Cast:
Narrator
Nimai
Village girls 1, 2, 3
Laxmi Priya
Mata Saci
Vanamali
Ishana
Valabacharya
Valabacharya's wife
Extras for dance
Props:
paraphernalia for worship of Lord Siva by village girls garlands
fruit and sweets
flowers
insense
sandalwood pulp
basket or cloth to carry items in
some books for Nimai
mats for sitting cups for water
family Deity of Valabacharya
and items for worship
Narrator: (Purport by Bhaktisiddhanta from Caitanya Bhagawat) Normally, in the material world, people like to hear about festivals of marrage. But by hearing those things people become more bound to material attachments. But, hearing about the marrage of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, the Lord of Maya, does not have the same kind of effect. Actually, Lord Caitanya's whole pastime is for liberating the people from the material world. If someone thinks that Lord Caitanya's marrage is a material affair, than that person is in the worst kind of maya. But one should know, of course, that all type of enjoyment is actually the property of the Lord. One who takes shelter of Him as His servant, or female servant, and the transcendental variagatedness of His devotional service, can never fall into any kind of inauspiciousness in their lives. So in that place where Bhagavans transcendental happiness is present, there can't be any room for sense gratification. We should never think that the Lord is under the sway of maya, but He is always transcendental to maya's influence... One who is absorbed in the transcendental happiness of serving the Lord and hearing His glories, is liberated from the bondage of the material attachments in the material world and they are never kept under the bondage of material sense gratification and they don't become materialistic enjoyers.
By the Ganges
(Young girls enter, lay out a cloth and put their paraphenalia of worship on it. Nimai enters and watches them from other side of stage for a minute)
Girl 1: Please, get some Ganges water for Lord Siva.
Girl 2: Here are the garlands, be careful with them.
Girl 3: I have the sweets and rice for the offering. We must be very careful with our worship this month.
Girl 1: If we are, maybe Lord Siva will be kind and give us good husbands. (Nimai walks over and addressed the girls)
Nimai: Worship Me, and I shall give you good husbands or good benedictions. The Ganges and goddess Durga are My maidservants. Not to speak of the other demigods, even Lord Siva is My servant.
(Nimai grabs the flowergarland, and sandalwood pulp and puts them on. He starts to eat the bananas and sweets. The girls become mad and start to try to take the things back, but Nimai prevents them from going so.)
Girl 2: Dear Nimai, you are just like our brother in our village relationship. It is not good for you to act like this.
Girl 3: Please don't take our things for worshiping the demigods.
Girl 1: Please don't disturb us in this way. leave us alone.
Nimai: (while eating the offering) My dear sisters, I give you the benedictions that your husbands will be very handsome. They will be learned, clever, and young and possess wealth and rice. Not only that, but each of you will have 7 sons, who will all live long lives and be very intelligent.
Girls (They look at each other and start to giggle, then back at Nimai and act mad again.)
Girl 2: We don't have to listen to you. We're leaving.
Girl 3: YOU are just teasing us Nimai. Please don't follow us and bother us any more.
(Girls start to pack up their offerings.)
Nimai: If you are miserly and do not give Me the offerings, then every one of you will have and old husband at least 4 co-wives. (Girls stop what they are doing.)
Girl 1: Do you think he knows something that we don't?
Girl 2: Maybe He is empowered by the demigods.
Girl 3: What if the curse if efective? What should we do?
Girl 1: Maybe we should give him the offerings. What do you think?
Girl 2: I think we should give Him the offerings and be safe.
(Girls bring him the offerings and he sits to eat it.)
Nimai: (holding up his hand) I give you my benidictions for a happy marrage.
(Girls are standing there giggling when Laxmi Priya comes in with a basket with her offering)
Laxmi Pria: Am I late? (She stops when she sees Nimai and what is happening) (She stops and offers her obeisances and gets out her offerings and starts to worship Nimai. The other girls slowly leave the stage whispering to each other. Nimai stops eating the other offerings to accapt Hers.)
Nimai: Just worship Me, for I am the Supreme Lord. If you worship Me, certainly you will get the benedictions you desire. 'My dear gopies, I accept your desire to have Me as your husband, and thus worship Me. I wish your desire to be fulfilled because it deserves to be so.'
(Laxmi Pria offeres her obeisances, watches Nimai as He leaves and then she leaves to the other side.)
SCENE 2
The court yard of Mata Saci's house....
(Nimai is sitting studing and Mata Saci is sewing, or doing household duties. Mata Saci watches Nimai and then walks to center stage where she thinks out loud, unheard by Nimai)
Mata Saci: (to the audience) My Nimai is such a great scholar. All the residence of Navadwip respect Him so. He is now into His full youth, and soon He will be a young man. I wonder if I should think about a suitable wife for Him. I know of the daughter of Valabaracharya. She is very beautiful and devoted to Lord Krsna. But maybe Nimai isn't ready yet. He is always studing and teaching His students. Visvarupa, his elder brother went away and took sanyasa when he found out that his father was planning his marrage. And his father has recently left this world. Maybe I should wait. I don't think this would be a good time to bring it up.
(Mata Saci goes off stage. Nimai puts his books away gets up to go. As He walkes off stage Visnu Priya passes Him carring a water pot. As soon as she sees Him she offers her obeisances. Then, realizing what she did she covers her face with her cloth and leaves. Nimai smiles and watches her go.)
Nimai: (speaking to the audience.) I did not take sanyasa, and since I am remaining at home it is my duty to act as a grihasta. Without a wife there is no meaning to householder life. Merely a house is not a home, for it is a wife that gives the home meaning. If one lives at home with a wife, together they can fulfill all the interests of human life.
(Nimai leaves the stage.)
Narrator: The same day Vanamali, the village marrage maker, happens to come to the house of Saci Mata. He offers her his respects and with great affection she gives him a place to sit down.
(Actors do this as narrator is talking. Mata Saci brings a straw mat and some water. Then she sits down too.)
Vanamali: Saci Mata, why are you not thinking about the marrage of your son. Valabaracharya is living here in Navadwip. In his house they are very strict pure vegetarians. They are very pure brahmins. There is no defect in their family or behavior. Valabaracharya has a very beautiful and chaste daughter. She is almost like Laxmi, the Goddess of Fortune. What about trying to make an engagement with Valabaracharya's family for your son to marry his daughter, Laxmi priya? If you think this is a good match then I can make the arragements immediately.
Mata Saci: My dear brahmana. I already know of this girl. She is very beautiful and devoted to Lord Krsna. I was also thinking that she would be suitable daughter-in-law. But I'm not sure that this the best time for my Nimai to marry. He has recently lost his father. Also He is so much imvolved with his studies and his school. He is still so young too. I think that He should grow a little more first. There is plenty of time later for this things. I don't think Nimai should marry just now.
Vanamali: (looking very dissapointed) Saci Mata, I don't find very much nectar in your words. Nimai is a very handsome young man. It is time that He is married. What does He think of this? Have you discussed it with Him?
Mata Saci: Well, no I haven't. But He is still to young. I will discuss it with him some time later.
Vanamali: (geting up to leave, Mata Saci stands too.) But you have no objection to the girl or her family.
Mata Saci: Oh no. She is a very nice girl, I was even thinking of her as a suitable wife for Nimai.
Vanamali: But not now?
Mata Saci: No, not now.
Vanamali: I can't tell you how dissapointed I am in your decision. Please reconsider this, and I will come back again to see you.
(Vanamali turns and Mata Saci leaves the stage. He is very saddened by the words of Mata Saci. As he is walking to the other side of the stage Nimai enters. Vanamali embraces Nimai.)
Nimai: Please tell me, my dear brahmana, where have you been? Who's house were you visiting?
Vanamali: I went to see your mother. We were talking about your marrage.
Nimai: What did she say?
Vanamali: She would not listen to my words. She did not want to discuss your marrage. I don't know why she wouldn't listen to my words.
(When Nimai hears this He is silent for a minute, thinking.) Nimai: I must go now, my students will be here soon.
Vanamali: Yes, I have matters to attend to also, Namastay. Nimai: Hare Krsna.
(Vanamali leaves and Mata Saci enters from the other side. Nimai goes to her.)
Nimai: (Smiling) Mata, why didn't you listen to Valabacharya? I just met him on the road. You should recieve a brahmana with favorable words when he comes to visit, and listen to what he says.
Mata Saci: You think that I should be more favorable to what a brahmana says?
Nimai: Yes, Vanamali is very intelligent. You should be very kind to him. I have to go now. My students will be here soon. (Nimai leaves)
Mata Saci: Ishana! (he comes in) Go and tell Vanamali to come to see me tomorrow. (Ishana leaves, Mata Saci leaves)
Narrator: The next day when Vanamali returns Mata Saci has news more to his liking. She tells him to arrange the marrage without
delay. He is very happy with this news and taking the dust of her feet, he proceeds to the house of Valabacharya.
SCENE 2
Valabacharya's house.
(Valabacharya and his wife and Visnu Prya are worshiping the family Deity. When they are done, Vanamali enters. He is brought a seat and something to drink by Visnu Prya and mother and then they leave the stage. Valabacharya sits down next to him)
Valabacharya: My dear brahmana, please accept our obeisances. Please tell me how I can be of service to you. If there is anything that you need I will do my best to get it for you. You are a great devotee of Lord Krsna, and by serving the devotees one can get the mercy of the Lord.
Vanamali: My dear Valabacharya, I just want you to listen to my words with great care and attention. This will bring great benefit to you and your family. You should immediately, on the most auspicious moment, arrange for the marrage of your daughter without delay. The son of Jaganatha Misra, whose name is Visvambara, And who is the greatest pandit and the ocean of all good qualities, is the suitable person for your daughter, Visnu Prya. I am presenting this to you and you should give full consideration. If you think it approate then you should accept this arrangement without delay.
Valabacharya: Your words bring great joy to my heart. Who could get a better husband for his daughter. I must be very fortunate, Krsna is very mercyfull upon me. Only if Laxmi is satisfied with my daughter is it possible for her to be married to such a bridegroom. I very happily accept your suggestion, please do the needfull immediately.
But, I have one problem that I am very shy to talk about. I am actually very poor. I don't have anything that I can give except my daughter. As a dowery I can only give 5 pieces of spice. This is my offer, you can request wheather it is acceptable.
Vanamali: (very happy) Valabacharya, your words are so pleasing for me to hear. Please do not worry about anything. I am sure that everything can be successfully arranged. Now I must go inform Saci Mata and make the arrangements.
Wedding Dance