke is on you! You've been fooled by the material nature! You see everyone is attracted by the beauty of this body. But when one analyses it, one actually sees it is only a skin bag full of abominable things. You where talking," Oh what lovely woman!" But now you don't find me so attractive? Whats the mater? My body is the same as before, except for the contents of that bag. When I emptied the contents of my body into that bag my beauty was also removed, so it seems quite clear that my fomer beauty is now in that bag!

All: I guess we would call it "liquid beauty"!!!

Narration: Materialistic persons are all deluded by the outward beauty and attraction of the relative truth, and are unaware the

spirit soul within the body, which is both truth and beauty at same time. The spiritual spark is so beautiful that when it leaves the so-called beautiful body, which in fact is full of stool and vomit, no-one wants to touch that body, even if it is decorated with costly garments. The beauty of the outer skin can be destroyed in only a few hours, merely by a dose of strong purgative, but beauty of truth is indestuctible and always the same. Unfortunately, mundane persons are ignorant of this beautiful spark of spirit as well as the whole fire, Krishna, who is the source of these spiritual sparks. They do not know that Krishna is the beautiful person who attracts everything, that He is the prime substance, the prime source and fountainhead of everything that be.

The infinitessimal spiritual sparks, being parts and parcels of that whole spirit, are qualitatively the same in beauty and eternity. The only difference is that the whole is eternally the whole and the parts are eternally the parts. Both of them however, are the ultimate knowledge, energy, renucination, opulence, as well the ultimate truth and beauty.

ACT TWO / SCENE TWO KALI & SIN AND THE SIX ENEMIES

Sin: As seeds grow to become flower-bearing trees, so like a seed do I lie, in the innermost chamber of the heart of all fallen souls. And, day by day, I develop till I do deliver to each and every individual the fruits and flowers of his own sinful life, unhappiness, disease, disturbance, pain and poverty. For the sins of his past, a man suffers, but he is uncontrollably impelled by my force to commit more and more sins. And from these, he suffers in the future and again commits more. My innumerable seeds are indestructible. They are deeply sown, and, like irrepressible weeds, give misery to all.

By my design the poor soul who contemplates sense objects develops attachement for them. That attachement leads to lust and from lust anger arises... then delusion... and finally loss of intelligence. And when a man loses his intelligence, he comes more firmly under my grip.

Oh my expert foremen, how grateful I am, that with your assistance my authority has been expanded throughout the universe. Recite to me now what exert means you use to expand my kingdom, and I shall reward each of you as deserve. (All speak) Wait, wait, my pets. One at a time, please, one at a time. Now let me see...who shall it be? You begin o lust....

Envy: He always gets to start first!

Sin(claps): Silence, envy.

Lust: O empress sin, your influence is boundless. Who can escape the enchantment of your web? I am not one to brag, (murmur) but it is I who am the greatest enemy of the living entity. Listen, mother, how I do your work to the best of my ability.... The beautiful woman sits in her bedroom, and with her quickly moving eyes she sees the redness of her lips in the mirror. And as she brushes her hair, which is black like the wings of a crow, the desires in her mind easily flow. Seeing her own reflection her mind becomes delighted and at any time I whisper in her ear. Slowly slowly I say to that lusty woman:" Alas o beautiful eyed one, why are you sitting here alone not being cared for? Why dont you attract some young mans mind and bind him up? Go, go! For what reason do you remain here idly? How can you tolerate the pride of these young men? Why not make them cry? Why not make them all roll at your feet?" With a steady mind she hears these words. Slightly smiling she rises, and holding the mirror with her own reflection in front of her, the enchantress runs off to conquer in all directions. When I see laziness in a man, I go to

him and say:" O mystifier of the worlds, what are you doing? Just see...women are dying for you. You are just like a bumble-bee, now go and drink honey from many flowers." Hearing my sweet words, the scandalous man begins to think himself the lord of love. And at that moment, the beautiful woman attack with the arrows of her glance. In this way the young man and woman fall down by lust's deception. In the end they enjoy poisonous fruits and the depths of their hearts burn day and night. Thus bound by ropes of attachement, they come under your control.... their shouts of remorse never end!

Envy: Now, let me.

Sin: Wait. All in good time. Speak, anger. What is your business?

Anger: Sin! All glories unto you! Without you what would this world be like to live in? Please hear of my exploits on your behalf. Lust's work is simple, he says. My work is thorough. He may capture a mans senses, his mind and intelligence, but my toxins pollute his whole body. After lust does what little he can, his victim passes on to me. Then I make the mansigentle voice harse and loud, his muscles taut, his heart palpitate, his actions uncotrolled. Just see the pauper in my palm, his blood boiling and his face flushed red by my right arm wrath! That soul will not listen reason cannot find him, patience has deserted him. Only arrogance and pride provoke him and he turns upon his own belved wife, children and friends. Being unkind to them he suffers all the more. Oh dearest Sin, devastatino is my work! You can see me everywhere in the form on enmity: between husband and wife, between brothers, friends and families, between societies, religions and nations. I have men at each others through over trifles and after my brief visit is over my black shadow, war arrives. And then the real fun begins! (harsh laughter)

Sin: Next! Who shall speak next? (Clamour) Quiet! (immediate silence) All right greed, go on.

Greed: Of all your foremen, sweet Sin, I am the foremost! Like a faiful gardener, I lanishly water the seeds you so carefully sow. Please hear, you majesty, of my qualifications of which you certainly already know. Whatever there may be within the universe to satisfy one's senses, cannot satisfy me. Even though a man has everything, under my influence he wants more. ?????? ??????? by my side, Sin, I sap the very vitality of human life. Where I reside, rest assured, happiness never dares show his face. My pitiful prisoner, one foot through the gate of hell, thinks: So much wealth do I have today and I will gain more according to my schemes. Thus he works like an ass day in, day out, and overtime... Rushing to work at breakneck speed, full of anxiety, convinced that he is free. But in truth he's working for me! No matter what he goes through and gets, it will never make amends... thus he takes to stealing and cheating, even from his friends. Then they steal from him and, thus oppressed, they become enemies over a farthing or less. Let but my sticky fingertips lighty touch the most esoteric philosopher, the most advanced scientist, the renowned politician, the brilliant poet, and they become morose, living a life of two extremes: hankering for future gain, and lamenting for previous loss. Ahhh! Just see how I make them all insane! My queen, these are the waters of my reign, and the flood hass only just begun.... by my touch they all become insane!

Illusion (Jamping up and interrupting greed): Oh Sin! With all due respect, I have heard enough. Why does a man endavour to enjoy himself? Why is he angered when he fails? I sak you why...

why is he dissatisfied with his wealth? Because I, illusion, have spread my veils. You should know that all beautiful, glorious and mighty sins spring from but a spark of my splendour. (Sin squirms nervously) With a single fragment of my self, I pervade and support these other petty seedlings. (Other enemies protest vigorously) Why do we reign Supreme? For one reason; because of my cheerful smile called ignorance. It is due to ignorance, madam Sin, that men are overcome by your glance. Lust and anger simply carry on my work. And when I make a man want more than what he's due, then only is he susceptible to you, oh noble greed! And why are souls called fallen? Because I cast them down. And why do they stay down? Because I enshrou them. For every being is born in my grip, overcome by desire and hate. I have decided for modern man that life is a complex chemical combination, that there is no God control, and within the body, there is no soul. He thinks that his body made merely of earthly lifeless elements is his complete indentity. Poor, lost, little living entity. He's unaware that there's a joyful person in control, that within the body, there's a blissful living soul. You see they only age in years, but not in knowledge, for I hide reality behind my shawl, for the detriment of one and all. Good queen, you know this world to be a place of death, happiness has no place here. But for them, this truth is wholly unclear. They are blind for within their minds, I pit hope against hope. "Things will be better." They think, " The future's so bright." That's my master plan... to keep them locked up in this sham.

Sin: Sit down, illusion. Don't let yourself get carried away. Now, madness, you've been dangerously quiet. Let's hear of your play.

Madness: Excuse me if I seem reserved. A real hero shows prowess by his actions, not high sounding words. Allow me quietly to reveal my seductive plot. Man is mortal; this statement seems quite sound. Old folks have died, and he who is a child today, will sooner or later pass away. Yet though he knows his desiny to be dust, he accumulate madly more and more, and becomes a prime target for illusion, greed, anger and lust. And why? Because he cannot help himself... he must! He must! And this is my gift...That is what I madness, bring. So mistress Sin, you can see that I'm the best, I trust.

Sin: (To Madness) Perhaps, plausible statement. Well, envy, at last you beat the drum. But I must caution you, don't be too malicious.

Envy: (intensely eager) To begin with, o queen, let me ask: From which tree do the seeds of sin come? From me! The desire tree of anvy! Ha! There you see! Without me, man would live peacefully, had not care if another was more opulent than he. None would strive to accumulate more and more, and then, madness, where would you be? Lust, anger, greed, illusion and madness all envy me! (Wild response) They know my call lures the soul to want what is not his and makes him fall. (Faint music in and out) and it all begins when he envies God. Thats why I will never let it end, for my roots are stronger than an iron rod. And nothing in this world can ever make them bend. (Dissention)

Sin: Shhh, quiet. Listen. What's that?

All: What's what? What's the matter?

Sin: That sound! (What sound?) That! That horrible sound. It sounds like music...(music?) Yes, happy music! (Yes, yes it does!) All right who's responsible for this? I warn you if this is someone's idea of a joke, I'm not amused. I want it stopped

immediately. (Silence, no-one moves) Well, someone go out there and tell them to stop it! (Kali enters) Kali!

Kali: (Distraught, pacing back and forth) I never though it could happen...Oh my queen, my queen, brace yourself! (Sin: brace myself) It's all over. Our doom is in the making! (Sin: Our doom?) Yes? They are chanting and implanting the names of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Our entire empire is quaking!

Sin: But how can that be? I've sown uncountable seeds of sin within their hearts. And those seeds will kill piety like piercing, poisonous darts.

Kali: (Shakes his head dismally) Don't you realize? This chanting of the Lord's names nullifies all sinful seeds, and all reactions to sinful deeds? It's useless! All our work gone for nought; useless, don't you see?

Sin: (In extreme anxiety) But I don't understand. It just can't be!

Kali: But it can, it can! The Supreme Lord has come to say: "Abandon all varieties of religion... just surrender unto Me and I'll protect you from all sin."

Sin (More calmy): Oh is that all? But that's not news! No-one will listen to that when face by envy's might. And who will care for such words when lust makes his strike? Our stalwart army will not fall.

Kali: (interrupts her, shouting) That's where you're wrong! Our stalwart soldiers are being used these devotees.

Sin: What gall! They must be deprogrammed at once... one and all!

Kali: Listen. They transform lust into love for the Lord. They make anger and envy join hands to fight those who decry the Lord and His Divine plans. Greed becomes eagerness to attain the Lord's favour. And separation makes madness stand mute with folded hands, waiting to benedict the devotees with his ecstatic flavour. These devotees seem to taste some mysterious sweet that gives them strength to control their minds. Oh my queen, what can it be that makes tasteless our treats? (lust, anger, greed, envy and madnes slink off. only illusion remains.)

Sin: Let them try to control. Illusion will captivate them back to our viev. Just wait and see.

Kali:(with raised voice) Oh my poor queen, I'm afraid illusion won't do!

Sin:(hopelessly) What do you mean, illusion wont do?

Kali: Let me show you. Illusion,come here. under whose control are you?

Illusion: Sin's of course. For the source of my power it is sin I woo.

Kali: That may be true. But beyond her milieu, in whose shadow do you stand? Illusion:(great hesitancy) I? Well.I stand behind the Lord!

Kali: And who is your Lord?

Illusion: My Lord? Why krishna of course, who else?

Sin: Ah! Don't mention that name!

Kali: Wait. And when your Lord commands you, could you afford to disobey?

Illusion: No, never. How could I disobey my Lord? (runs off. Sin calls after the enemies...)

Sin: Illusion! Envy! Greed! You miserable clowns! You claim to abound in the confines of my world. But I've found your boasts to be merely bad jokes, and now we'll to our deaths be hurled! You oafs! (Chanting continues. Kali and Sin look at each other for a moment, listening. They continue talking but now more slowly than before.)

Sin: What a cacophonous distruption. (Pause) I demand to see who's doing this. (Gets up to go)

Kali: (Alarmed) Oh my consort Sin, if you wish to stay with me, I urge you not to go. (to himself) Stop it! Stop it! Myhead will burst. ( He sits down as if he had a great headache)

Sin:(to herself) Till this happened, our might was immeasurable. How could they deal such a blow? I must know! I must go. I must see how it could be so! (She turns, sees Kali is not watching and runs off)

Kali:(Immediately looks up and sees she's gone) Wait! Wait! Sin! You'll be entrapped by our foe!! (He runs after her)