Five Scenes from the Childhood of Sri Ramakrishna, Part 1 of 2

A dramatic reading of scenes one and two

Gadai painted by Swami Tadatmananda

By Bill Davis and Bill Page

Scene 1:  Gadai’s acting troupe.

Narrator: Scene 1.  Gadadhar’s friend, Gayavishnu, stands outside Gadadhar’s home in Kamarpukur.  It is in the afternoon after siesta.  It is springtime, 1844.  They are both 8 years old.

Gayavishnu (calling loudly):  Gadai, come out and play!

Song:  (women and men in falsetto)

 Gadai, come out and play; Gadai, come out and play.

We’ll run and jump and dance

We’ll climb up into trees

Gadai, come out and play; Gadai, come out and play.

We’ll swing upon a vine,

And splash in the big tank.

Gadai, come out and play; Gadai, come out and play.

We’ll sing lots of songs,

We’ll yell with all our might.

Gadai, come out and play; Gadai, come out and play.

We’ll make a play on Gopal

And ride a buffalo.

Gadai, come out and play; Gadai come out and play.

Gadai, come out and play; Gadai come out and play.

Gadadhar:  Hi, brother Bishnu.

Gayavishnu:  Hi, brother Gadai

Gadadhar: I’m helping my Mom husk some rice.  I can come out and play after we finish.

Gayavishnu:  May I help?  That will make it go faster.

Gadadhar:  Of course.  Come on in.  My Mom is operating the pestle and I’m pushing the paddy toward it.  You can bring the unhusked paddy from the corner.

Chandradevi:  Oh, good to see you, Bishnu.  How is your mother?  Is her carbuncle better? 

Gayavishnu:  It still hurts.

Chandradevi:  Oh, too bad.  Please give her my best wishes.  After we finish the husking I want to feed you some spicy puffed rice I made.

Gayavishnu:  Oh, goody.

Narrator:  The work finishes quickly.

Gayavishnu:  Gadai, with you all work is fun.  At home my Mom has to yell at me to get me to do this.

Gadadhar:  Bishnu, that’s something I love so much about you.  There’s not a crooked bone in your body.

Gayavishnu:  What a great friend you are!

Chandra Devi:  Here’s the moori.

Gayavishnu:  Thank you, Mother.

Gadadhar:  Well, what do you want to play?

Gayavishnu:  I don’t know.  You always have lots of ideas.  What do you suggest?

Gadadhar:  I’ve been thinking that I would like us to make a play on the life of Rama.  Why don’t we get brother Apu and then go over to Manikraja’s mango orchard?

Narrator:  Apurba joins them and they enter the orchard.

Gadadhar:  Let’s start with the scene where Rama finds out that his father is very upset by something.  I’ll play Rama.  Bishnu, you play Kaikeyi.  Apu, you play Dasharatha.  I’ll speak first.

Gadadhar:  Revered Father, I just got a message that you wanted to tell me something.  Father, why don’t you speak?  Why do you look so sad?  OK, now, Bishnu, you, as Kaikeyi, explain about the boons and her demand that her son Bharata is to become king and that I, Rama, must go into the forest for 14 years and live the life of an ascetic.  But first she asks him whether he has the strength to carry out a vow taken by his father. Bishnu, make your voice sound hard and cold.  She used to be so loving to Rama.

Gayavishnu:  My dear Rama.  Do you have the strength to carry out a vow taken by your father?

Gadadhar:  What a question!  For my father and king I would leap into fire or swallow deadly poison.  Apu, while Bishnu is speaking you have to groan and sigh.

Gayavishnu: (Apurva groans and sighs)  Rama, let me explain.  Many years ago I saved your father’s life and he gave me two boons.  Just today I finally asked for those boons.  The first boon is that my son Bharata, not you, must become king.  The second boon is that you are to go into the forest for 14 years and live as an ascetic. 

Gadadhar:  Is this my father’s vow?  Apu, let out a loud moan.

Apurva:  Ooooooh, woe is me.

Gadadhar:  Mother, of course the King’s word must be kept at all cost.  There is no higher virtue than truth.  This is a simple thing.  I will leave for the forest today wearing bark, as ascetics do.  Now Apu, try to persuade Rama to not accept this vow.  Sound sad as you speak.

Apurva:  Dearest Rama, I made this stupid vow to Kaikeyi.  Who knew she would betray me so terribly with her boons?  I can’t take back the vow, but you don’t have to accept it.  You could now easily seize the throne.  Please do so.

Gadadhar:  Never, Father.  Your word is sacred.  It must be carried out at all costs.  Father, don’t grieve.  I actually relish this opportunity to live in the forest.  I see this as God’s will.  Apu, tell Rama that you’ll be heartbroken if he goes into the forest.

Apurva:  Rama, you are my life.  It will break my heart to be separated from you.

Gadadhar:  Father, please don’t grieve.  By following truth we shall surrender utterly into the hands of God, of destiny.  Father, let me sing you a song.

Song:

I asked a sage what austerity should I practice?

He replied with vehemence and joy,

“There is no better austerity than practicing truth.

There is nothing higher, nothing higher than truth.

Truth is but another name for God.

By holding to truth one attains to God.”

Apurva:  Gadai, you know so many words.  What does “vehemence” mean?

Gadadhar:  Force, passion, intensity.  All right.  Now let’s switch to the scene where Sita, Rama and Lakshmana are in their hut in the forest and the magic deer sent by Ravana comes by.  Bishnu, you be Sita.  You’ve spied the deer and are entranced.

Gayavishnu:  Gadai, why do I play all the woman parts?

Gadadhar:  You do it very well, and besides, you’re lucky to get to play Sita.  I would love to play Sita, but I’m needed as Rama.

Gayavishnu:  Let me play Rama in this scene.

Gadadhar:  OK, OK, I’ll be Sita.  Apu, you be Lakshmana.  (Now in role) Rama, Lakshmana, look over there!  Do you see that lovely golden deer?  Ooooh, it’s so sweet and dear!  Look how soft its coat is!  Its hoofs and ears are so delicate!  I love its beautiful soft brown eyes.  Oh, how I wish to have that deer!  It shall be my palace pet when we return to Ayodhya.  When it finally dies, you, Rama, can use its lovely pelt as an asana.  Rama, Lakshmana, could one of you please capture it?  Now, Apu, warn Sita and Rama that you suspect a magic spell.

Apurva:  Don’t be fooled by this deer.  It is too attractive.  I suspect a magic spell.

Gadadhar:  Oh, you are so suspicious!  Why do you say such a terrible thing?  How cruel of you!  Now, Bishnu, tell Sita how eager you are to make her happy and that you will surely capture it.  Ask Lakshmana to guard Sita.

Gayavishnu:  (in a deep masculine voice)   Sita, I’m always eager to make you happy.  Since this is what you want, I will make haste to capture it.  Here, let me get my weapons. Now, Lakshmana, guard Sita with your life.  This may be a dastardly trick—the work of some vile evil-doer.

Gadadhar:  Now I’ll be the Narrator.  This deer had a funny power.  It would seem easy to capture but would disappear and then reappear at some distance.  This led Rama farther and farther away from their hut.  Finally, realizing that he would never catch it alive, he shot it with an arrow.  The deer form disappeared and instead the wizard, Maricha, appeared.  As he was dying he called out in distress, using Rama’s voice: “O Sita! O Lakshmana!”  Now, Bishnu, say that.

Gayavishnu:  O Sita!  O Lakshmana!

Gadadhar:  Lakshmana, did you hear Rama cry out?  He is in trouble.  Do go and rescue him.  Apu, reassure Sita that there is no cause for alarm.  You know the story.

Apurva:  That’s not Rama’s voice.  Besides, who in the three worlds can possibly do any harm to Rama?  This is just a trick to get me to leave you.

Gadadhar:  You’re just saying these things to hide your cowardice.  If you were a real man, you would run without hesitation to rescue him.

Apurva: How can you say such a thing?  But I will go, since you are insulting my courage.  You must promise to remain within the hut, with the door locked, and on no account open it to anyone.

Gadadhar:  I assure you I will remain safely inside behind the locked door.  Now, Bishnu, you play Ravana posing as the mendicant. 

Gayavishnu:  Om Nama Narayana.  Om Nama Narayana.

Gadadhar:  This sannyasin is begging alms, but I don’t like the looks of him.  I wish Rama and Lakshmana were here.  However, I have never turned away a sadhu in my whole life.  I’m not going to start now just because of a little childish fear.  Now I’m the Narrator again.  As Sita handed the mendicant some food he suddenly changed form and became the mighty Ravana with 10 heads.  He grabbed Sita and rose up into the air taking her off to Lanka.   Now I’m Sita:  (In a screaming voice)  Aaaaaaah!   What are you doing?  Don’t you value your own life?  You might more safely offer violence to Indra than to me, the wife of Rama.  Even if you drank the nectar of immortality, that would not protect you.  Now, Bishnu and Apu, you return and find the hut empty.

Gayavishnu:  Where are you, Sita?  Are you hiding somewhere?  Can you have been eaten by a wild beast or demon?  Oh, Lakshmana, my heart is breaking.  How could you have left her alone? 

Apurva: She called me a coward because I wouldn’t leave her after we heard your voice.  She forced me to go.  I couldn’t say no.

Gayavishnu:  I am devastated!  My grief is unbearable

Apurva:  I have never seen you weep before.  You are God Himself.  How can you be affected by grief like ordinary mortals? 

Gayavishnu:  Gadai, what should I say to this?

Gadadhar:  Say, “Have you never heard?  ‘Caught in Maya’s snare, even Brahman weeps.’”  Then say, “But come!  Let me shake off this unmanly weakness, caused by Maya’s play, and remember my true nature.  I am Brahman!  I am the Atman!   We must find her!  We WILL find her!  Arise!  Awake!  Let us stop not till the goal is reached!”  Apu, repeat what you said before.

Apurva:  You are God.  How is it that you are feeling grief like an ordinary man?

Gayavishnu:  Have you not heard?  “Caught by Maya, even Brahman weeps.”  Come!  I’m shaking off this weakness, caused by Maya, and recalling my real nature. I am Brahman!  I am the Atman!   We must find her!  We WILL find her!  Arise!  Awake!  Let us not stop till the goal is reached!”

Narrator:  Gadadha’s older brother Rameshwar appears. 

Rameshwar:  Oh, there you are.  I thought I might find you here.  Your mother asked me to bring you home for supper.  Bishnu and Apu, would you also like to come to our house for supper?

Gayavishnu:  Do we have to stop?  We were having so much fun pretending to be Ravana, Rama, Sita, and Lakshmana.

Gadadhar:  Brother, do you know any songs about Rama?

Rameshwar:  Well, I know a song sung by Hanuman.  He had managed to find and steal the one weapon capable of killing Ravana.  As he was running away with it, Ravana’s wife, Mandodari, tried to tempt him with various fruits so that he might come down and drop the weapon.  In reply to her persuasions he sang this song:

            Am I in need of fruit?

            I have the Fruit that makes this life

            Fruitful indeed.  Within my heart

            The Tree of Rama grows,

            Bearing salvation for its fruit.

            Under the Wish-Fulfilling Tree

            Of Rama do I sit at ease,

            Plucking whatever fruit I will.

            But if you speak of fruit –

            No beggar, I, for common fruit.

            Behold I go,

            Leaving a bitter fruit for you.

(first solo then repeated in chorus)

Scene 2:  Gadadhar tries to learn arithmetic.

Narrator:  Scene 2.  Gadadhar tries to learn arithmetic.  Gadadhar is sitting in the Lahas’  elementary school with his friends.  It is a spacious theater hall with a thatched roof open on all sides.  It is right in front of the Lahas’ house.  The Lahas are the village landlords.  The teacher is speaking.

Teacher:  Boys, now we will spend some time improving your arithmetic.  First let’s count from 1 to 10.

Teacher sings and boys respond (sung):  one, two, three (boys respond); four, five, six (etc); seven, eight, nine;     eight, nine, ten;

Ten, nine, eight;   seven, six, five;   four, three two;   three, two one.

Teacher:  Good.  Now addition. 

Teacher sings and boys respond (sung):  1 plus 1 is 2.  (boys respond), 2 plus 2 is 4 (etc).  3 plus 3 is 6.  4 plus 4 is 8.  5 plus 5 is 10.

Teacher:  Good.  Now subtraction.

Teacher sings and boys respond (sung):  1 from 2 is 1.  (boys respond).  2 from 4 is 2. (etc).  3 from 6 is 3.  4 from 8 is 4.  5 from 10 is 5.

Teacher:  Gayavishnu.  If you take 3 from 6, what is left?

Gayavishnu:  3.

Teacher: Very good.  Now, Apurba, if you take 5 from 10, what is left? 

Apurba:  I think it’s 5.

Teacher:  That’s right.  Very good.  Now, Gadadhar, if you take 4 from 8, what is left?

Gadadhar:  8, teacher.

Teacher (irritated), You're not paying attention, Gadadhar.  We're subtracting 4 from 8.  So what would that be?  8 minus 4 is...?

Gadadhar.  8.

Teacher (getting really annoyed): No, no, Gadadhar.  You're not listening!  We start with 8.  8 jellabies, say.  Then we take away 4.  Now, with 4 jellabies gone, how many would we have left?

Gadadhar (solemnly):  We would still have 8, teacher.

Teacher (exasperated):  Explain yourself, you naughty boy!  If you have 8 jellabies and you take away 4, how could you possibly still have 8?

Gadadhar:  Scripture says so, teacher.   The Upanishad says,

Chorus: (Chanting)

OM Purnam adah, purnam idam,

purnat purnam udachyate;

purnasya purnamadaya,

purnamevavishishyate. 

(Singing)

That is full, this is full;

the full comes out of the full. 

Taking the full out of the full,

the fullness still remains.  

Gadadhar:  So if you take 4 out of 8, there's still 8.  Scripture says so.  Nothing is lost.  We still have 8 jellabies.  And that's good.  I like jellabies.  I can eat all 8, and there will still be 8 left.  See how nicely God has arranged things?  It's like the wish-fulfilling tree, or the cow of plenty.

Teacher (throwing up his hands):  Gadadhar, you may someday be a great pundit, but you'll never be a mathematician!  Let's go on to our geography lesson....