The Tragedy!
This is a short play that I wrote long ago...publishing this for ur reviews...
This, a drama on paper, is meant to leave a memory of the history. This is an effort to reconstruct history in a new and special way; the Anshumannian way.
Introduction: Judas was a disciple of Jesus who is said to have betrayed him for 30 silver shillings. Judas went to the Romans and told them the place of hiding of Jesus. Ultimately, Jesus was crucified and became Jesus Christ.
But a strange thing happened after his crucification. Judas, the so-called ‘betrayer’, committed suicide after the crucification. Why? History, as usual, tells us that it was out of a sense of guilt. But, is that a genuine cause for Judas’ committing suicide? Find out…
The play begins
“Judas! Judas!” someone was knocking at the door. It was nearly one o’clock in the night, but Judas was not sleeping. In fact, he had tried hard to go to sleep, but failed. Something prevented him from sleeping that very night.
He could easily recognize the voice. It was the loveliest voice he ever heard, the melodiest of all. It was the voice of his master, Jesus. But why was Jesus calling him? He rose from the bed and opened the door.
“So, were you not sleeping?” enquired Jesus.
“How could I? You were always in my thoughts. Even though I tried to sleep, still I couldn’t. It is very strange,” answered Judas in a complaining way.
“Of course, it is strange. The life itself is an enigma, a mystery. But I have come to thee with a special purpose. I…”
Interrupted Judas, “… a special purpose! That too…to me! I am very much amazed! How can I serve you master? Order your servant this very moment.”
Jesus, with his calm voice continued, “Look, I have known you since the very beginning; isn’t it? You are indeed the best disciple of mine. And that’s why I have come to you. With a hope of…”
Again Judas interrupted, “…Order me master! Order your servant! I can lay my life unto your feet. I feel very much honoured from the way you described me. But don’t keep me in suspense please! Disclose the very purpose of your visit.”
Jesus continued, “See Judas, it is early morning. I want you to promise me that you will do whatever I ask for. Remember, this will be your promise of the dawn, the opening of a new day. And, also remember, by promising me at this moment, you might lose anything! May be your identity as a disciple! Do you promise me?”
Judas, with a glow on his face, answered, “The day you accepted me as your disciple and I got lost in you, my identity was lost forever. No one remained except Him. Only one existed! Duality was dropped, non-duality began. Yet you think I fear losing my identity. Master, I promise you for anything, anything under the sun. Ask for anything and I will give that to you; no matter how arduous the task may be.”
Jesus intervened, “Wait my dear Judas, wait! Remember one thing; your promise must be fulfilled at any cost. Never before did any master ask for such a promise and never again will it happen. It is not in the nature of the things to repeat.”
Judas assured, “I know master. When I say I promise; I mean it!”
Jesus contently sits on the floor and raises his right hand above. It is the Hindu symbol of blessing from a master to a chosen disciple, the Aashirwad. Now Jesus touches the feet of Judas. Ah! The situation is indescribable! Such an amazing scene! The disciple standing and the master touching his feet. Everything has come to a halt. Sun is not rising, nor are rivers flowing! The nature seems to have stopped everything, just to have a glimpse of such a historic situation.
After few moments, Jesus rises again. He says, “Judas, you got what you deserved. I gave you the Enlightenment! You are no more a Judas; you are He, the Father! I know you have the ability to hold it, so I gave it you. Handle it with utmost care!”
Judas, with eyes full of tears, heart full of songs and soul full of God, is unable to speak. So much overcome by emotions! But somehow he manages to utter few words, “What you want from this Judas, Jesus? I am ready to accept death too!”
Jesus, “Very well said, Judas. I have come to you for death; not yours but mine! Judas, you will have to go to the Romans and tell them where am I staying at present. You…”
Judas, highly amazed of what Jesus has said, interrupts, “What! I never meant this! I meant my death, not yours! Forgive me Jesus, I can’t do so. And then why…why should I do so?”
Jesus, “Judas, remember your promise of dawn. You will have to give me my death.”
“But why is that so master? Are you bored of preaching or are you afraid of someone?” inquired Judas with a lot of humility.
The voice of Judas now had the feeling of intense pain. He was torn between his promise and the affection he had for his master. He was unable to decide. He was passing through dilemma, the ‘worsest’ of its kind.
He made his mind up, gathered all his courage and said, “Tell me Jesus! Tell me! Tell me everything! I am certainly going to do whatever you wish. I am, in no way, going to betray you. I don’t want the generations to come to call me a betrayer! I will fulfill my promise.”
Now it was the turn of the master to have eyes full of tears and heart full of pain. Jesus put his hands over the shoulders of the disciple and remarked, “Oh Judas!” He then hugged him. Again it seemed that everything stopped.
Then Jesus said, “I am sorry Judas. I want you to do something that will make you a betrayer for the generations to come. To them, the name ‘Judas’ and the word ‘betrayer’ would be synonymous. They don’t and will never come to know what exactly happened between us at this very moment.”
Judas now realized the need of the hour. He knew that he would not be a betrayer but would still be called so. He understood that he had to sacrifice himself for his master. And, he had promised to do so! How could he deny now?
He said, “Very well sir, I will do whatever you want me to do. Just order me.”
Jesus, “Go to the Romans and disclose to them my place of hiding. This is all that I would like you to do.”
Judas, “But Lord, are you aware of the consequences that would follow this act of mine?”
“I know the eternal; I know everything!”
“But you might be hanged or stoned to death!”
“I shall be crucified, Judas. On the very Friday of this week, I shall be crucified.”
“Ah! And you still want me to do so?”
“Yes Judas. This is the only option that remains with me. I will have to get crucified. This is the only way for my teachings to be considered worthy.”
“But how? Please explain this phenomenon to me. What exactly do you mean?”
“Look. I have at present just 12 people to listen to me and follow my teachings. Everybody else is either against me or is ignorant of me. Now to get the number of followers raised, I need their sympathy. It is the psychology of the humans to sympathize with people whom they have tortured or killed. Remember, Masters are read and understood after they perish. No one is able to face a live master. It is the very tragedy of the mankind.
So as soon as I get crucified, my message will start reaching to people all over the world. And remember Judas, a day is going to come when the followers of Jesus would be the largest in number. So you will have to help me out. Please go to the Romans and tell them everything.”
“But why will they believe me? I mean what would I say when they ask me for what am I telling them everything? Shall I tell them your basic motive?”
“Bah! No Judas. You are really an innocent boy. Hmm…tell them that you need money and that you never liked me.”
“But what shall I do with the money? I don’t want them; I just want you.”
“All right Judas, I’ll help you to accompany me to the kingdom of our Father. But first of all go and tell them everything.”
“But how much money shall I ask them for?”
“Anything you like. They…”
“How can you still imagine me to like anything other than you?”
“All right, ask them for 30 pieces of silver.”
“Very well sir!”
Judas understood that he was being employed by the Almighty for a very special purpose. A purpose never ever fulfilled by any disciple. He was to become a part of the history that would portray him as a betrayer instead of a great, perhaps the great, disciple.
The Tragedy!!!
© ANSHUMAN, 2000
This, a drama on paper, is meant to leave a memory of the history. This is an effort to reconstruct history in a new and special way; the Anshumannian way.
Introduction: Judas was a disciple of Jesus who is said to have betrayed him for 30 silver shillings. Judas went to the Romans and told them the place of hiding of Jesus. Ultimately, Jesus was crucified and became Jesus Christ.
But a strange thing happened after his crucification. Judas, the so-called ‘betrayer’, committed suicide after the crucification. Why? History, as usual, tells us that it was out of a sense of guilt. But, is that a genuine cause for Judas’ committing suicide? Find out…
The play begins
“Judas! Judas!” someone was knocking at the door. It was nearly one o’clock in the night, but Judas was not sleeping. In fact, he had tried hard to go to sleep, but failed. Something prevented him from sleeping that very night.
He could easily recognize the voice. It was the loveliest voice he ever heard, the melodiest of all. It was the voice of his master, Jesus. But why was Jesus calling him? He rose from the bed and opened the door.
“So, were you not sleeping?” enquired Jesus.
“How could I? You were always in my thoughts. Even though I tried to sleep, still I couldn’t. It is very strange,” answered Judas in a complaining way.
“Of course, it is strange. The life itself is an enigma, a mystery. But I have come to thee with a special purpose. I…”
Interrupted Judas, “… a special purpose! That too…to me! I am very much amazed! How can I serve you master? Order your servant this very moment.”
Jesus, with his calm voice continued, “Look, I have known you since the very beginning; isn’t it? You are indeed the best disciple of mine. And that’s why I have come to you. With a hope of…”
Again Judas interrupted, “…Order me master! Order your servant! I can lay my life unto your feet. I feel very much honoured from the way you described me. But don’t keep me in suspense please! Disclose the very purpose of your visit.”
Jesus continued, “See Judas, it is early morning. I want you to promise me that you will do whatever I ask for. Remember, this will be your promise of the dawn, the opening of a new day. And, also remember, by promising me at this moment, you might lose anything! May be your identity as a disciple! Do you promise me?”
Judas, with a glow on his face, answered, “The day you accepted me as your disciple and I got lost in you, my identity was lost forever. No one remained except Him. Only one existed! Duality was dropped, non-duality began. Yet you think I fear losing my identity. Master, I promise you for anything, anything under the sun. Ask for anything and I will give that to you; no matter how arduous the task may be.”
Jesus intervened, “Wait my dear Judas, wait! Remember one thing; your promise must be fulfilled at any cost. Never before did any master ask for such a promise and never again will it happen. It is not in the nature of the things to repeat.”
Judas assured, “I know master. When I say I promise; I mean it!”
Jesus contently sits on the floor and raises his right hand above. It is the Hindu symbol of blessing from a master to a chosen disciple, the Aashirwad. Now Jesus touches the feet of Judas. Ah! The situation is indescribable! Such an amazing scene! The disciple standing and the master touching his feet. Everything has come to a halt. Sun is not rising, nor are rivers flowing! The nature seems to have stopped everything, just to have a glimpse of such a historic situation.
After few moments, Jesus rises again. He says, “Judas, you got what you deserved. I gave you the Enlightenment! You are no more a Judas; you are He, the Father! I know you have the ability to hold it, so I gave it you. Handle it with utmost care!”
Judas, with eyes full of tears, heart full of songs and soul full of God, is unable to speak. So much overcome by emotions! But somehow he manages to utter few words, “What you want from this Judas, Jesus? I am ready to accept death too!”
Jesus, “Very well said, Judas. I have come to you for death; not yours but mine! Judas, you will have to go to the Romans and tell them where am I staying at present. You…”
Judas, highly amazed of what Jesus has said, interrupts, “What! I never meant this! I meant my death, not yours! Forgive me Jesus, I can’t do so. And then why…why should I do so?”
Jesus, “Judas, remember your promise of dawn. You will have to give me my death.”
“But why is that so master? Are you bored of preaching or are you afraid of someone?” inquired Judas with a lot of humility.
The voice of Judas now had the feeling of intense pain. He was torn between his promise and the affection he had for his master. He was unable to decide. He was passing through dilemma, the ‘worsest’ of its kind.
He made his mind up, gathered all his courage and said, “Tell me Jesus! Tell me! Tell me everything! I am certainly going to do whatever you wish. I am, in no way, going to betray you. I don’t want the generations to come to call me a betrayer! I will fulfill my promise.”
Now it was the turn of the master to have eyes full of tears and heart full of pain. Jesus put his hands over the shoulders of the disciple and remarked, “Oh Judas!” He then hugged him. Again it seemed that everything stopped.
Then Jesus said, “I am sorry Judas. I want you to do something that will make you a betrayer for the generations to come. To them, the name ‘Judas’ and the word ‘betrayer’ would be synonymous. They don’t and will never come to know what exactly happened between us at this very moment.”
Judas now realized the need of the hour. He knew that he would not be a betrayer but would still be called so. He understood that he had to sacrifice himself for his master. And, he had promised to do so! How could he deny now?
He said, “Very well sir, I will do whatever you want me to do. Just order me.”
Jesus, “Go to the Romans and disclose to them my place of hiding. This is all that I would like you to do.”
Judas, “But Lord, are you aware of the consequences that would follow this act of mine?”
“I know the eternal; I know everything!”
“But you might be hanged or stoned to death!”
“I shall be crucified, Judas. On the very Friday of this week, I shall be crucified.”
“Ah! And you still want me to do so?”
“Yes Judas. This is the only option that remains with me. I will have to get crucified. This is the only way for my teachings to be considered worthy.”
“But how? Please explain this phenomenon to me. What exactly do you mean?”
“Look. I have at present just 12 people to listen to me and follow my teachings. Everybody else is either against me or is ignorant of me. Now to get the number of followers raised, I need their sympathy. It is the psychology of the humans to sympathize with people whom they have tortured or killed. Remember, Masters are read and understood after they perish. No one is able to face a live master. It is the very tragedy of the mankind.
So as soon as I get crucified, my message will start reaching to people all over the world. And remember Judas, a day is going to come when the followers of Jesus would be the largest in number. So you will have to help me out. Please go to the Romans and tell them everything.”
“But why will they believe me? I mean what would I say when they ask me for what am I telling them everything? Shall I tell them your basic motive?”
“Bah! No Judas. You are really an innocent boy. Hmm…tell them that you need money and that you never liked me.”
“But what shall I do with the money? I don’t want them; I just want you.”
“All right Judas, I’ll help you to accompany me to the kingdom of our Father. But first of all go and tell them everything.”
“But how much money shall I ask them for?”
“Anything you like. They…”
“How can you still imagine me to like anything other than you?”
“All right, ask them for 30 pieces of silver.”
“Very well sir!”
Judas understood that he was being employed by the Almighty for a very special purpose. A purpose never ever fulfilled by any disciple. He was to become a part of the history that would portray him as a betrayer instead of a great, perhaps the great, disciple.
The Tragedy!!!
© ANSHUMAN, 2000
Comments
must confess din't read the whole thing but it smelt good!!!
Have a net friend from ur coll...but what caught my attention was SHAWSHANK REDEMPTION and Quizzing...same here like both of them...
cheers..