Dharmvir Bharati Alok Bhalla
Dharmvir Bharati Alok Bhalla
Dharmvir Bharati Alok Bhalla
B H A L L A
xi
the Good, which finds its earthly incarnation in acts of knowledge, work,
and love when they are performed with the full absorbedness of the soul.
Talking to my students about the moral issues raised by Andha Yug, I
recalled what the great Jewish philosopher Martin Buber, who had corresponded with Mahatma Gandhi about the ethics of nonviolent resistance
against a ruthless enemy,3 had rightly said when he asserted that thinking
about God was unavoidable in times of atrocities. Without invoking an
absolute notion of the good or the just, all our truth-seeking impulses, especially when our very existence as a people is threatened, can only flounder
and fall into nothingness. Thinking about what could be absolute and
unconditional for human survival during the years of the Holocaust in Germany, years which coincided with the holocaust during the Partition of
India, Buber felt, as perhaps Dharamvir Bharati did, that no other word of
human speech is so misused, so defiled, so desecrated as the word God.
Yet, Buber insisted, as I think Bharati does in the play, that in times of
extreme violence the word God needs to be defended with passion, for our
sense of ourselves as human beings depends upon it. Bubers case for holding on to the word God is moving and eloquent:
Yes, it [God] is the most heavy-laden of all human words. None has become so
soiled, so mutilated. Just for this reason I may not abandon it. Generations of
men have laid the burden of their anxious lives upon this wordit lies in the
dust and bears their whole burden. The races of man with their religious factions have torn the word to pieces; they have killed for it and died for it, and it
bears their finger marks and their blood. Where might I find a word like it to
describe the highest! If I took the purest, most sparkling concept from the
inner treasure-chamber of the philosophersI could not capture the presence
of Him whom generations of men have honored and degraded with their awesome living and dying. I do indeed mean Him whom hell-tormented and
heaven-storming generations of men mean. Certainly, they draw caricatures
and write God underneath; they murder one another and say in Gods
name. But when all the madness and delusion fall to dust, when they stand
over against Him in the loneliest darkness and no longer say He, He, but
rather sigh Thou, shout Thouand when they then add God, is it not
the real God whom they all implore, the One Living God, the God of the children of man? Is it not He who hears them? And just for this reason is not the
word God, the word of appeal, the word which has become a name, consecrated in all human tongues for all time? We must esteem those who interdict it
because they rebel against the injustice and wrong which are so readily referred
to God for authorization. But we must not give up. How understandable it is
that some suggest that we should remain silent about the last things for a
time in order that the misused words may be redeemed! But they are not to be
redeemed thus. We cannot cleanse the word God and we cannot make it
whole; but, defiled and mutilated as it is, we can raise it from the ground and
set it over an hour of great care. 4
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Bhalla
Bubers God is the difficult and demanding Judaic God who is utterly
remote, totally transcendent, yet ever watchful over human affairs. His
presence, Buber insists, is essential for the survival of the soul in the conditions of extremity in which much of the twentieth century was lived.
In contrast, Bharatis Krishna, though equally firm and ruthless in his
moral judgements, is a more humanly cherished figure, with whom the
self can always conduct a dialogue. Because Krishnas presence does not
produce fear and trembling, he can be chastised and cursed, loved and
worshipped, abandoned and killed. Indeed, it is not surprising that, in the
play, an ordinary man can set himself up as Krishnas brother and, acting
as the keeper of Krishnas faith, chastise him for violations of the law.
Balarama can, thus, tell Krishna:
Say what you like, Krishna
but what Bhima did today
violated dharma.
His attack
was an act
of betrayal.
........
The Pandavas are related to us
but are the Kauravas our enemies?
I would have confronted Bhima today
but you stopped me.
I have known you since childhood.
You have always been
an unprincipled rogue! 5
It is interesting to note that here, as elsewhere in the play, Krishna is neither seen nor heard. The Kaurava soldiers, who overhear Balarama, are
delighted by his enraged condemnation of Krishna because it echoes their
own blinding rage at their defeat. Indeed, what alienates the Kauravas from
our sympathy throughout the Mahabharata is their inability to imagine the
infinite variety of ways in which the Good manifests itself in the ordinary
world and which may be the reality of Krishna. Like many Kaurava souls,
we are tempted into believing that ambition, mockery, and the palaces of
glass are more worthy of all our efforts than accepting the grace of thinking
about and seeking the Good. Like the Kauravas, we invariably refuse to
hear the voice of God, and blame him when our ambitions are not fulfilled;
we refuse, like the Kauravas in the play, to gaze inwards and find within the
sources of grievous wrong.
Yet, while teaching Andha Yug, my sympathies were with my students,
who responded with such rage against Krishna in the play because, after all,
xiii
it is easier to ask what God ought to do for us than to consider what we can
do for God so that he searches for us.6 Unlike Bubers God, who is elsewhere and, thus, remote from the most contingent of human concerns and
immune from our commonest judgements, Krishna is a more complex figure to deal with. His very human presence makes us demand that his actions
and judgements support our present and relative interests or suit our contemporary style of functioning, and when he fails to endorse our ordinary
desires, we turn away from him as if he is the reason for our guilty actions
and the cause of our sorrows.
The existing translations also misdirected the attention of my students.
The texts captured the shrill voices of pain effectively, but erased the difficult cadences of speech and muted the voices of moral anxiety of characters like Vidura, Sanjaya, and Yuyutsu, drowning them in the clash of
armor and steel. Our moral difficulties were compounded by the fact that
the two crucial scenes in which Krishna made his presence felt through
small, gentle, and loving things, like the feather of a peacock or the sound
of a flute or the music of bells ringing in the midst of desolation, were
allowed to pass by as of little consequence so that we could get on with the
real business of listening to the voices of the defeated shouting for revenge.
Given the intensity of the moral anxieties Andha Yug evoked, it was
obvious that the playwritten soon after the carnage of the Partition of the
Indian subcontinent, which nearly erased a form of life and civilization, and
being read once again in our rakshas (demonic) times of hysterical unreasonstill had the power to make us realize how close we live to the borders
of nightmares.
Unfortunately, however, existing translations were not so finely inflected
as to help us understand whether the play was about our anguish at finding
ourselves in a terrible world where we could only lament and curse, or
whether it invited us to hear, in its difficult notes of tragedy, our own complicity in evil. For a majority of my students, it was the gods who made the
lives of Gandhari, Dhritarashtra, Duryodhana, and Ashwatthama so bitter;
this suggested that the translations had failed to guide their moral attention
along the pilgrim path of truth, a path that Vidura never abandons in the
play, even in the midst of carnage. The translations, it was apparent, had
not been undertaken after a critical analysis of the play. Not surprisingly,
therefore, my students had failed to notice that the decisive events in the
play, which had opened an abyss before the Kauravas, had nothing to do
with supernatural forces seeking victims for their perverse delight. In Act
One, for instance, Vidura reminds Dhritarashtra that, years before the war,
his councillors had warned the Kauravas about the fate of kingdoms that
refuse to abide by the laws of truth:
xiv
Bhalla
dhritarashtra
Vidura
for the first time
in my life
I am afraid.
vidura
Afraid?
The fear you experience today
had gripped others years ago.
dhritarashtra
vidura
Bhishma did.
So did Dronacharya.
Indeed, in this very court
Krishna advised you:
Do not violate the code of honor.
If you violate the code of honor
it will coil around the Kaurava clan
like a wounded python
and crush it like a dry twig.
......................
Yet from the very first day
it was obvious that the Kaurava might
the final arbiter of truth
was weak and vulnerable.
Over the past seventeen days
you have received news
of the death
one by one
of the entire Kaurava clan.
Vidura is right in insisting that virtue is not a utilitarian service which can
be called in to help when we are in trouble and forgotten about at other
times. A moral life demands perpetual attention. And those, like Dhritarashtra, who fail to understand this cannot hope to escape the consequences. In
the balance of things, then, it is right that, at the end of all the carnage which
he had failed to prevent, Dhritarashtra is consumed by a relentless forest fire,
a manifestation of the desolation and the affliction of his soul.
The existing translations of Andha Yug had erased the distinctions in
moral perceptions that were carefully structured in the original Hindi text.
They had also failed to separate the different levels of ethical awareness
available to all human beings, so as to show why some characters, even
those like Gandhari, whose suffering saturates us with pity, deserve their
fate because they were actually responsible for the breakdown of the moral
order and their own ruin with it. The original version of the play in Hindi
clarifies repeatedly, sometimes through Viduras moral commentary and
Defending the Sacred
xv
xvi
Bhalla
After we hear this account, we must, if we dont want our souls to corrode by
seeming to relish such violence, stand beside Gandhari in Act Four as she
weeps over Duryodhanas death. But we must not, for the sake of our
rational well-being, approve when she curses Krishna for her sons death and
asserts that Duryodhanas victory would have been the triumph of dharma.
Duryodhanas miserable fate should, instead, remind us that he had
erased the pledge to a minimum ethicality we must all make in our daily
lives, so that we do not act with crass stupidity in our encounters with the
world. Till the end, Duryodhana fails to see that he himself is responsible
for the extreme perversion of life that war represents. There was justice in
the fact that he dies unconsoled, cursing Krishna. Words of repentance
from him would only have added another untruth to the world. His fanaticism has to be isolated and identified as the cause of suffering. Thus it is,
as Simone Weil says, that those whom destiny lends might perish for having relied too much upon it.7
Duryodhana and Karna are, however, only a part of the argument, the
moral imagery of the play, and not the primary concern of its theatrical
narrative. The action of the play takes place on the last night of the Mahabharata war and is centered on the plight of a few bewildered survivors of
the Kaurava clanGandhari, Dhritarashtra, Ashwatthama, and a handful
of others. The ramparts are in ruins, the city is burning, and Kurukshetra is
covered with corpses and vultures. The ordinary foot soldiers of the Kaurava army are cynical about those who control the affairs of state. They are
more concerned about their immediate physical survival than about questions of law or virtue. Besides, they know that dynasties change and fall,
and that it is more prudent for people like themselves to stand by the rampart walls and wait for the next ruler who needs their services and is willing
to pay for them.
guard 1
Honor!
guard 2
Disbelief!
guard 1
guard 2
guard 1
All these
grace the lives of kings!
xvii
guard 2
guard 1
guard 2
guard 1
guard 2
guard 1
guard 2
guard 1
guard 2
guard 1
guard 2
guard 1
That is why
from the beginning
we have paced these desolate corridors
from right to left
and then from left to right
without any meaning
without any purpose.
guard 2
The other survivors, the ones who have invested the war with heroic
arguments, are overwhelmed by grief and rage. They have lived for so long
in tamas (suffocating darkness) that they fail to notice how close they are
to annihilation. Morally blind, they cannot turn away from egotism, give
up their fascination with power, recognize that others too have suffered,
and stop longing for overwhelming vengeance which will redeem them.
Ashwatthama, for instance, blinded by his passion for revenge, says:
xviii
Bhalla
I shall live
like a blind and ruthless beast
and may
Dharmarajs prophecy come true!
Let both my hands
turn into claws!
Let these eyes
sharp like the teeth of a carnivore
tear the body
of anyone they see!
From now on
my only dharma is:
Kill, kill, kill
and kill again!
Let that be
the final purpose
of my existence!
xix
sanjaya
No, no!
He is hideous.
His body is covered
with boils and open sores.
...................
vidura
At the end of the play, as he tries to hide from human gaze, Ashwatthama
becomes the dramatic correlative of the exhaustion of the ethical. His broken presence signifies that moment in the chronology of a civilization when,
in complete despair, it ceases to believe that it has a future. That is why Ashwatthama can contemplate genocide, decide that everyone and everything
on earth can be annihilated, and justify his decision to erase all traces of life
as the inevitable consequence of the history he has lived. When he releases
the unthinkable weapon, the brahmastra, he is the monster each one of us
can become when, afraid of losing our selfhood, we dismiss Krishna as a
rumor or an opinion, and deny that the ethical must always have a sanctuary
in human time.
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Bhalla
xxi
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Bhalla
notes
1. Andha Yug was first translated by Paul Jacob as The Blind Age. It was published in Enact, no. 65, May 1972.
2. W. H. Auden, In Memory of Sigmund Freud, Collected Shorter Poems
(New York: Random House, 1964), 169.
3. For Bubers letters to Gandhi see Pointing the Way, trans. Maurice Friedman
(London: Routledge and Kegan Paul, 1957), 12647.
4. Quoted by Iris Murdoch in her Metaphysics as a Guide to Morals (London:
Penguin, 1992), 42021.
5. The English translations from the play, here and elsewhere, are mine.
6. The idea is taken from Simone Weils Waiting for God, trans. Emma Craufurd
(New York: Harper and Row, 1951).
7. The Iliad, Poem of Might, Intimations of Christianity Among the Ancient
Greeks (1957; rpt.: London: Arc, 1987), 34.
8. I use this word lest we forget the play was written soon after the genocidal
days of the Partition, when we had abused Gandhi. Literally, satya means truth
and agraha means firmness. Gandhi used the term satyagraha in his campaign
of nonviolent resistance in India and South Africa, translating it as truth-force.
9. The phrase is taken from Walter Benjamins The Story-Teller: Reflections
on the Works of Nikolai Leskov, Illuminations, trans. Harry Zohn (New York:
Schoken, 1969), 104.
xxiii
Andha Yug
T H E
A G E
O F
D A R K N E S S
P L A Y W R I G H T S
N O T E S
Andha Yug would never have been written if it had been in my power not
to write it! I was in a dilemma when the idea of writing the play rose within
me. It made me a little afraid. I knew that if I set out to write it, I would
never be able to turn back!
But, then, there is something called addictionin accepting the challenge of a roaring sea, fighting the high waves with ones bare hands, plunging down to immeasurable depths, and, then, after facing all the dangers,
resurfacing with a few grains of faith, illumination, truth, and dignityand
this addiction is mingled with such deep agony and so much joy that one
can never give it up. Andha Yug was written to satisfy that addiction.
After reaching a certain stage, one is no longer afraid. Frustration, dejection, bloodshed, vengeance, disease, deformity, blindnessinstead of hesitating, one faces them because hidden beneath are rare grains of truth! One
would not perish if one confronted them! Let the world perish, not I!
But no, why should the world perish either? Since I have shared its sufferings, how can the truth I have discovered be mine alone? A time comes
when the superficial distinction between the self and others is erased.
They are no longer separate.
This is the whole truth. I have personally discovered it, but its dignity
lies in its being widely shared once again.
Note to the Director
I have tried to find answers to the problem raised in this verse play (drishya
kavya) by seeking help from the last half of the Mahabharata. The main
plot of the story is well known; only a few events have been inventeda
few characters and a few incidents. Classical aesthetic theories sanction
such interpolations. The two guards, who comment on the events throughout, are a bit like the ordinary citizens who form the chorus in Greek plays;
but they are also important symbolic figures. According to the Bhagavata
Purana, the name of the man who killed Lord Krishna is Jara, but I have
imagined him as the incarnation of the old mendicant.
The entire plot is divided into five acts with an interlude. There can be an
interval after the interlude. The stage design is not complicated: there is a
permanent curtain at the back, and two more curtains in addition. The
proscenium curtain is raised at the beginning of each act and is not dropped
Bharati
till the end of the act. Scene changes in the course of each act are indicated
by the lifting and dropping of the curtain in the middle of the stage. The
curtains in the middle and at the back are not to be painted. The stage must
be as bare as possible. Lighting should be restrained but imaginative.
The choric songs are arranged between the acts in a style borrowed from
the traditions of Indian folk theatre. The chorus is either used to give information about events that are not shown on stage or to underline the
poignancy of the action. Sometimes, it also clarifies the symbolic importance of the events. There should be two choric voicesof a woman and a
manand the choric verses should be divided between them, especially
when the rhythm or tone changes. Instrumental music accompanying the
chorus should be kept to a minimum.
The dialogue is written in free verse. The interlude has sections that are
written in poetic prose, which has also been used elsewhere in the play. In a
long play it is important to change the rhythm to avoid monotony. The
exception is the dialogue between the two guards, which has the same
rhythm from the beginning to the end. It is not necessary, however, for the
speeches of the other characters to follow a specific rhythm and meter. A
character should adopt the rhythms that would express his changing emotions and feelings. A lyric may require a consistency of rhythm and tone,
which a play may not. Indeed, there are times when there is a rapid change
in tone and rhythm in keeping with changing feelings. This is especially so
in the case of Sanjaya, where the changes are sudden.
When Andha Yug was first presented, the actors faced a peculiar difficulty. They either read their dialogues as if they were written as rhythmic
poetry or read them as prose pieces. The solution lies somewhere in the
middle. The emphasis should be on conveying the meaning rather than on
meter, but the poetic rhythms should also be heard. It is true that this play
represents the beginning of the tradition of verse plays, but the radio production of Andha Yug by Shree Gopal Das succeeded in obtaining a harmony among poetic rhythm, dramatic narrative, and meaning; indeed, its
use of volume, undertones, overtones, overlapping tones, tenor, et cetera,
revealed the boundless possibilities, not only for the performance of this
play, but also for the entire range of new poetry.
Basically, this verse play is designed for the stage. The published text has
kept that in mind. The radio production not only helped its cast, but also
helped me in polishing its language. The published text has also kept in
mind the structures of folk plays so that it can be adapted for open-air performances. Imaginative directors can also create symbolic stage designs.
Andha Yug
C A S T
O F
ashwatthama
balarama
dhritarashtra
gandhari
Wife of the blind king, Dhritarashtra; mother of Duryodhana and his ninety-nine brothers; voluntarily blindfolded herself when she married
kripacharya
krishna
kritavarma
mendicant
sanjaya
vidura
vyasa
yudhishthira
yuyutsu
chorus
guard 1
guard 2
mute soldier
narrator
C H A R A C T E R S
Bharati
P R O L O G U E
Invocation
Narayanam namaskritya naram chaiv narrottamam
daveem sarasawteem vaysaam tato jayamudeeyaret.
Proclamation
This play is concerned
with the age of darkness
which in the Vishnu Purana
is described thus:
Tataschanudinamalpala haras
vavachchhedada-dharama-arth-ayorjagatas-samakshayo bhavishyati.
And then in the future
day by day
there will be a decline
in prosperity and dharma
and the whole earth shall slowly perish.
Tatascharth evabhijan hetu.
The one who has wealth
shall rule.
Kapatavesha dharanameva mahatva hetu.
The one who wears
a false mask
shall be honored.
Evam chati lubdhak raja
sahaas-shailanam-antaradroneeh praja samsriyashyanti.
The one who is greedy
shall be king.
And weary of misrule
the people
shall hide in dark caves
and wait
for their days of misery
to end.
Hide
in real caves
or in the caverns of their souls.
A dancer performs as if he is trying to hide in a dark cave and then makes his exit.
In those dark ages
which came into being
at the end of the great war
all thoughts and deeds of men
were corrupt and perverse.
Yes, there were still frail threads
of honor which held men together
but good and evil were so intricately knotted
that only Krishna had the courage to unravel them.
Krishna alone was dispassionate and detached.
Krishna alone
could be the savior
of their future.
All the others were blind
self-absorbed
depressed and confused
lost in the dark caverns
of their souls.
This is the story of the blind
or of enlightenment
through the life of the blind.
Bharati
A C T
O N E
guard 1
We are tired
very tired.
Yet we march up and down
guarding these desolate corridors.
guard 2
guard 1
We are tired
very tired.
We are not warriors.
We have shown no courage.
We have not fought
in this grim war
that lasted
seventeen days.
These our spears
these our shields
rest unused
a burden
on our shoulders.
We are just guards
but there is nothing
here to defend.
guard 2
Bharati
of a blind
and sick kingdom.
guard 1
And now
we are tired
very tired.
All our actions
are meaningless.
Our faith
our decisions
our courage
our lives
are meaningless
utterly meaningless
guard 2
Meaningless
utterly meaningless
And now
weary of defending
this meaningless life
these desolate corridors
we are tired
very tired.
They fall silent and continue to pace up and down. The lights suddenly grow dim.
The sound of an approaching storm is heard. One guard strains his ears to listen.
The other shades his eyes and looks at the sky.
guard 1
guard 2
guard 1
Andha Yug
guard 2
Hide
hide
take cover
under your shield!
The vultures are ravenous!
They feed on the dead!
guard 1
A bad omen
a dreadful omen.
Who knows
what will happen
to the city
tomorrow?
10
guard 1
vidura
It is I
Vidura.
Did Dhritarashtra
see that terrifying sight?
guard 1
vidura
Bharati
The curtain rises to reveal an inner room of the palace. Gandhari is seated on a
low stool covered by a mat. Dhritarashtra is seated on a small throne. Vidura
walks up to them.
dhritarashtra
vidura
No.
It is Vidura, Maharaj.
The whole city
is worried today.
The few who have
survivedten or twenty
are waiting
anxiously
for Sanjaya to arrive.
Waits for Dhritarashtra to say something.
Maharaj
why dont you
say something?
Even Gandhari
is silent?
dhritarashtra
Vidura
for the first time
in my life
I am afraid.
vidura
Afraid?
The fear you experience today
had gripped others years ago.
Andha Yug
11
dhritarashtra
vidura
Bhishma did.
So did Dronacharya.
Indeed, in this very court
Krishna advised you:
Do not violate the code of honor.
If you violate the code of honor
it will coil around the Kaurava clan
like a wounded python
and crush it like a dry twig.
dhritarashtra
Vidura
try to understand.
I was born blind.
How could I have discerned the real world
or recognized its social codes?
vidura
dhritarashtra
vidura
12
Bharati
of the death
one by one
of the entire Kaurava clan.
dhritarashtra
gandhari
Today
I realized
that there is a truth
that lies beyond the boundaries
of my selfhood.
I realized that only today.
I feel as if a dam has suddenly burst
and the violent sea
with its poison-tongued waves
has crashed through the defenses
of my narrow well-bounded world
filled every corner of my being
with its deafening roar
and swept away everything
all my personal beliefs
my blind faith.
vidura
Knowledge acquired
through suffering
and defeat
will give you courage
to endure suffering.
Andha Yug
13
dhritarashtra
No, Vidura.
What I have
learnt today
terrifies me.
For the first time
in my life
I am afraid.
vidura
gandhari
Agitated.
I dont have faith!
Perhaps others do.
I dont.
Surrender your
heart and mind
to me!
Did he
who lost his head completely
when he was struck
by Pitamas arrows
say that?
Did he
who violated
the code of honor
over and over again
say that?
dhritarashtra
14
Bharati
gandhari
vidura
gandhari
I told Duryodhana:
O Fool, where there is dharma
there is victory.
There was no dharma on either side.
Each was inspired by blind self-interest.
And the one you call Lord
changed the code of honor
to suit his own ends.
He is a fraud!
Andha Yug
15
dhritarashtra
vidura
gandhari
Go, Vidura
see if Sanjaya has returned.
gandhari
He has won!
My son, Duryodhana, has won!
Didnt I tell you
he would certainly be
victorious today?
Guard 1 enters.
guard 1
16
Bharati
A mendicant, Maharaj
an old mendicant.
A mendicant
with a broad forehead
white hair
long limbs?
mendicant
I am that future
which today
in this city of the Kauravas
has proved to be false.
I used to chart the paths of stars
calculate their speed, map their positions
read the destiny of men
in the unwritten book of fate.
I am an astrologer
from a distant land.
dhritarashtra
mendicant
vidura
He is the Lord!
gandhari
No! Impossible!
vidura
He is the beginning
and the end of all history.
He determines the course
of all the celestial stars.
Andha Yug
17
mendicant
gandhari
Guard 1 exits.
You had said:
Duryodhana shall be victorious!
mendicant
18
Bharati
but Duryodhana
shall be victorious.
He shall be victorious!
Guard 2 enters and lights the lamps.
vidura
dhritarashtra
But
Sanjaya has not yet returned.
All the soldiers
must have gone back
to their camps.
I want to know
who won
who lost?
vidura
Maharaj!
Do not despair.
Sanjaya shall bring you good news.
Gandhari, go and rest now.
The city gates, like vigilant eyes
are open, and wait
for Sanjayas chariot to arrive.
Vidura exits to one side, and Dhritarashtra and Gandhari exit to the other.
The two guards once again begin to march across the stage.
guard 1
Honor!
guard 2
Disbelief!
guard 1
guard 2
guard 1
All these
grace the lives of kings!
guard 2
guard 1
guard 2
guard 1
Andha Yug
19
guard 2
guard 1
guard 2
guard 1
guard 2
guard 1
guard 2
guard 1
That is why
from the beginning
we have paced these desolate corridors
from right to left
and then from left to right
without any meaning
without any purpose.
guard 2
They continue to pace up and down. The stage slowly grows dark.
chorus
20
Bharati
Andha Yug
21
A C T
T W O
Even Sanjaya
that rational sculptor of words
is bewildered in this forest
of doubt and confusion.
His responsibility is great
his words are few
his listeners are blind.
But at this moment of danger
only he can tell the truth.
And yet even Sanjaya
ensnared by this night of delusions
stands distracted
on this path of thorns and stones.
The curtain rises. We see a path through a forest. A soldier, who has laid his
weapons aside, lies on the ground with his face covered. Sanjaya enters.
sanjaya
22
But today
the experience of our final defeat
has changed the very nature of truth.
And today
how shall I use the same words
to carry the burden
of this defeat?
The soldier suddenly wakes up and calls, Sanjaya.
Who called me?
Was it a ghost
or the voice of my own fears?
kritavarma
Dont be afraid.
Its me, Kritavarma.
So, you are still alive, Sanjaya?
Did the Pandava soldiers
let you go?
sanjaya
Andha Yug
23
Be brave, Sanjaya,
for only you can
tell them
about Duryodhanas defeat.
sanjaya
Sanjaya exits.
kritavarma
24
kripacharya
Yes, I am alive.
Did Ashwatthama escape?
kritavarma
Yes.
Only three of us
are alive today.
Bharati
When Duryodhana
got off his chariot
and bowed his head in defeat
Ashwatthama saw him.
He turned away
smashed his bow
in despair
and disappeared
into the forest.
They both exit, calling out to Ashwatthama. Their voices grow fainter. Darkness.
Then light falls on Ashwatthama, who sits with his broken bow in his hand.
ashwatthama
This is my bow
the bow of Ashwatthama
which Duryodhana himself
had strung.
Today
I smashed it
in despair
when I saw him
disarmed and helpless
with tears in his eyes.
My bow
is a crushed snake
terrified
and helpless
like my mind.
How shall I
now gather courage
to avenge
my fathers
heartless murder?
In this forest
even in this fearful forest
I cannot forget
how Guru Dronacharya
threw his weapons down
on the battlefield
when he heard Yudhishthira
announce triumphantly:
Ashwatthama is dead!
He had so much faith
in Yudhishthiras truthfulness.
Andha Yug
25
26
Bharati
I must go on living.
I must.
I must go on living.
Andha Yug
27
With these
hungry claws
I shall strangle Yudhishthira
who cried:
Ashwatthama is dead.
Screams.
Let go, Ashwatthama!
Its Sanjaya
not a Pandava.
ashwatthama
Only kill
and kill, and kill
kripacharya
ashwatthama
Neutral?
The word neutral
is meaningless.
I am no soldier.
I am a beast
a wild and ferocious beast.
Whoever is not with me
is against me!
kritavarma
28
Bharati
Sanjaya,
you must leave at once.
sanjaya
kripacharya
kritavarma
kripacharya
Sanjaya
do you know
where he is?
sanjaya
Whispers.
Yes.
With his extraordinary powers
he has stilled the waters of a lake.
And there
Andha Yug
29
kritavarma
Who is that
old man
coming this way?
kripacharya
Let us go
before someone
sees us.
ashwatthama
As he exits.
I feel helpless
I have broken my vow.
They all exit. The stage is empty for a while. The old mendicant enters.
mendicant
30
Bharati
Truth resides
in the acts
we perform.
What man does
at each moment
becomes his future
for ages and ages.
Sighs.
That is why
Krishna said to Arjuna:
Lift up your bow, Arjuna.
Fight without fear.
The meaning of a mans existence
lies in the actions he performs
not in his refusal to act.
He sees a broken bow lying on the ground and bends down to pick it up.
Who left his bow here?
Has some other Arjuna
begun to doubt?
Ashwatthama enters.
ashwatthama
That bow
is mine.
mendicant
ashwatthama
Victory?
Do not mock me, old man.
This bow was as useless
as your knowledge
of astrology.
I just saw Duryodhana
whose head
was once adorned
by a crown of jewels.
Today, that head
lies covered
by a shroud
of dirty water.
You had prophesied:
Duryodhana shall be victorious.
Andha Yug
31
mendicant
32
Bharati
Today
you shall not escape
these hungry claws.
Stop, stop
you old fraud!
Gnashing his teeth, he runs after the old mendicant, grabs him by his neck and
drags him offstage.
Kill, kill, kill.
It is my dharma
to kill.
Offstage, sounds of a man being strangled and Ashwatthama laughing hysterically.
Silence. The lights dim. Then Sanjaya is lit by a spotlight. Kripacharya and
Kritavarma are dragging Ashwatthama away from the old mendicant.
kripacharya
ashwatthama
I do not know
what I have done.
Have I done something?
kritavarma
There is something
terrifying
about Ashwatthama.
Kripacharya forces Ashwatthama to sit down, loosens his cummerbund, and wipes
his forehead.
kripacharya
Sit down.
Relax.
You have done nothing.
It was only a terrifying
nightmare.
ashwatthama
Andha Yug
33
kripacharya
To Ashwatthama.
Close your eyes for a while.
Sleep.
Duryodhana has ordered us
to rest today.
We shall see
what the Pandavas
do tomorrow
and then decide.
Come, turn over
and rest for some time.
To Kritavarma.
He is asleep.
kritavarma
Mockingly.
Asleep?!
We call ourselves soldiers!
Did we survive
this war
so that
we could hide
in ambush
and kill
old and unarmed men?
kripacharya
Calm down.
Have you forgotten
the heroic deeds
of the brave warriors
in this war?
Drona was old
and unarmed
but did
Dhristadyumna
spare his life?
Did we
take pity
on Abhimanyu
when he was alone
and trapped
by seven valiant heroes?
34
Bharati
ashwatthama
kripacharya
Go to sleep now.
You too, Kritavarma.
I shall keep watch
through the night.
Andha Yug
35
A C T
T H R E E
36
I am blind
but with these hands
I felt the wounds
of the soldiers.
Every cut
every stab
seemed like a fatal blow
against my kingdom.
vidura
Maharaj
why dwell upon
such thoughts?
dhritarashtra
Meanwhile, a soldier, whose tongue has been cut out and who has lost his hearing,
crawls onto the stage. He grabs Viduras feet to draw attention to himself. He cups
his hands and begs for water.
vidura
Startled.
What? Oh no!
Guard, give him some water.
dhritarashtra
vidura
Andha Yug
37
dhritarashtra
What is he saying?
vidura
He says:
Victory to Dhritarashtra.
His tongue has been cut out.
He cannot speak.
dhritarashtra
Today,
except for the mute,
who will say:
Victory to Duryodhana?
Guard 1 brings water. The mute soldier begins to gasp for breath.
guard 1
dhritarashtra
The soldier crawls to the back of the stage, lies down, and shuts his eyes.
Get him
some clothes from Gandhari.
guard 1
vidura
Guard
go and see
what the noise is about.
Exit Guard 1.
38
vidura
Maharaj
please go and console
Gandhari.
dhritarashtra
I shall.
Even Sanjaya is not with her.
Who knows what news he will
Bharati
bring today
of the last battle
between Bhima and Duryodhana.
vidura
Maharaj
this way.
Terror
and panic
have suddenly
gripped the city.
vidura
Why?
guard 1
An enemy soldier
a giant of a man
fully armed
has slipped into the city
with our defeated army.
The people are terrified.
They think
he will ransack their homes.
Guard 2 returns.
vidura
Rubbish!
These are merely rumors.
Dont believe them.
I shall go and see for myself.
Guard the palace
during my absence.
Vidura exits.
guard 2
guard 1
He is a sorcerer
a shapeshifter
who can take any form
at will.
When the guards
locked the city gates
he changed into
a vulture
Andha Yug
39
flew over
the locked gates
and began to prey
upon the bodies of children
sleeping on open terraces.
guard 2
Quick!
Lock the western gate
at once.
guard 1
Terrified.
Look!
guard 2
What is it?
guard 1
Hes coming!
guard 2
Quick
take cover, here!
Both guards hide in the shadows at the back. An ordinary-looking soldier enters.
It is Yuyutsu.
yuyutsu
To be frightened
is not as great
a cause of agony
as to be
the object of fear.
Such is my fate
today.
This is the palace
of my father and mother.
Yet I am apprehensive.
Will they greet me
with a spear
dipped in poison?
40
guard 1
That is Yuyutsu
Dhritarashtras son
who fought
on Yudhishthiras side
in the war.
yuyutsu
What is my crime?
That I was on the side of truth?
No other warrior
neither Drona nor Bhishma
dared to oppose Duryodhana.
Bharati
It is Yuyutsu!
He seems to have returned
with the defeated army.
yuyutsu
If only
I had turned a blind eye
to Duryodhanas wiles!
My family
would not have
received me
with such cold contempt.
My mother would have
greeted me
with open arms
despite the disgrace
of defeat.
Vidura enters.
vidura
Yuyutsu!
I have been
searching for you
for a long time
my son!
I am glad you have returned.
Guard
go and inform Gandhari
that Yuyutsu is here.
Guard 2 exits.
The slaughter of her sons
has left her inconsolable.
Your arrival
may comfort her.
yuyutsu
I do not know
if she would
even want
to see my face.
Andha Yug
41
vidura
yuyutsu
Laughs bitterly.
That is why
the moment they saw me
the people of the city
shut their doors in fear.
They said:
He is a sorcerer
a giant
a child-eater
a vulture!
vidura
Do not pay
too much attention to them
Yuyutsu.
Whenever someone
turns away
from well-worn traditions
and seeks to find
his own path
the ignorant
the cowardly
the simpleminded
always treat him
with contempt.
Gandhari enters with Guard 2. Yuyutsu touches her feet. Gandhari stands still.
vidura
Gandhari!
This is Yuyutsu.
He is touching your feet.
Give him your blessings.
gandhari
42
Bharati
Son
I hope
those strong arms of yours
are not tired
from slaughtering
your relatives
are they?
Silence.
After the splendor
of the Pandava camp
this city of yours
must seem
drab to you?
Silence.
Why are you silent?
He must be tired, Vidura.
Make a bed of flowers for him.
He is no defeated Duryodhana
who must sleep
on the muddy floor
of some silent lake.
Silence.
Vidura
why is he silent?
Is it because
I am the mother
of his enemies?
Turns to go.
Guard
let us go back.
vidura
Gandhari!
This does not become you!
Andha Yug
43
accepted
the untruth.
vidura
yuyutsu
As if my mothers curse
and the peoples hate
will save me
from damnation!
In the final analysis
whether you uphold truth
or untruth
you are damned.
Vidura
what did I gain?
What did I gain?
vidura
Be calm, Yuyutsu.
Endure it all.
Great suffering
must be endured
with grace.
The sound of a man gasping for breath has been audible for some time and
becomes louder.
guard 1
44
Bharati
yuyutsu
Here
rest your head
in my lap.
Come
open your mouth.
Yes, thats right.
Open your eyes
and look at me.
The soldier opens his eyes and is about to drink water when he shrieks. He crawls
away in terror and tries to escape.
guard 1
What happened?
yuyutsu
It is my fault.
He was in the cavalry
of the Kaurava army.
My fire-tipped arrows
burnt
his knees
to cinders.
How can he now
accept mercy
from one
who destroyed his life?
I have changed so much
that if I now offer love
no one will accept it.
Vyasa told me:
Where there is Krishna
there is victory.
Yes
Krishna is victorious
but I am damned.
I am
cursed by my mother
reviled as a murderer
and hated by everyone.
vidura
Today
in this hour of defeat
I do not know
where righteousness ends
and falsehood begins.
Andha Yug
45
vidura
Sanjaya
has brought the news that
vidura /
yuyutsu
What?!
guard 1
Vidura and Yuyutsu rush out. The sound of weeping becomes louder. A voice
shouts, Duryodhana has been defeated! The curtain at the back rises. We see
Pandava soldiers celebrating their victory. The scene fades. Then we see a forest
path. Kritavarma and Kripacharya rush in carrying bows and arrows.
46
kritavarma
kripacharya
Wait.
Pick up your bow.
Someone is coming this way.
kritavarma
Dont shoot!
Its Ashwatthama.
He had gone in disguise
to see the final battle
between Duryodhana and Bhima.
Bharati
Ashwatthama enters.
ashwatthama
Duryodhana
was killed by treachery.
kripacharya
To Kritavarma.
Hide!
Enraged with the Pandavas
Balarama is coming this way.
kritavarma
kripacharya
Listen
listen carefully.
balarama
From offstage.
No!
No!
No!
Say what you like, Krishna
but what Bhima did today
violated dharma.
His attack
was an act
of betrayal.
kripacharya
I wonder what
Krishna is trying
to explain.
balarama
balarama
Krishna
you can do what you like.
You can go to Hastinapur
and console Gandhari.
Andha Yug
47
By adharma
they will also be destroyed
by adharma.
kripacharya
Son
what is troubling you?
ashwatthama
kritavarma
Mockingly.
Just as you killed
the old mendicant?
ashwatthama
Irritated.
Yes.
I will not rest
till I have destroyed
the entire Pandava clan.
kritavarma
But Ashwatthama
the Pandavas are not old men.
They are not unarmed.
They are not alone.
This unrighteous war
is over.
But since you are
burning with courage
go spread your adharma
somewhere else.
48
Bharati
ashwatthama
Dont mock me
Kritavarma!
I am ready to do even that.
But since you sympathize with
the Pandavas
I must kill you first.
Come, pick up your sword.
kripacharya
Ashwatthama
have you gone mad?
Have you no sense of honor left in you?
Put away your sword.
ashwatthama
kripacharya
Come
sit next to me, son.
We are with you.
We too desire revenge
but not through treachery.
Find some other way.
ashwatthama
Andha Yug
49
Enough, Ashwatthama.
Perhaps your way
is now the only one left.
ashwatthama
Come
let us swear allegiance.
Do not delay.
Duryodhana may still
be alive.
Proclaim me the commander
of the army
in his presence.
I will find a way
to wreak vengeance.
kripacharya
Lets go.
Come, Kritavarma.
kritavarma
No.
Leave me out of this.
You go.
50
Bharati
kritavarma
Sarcastically.
Then how was Ashwatthama
anointed as the commander?
kripacharya
Duryodhana said:
You are a brahmin
Kripacharya.
There is no water here.
Anoint the brave Ashwatthama
as the commander
with your own sweat.
I cant lift my arms
to bless him.
My shoulders
are broken.
I helped him
lift his lifeless arm
to bless Ashwatthama
but instead of blessing him
he screamed in agony.
Andha Yug
51
Ashwatthama enters.
ashwatthama
kritavarma
Yawns.
Ill follow you
Senapati.
ashwatthama
In a strange voice.
Go to sleep
my soldiers.
Tomorrow
Senapati Ashwatthama
will tell you
what to do.
Kripacharya and Kritavarma go to sleep. Ashwatthama picks up his bow and keeps
watch.
How still the forest is
only I am awake
even the shadows
of the tamarind
the banyan
the peepul
are asleep
Slowly the stage darkens. Somewhere in the forest a jackal howls. Other animals
take up the cry. The stage is now dark. Only Ashwatthama can still be seen pacing
up and down. Suddenly the harsh cawing of a crow is heard. A dancer, dressed in
black and wearing the mask of a crow, enters. The dancer is lit by a bluish light.
He spreads his wings and circles the stage twice, kneels, tilts his head to one side,
and goes to sleep.
52
Bharati
Then an owl hoots. A dancer, dressed in white and wearing the mask of an owl,
enters from the right. His hands are like the claws of an owl. The moment he sees
the crow, he stops. He flaps his wings excitedly and sharpens his claws.
A spotlight shows Ashwatthama watching the dance of war between the crow and
the owl. He seems to be mesmerized.
The crow stirs and opens his eyes. He sees the owl and goes back to sleep. The owl
watches the crow nervously, and prods him to make sure that he is really asleep.
Then he attacks him. Both fight ferociously. The noise and the screams are terrible.
For some time, both are in darkness. Then the lights come on. The owls claws are
red with blood. A few crow feathers float across the stage. The owl picks up the
feathers and performs in frenzy the tandavadance of death.
The light on Ashwatthama becomes brighter. He breaks out of his trance and
begins to laugh loudly. The owl stops dancing and looks at him nervously. The
owl throws the black feathers of the crow at Ashwatthama and rushes offstage.
Ashwatthama picks up the feathers and shouts in excitement.
ashwatthama
Got it!
Got it!
I have got it!
The stage is now fully lit. Ashwatthama dances around the stage in great
excitement. He holds the blood-covered feathers in his hands. Startled,
Kritavarma and Kripacharya wake up. Kripacharya draws his sword.
kripacharya
ashwatthama
kritavarma
ashwatthama
Yes
bloody and tattered
like Yudhishthiras
half-truth!
kripacharya
ashwatthama
Now?
ashwatthama
Now!
At once!
Andha Yug
53
ashwatthama
kripacharya
No, no, no
I will not let you do that!
ashwatthama
I will do it!
I will do it alone.
Even if you do not help me
I will do it!
I will!
Stop!
Ashwatthama
Think for a moment
54
Bharati
I N T E R L U D E
55
Similarly a thousand
streams and rivulets
slither and slide
towards the ocean
like blind snakes.
In this age
life is like
a blind and turbulent ocean.
White snakeskins
float on the surface of the sea.
White bandages
cover Gandharis eyes
and bind the wounds of soldiers.
With my visionary powers
I shall stop the flow
of this narrative
and still
the characters in their places
assign them a function
a purpose
so that I can
rip them open
and understand
their inner contradictions.
Here are
the characters
raised by my visionary powers.
They appear
as specters.
Yuyutsu, Vidura, and Sanjaya walk onto the stage as if they are in a trance. They
walk mechanically and form a line behind the old mendicant. One by one, they
come forward, speak, and fall back in line again.
yuyutsu s specter
I am Yuyutsu.
I am like a firm wheel
that was fixed to a chariot
throughout the war.
But now I feel
as if I had spun
on the wrong axle
and have lost my bearings.
56
Bharati
sanjaya s specter
I am Sanjaya.
Exiled from the world of action
nailed to the axle
between two great wheels
I am only a small
useless
decorative wheel
which turns
when the great wheels turn
but which neither touches the ground
nor forces the chariot forward.
My greatest misfortune is
that I can never
stop spinning on that axle.
vidura s specter
I am Vidura
a devout and righteous
follower of Krishna.
In an age when everything is
so strangely complicated
my faith is simple and unassuming.
But now my voice is full of doubt
for it seems that my Lord
is like a useless axle
which has lost its wheels
and cannot turn by itself.
But it is a sin to doubt
and I do not want to sin.
There is a sound of bells offstage. A peacock feather floats across the stage. The old
mendicant picks it up.
mendicant
What is this?
A peacock feather?
It must have fallen off
Krishnas crown
when he was returning from Hastinapur
after trying to console Gandhari.
Andha Yug
57
58
Bharati
A C T
F O U R
Gandharis Curse
chorus
It was Shankara
Ashwatthama saw
terrifying and enormous
standing before the gate
of the Pandava camp
threatening annihilation.
It was Shankara
Ashwatthama saw
thousands of venomous snakes
encircling his arms
like amulets.
Wrathful
he stood
before the Pandava camp
threatening complete annihilation.
Defeat me
before you enter!
He roared in a voice
more dreadful than thunder.
Ashwatthama attacked him at once
with swords, arrows, spears, and clubs.
Who else
could have withstood
Ashwatthamas rage
his superhuman violence?
Shankaras body
endured
each blow
absorbed every thrust
till Ashwatthama
exhausted
accepted defeat
59
From offstage.
O Shankara
whose braided hair burns wild
like flames around cauldron fires
bless me!
O Shankara
whose tresses stream and swirl
like storm-entangled whirlpools
bless me!
O Shankara
whose anointed forehead shines and shimmers
in the silver light of the new moon
bless me!
O Shankara
whose radiant face glows with splendor
and makes every moment of mine a delight
bless me!
chorus
Easy to please
easy to appease
Shiva raised his hand
and blessed him.
Ashwatthama
you will be victorious.
The Pandavas have lost
their sense of righteousness.
Because I loved Krishna
I protected them
gave them victory
renewed their confidence.
But they have violated
the dharma of war
and opened
the doors for their destruction.
Easy to please
easy to appease
Shiva raised his hand
and blessed him.
60
Bharati
When the curtain rises, we see Gandhari seated. Vidura and Sanjaya, who are
standing, are in the midst of a conversation.
gandhari
sanjaya
Speaks mechanically.
Blessed by Shiva
that brave warrior
reached Dhristadyumnas tent
with the speed of lightning
dragged him off his bed
knelt on his chest
and wrung his neck
till his eyeballs popped out
like stones from unripe mangoes
and blood oozed
out of the empty sockets.
gandhari
sanjaya
vidura
Enough!
Stop it.
gandhari
No, go on!
What happened next?
sanjaya
Andha Yug
61
by Ashwatthamas
poison-tipped arrows.
When Shatanik couldnt find a weapon
he picked up a chariot wheel
and attacked him.
Ashwatthama
cut off his legs.
Shikhandi was
sleeping at a distance.
Ashwatthamas arrow split his head in two
drilled through the sandalwood cot
and buried itself in the ground.
gandhari
vidura
gandhari
vidura
Listen to me
not to Sanjaya.
The vengeance
was terrible.
Kripacharya and Kritavarma
waited outside the tents.
When children, old men, and servants
ran out in terror
Kritavarmas arrows
cut them down.
Frightened elephants
trumpeted wildly
smashed the tents
and trampled the women
sleeping inside
to death.
And then
our two heroes
set the Pandava camp
on fire.
gandhari
62
Bharati
gandhari
Stop, Sanjaya
stop.
I beg of you!
With your visionary powers
give me a glimpse
of that Ashwatthama!
sanjaya
gandhari
sanjaya
gandhari
That is why
I demand it now.
Krishna
who is unjust
will never spare
him after this!
Andha Yug
63
sanjaya
I shall try.
May the strength
of all my good deeds
in the past
grant you a vision
of Ashwatthama!
Kritavarma
shoot a fire-tipped arrow
so we can see in the dark.
kritavarma
64
kripacharya
He is still alive!
He wants to tell us something.
kritavarma
I cant understand
what he is trying to say.
The blood
oozing from his mouth
Bharati
has coagulated
and formed a thick black clot
around his lips.
It must have also choked his throat.
kripacharya
kritavarma
Maharajs face
is glowing
with joy.
kripacharya
kritavarma
kripacharya
Maharaj
Ashwatthama has gone
to fetch his brahmastra
and his talisman.
As soon as he returns
the three of us
shall seek refuge
in the thick forest.
kritavarma
gandhari
Andha Yug
65
vidura
sanjaya
I can see
Ashwatthama coming this way.
His head is bowed
and he is silent.
kripacharya
Maharaj
Ashwatthama is here.
Since you cannot
lift your hand
open your eyes
and bless him.
ashwatthama
No, Maharaj.
No.
I am still not worthy of it.
I have avenged
the sinful murder of my father
by Dhristadyumna.
But I shall have to avenge
your murder.
Yet another task
remains unfinished.
Uttara is still safe.
She will give birth to a son
heir to the Pandava dynasty.
But, Maharaj
I shall complete my task.
When you meet Drona
in the kingdom beyond the sun
tell him
kritavarma
Mournful music plays in the background. Kripacharya covers his face and falls to the
ground in grief. Gandhari screams and faints.
ashwatthama
Who screamed?
Gandhari
I promise
that just as Krishna destroyed
all the sons
66
Bharati
Sanjaya
Sanjaya
take off my blindfold.
I want to gaze upon Ashwatthama
and transform his body
into a bright diamond.
There, Sanjaya
I have taken off this blindfold
and flung it away.
Where is Ashwatthama?
sanjaya
gandhari
Quick!
Show me
before these eyes
are blinded with tears.
sanjaya
Andha Yug
67
vidura
Sanjaya
cant you see
the forest or Duryodhana or
sanjaya
No, Vidura
only walls
and walls and more walls!
vidura
It is as if
the time
for everything to end
has come.
Vyasa
why did you
grant me vision
for such a short time?
From today
I shall never
be satisfied
by the sight
of this limited world.
My soul shall forever
long to break its limits
and merge with the infinite.
vidura
Come, Gandhari.
It is time to leave Hastinapur
and perform
the holy rites for your family.
Sanjaya
inform all our kinsmen
and our dependents
that we shall
leave the battlefield today.
sanjaya
As he exits.
For eighteen days
this terrible
but exhilarating war
gave me visionary powers
and then
deprived me of them.
Yuyutsu enters.
68
Bharati
vidura
Come, Gandhari.
Let us go.
Call Dhritarashtra.
Yuyutsu
you come with us too.
yuyutsu
Everyone exits. The stage grows dark. Then the curtain at the back rises.
chorus
Andha Yug
69
My body is old
and broken.
I cannot walk
any farther.
vidura
Sanjaya
stop for a moment.
yuyutsu
sanjaya
The one
over there is Kripacharyas.
vidura
gandhari
Sanjaya
is Ashwatthama there too?
vidura
Yes
Ashwatthama is there too.
dhritarashtra
gandhari
sanjaya
Stop, Ashwatthama
stop!
I am Sanjaya.
Maharaj Dhritarashtra
and Gandhari
are with me
so are Vidura and Yu
dhritarashtra
Sanjaya
do not utter Yuyutsus name.
Ashwatthama in his rage
will not spare his life.
How will I live
if I lose him too?
gandhari
70
Bharati
dhritarashtra
Son
you were conceived in blindness.
It defined the boundary of your existence.
You tried to escape the enclosing circle
and live in a circle of light.
yuyutsu
sanjaya
Ashwatthama
is completely transformed.
He is no longer
a brave soldier
but the incarnation of fear.
He trembles so much
that the reins of the chariot
slip out of his hands.
Suddenly, there is an explosion in the distance. A flash of lightning bursts from the
back of the stage.
sanjaya
Andha Yug
71
gandhari
dhritarashtra
Sanjaya
can you see anything?
sanjaya
yuyutsu
vidura
Sanjaya
let us go far away
from this battlefield.
gandhari
Krishna
if you dare to harm
Ashwatthama
They exit. The stage is empty for a few minutes. Then there is the sound of conch
shells mingled with loud explosions. A flash of lightning. Suddenly, Ashwatthama
runs onto the stage. An arrow has pierced his neck. He pulls it out. Blood gushes
from the wound. Arrows whiz past him. He staggers, but regains his balance.
His face glows with anger.
ashwatthama
Arjuna
defend yourself.
Defend yourself.
72
Bharati
I wanted to
cover myself with leaves
and live in a forest.
But Krishnas
insatiable hunger for war
will not be satisfied
till all the Pandavas
have been killed.
So be it.
Here is the brahmastra.
Arjuna
remember all your
past deeds.
Not even a hundred million Krishnas
can counter the brahmastra.
Listen all you Gods
in the sky above
who are watching
this fight
you are my witnesses.
Arjuna has compelled me
to fight.
There
I have released the brahmastra!
He releases the brahmastra. Lightning, brighter than the sun, flashes across the
stage. There is a roar followed by complete darkness.
vyasa
ashwatthama
vyasa
I am Vyasa.
Oh you vile man
do you even know
the consequences
of using the brahmastra?
Andha Yug
73
vyasa
74
Bharati
Listen, Arjuna.
I am Vyasa.
Recall your brahmastra.
Ashwatthama
do not let your cowardice
reduce the earth to a wasteland
of ash and stones.
Recall your brahmastra
surrender your talismanic gem
and retire into some forest hermitage.
ashwatthama
Vyasa, I am powerless!
I only know how to release
the brahmastra.
My father did not teach me
how to recall it.
vyasa
ashwatthama
ashwatthama
Laughs wildly.
I was not born a beast.
Yudhishthira made me one.
The front of the stage is now fully lit. The lamentations of the widows of the
Pandava soldiers become louder. Gandhari and Sanjaya enter.
gandhari
Andha Yug
75
sanjaya
Ashwatthamas brahmastra
has destroyed the child
in Uttaras womb.
gandhari
sanjaya
After a pause.
But, Gandhari
Krishna will
never forgive him.
gandhari
Son
let me grant you
my share of life
for you must live.
If Ashwatthamas brahmastra
has destroyed the child
in Uttaras womb
then who knows
Yudhishthira may leave
the kingdom to you.
yuyutsu
Laughing bitterly.
And so
Ashwatthamas bestial act
may restore my lost inheritance.
No, Maharaj.
No.
Is my life not miserable enough?!
Shouts of victory from the Pandava camp can be heard. Vidura enters.
76
Bharati
dhritarashtra
Who is rejoicing?
vidura
Krishna
has saved the child
in Uttaras womb!
dhritarashtra
vidura
Krishna said:
Let the brahmastra
fall where it will.
I shall exchange my life
for Uttaras stillborn child.
dhritarashtra
vidura
yuyutsu
I dread to think
what Gandhari
will do when she hears
of Ashwatthamas defeat.
dhritarashtra
You go ahead
and find her.
I shall follow
as fast as I can.
Vidura exits quickly. Dhritarashtra and Yuyutsu slowly follow. After a pause,
Sanjaya, Vidura, and Gandhari enter.
sanjaya
Andha Yug
77
Endure this
with courage, Gandhari.
Armor can offer
no real protection.
Only virtuous actions
which man performs
by his own free will
can be his protection
his safety.
vidura
Gandhari
do not look at him!
gandhari
sanjaya
No, no!
He is hideous.
His body is covered
with boils and open sores.
He smells worse
than a diseased dog!
gandhari
He is going away.
Who is he, Vidura?
Stop him!
vidura
He is Ashwatthama, Gandhari.
Let him go.
For the sin of infanticide
Krishna has cursed him
with immortality
and condemned him
to live forever and ever.
78
Bharati
sanjaya
He has gone.
Perhaps he had come
to pay his last respects
to these bones of Duryodhana.
gandhari
These bones?
Are they all
that remain
of my son?
vidura
Gandhari
be courageous.
gandhari
In a heart-rending voice.
So
these bones
are all that remain
of my son!
Andha Yug
79
80
Bharati
Gentle sounds of a flute can be heard floating across the stage. The shadow of
Krishna falls upon the rear wall of the stage.
krishna
Mother.
I may be a god.
I may be omnipotent.
But I am also your son
and you are my mother.
I said to Arjuna:
I take upon my shoulders
the responsibility
of all your good and evil deeds.
In this terrible war of eighteen days
I am the only one who died a million times.
Every time a soldier was struck down
every time a soldier fell to the ground
it was I who was struck down
it was I who was wounded
it was I who fell to the ground.
It is I who shall flow
in the pus
in the blood
in the spittle
that will ooze
out of Ashwatthamas body
from age to age
forever and ever.
If I am life
then, Mother
I am also death.
I accept your curse, Mother!
gandhari
O Krishna
what have you done!
Begins to weep loudly.
I did not weep like this
for my hundred sons.
O Krishna
as a mother
deep and profound
is my affection for you.
Andha Yug
81
No, Mother
do not say that.
I am alive
I may be a god
I may be omnipotent
but I am your son
and you are my mother.
gandhari
Weeping.
Oh, what have I done, Vidura?
What have I done?
82
Bharati
A C T
F I V E
83
who understood
that when Krishna
still under the shadow of the curse
met with a violent death as prophesied
the days they had sown together
in the battlefield
would yield a harvest of such bitterness
that all the wisdom of past ages
would be covered with dust and darkness.
His head resting on his knees
lost in his own dark thoughts
Yudhishthira often sat
on the stone steps of the palace
and stared with vacant eyes
at the encroaching darkness.
The curtain rises. Two old guards stand at the back of the stage. Yudhishthira is
sitting in the foreground.
yudhishthira
84
Bharati
Maharaj
Bhima has become intolerable.
Who will stop his impudence?
yudhishthira
Andha Yug
85
vidura
kripacharya
Encouraged
the crowd mocks Yuyutsu
for having lost his voice.
yudhishthira
I wonder
what has happened
to Yuyutsus voice.
He cannot speak a word.
vidura
kripacharya
yudhishthira
86
Bharati
kripacharya
Maharaj
come and console
Yuyutsu yourself.
Exit Yudhishthira, Vidura, and Kripacharya. The old guards walk up to the front of
the stage.
guard 1
guard 2
guard 1
Yet we remained
guard 2
as we always were.
guard 1
guard 2
guard 1
guard 2
He was blind
guard 1
guard 2
guard 1
guard 2
guard 1
guard 2
Grind them?
guard 1
Or eat them?
guard 2
Wear them?
guard 1
Or lie on them?
guard 2
guard 1
clear instructions
guard 2
a strong leader
guard 1
guard 2
to wage war
or live in peace.
guard 1
Andha Yug
87
Yuyutsu enters. The guards fall silent and retreat to their earlier positions.
Yuyutsu makes incoherent attempts to speak, and then exits in great agitation.
A few moments later, Vidura and Kripacharya enter.
vidura
vidura
kripacharya
Look!
Over there!
He is being followed
by a large crowd
of ragged children
and lame, deformed, mutilated
beggars.
They are taunting him!
Abusing him!
vidura
Oh no!
Someone has thrown
a stone at him!
Vidura enters, supporting Yuyutsu. Yuyutsus face is bleeding. Vidura wipes the
blood from Yuyutsus face with the hem of his robe. The mute soldier follows them.
He throws a stone at Yuyutsu and manages to make a sound like wild laughter.
vidura
Guard
who let this beggar in here?
Yuyutsu, come with me.
88
Bharati
The mute soldier indicates through gestures: He broke my legs. Why should I not
seek revenge?
kripacharya
Kripacharya grabs a spear from one of the guards and rushes towards the mute
soldier, who turns and hobbles away. Yuyutsu restrains Kripacharya, then snatches
the spear from his hand and plunges it into his own heart. Yuyutsu staggers offstage.
His terrifying scream is heard from the wings. Vidura runs after him.
vidura
In war or in peace
guard 2
guard 1
guard 2
guard 1
Till now
these weapons
guard 2
were raised
against our enemies.
guard 1
guard 2
Our weapons
which were useless till now
guard 1
guard 2
Andha Yug
89
It is sometimes possible
for one who slaughters his own people
or murders his mother or his beloved
or kills women and children
to find his way to salvation.
But the one who kills himself
wanders like a haunted spirit
in realms of darkness
forever and ever.
kripacharya
90
Bharati
which spreads
like an epidemic.
vidura
kripacharya
No! No!
I was a soldier once.
I can no longer live
in Yudhishthiras kingdom.
It is bent upon
its own annihilation.
vidura
In Yudhishthiras kingdom
people will commit suicide.
Brahmins will seek protection.
O Lord
what kind of peace
have you given us?!
What will happen
when Dhritarashtra
in his forest ashram
learns of Yuyutsus death?
Yudhishthira enters.
yudhishthira
vidura
If he is still alive
send him to my hut.
I shall protect him
nurse him.
It shall be a small recompense
for all he has suffered
in Krishnas cause
guard 2
guard 1
The guards exit. The entire stage is slowly filled with the glow of the forest fire.
Sanjaya and Dhritarashtra are surrounded by flames.
dhritarashtra
Andha Yug
91
There is a shelter
not far from here.
Let us go there, Maharaj.
Turns to look back.
Oh, Gandhari has collapsed!
Hurry, Gandhari!
Hurry!
dhritarashtra
Sanjaya
all this effort
is now futile.
Leave me here.
I am old and blind.
All my life
I have wandered
in darkness.
Now I feel
as if the flames
have surrounded me
in a circle of light
and I am free.
All my life
I refused to see
the truth.
Let me feel the truth today
and wear it
on these aged bones
like a garland
of glowing embers.
sanjaya
92
Bharati
Please leave,
Sanjaya.
All this
is the result
of my curse
on Krishna.
Suicide
violence
adharma
and family strife
have grown
a hundredfold
and infected
all the cities and forests.
Sanjaya
tell Krishna:
I was the first victim
of my own curse.
Oh no!
Kunti has been left behind
in the forest!
Let us turn back,
Gandhari.
sanjaya
Maharaj
Maharaj
the fire is fierce.
Its countless flames
must have consumed
Kunti by now.
Maharaj
you are safe here.
Do not go.
gandhari
Sanjaya
let those who have
spent their lives
wandering in darkness
at last die
in the fatal light
of this fire.
Andha Yug
93
She takes Dhritarashtra by the hand and turns to walk towards the burning forest.
Sanjaya watches them helplessly.
sanjaya
Oh no!
A banyan tree
in a blaze of fire
has fallen on them.
Now
I am the only one
left alive.
I am alone
utterly alone.
My life is meaningless.
Why am I alive?
Why should I
continue to live?
A burning branch falls on his foot. In agony, he clutches his foot and sits down.
The curtain falls.
chorus
The two old guards enter. Yudhishthiras crown is stuck on the spear of Guard 1.
guard 1
guard 2
Wear it!
He put it aside
guard 1
guard 2
Quick
Maharaj Yudhishthira
is coming this way.
94
Bharati
yudhishthira
Of Krishnas death!
I know.
Messengers from all over
have brought me news
of increasing strife
amidst the Yadava clan.
vidura
Send Arjuna
at once to Dwarkapuri.
yudhishthira
Vidura
what shall I do?
Dhritarashtra, Gandhari
and Kunti were burnt to ash
in that terrible fire.
Yuyutsus wounds reopened
when he performed the last rites for them.
He has finally succeeded
in committing suicide.
I could not save his life.
Have I alone
been condemned
to witness Lord Krishnas death?
No, no!
Let me go!
Let my body
slowly decay
on some Himalayan slope.
vidura
Maharaj
that too would be suicide.
Even the height of those slopes
will not redeem
such a sinful
and cowardly act.
For to seek
a slow death
on some Himalayan peak
would still be suicide.
yudhishthira
And what is
victory then?
Is that not also
Andha Yug
95
96
guard 1
guard 2
Yesterday
it rained
rocks and stones.
guard 1
Today
you can see
dark and headless corpses
dance in the sun.
guard 2
I have heard
that the destruction of Krishna
the one whom they call Lord
is at hand.
guard 1
It is said
that Yamaraj
in black and yellow robes
walks through the streets
of Dwarkapuri
at midnight.
guard 2
guard 1
And that
the one they call
Lord
guard 2
guard 1
shall soon
abandon them
here on earth
without a path
without a goal
Bharati
guard 2
and return
to his own abode.
guard 1
guard 2
Compared to them
the two of us
are better off!
guard 1
guard 2
guard 1
We are now
guard 2
as we always were!
Andha Yug
97
E P I L O G U E
Invocation
You are the word, O Lord!
You are the meaning of meaning.
You are our refuge, O Lord!
You are our consolation.
Those who cry out to you, O Lord
never cry in vain!
We sing in your praise, O Lord!
We sing in praise of your devotees, O Lord
devotees who have sung in your praise
from generation to generation
about the mysteries of your acts
the mysteries of your creation.
Grant this lonely pilgrim
in search of faith, O Lord
a few words, a few thoughts, a few images
to sing in sorrow at your sacrificial death!
chorus
99
100
Bharati
A hunter enters and crouches behind a bush. He takes aim with his bow and arrow.
chorus
Singing softly.
In the distance
under the shadow
of a thorny bush
a hunter crouches.
Mistaking
Krishnas foot for a deer
Andha Yug
101
The hunter releases his arrow. Lightning flashes. Three sharp notes of a flute
are heard. Ashwatthama laughs wildly. Sanjaya screams and faints. Darkness.
chorus
Ashwatthama enters.
ashwatthama
102
Bharati
Speaking offstage.
Whose voice do I hear
in these dark times?
Who has discovered
faith once more?
That brute
Ashwatthama?
Laughs loudly.
Faith is a worn-out coin.
Has Ashwatthama found it now?
I discovered it was false
and counterfeit
a long time ago
and threw it away
on a garbage heap.
Andha Yug
103
sanjaya
Yuyutsu enters. He gropes his way, like a blind spirit, to the front of the stage.
yuyutsu
104
Bharati
yuyutsu
sanjaya
yuyutsu
That is why
I proclaim boldly
that our fate is linked
not to the death of Krishna
but to the future of mankind!
To the survival of Parikshit!
How will he be saved?
That is my concern.
How can he be saved?
I ask as one
who has suffered contempt
for Krishnas sake
all his life.
Andha Yug
105
I am still here
to give you an answer.
yuyutsu
mendicant
ashwatthama
106
Bharati
In my madness
I sought revenge.
In my ignorance
I sought vengeance.
The one whom you call Lord
was my enemy
but he took
even my sufferings
upon himself.
My body is still covered
with wounds
but I feel no pain.
I am condemned
yet free!
yuyutsu
Perhaps
his death has atoned
for the crimes of murderers
and set them free.
After Krishnas
cowardly murder
who will save man
in dark times?
ashwatthama
Cowardly murder?
He was my enemy.
Yet I know that
when he died
a peaceful radiance
spread over his face
a divinity
and a grace.
mendicant
Andha Yug
107
mendicant
Yes! Certainly!
He is the future.
You hold him in your hands.
Whenever you like
you can destroy him.
108
Bharati
But
I am deformed
and paralyzed.
ashwatthama
And
I have become a beast.
yuyutsu
And
I am the blind spirit
of a man who killed himself.
The old mendicant steps forward. The other characters slowly step back. The curtain
in the middle lowers. The only light is on the old mendicant.
mendicant
Andha Yug
109
Is there anyone
who will listen to me?
As the lights begin to dim, the Chorus steps forward.
chorus
Curtain falls.
110
Bharati