Submitted by Linda Hess, 7/1/96

A RAMLILA SCENE

Vibhishan:	Look! When my brother Ravan conquered the Ocean,
		the Ocean gave him this necklace of precious gems.

Chant:		What the Treasury of Waters gave to Ravan,
		Vibhishan later received.
		That same lovely necklance of gems
		He dropped upon Janaki's neck.

Vibhishan:	I present this necklace to the revered queen!.

Bystander:  	Shout victory to King Ram!

Chant:		It became so brilliant
		the rulers could not look at it.
		It was more glorious
		than all the royal assembly.
		Their hearts were charmed.
		Then Janak's daughter, Ram's queen
		looked at Ram and smiled.
		Gracious Ram said, "Listen, my dear.
		Give whatever you wish to whomever you wish."

Ram:		Oh darling, please give this necklace
		to whomever you wish.

Chant:		Hearing this, the beloved daughter of Janak
		took the string of jewels from her neck.
		Thinking in her heart, "To whom shall I give it?",
		she glanced at the Son of the Wind.

Sita:		To whom shall I give this necklace?

Chant:		Noticing her merciful glance, the Son of the Wind
		was pleased and bowed low before her.
		Janak's daughter dropped the necklace of jewels
		around his neck.

Bystander:	Shout victory to Queen Sita!

Chant:		The great hero reflected:
		There must be some special quality in the necklace.

Hanuman:	In the necklace that the revered Mother
		has graciously given me,
		there surely be some special quality.
		Only for this reason would my mother show me this favor.

Chant:		Soaked in the juice of love
		for the Abode of Bliss,
		he began to look at each gem.
		"Only light, nothing else is here
		to appeal to a devotee's heart."

Hanuman:	The revered Mother has given me this in her kindness.
		But aside from light, I see nothing
		that might attract a devotee of God.

Chant:		"There must be something inside the gems."
		So he broke open one pearl.

Hanuman:	If Mother gave it, it must be important.
		There must surely be
		some kernel inside these gems.
		I'll just break one bead and see.

[He crushes a "pearl" between his teeth.  The props are usually grapes.]

Chant:		He carefully examined the inside of it.
		The onlookers were utterly astonished.

Hanuman:	Nothing visible here but shining light.
		It shines outside and it
		shines even more inside.

Chant:		Then brave Hanuman broke another jewel.
		Seeing no kernel, he threw it away.

Hanuman:	There's nothing in this either!

Chant:		In this way he breaks one pearl after another.
		The multitude of onlookers are in great pain.

Bystander:	Look!  Why is Hanuman breaking the necklace like this?

Chant:		They began to think in their own minds,
		"They shouldn't give precious things
		to someone who's not fit to have them.
		See the sad result when they do."

		Then a king cried out,
		"What are you doing, Hanuman?
		Why are you breaking the necklace,
		the beautiful jewels, oh wise one?"

Bystander:	O Hanuman, why are you breaking and throwing away
		such beautiful and priceless jewels?

Chant:		Hearing this, the Son of the Wind said,
		"I am looking for the joy-giving name of Ram.
		The name cannot be seen.
		That's why I'm breaking it, brother."

Hanuman:	Brother, I am looking in it for the name
		of the joy-giving Ram.
		The name of my Lord is not visible
		in the necklace, brother.  That's why
		I'm breaking it.

Chant:		Someone spoke: "Nowhere is it said
		that the name of Ram
		is in all things."

Bystander:	O Hanuman, the name of Ram is not inside everything.
		We have never heard with our own ears that it is.

Chant:		The Son of the Wind said: "What doesn't have
		the name is of no use at all."

Hanuman:	O brother, anything that does not have the name in it
		is useless.

Chant:		The same person said, "Listen, oh Abode of  Strength:
		Does the name of Ram exist in your body?

Bystander:	Hanuman, Abode of Strength, is the name of Lord Ram
		written even in your heart?

Chant:		Hearing this, the Son of the Wind said,
		"Certainly his noble name is in my body."

Hanuman:	Yes, the name of the supremely noble Lord
		must surely be in my body!

Chant:		Having said this, the monkey tore open his own heart.
		On every hair's breadth were the infinite names
		of the Lord.
		Seeing the name of Ram stamped everywhere,
		all became astonished.
		The sky filled with shouts of victory,
		and flowers rained down.
		Ram cast a gracious glance at him.
		Hanuman's body became again hard as thunderbolt.
		At once the Lord rose up.
		With his body tingling and tears in his eyes,
		He embraced Hanuman, holding him
		close to his heart.

Everyone:	Victory to King Ram!  Victory to Queen Sita!
		Victory to Hanuman with the thunderbolt body!

(adapted by L. Hess from Norvin Hein's The Miracle Plays of Mathura, pp. 81-87).