Opening Scene: Two girls come onto the stage, calling “Jahnava Mata! Jahnava Mata! Jahnava appears from the other side, and the girls speak: Girl 1: Jahnava Mata? Please, tell us something of this sankirtana movement? We can see it is going on with so much success on Earth, but how did this come to be? What happened after our Lord Sti Caitanya Mahaprabhu, and your own lord and master, Nityananda Prabhu, returned here to the spiritual world? Girl 2: We know of course that you were the force behind its continuation, but what happened after you joined our Lords and returned also? Jahanva: Abh....the history of Mahaprabhu's sankirtana movement is a glorious tale....come, sit, and I will tell you ... (They go the side of the stage, and take their seats, the girls facing Jahnava, awaiting her story) Ge. Antya % I-12) “The Furdamentalrees verse. Jahnava Mata: (quotes the purport with the words‘ paramahamsa thakura.” Girl 2: But Jahnava Mata, who is this paramahamsa thakwra? Jahnava: Listen, while our acaryas reveal to you who is that paramahamsa thakura... (She continues as Sti Advaita wanders onto the stage) Sti Advaita Acarya appeared some time before Lord Caitanya. He found the world devoid of devotional service to Krsna Seeing everyone engaged in materialistic activity, the Acarya felt great compassion and began to consider what he could do for the people's benefit. ADVAITA: If Sri Krsna were to appear as an incarnation, He Himself could preach devotion by His personal example. In this Age of Kali there is no religion other than the Chanting of the holy name of the Lord, but how in this age will the Lord appear as an incarnation? [ shall worship Krsna in a purified state of mind. I shall constantly petition Him in humbleness. My name, ‘Advaita,’ will be fitting if I am able to induce Krsna to inaugurate the movement of the chanting of the holy name. As Advaita is worshipping, Sri Krsna appears, unseen by Advaita, who leaves the stage. KRSNA: Fora long time I have not bestowed unalloyed loving service to Me upon the inhabitants of the world. Without such loving attachment, the existence of the material world is useless. ... I shall personally inaugurate the teligion of the age—nama-sankirtana,the congregational chanting of the holy name. I shall make the world dance in ecstasy, realizing the four mellows of loving devotional service. NARRATOR: Thus the Lord decided to advent disguised as His own devotee and teach Pure devotional service by practicing it Himself. Accompanied by His associates, servants, weapons, and confidential companions, (enter all the disciplic succession, who take their seas sither side ofthe stage) the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu, appeared in Nadia some five hundred years ago. So eager was the Lord to distribute the fruits of love of God that He expressed transcendental anxiety, feeling that these fruits would not be distributed widely enough. Hearing the Lord’s words, His followers worked with unlimited enthusiasm. Under the Lord’s direction, they broke open the storehouse of love of God and distributed the fruits without consideration of who was fit or unfit to receive them. (Scene changes: now in the background sits Mahaprabhu and all His associates, Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura tises from the group, untolls a scroll, and prepares to give a report to Mahaprabhu and the assembled Vaisnavas.) BHAKTISIDDHANTA SARASVATI: (Addressing the assembly) Alas, the associates of the Lord met with opposition. Kali-ynga was progressing. Time passed, and the number of conditioned souls evading the Lord's net of mercy increased. As the nineteenth century headed to a close, the brilliant moonbeams of Lord Caitanya’s mercy seemed all but eclipsed by the sinister Kali. Numerous sahajiya groups proliferated, shadows of the glorious sakirtana patties of the Past. Only the appearance of Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura saved the situation, He re- established Lord Caitanya’s movement, then left his legacy in my hands. By his grace, it spread to all corners of Bharata-varsa. Alas! No sooner had we left this earthly world than the mission again faltered. Our efforts to organize a dynamic movement were nearly undone Girl 1: But Jahnava Ma, how is it possible that the work these two great souls performed could be so quickly eroded? Jahnava: Instead of working unitedly, their followers split into factions and the movement lost its momentum, Kali’s followers rejoiced. Having survived two world wars, they seized control of the world and plundered her resources. Even India, the bastion of religion, discarded her spiritual destiny in favor of temporal objectives. As the materialists gained strength, the devotees seemed to lose theirs. The unconquerable forward march of b3 Mahaprabhu's legions ground to a halt, jeopardizing the legacy of Srila Bhaktivinoda. Timely ringing of the temple bells and a full belly became the new measure of success, Lord Caitanya’s prophecy of a worldwide sankirtana movement seemed no more than a wishful dream, the fanciful words of some medieval poet. Bhaktisiddhanta finishes his addvess, rolls the scroll up, and takes his seat amongst the assembly. (Sitting in the middle of the assembled Vaisnavas, Mahaprabhu's eyes fill with tears. The assembly is downcast, exchanging worried glances at the sadness of Mahaprabhu.) BHAKTIVINODA THAKURA: My dear son! You have made so many disciples. Will none dare cross the ocean? BHAKTISIDDANTA: A few have, but they returned unsuccessful. The Yavanas are in control everywhere, even in India. MAHAPRABHU (addressing Haridasa Thakura): My dear Havidasa, what about your Promise? You said the holy name would deliver everyone. Now it seems not even a semblance of the holy name remains? HARIDASA (looking downcast, finally he speaks): My Lord, You know everything, so what can we say? If You like, You can easily deliver the conditioned souls time after time. But You prefer to have Your devotee take the credit by performing this miraculous task. My Lord, may I therefore remind You that some time ago, knowing Kali’s influence would spread, You dispatched Your dearest devotee, the servant of Sarasvati Gosvami, to earth. He is busy preparing himself at that very place where Stila Rapa Gosvami once performed his bhajana. My Lord, surely You know this, and so does Riipa Gosvami. Bhaktivinoda ‘Thakura, who predicted his coming, and of course his son Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati, are also well aware. Perhaps due to humility none will remind You. My Lord, may Your anxiety be vanquished, for the deliverance of the world is near at hand. MAHAPRABHU: (turning to Rupa Goswami): My dear Rupa, what do you know of this? RUPA GOSWAMI: My Lord, what Haridasa Thakura has said is true, He is speaking of Sti Abhay Charanaravinda Bhaktivedanta Swami, the humble servant and true follower of Srimad Sarasvati Gosvami. Night and day he tirelessly translates Stimad-Bhagavatam inte the language of the Yavanas.” Everyone turns to Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati for confirmation:BHAKTISIDDHANTA: He is following the instruction | gave him at our first meeting. I told him to preach Your Lordship’s message all over the world. I repeated this to him at Radha-kunda ten years later and reconfirmed it by letter just before my departure. That order is now ripe for fulfillment. Bue my Lord knows all of this, for it is You who actually made all the arrangements. [t was You who arranged his birth in a pure, aristocratic Vaisnava family. By the time You sent him to me, his father Gaura Mohan De had already impressed upon him all the essential elements of Your mission. I only needed to stress the importance of publishing literature and to command him to spread Your movement worldwide. Then Your Lordship did what You alone can do: though fortune and happiness were his destiny, You made his business fail and his family attachments evaporate. Sensing your Lordship’s intention, I appeared repeatedly in his dreams and ordered him to take sannyisa. Now humanity is his family and its resources are his inherited wealth. He is fearlessly reposed at Your lotus feet and awaits Your final command. ‘The Lord becomes overwhelmed with enthusiasm hearing this. He turns to Lord Nityananda and embraces Him. Then he turns to the assembly of Vaisnavas and says: MAHAPRABHU: I request each of you to bestow your unconditional mercy upon the best servant of Sarasvati Gosvami. Advaita! Let us hear first from you! It is only fitting! ADVAITA: Very well. As You desire, My Lord, I shall give the first benediction. (pause) My Lord, since You are nor scheduled to appear again until Brahm@’s next day, countless jivas will have to suffer endless births awaiting Your next appearance. I cannot bear this, Therefore I pray that You now empower Sarasvati Gosvami’s able disciple to deliver them on Your behalf. (All the assembled devotees roar their approval.) MAHAPRABHU: Gadadhara? What do you say? GADADHARA: Who can understand the Lord's and His devotees’ reciprocal exchanges? ‘When old age prevented my worship of beloved Gopinatha, He sat down to receive my garlands and other services. Those who claim the Deity is stone are themselves stone- hearted. May my Lord melt the hearts of those stonelike jivas by Your loving dealings with Sti Abhay Charanaravinda. MAHAPRABHU: Srivasa, let us hear from you!SRIVASA: As You have enabled me to travel everywhere to preach Your glories, please sive him this same facility. Give him the key to every city of the world and to each and every heart that dwells therein MAHAPRABHU: Bhattacarya, you are expert in the six philosophies. What boon will you grant? SARVABHAUMA: That he drive impersonalism and voidism from the face of this earth. MAHAPRABHU: Ramananda Raya? Please let us hear your boon! RAMANANDA RAYA: May You speak through his lips 2s You spoke through mine. May You allow him to reveal the most confidential truth concerning the spontaneous devotional service of the residents of Vrndavana. MAHAPRABHU: Namacarya, Your blessing is most important of all. What boon will you bestow on my fearless servitor? HARIDASA THAKURA: The power to give Your pure holy name to everyone, no matter how lowly or fallen they may be. (This boon is met with loud chants of “Haribol! Haribol!”) MAHAPRABHU: My dear Gosvamis of Vrindavan! What boons will you all bestow upon this dear servant of Sarasvati Thakura? Sanatana? SANATANA: He will carry Vindavana-dhama wherever he goes. He will establish the standard behavior of a Vaisnava by his words and deeds. (Sanatana then turns to Rupa Goswami): Rupa? RUPA GOSWAMI: His sankirtana activities will churn the ocean of bhakti, producing a nectarean beverage which will intoxicate the entire world. (curning to the next Goswami he says,) Raghunatha Bhatta Gosvami? RAGHUNATHA BHATTA: Srimad-Bhagavatam is our life and soul. We never tire of hearing its narration. When I recite the Bhagavatam Sti Ripa and Sri Sanatana derive such pleasure that they insist I sing every verse in three different tunes. Therefore when Srimad A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami causes the Bhagavatam to be sung in every language of the world, who can imagine how much pleasure it will give the Lord and His associates?Raghunatha Dasa? RAGHUNATHA DASA GOSVAMI: My Lord, You saved me from the dark well of household life, but Your departure left me burning in the fire of separation. Since You also delivered Bhaktivedanta Swami in much the same way, may that same bittersweet mood of separation for Your lotus feet always burn within his heart as well. (the assembly softly says “Jaya!” in agreement.) Jiva? JIVA GOSVAMI: His books will establish the philosophy of acintya-bhedabheda-tattva as the pre-eminent philosophical position. (“Jaya!”) Stila Gopala Bhatra Gosvami? GOPAL BHATTA: He will establish the worship of Sti Vigraha on every continent, in every nation, and in every town and village of the world. MAHAPRABHU: Kaviraja! We have not heard from you... KRISHNADASA KAVIRAJA: May he arrange to have Your Lordships pastimes, Sri Caitanya-caritamrta, glorified in every human language of the world. MAHAPRABHU: Narottama, what blessing will you bestow? NAROTTAMA: Love for Your lotus feet and for the lotus feet of the divine couple will color his thoughts, words, and deeds. He will spread the safikirtana movement with the same energy with which You empowered Srinivasa Acarya, Syamananda Prabhu, and myself. MAHAPRABHU: Visvanatha? What will you say? VISVANATHA CAKRAVARTI THAKURA: Abhay Charanaravinda has been studying my Tenth Canto Bhagavatam commentary for decades, and the wonderful pastimes of Sri Sri Radha and Krsna are constantly appearing in his heart. May his Presentation of these pastimes for the general populace be so suitable that it removes the disease of lust which now affects their hearts. MAHAPRABHU: Jagannatha dasa Babaji Maharaja, we await your words! JAGANNATHA DASA BABAJI MAHARAJA: May he ever maintain the infinite humility required to serve the Vaisnavas.MAHAPRABHU: Haribol! Trnad api sunicena, taror api sahisnuna... and what blessing will your dear disciple, Bhaktivinoda, bestow? SRILA BHAKTIVINODA THAKURA: May he be granted the strength and skill to organize the safikirtana movement on a worldwide scale. MAHAPRABHU: Srila Gaurakisora! GAURAKISORA DASA BABAJI: May my foremost granddisciple be endowed with my own spirit of renunciation, born out of his unlimited love for Sri Sri Radha and Krsna. May he remain detached even amidst unlimited opulence The assembly becomes quiet, and everyone is nodding and smiling, satisfied. Then Mahaprabhu turns to Nityananda: MAHAPRABHU: Dear Nityananda! You are my elder brother, and I fully depend upon you. You are the spiritual master of all the worlds and the upholder of all the universes, The blessings which these confidential associates have bestowed are beyond any mortal Person’s ability to hold. Never before has such an assembly of personalities bestowed such unlimited blessings upon a single person. Now I am asking You to give the servant of Sarasvati Gosvami the required strength to sustain these blessings, for without Yous empowerment, it will be impossible. NITYANANDA: (after some pause, and everyone is waiting eagerly) {will infuse his mission with My own personal energy. I will personally support his temples, astamas, conveyances—in fact every aspect of his and his followers’ mission. Due to My Presence, nothing will check the progress of this movement. hearing Nityananda’s blessing, the assembly chants Haribol! Haribol! Haribol! repeatedly, and there is great excitement amongst them. As they quieten down, one of them speaks up... SVARUPA DAMODARA GOSVAMI: Wait! One amongst us is holding back his blessings! (The assembly exchange bewildered looks. Finally Advaita nods his head sagely and rises to speak:) ADVAITA: My Lord, You have proven once again Your supreme intelligence. That great Person Svariipa Damodara is referring to is none other then You. You have made us exch2s if You don’t add Yours? give our blessings. But what value are our ble (The assembly falls silent, and they all lean forward eagerly to hear Mahaprabhu’s words. Mahaprabhu thinks deeply for a moment, and then rises to speak. Both Advaita and He are standing... MAHAPRABHU: So be it! I shall personally enter the heart of my dearest devotee and unfailingly guide his every thought, word, and deed. My mission to bestow prema-bhakti through the sank tana movement will thus be fulfilled! (The assembly jum, - to their feet, shouting HARIBOL!! HARIBOL! A kirtan breaks out, and they all dance tegether. After three “rounds” of Hare Krishna mahamantra, they fall silent and draw to the back of the stage... An image of the Jaladuta a ears on the wall (projector? Poster?) NARRATOR: The ship Jolaclota, tossed by the Atlantic’s waves, seemed to sway to the thythmic kittana of Lord Jausasepa and His associates. Onboard, Sti Srimad Abhay Charan Bhaktivedanta Swami, the recipient of the rarest mercy ever bestowed, ailing in health and 70 years old, prayed to his merciful Lord Krsna. As the ship docked and Srila Prabh»néida’s lotus feet rouched Western soil for the first time, he prayed: | PRABHUPADA: O Lord, [am just like @ puppet in Your hands. So if You have btought tme here to dance, then make me dance, make me dance, O Lord, make me dance as You like. aoe END