APPENDIX LETTERS OF SRI AUROBINDO My aim in writing or in encouraging others to write is not personal glory, but to arrive at the expression of spiritual truth and experience of all kinds in poetry.... You are right when you say that up till now the English people have not favoured Indian poets writing verse in English; but the mind of the future will be more international than it is today. In that case the expression of various temperaments in English poetry will have a chance. * (In reply to a highbrow critic friend. A.)... It is not true in all cases that one can't write first-class things in a learned language. Both in French and English peo

PREFACE It all happens in Navadwip, the hallowed town of Bengal, where Sri Chaitanya was born in 1486. At an early age, he felt an irresistible call to give up his hearth and home, his mother and young wife — in short, everything that man holds dear — for the love of Sri Krishna, his one love and dream on earth. A Vaishnava friend of mine wrote to me pointing out certain, what he calls historical, errors in the play. In one point, however, he was mistaken: he wrote that Sri Chaitanya had never had his mother's permission before he decided to take to the path of renunciation. In Amiya Nimai Charita — the most authentic life of Sri Chaitanya — it is written that he had persu

Act Three A month later. In Mira's temple she is seen again dancing. On her right Ajit is revealed seated with folded hands, the proud pedant transformed now into a humble devotee. On her right are seated Mira's Guru, Sri Sanatan and the temple-priest, Pundarik. After a time she breaks forth into song. MIRA (sings as tears course down her cheeks) They ask: "For whom do you sing your songs For ever, endlessly ? Whether one harks or no —you go on Pouring your melody /" For whom does the heart still brood and long, Sweet koels warble the boughs among, Blossom the buds in hues' display, The rivers dance on — who can say ? And

MIRA PLAY IN THREE ACTS DEDICATION To Dear Nani Palkivala Who'll sing with the marvellous Minstrel rapturously the mystic prophecy in Savitri: "Oh, surely one day he shall come to our cry, One day he shall create our life anew And utter the magic formula of peace And bring perfection to the scheme of things."* With love 10.5.77 DADA DILIP KUMAR * Cent. Vol. 28, Bk. II, C. 6

chaitanya and mira Dilip Kumar Roy CONTENTS Pre content SRI CHAITANYA Dedication Preface Act One: Aspiration Act Two Act Three; Illumination MIRA Dedication Preface Act One Act Two Act Three APPENDIX Letters of Sri Aurobindo Notes by the Author

Act Two In her temple at Brindavan, on the full-moon night of Ras, Mira is seen singing before her beloved Image of Gopal. The windows on one side of the temple open on the rippling Yamuna. A number of pilgrims and devotees listen on, in rapture. On her left Ajit, a Brahmin pedant, frowns on her as she starts dancing. On her right sits her Gurudev, Sri Sanatan, and the temple-priest, Pundarik. MIRA (Sings in a half-trance of ecstasy) Blessed art thou, 0 soul, to be born, May not thy days glide by in vain. Remember: priceless is this life: Aspire His lotus-feet to attain. The Vedas are mere words, if thou Stay blind to His

SRI CHAITANYAA DRAMA IN THREE ACTS DEDICATION To Indira, maid of Krishna, Who even in this dark age through dust and din Has won to the certitude no storm shall quell: "That the Light of the heart, pledged to His Love evergreen No demon power of Night shall countervail." July, 1977

Act Three — Illumination A year has passed. Sri Chaitanya has just returned to Navadwip without apprising his mother and wife. He has toured far and wide preaching the message of Love. He now intends to call on his wife and mother though he has to stay elsewhere, in the precincts of a temple of Vishnu. It is evening now and Vishnupriya, the beautiful bride of Sri Chaitanya, is seen in her private temple praying before the image of Lord Vishnu. She offers flowers, lights a few incense-sticks and then starts the 'arati' ceremony (moving a censer with lighted candles round and round the face of the image) singing in a moved voice. VISHNUPRIYA (si

Act One — Aspiration 1510 A. D. Evening. Sachi Devi is seen performing her daily devotions before her cherished Ishtadeva—a marble image of Lord Vishnu who was incarnated as Sri Krishna and later, as she believed, as Sri Chaitanya. Her worship over, she offers flowers at His feet when Sri Chaitanya enters hesitantly and waits in silence. His mother turns and gives an involuntary start. SRI CHAITANYA Mother, I... SACHI Yes, my son? SRI CHAITANYA I have been thinking......... SACHI (anxiously) You are not unwell, I hope? SRI CHAITANYA Oh, nothing: be not alarmed. I only meant: I wished I were in that mood