________________
PLAYS
163
Act III'Illumination'- takes place a year after Sri Chaitanya's accepting the sannyasa. After preaching the message of love of Krishna in the far off areas, he has. returned to Navadwip with the intention of calling on his wife and mother for a while.
In Sri Chaitanya's house, his wife. Vishnupriya is shown praying before the image of Vishnu. She becomes completely involved in her prayer and in the intensity of the moments of trance, she sees the vision of Sri Chaitanya's encounter with Jagai and Madhai who are the notorious ruffians of that area. They are very hostile to Sri Chaitanya because he attempts to change the nature of people like them. In extreme hate. Madhai spits on Sri Chaitanya's face. Jagai also says:
"A truce to ranting and posing as oracle. Nor are we here to be improved by sermons. Rather we come to improve you, my false prophet. Till you know better than to confound and wreck Good citizens of respectability.
(He brandishes his bamboo stick)
And this is what will put sense into you,
So either mend your ways, fool-or-beware! "16
But Sri Chaitanya remains unperturbed by their rude and indecent behaviour. He does not allow his followers like Murari to attack the two. Sri Chaitanya's calm and composed response to Jagai and Madhai disturb them more. So, enraged Madhai strikes Sri Chaitanya on his forehead with the sharp end of the broken pitcher. Blood rushes out from his forehead. Sri Chaitanya's adorers now cannot control themselves. They pounce on Jagai and Madhai to beat them. They fling the both on ground. Both of them cry for help. Sri Chaitanya does not allow the crowd to be violent against the hostility of these two roughs. He asks Jagai and Madhai not to be afraid any more but to feel secured :
"Now you come to me.
I will take you home. But wait, my brothers, first Let me embrace you. Have no fear:none will Lay hands on you now that you are armoured in My love my Lord gave me to soothe and heal All suffering souls who cry, for they are blind, Alas, to His compassion. Come, you both And claim from me but what belongs to syou:
Sri Krishna's Love, the only refuge and harbour In this our derelict, unhappy world","17
Again, Sri Chaitanya's patient love succeeds at the end and both of them, now completely transformed, fall prostrate at Sri Chaitanya's feet and cry out, "Forgive us. Lord, our sins-we cry from Hell."18
Jain Education International
For Private & Personal Use Only
www.jainelibrary.org
