One who is Kṛṣṇa's friend directly, how there can be ignorance? There cannot be. Then why Arjuna is playing that part? He knows Kṛṣṇa's desire; still, he says that yadi mām apratikāram aśastram śastra-pāṇayaḥ. And no... Tan me kṣemataraṁ bhavet. He is playing like that. Because without Arjuna's playing like that, how this Bhagavad-gītā will come? This is just like playing on the stage. One very rich man, he is, in a drama, he is playing the part of a very poor man. But actually, he is not poor man. But in the stage he is playing the part of a poor man. Similarly, Arjuna is not bewildered, but for the time being he appears to be bewildered by Kṛṣṇa's māyā, because Kṛṣṇa wants to speak Bhagavad-gītā, for the benefit of the whole world, that what is spiritual knowledge. Therefore this is a stage arrangement.
Drama (Lectures)
Expressions researched:
"drama"
|"dramas"
|"dramatic"
|"dramatical"
|"dramatically"
|"dramatics"
|"dramatist"
|"dramatists"
|"dramatization"
|"dramatizing"
Lectures
Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures
Those who are ordinary persons, without any knowledge, they are acting, whole day and night to satisfy the senses. That's all. This is ordinary life. Mostly people are working for that purpose, mostly. And above them, above them, if somebody is intelligent, he's working on the mind—philosophy, poetry, nice idea in novel, nice idea in drama, some psychological..., all these things. So they are little better than those who are working day and night hard for sense gratification.
I'll give you one practical example how things are misinterpreted. Now, in India, there was a great dramatist. He was known as Mr. D.L. Raya. He wrote one book which is called Shahjahan. Now this Shahjahan, the theme of this book is that Aurangzeb, the son of Shahjahan, he was the second son of Shahjahan, Emperor Shahjahan, and he made a clique. He killed his elder brother, he killed his younger brother, and he arrested his own father in the fort, and he manipulated things in such a way, politician, and he became the king, emperor, king, emperor. Now, the whole activities of that book is the Aurangzeb's activities. So one friend of the author, D.L. Raya, he inquired from D.L. Raya that "Mr. Raya, you have written this book and this book is full of the activities of Aurangzeb. Now, why you have made the hero Shahjahan? Shahjahan is on the background. The old man is arrested in the fort of Agra. He is sitting there. Why you have named the Shahjahan?" Now, just see the purpose of the author. The author replied, "Yes, I have purposely named this book Shahjahan because actually the hero is Shahjahan." The friend inquired, "Why?" "Now, because the whole activities was being done by Aurangzeb, but the effect was being enjoyed and suffered by Shahjahan. Shahjahan was the father; he could not tolerate that his eldest son was killed, his youngest son was killed, and he was arrested. This was a political maneuver by Aurangzeb. But actually, the hero, the sufferer, was the Shahjahan, Emperor Shahjahan." Now, just see. The mind of the author was disclosed by the author. Nobody could interpret what was the intention.
Similarly, the intention of the Bhagavad-gītā is known by Kṛṣṇa, the author. So we have to understand the intention of the author. We cannot exact any meaning by our own scholarship which is different from the intention of the author. So anyone who is not in the disciplic succession, he cannot understand the intention of Kṛṣṇa, why this Bhagavad-gītā, why this yoga was imparted.
Just like Viśvāmitra Muni. He was practicing yoga, that indriya-saṁyama. He was especially... Because he was king, so especially he was very sexually inclined. And the yoga process, he was trying to control the sex. But what was the result? The result was that Menakā, a society girl of the heaven, she appeared, and she was traveling there. There have been many instances like that. And tinkling of bangles, oh, immediately his yoga practice was broken. And he become attached by Menakā and there was birth of Śakuntalā. There is a drama written by Kālidāsa Kavi, "Śakuntalā." This is the subject matter, how a yogi failed to control his senses and was attached by a beautiful woman girl, and how Śakuntalā, the beautiful girl was born. That is the subject matter.
Female devotee (2): Kṛṣṇa says so many times, "You must surrender unto Me." Why do people say, "No, there's something else."
Prabhupāda: Because they want something new. This is very old. There is a song by a great dramatist in India. He is singing, ekṭā navana kichu koro. That means "You do something, invent something new. You invent something new, and then you become very popular." You see? That is the way of modern thoughts. You invent something new. Not modern, this is going on. Just like there is version in the Vedic literature, na cāsāv ṛṣir yasya mataṁ na bhinnam. If you want to be a muni or a sage, you must put forward some new theory. Otherwise he is not a philosopher. A philosopher is not counted a philosopher unless he defies all other philosophers and puts some new theory. And that is going on.
We are just playing on the platform under the dress of father, mother, wife children friend, enemy. Just like in a drama we set up some character to play, so... But out of the stage we are all friends. Nobody... In the stage I say, "Oh, you are enemy. I shall kill you." And so many things I do. But when out of the stage, we are all friends. Similarly, in this world, in this material world, with this dress, with this dress of material body, we are playing on the stage of material world that enemy and friend and father, mother, son. I cannot beget any son. It is not possible. I simply beget this body. You see. The living entity, that is not my power. Simply by my sex intercourse with my wife, I cannot produce unless that living entity is placed in that emulsification of two secretion. These are stated in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. So this is only stage play.
This forgetfulness is also due to the influence of the Supersoul. Because we wanted to act... Just like a very first-class dramatic director, he instructs the player in such a way that sometimes he forgets. The more he forgets he plays very nicely. Similarly, we wanted to enjoy this material world, so unless we forget completely that "I am spirit soul, I am not this body, actually I can not enjoy...? So that forgetfulness is also due to the Supersoul. He is giving us full chance. But His advice that "Do not become entangled in these material activities." Therefore his instruction is sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). That is His instruction.
Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures
So śrīmad-bhāgavate mahā-muni-kṛte. Śrīmad-Bhāgavata is not some materialistic philosopher's or writer's as you have got... They are called grāmya-vastavaḥ. Grāmya-vastavaḥ means ordinarily these affairs. A man is meeting woman, woman is meeting man—that story, all these novels and fiction and dramas. It is not like that. Therefore it is said mahā-muni-kṛte śrīmad-bhāgavate. It is not ordinary persons writing whimsical, some, manufacturing some story, narration and puzzling the brain. No. Śrīmad-bhāgavate mahā-muni-kṛte: it is beyond all defects of human life.
Kṛṣṇa is already beautiful, but when He takes the shape of a woman, how beautiful He became, we can just imagine. Woman are naturally beautiful. They are called "fair sex." So mohinyā. So this Mohinī, this attractive feature of woman, is advantage and disadvantage also. It requires simply handling. Then it is advantage. When Caitanya Mahāprabhu played this play, Mohinī role... Caitanya Mahāprabhu was playing drama. So Caitanya Mahāprabhu was very beautiful. He took the part of this Mohinī-mūrti. And she was dancing with the pot of nectar. So all the devotees, they offered their obeisances, because Mohinī-mūrti means God's incarnation. So "My dear Lord, Your this mūrti, this form, this charming form, is somewhere rākṣasī." Rākṣasī means, what is called, witches? Or the female demon. "And somewhere You are goddess of fortune."
The other day we discussed about literature which is very nicely composed from literary point of view, or poetic, or rhetoric. Maybe very nicely... But if there is no description of the Absolute Truth or the Supreme Personality of Godhead, that sort of literature is enjoyed by a class of men who are compared with the crows. That we have discussed. It is simply wasting time, valuable time in the human life, to divert our attention to such ordinary literature. They are called grāmya-kathā. In Sanskrit language it is called grāmya-kathā. Grāmya-kathā means any book, any poetry, or any novel, or any drama... There is some hero and heroine, a man or woman, about their loving affairs, tragedy, comic, like that. Actually, it is grāmya-kathā. The same thing as we are experiencing daily, āhāra-nidrā-bhaya-maithunam, this eating, sleeping, mating, that's all. What is the value of such literature? What do you gain by that? No. Simply mental agitation.
I think I have told you one story about Shah Jahan, the emperor of India. A, one great drama writer, Mr. P.L. Raya, he wrote one book by the name, title, Shah Jahan. But the activities of the whole book was the nefarious actions of Aurangzeb. He was killing his brothers, arresting father and so many. So one friend of Mr. Raya asked him that "Your book Shah Jahan, in the activities, the actual hero is Aurangzeb. Why you have named Shah Jahan?" So he replied that although Shah Jahan is silent, but the effect is going to him. When Aurangzeb killed his elder brother, Dara, then the effect was suffered by Shah Jahan. So all the activities, nefarious activities of Aurangzeb, was suffered by Shah Jahan. Therefore he said, "He's the hero." Similarly, here is the same instance, that "If I kill Aśvatthāmā—it is right, I should kill him—but the effect would go to his mother. His mother, she is innocent, and in the absence of her husband, our guru, it is our duty to look after her comforts. Now, if I kill Aśvatthāmā, then she will suffer in old age." Therefore na aicchad dhantuṁ guru-sutam. He did not... Although Kṛṣṇa advised him "You kill him," he did not like it. Guru-sutam. This is consciousness. Even there is duty, we have to see what will be the effect of the duty. Not everything should be done very blindly. Arjuna... This is devotee. Devotee means he's not blind.
Māyā-javanikācchannam ajñādhokṣajam avyayam na lakṣyase, "You are not visible," mūḍha-dṛśa, "by persons who are rascal and simply believe in direct perception," mūḍha-dṛśa. How it is? In Sanskrit language you will find exact example is given, naṭo nāṭyadharo yathā. Just like you have gone to see a performance, dramatic performance, and some of your relatives, say your brother or father, is playing there, but he is dressed in such a way that you can not recognize he is your father. Although he is in your front, the father or the brother whom you see every day, this man, being, has dressed himself in such a way, he is playing the part of a king or something else, you can not understand. Somebody says, "Did you see your father is playing?" "Where is my father? Where is my father?" This is the position. Because Kṛṣṇa is playing His part in a different way. He has ot so much business because He is directing the whole universal affair.
Just like we are reading Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, we are discussing about the warfares, the professionals, they will go immediately to rāsa-līlā, as if these things are not necessary. Anyone who hears Bhāgavatam from these professionals, they do not know what are the other subject matter in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Because they haven't got the chance to hear. They do not discuss. Whenever there is recitation of Bhāgavatam, it means they are discussing some rāsa-līlā. Because the rāsa-līlā is very palatable to the rascals. They think that Kṛṣṇa is ordinary young boy, and the gopīs are young girls, and as they read novel and dramas, one man, one woman, their activities, they think Bhāgavata is like that. They think... Arcye viṣṇau śilā-dhīr guruṣu nara-matiḥ. They think like that. The gopīs, the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, the pastimes of Kṛṣṇa with the gopīs, it is most confidential part of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. It is to be relished by the liberated soul, not these ordinary persons who have got sex attraction. They are unfit for hearing Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, rāsa-līlā. Unfit.
The story is that Yadu-vaṁśa, the dynasty of Kṛṣṇa... Kṛṣṇa had 16,108 wives, and each wife had ten sons, and each son had another ten sons. In this way the whole family was composed of hundreds and thousands of men, Yadu dynasty. And when Kṛṣṇa came, so to assist Him, all these demigods, they came to help Him, līlā. Just like if you play something dramatic, you require so many assistants, so when Kṛṣṇa comes, those who are devotees of Kṛṣṇa, they also come to assist Him. Somebody becomes His father, somebody His mother, somebody His friend, somebody His wife, somebody His son, some grandson, like that. So when Kṛṣṇa wanted to depart from this planet, He wanted to take away all others also along with Him. So these are simply material, external causes. Actual fact is Kṛṣṇa, as He went away, He wanted to take all the associates under different pleas.
So you are also changing body. We, everyone we have to change body. Similarly, advaitam acyutam anādim ananta-rūpam (Bs. 5.33). Kṛṣṇa has got also ananta-rūpam. Our rūpam, our this form, is imitation of one of the forms of Kṛṣṇa. This is imitation. So but His forms are not like our form. His forms are spiritual. He is existing in different spiritual forms. Advaitam acyutam anādim ananta-rūpam (Bs. 5.33). Ananta means unlimited. But every form is spiritual. So He is changing. He is changing, yathā naṭaḥ. He is changing like naṭaḥ. Naṭaḥ means actor, dramatic actor. Just like in the stage the dramatic actor is sometimes coming as a king and next time by changing the dress he is coming as (indistinct). This is an example. Similarly, Kṛṣṇa is the same but He has got different manifestations. That different manifestation He takes. Why? Bhū-bhāraḥ kṣapitaḥ. Bhū-bhāraḥ. He comes in different forms just to liquidate the burden of the earth, bhū-bhāraḥ. Bhū-bhāraḥ kṣapitaḥ, just to reduce the burden of this earth.
Kṛṣṇa is within yourself, and Kṛṣṇa is without. But we do not see Kṛṣṇa. The example is, naṭo nāṭyadharo yathā. Naṭa, a dramatic player, is dancing on the stage, and his son or relative seeing, he cannot understand that who is dancing. He's dancing before him, but because he's dressed in such a way that he cannot understand, "Oh, he's my brother" or "father" or..., "dancing." No. Therefore this example has been given, naṭo nāṭyadharo yathā. Kṛṣṇa is everywhere, but because naṭo nāṭyadharo yathā, we cannot understand. This is our position. That requires knowledge. That requires knowledge. Kṛṣṇa is everywhere, not only within. He's everywhere. Aṇḍāntara-stha-paramāṇu-cayāntara-sthaṁ govindam ādi-puruṣaṁ tam ahaṁ bhajāmi **. So Kṛṣṇa can be seen only by person who has developed love for Kṛṣṇa; otherwise, Kṛṣṇa is everywhere, everyone is seeing, but he cannot see. That is the difficulty.
You have got a tendency for reading book or hearing about somebody, but, generally, for our sense gratification we hear some man and woman making love affairs, and that is the subject matter of a drama or a fiction or a story. The same tendency, if you transfer for hearing about Kṛṣṇa, you get liberation. It is so nice thing. And you'll find so attractive to read about the activities of the Lord that they will... Cannot leave the book. The Nectar of Devotion and Kṛṣṇa. It is practically. If you go on reading, you'll find at times some philosophical topics, but the story is so attractive. Because God, Kṛṣṇa is so attractive, His activities are also attractive.
The difficulty is that such literatures, when discussed by professional men, appear to be mundane literature like histories or epics because there are so many historical facts and figures. It is said here, therefore, that such literatures should be discussed in the assembly of devotees. Unless they are discussed by devotees, such literatures cannot be relished by the higher class of men. So the conclusion is that the Lord is not impersonal in the ultimate issue. He is the Supreme Person, and He has His different activities. He is the leader of all living entities, and He descends at His will and by His personal energy to reclaim the fallen souls. Thus He plays exactly like the social, political or religious leaders. Because such roles ultimately culminate in the discussion of topics of the Lord, all such preliminary topics are also transcendental. That is the way of spiritualizing the civic activities of human society. Men have inclinations for studying history and many other mundane literatures—stories, fiction, dramas, magazines, newspapers, etc.—so let them be dovetailed with the transcendental service of the Lord, and all of them will turn to the topics relished by all devotees. The propaganda that the Lord is impersonal, that He has no activity and that He is a dumb stone without any name and form has encouraged people to become godless, faithless demons, and the more they deviate from the transcendental activities of the Lord, the more they become accustomed to mundane activities that only clear their path to hell instead of return them home, back to Godhead.
Not very palatable. Neither everyone can take it. A child cannot become a jñānī. A child cannot become a yogi. But a child can become a bhakta. Therefore this is the easiest process. Pleasing. Everyone is pleased to execute this process. Nivṛtta-tarṣair upagīyamānād bhavauṣadhāc chrotra-mano-'bhirāmāt (SB 10.1.4). Mano-'bhirāmāt. Even for ordinary men who wants to hear about conjugal love... They read therefore so many novels, fiction, dramas. What is that? The love affairs between one young man, one young girl. But that is also there, Kṛṣṇa, Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa. In that sense also, it is pleasing.
So that we can understand things as they are if we receive the message of Urukrama, Kṛṣṇa. If you give aural reception to the activities of Kṛṣṇa ... Therefore, you should not waste a moment even with nonsense talkings. You have got so many books. Either chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare, or read books, discuss amongst yourself. Don't waste your time by so-called drama and play. It is simply waste of time. Don't waste your time in that way. If you have got inclination to enjoy some drama, then you should take hint how that drama should be written or played. Don't manufacture. You are not so expert that you can manufacture things. That is illegal. Just like we do not read any rascal's book. They are manufacturing so many ideas. We read Bhāgavatam, authorized. We read Śrīmad Bhagavad-gītā. We read Brahma-saṁhitā. Not rascal's book. What these rascals can write? They're imperfect. So don't waste your time. Simply always pour in, give aural reception to the message of Urukrama.
Just like when you play some part in a drama, if you feel that "I am king," then you can talk very nicely. And if you feel that "I am Karandhara," then you cannot play nicely king. Is it not? Feeling must be there. If you are playing the part of a king, then you must have the same courage and belief that "I am king." You have to forget that you are Karandhara. Then your part will be very nicely played. It will be appreciated. But if you think simultaneously that "I am Karandhara. I am taking, playing the part of the king," then you cannot play. So because we wanted to play the part of Kṛṣṇa, enjoyer, Kṛṣṇa is giving us chance that "You feel like Me."—"I am king. I am Kṛṣṇa. I am God." (laughter) All these rascals, those who are feeling like that, "I am master. I am king. I am Kṛṣṇa. I am God," they are all simply in that feeling only. That's all. And this feeling is created by Kṛṣṇa: "All right. You want to play the part of a king. I shall train you in such a way." Just like director means, dramatic director means, he creates a feeling. His direction is nothing but how to feel.
Sometimes we played in our younger age Caitanya-līlā. I introduced. And one big director, Amrtalal Chosa, he was just like grandfather. He was one of the, just like in England Shakespeare and others, big, big dramatic, well-known persons. This Amrtalal Chosa and Girish Chandra Chosa, they introduced in India theatric... So we called him to give us direction. He was giving us direction, and repeatedly he was telling that "You feel like that," especially to me. "You feel like that." So actually, when we played according to his direction, the audience were all crying. And we could not understand how they cried. We could not understand. On the stage when we played, it was so perfect that all audience were crying. Actually we saw they were smearing over their eyes with... But the whole thing is artificial, but the effect to the audience became so nice. So similarly, we are... Actually we have nothing to do with this material world, But we have been trained by the illusory energy in such a way that we are thinking, "I am Indian. I am American. I am this. I am that. I am brāhmaṇa. I am śūdra. I have to do this. I have got so much duty," all these illusions, simply thinking. We have nothing to do with all this nonsense, but still, we are taking it very serious. "I have to do like that. I have to do like that. I am this. I am that."
People are sometimes amazed, "Where is the soul?" Now it is clearly said here, hṛdayāt: "from the core of the heart." Therefore soul is existing within the heart. And the Paramātmā is also existing. The yogis, they want to see. Although they are, Paramātmā and jīvātmā, sitting side by side, and He is dictating, but on account of our foolishness we cannot see Him, neither hear Him. Antar-bahiḥ. He is within and He is without, but unfortunate as we are, we cannot see Him either within or without. How it is possible? Just like a family member, your father or brother, is playing on the stage, but you cannot see him. Somebody is pointing out, "Here is your brother, dancing." You cannot see him. Naṭo nāṭyadharo yathā. Just like a person dressed in dramatic performance, his relative cannot see him, similarly, Kṛṣṇa is everywhere, aṇḍāntara-stha-paramāṇu-cayāntara-stham (Bs. 5.35). Simply one has to make his eyes purified to see Him. Then he can see always Kṛṣṇa, within and without.
Prahlāda Mahārāja is also mahājana because he follows mahājana. He says, viriñca-gītāḥ: "I'll enjoy. I shall relish tava līlā-kathaḥ, Your pastime, the narration of Your pastime." But it is not that narration, as it is written by some mundane dramatic drama writer or novel writer. No, not that. That is useless. You should not touch. If some ordinary person has written something about Kṛṣṇa's līlā, you should not touch even. It must be in the sampradāya, must be authorized person. Otherwise it is useless.
One should be interested in Kṛṣṇa-kathā. We are interested in so many kathās. Because we purchase newspaper in the morning, so big volume, so many kathās are there. And we read many material dramas and novels and fictitious stories and killing stories. We are very much attached to these. All these kathās, means stories, we are interested, but we are not interested in Kṛṣṇa-kathā. Means I am interested in kathā, that is my nature, but it has become perverted on account of being contaminated by this material world. This is our position. Therefore Prahlāda Mahārāja said that naitan manas tava kathāsu vikuṇṭha-nātha samprīyate durita-duṣṭam asādhu tīvram. Because it is so polluted, asādhu, dishonest and bad, everything, whatever... The mind is dirty, full of dirty things.
Everything is Kṛṣṇa, but not in everything His original form is manifested. Mayā tatam idaṁ sarvam avyakta. Avyakta means nonmanifest, nonmanifested. He is everything. It can be compared just like your most intimate friend or family member is playing in the stage. So he is playing there, but still, you cannot recognize him. Naṭo nāṭyadharo yathā, Kuntīdevī has said. Just like the dramatist, the actor... He has dressed himself in such a way that although the actor is your very intimate friend or family, you cannot see. A child, suppose his father is a big actor. He is playing on the stage. So another family member says to the child, "You see your father." But he says, "Where is my father? Where is?" Naṭo nāṭyadharo yathā. Everything Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa is everywhere, but because we are not Kṛṣṇa conscious, we cannot see Him. We are challenging, "Can you show me Kṛṣṇa?" You are seeing, but on account of material covering, you cannot see.
Nectar of Devotion Lectures
We cannot work unless we derive some pleasure. Just like the, in the Ahmedabad, the dramatic performance, he was killing animal, and he was attracted by killing, that's all. The butchers... I have seen in Calcutta, while passing through, one hotel man was cutting the throat of a chicken, and the chicken was, after being cut, the throat, it was jumping like anything. You see. And he was laughing. He was taking pleasure. It was for me so horrible, but he was taking very nice pleasure: "This half-cut chicken is jumping." And his son was crying. And he was asking, "Why you are crying? Why you are crying?" So it is the question of different qualities. One is attracted, and one, he finds that, that they are detracted.
Initiation Lectures
Jaya-gopāla: If we were in plays and we are playing such great personalities, how should we be thinking?
Prabhupāda: Huh?
Jaya-gopāla: In plays if we would be...
Prabhupāda: Play is play. Suppose you are playing the part of Cromwell, are you Cromwell? So similarly, why do you think like that you have become Cromwell?
Jaya-gopāla: No. How should we think, though?
Prabhupāda: You think yourself that you are servant of him. Suppose you are playing the part of George Washington in a drama. Are you George Washington? But while playing, you may feel like that; otherwise the play will not be successful. That is different thing.
General Lectures
There are twelve kinds of rasas, humor. Just like sometimes we want to see a very pathetic scene in some drama, some ghastly scene. Somebody is murdering somebody and we take pleasure in seeing that. There are certain kinds of person... There are different kinds of sporting. One of our student in Montreal, he was saying that his father took pleasure in bull fighting in Spain. When the bull is killed by fighting, he was taking pleasure. So different kinds of men. One person is seeing, "It is horrible," another person is enjoying, "Oh, it is very nice." You see? So Kṛṣṇa can accommodate. If you want to love horrible things, Kṛṣṇa can present yourself as Nṛsiṁhadeva, "Ah."(laughter—Haribol) Yes. And if you want to see Kṛṣṇa as very loving friend, He is Vamśī-dhārī, Vṛndāvana-vihārī. If you want Kṛṣṇa as loving child, then He's Gopāla. If you want child as loving friend, he's Arjuna. Just like Arjuna and Kṛṣṇa. So there are twelve kinds of humors. Kṛṣṇa can be accommodated with all the humors; therefore His name is Akhila-rasāmṛta-sindhu. Akhila-rasāmṛta-sindhu. Akhila means universal; rasa means mellow, humor; and the ocean. Just like if you try to find out water and if you go before the Pacific Ocean, oh, unlimited water. There is no comparison how much water is there. (chuckling) Similarly, if you want something and if you approach Kṛṣṇa, you'll find unlimited supply, unlimited supply, just like ocean.
Ladies and Gentlemen, I thank you very much for your coming here and giving us a chance to speak about the absolute artist. Kṛṣṇa's name is Naṭabara, Naṭabara. Naṭabara means the greatest dramatic dancer. And another, His name, is Naṭo nāṭyadharo yathā. He is dancing in such a nice way that He (is) attracting everyone. So in the Vedas it is said about Kṛṣṇa how great artist He is. Na tasya kāryaṁ kāraṇaṁ ca vidyate. The Absolute Personality of Godhead, He has nothing to do personally. Na tasya kāryaṁ kāraṇaṁ ca vidyate. Kāryam means work. He hasn't got to perform any work, although He is the greatest worker. Na tasya kāryaṁ kāraṇaṁ ca vidyate na tasya samaḥ adhikaś ca dṛśyate. And nobody is found greater than Him or equal to Him.
There is a small instructive story in this—not story, fact—in this connection. In Calcutta there was a great dramatist. He was very well known, government officer. He wrote one book, Shah Jahan. That is very famous book for theatrical play. So in that Shah Jahan, means the king emperor Shah Jahan, the... Practically, the name which is given on the book, the hero title, he's the hero. So one of the friends of Mr. D. L. Raya, he inquired from Mr. Raya that "In your book Shah Jahan, the actual hero is Aurangzeb. Why you have given the title Shah Jahan?" He could not understand it. So I'm just trying to explain that the purpose of the book must be known to the author, not others. So the author replied, "My dear friend, the actual hero is Shah Jahan, not Aurangzeb." Although the Shah Jahan book is full of the activities of Aurangzeb, the fact is that Shah Jahan was the emperor. He had many, four or five sons, and his wife died, Mumtaz, at an early age. You have seen, those who have gone to India, you have seen the Taj Mahal building. That building was constructed in the memory of that Mumtaz by Shah Jahan. He spent all his money for constructing that building. So it is one of the seven wonders of the world. So that Shah Jahan lost his wife at an early age. She (he) was very fond of his wife. And because, affectionate father, he did not very much chastise his sons, and he spent all his money in constructing the memory of his wife, so when the sons grew up, the third son, Aurangzeb, came out very crooked. And he made a plan how to usurp the empire. He killed his elder brother and other brothers. He arrested his father, Shah Jahan. So this is the book subject matter, Shah Jahan. So whole activities. But the author says that "Aurangzeb is not the hero; hero is Shah Jahan." Then he explained why. "Now, because Shah Jahan was living, sitting in the Agra Fort as a prisoner, and all the reactions of Aurangzeb's activities, killing of his other sons, usurping the empire, that was beating on his heart; therefore he was suffering. He is the hero."
So this is an example. The author of a book knows very well what is the purpose of that book. That is my statement. Similarly, this Vedānta-sūtra was compiled by Vyāsadeva, or Kṛṣṇa's incarnation, or Kṛṣṇa Himself. So He knows what is Vedānta-sūtra. So if you want to understand Vedānta-sūtra, then you must understand Kṛṣṇa. Vedaiś ca sarvair aham eva vedyam (BG 15.15).
...dramatical performance. It is very nice. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu also introduced this dramatical play when He was gṛhastha at Navadvīpa, and all the devotees used to see. But they were played by all males. There was no such thing, female taking part. This female taking part was later on introduced by one dramatist, by Girish Chandra Ghose, imitating the Western way of dramatical play. Otherwise, in our childhood, we never saw any dramatical play performed by woman. So if you organize this kind of play, at least they'll be appreciated by the saintly order. The sannyāsīs also can see, but parts played by women, the sannyāsīs cannot see. That is not..., strictly prohibited. By Caitanya Mahāprabhu's personal example we can see that there was a dancing and musical play by women in the Jagannātha temple. Of course, ordinary visitors, they can see, but sannyāsīs or brahmacārīs, they are strictly prohibited. So when the music was going on, Caitanya Mahāprabhu became very ecstatic, that "Such a nice music is coming from Jagannātha temple. Let Me go and see." Then His personal servant Govinda prohibited Him, "Sir, these songs are from woman." "Oh? It is from woman? Govinda, you have saved My life." (laughter) So sannyāsīs and brahmacārīs are strictly prohibited to hear or to see dancing woman. Of course, in your country it is very difficult. But at least if such play, dramatical play performed, the sannyāsīs, brahmacārīs cannot take part. But if the parts are played by male members, everyone can see, in front of the Deity. There is no harm.
So this Prahlāda-caritra play, drama, is very instructive. Although it is not played on a very nice stage, theatrical, but the feeling expressed by the devotees in playing this Prahlāda-caritra has become very successful. We want to understand the feeling. Externally, we may not be very much equipped. Kṛṣṇa takes the feeling. Bhāva-grāhī janardana.
| Page Title: | Drama (Lectures) |
| Compiler: | Visnu Murti, Labangalatika |
| Created: | 21 of Dec, 2008 |
| Totals by Section: | BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=33, Con=0, Let=0 |
| No. of Quotes: | 33 |