Hayavadana

This story is from some kathasagara dated 1000 years back. German nobel winning writer 'Thomas Mann' adapted it in german in early 20th century. Girish Karnad readapted it for his play. I read the basic plot on internet and re-wrote the story for a play. 

Hayavadana (The horse faced)

commentary:  Mein Samay hoon..(pause)  I am time. (pause). ...What is time? Time is nothing, because it does not exist. Time is everything because without it nothing else exists. While philospohers & scientists fight it out on what time is, i live another day to travel along with the story of Hayavadana, the horse faced.

Opening Scene 1:

A horse faced man is praying to Lord Ganesha , to make him whole. Background song (either Gajanana hey rambha or Vakratunda Mahakaya) shall be played. The song ends & the two main protagonists Devadatta & Kapila enter.

Devadatta: My dear friend Kapila, have you seen this strange sight. A person with the body of a man , but the head of a horse!! Let us find out more about him.

Kapila: Devadatta, I have no time for these idle intellectual pursuits of yours. I am more interested in physical power. I make a living doing hard labour & winning wrestling matches. Of what use are subjects & knowledge which don’t concern your daily life & don’t help you earn a living.

Devadatta: Oh! Come on Kapila it wont take a second.

Devadatta (turning to the horse man) : O! Hayavadana , what is this strange appearance ? How come you have the body of a man, but the head of a horse? Are you a man or a horse?

Hayavadana: Sire ! What can I tell you of my woes. I am the result of a woman's consummation with the divine stallion PanchaKalyani. Have we all not heard & seen a male's virility being compared to that of a horse. My poor mother, prayed to have a child through a man sturdy as a horse. But alas, looks like the Gods don’t understand metaphors. For heavens sake don’t they teach alankara, figures of speech to Gods. And have the Gods no other job than satisfying the teenage requests of nubile girls.

Devadatta: Oh yes! We saw it in Kunti's case & now with your mom! Lo! Your mother's request went & behold the divine horse PanchaKalyani came to impregnate her.

Kapila: The kind & merciful God, who didn’t have time to help the poor old man living next door, found a lot of time to have a little fun on the side. And what a state of drunken confusion he must have been in, to make the unborn child with a horse face & human body.

Hayavadana: Oh! If only I was there to warn my mother not to visit all those temples & see all those sculptures on the walls, she would'nt have had this fantasy about the horse. Now I only pray to God everyday to make me complete. Ganesha Make me whole,Make me whole. (shud get the sansrit sentence for make me whole).

Devadatta:  Hayavadana, what an irony!! whom r u praying for completeness?Ganesha!! An elephant's head on a human body, a broken tusk and a cracked belly-whichever way you look at him he seems the embodiment of imperfection, of incompleteness. But , how indeed can one fathom the mystery that this very Vakratunda-Mahakaya, with his crooked face and distorted body, is the Lord and Master of Success and Perfection? Could it be that this intends to signify by the very appearance that completeness is something that no poor mortal can comprehend?

 Hayavadana exits stage.

Kapila: Are you done with your philosophies, we have to leave now.

[ A young girl passes by, both Kapila & Devedatta notices this girl ]

Kapila: Hey Deva. did you notice that young girl?

Devadatta: Yes indeed! Kapila, what is the use of philosophy or for that matter living when a man has'nt loved. There is this beautiful woman called Padmini in the next village. All my life before setting my eyes on her was a total waste. She is as delicate as a padma, in the water, as beautiful as a rose, playful as a hiran, in the forest. I will cut my head & offer it to Goddess Kali , if only I can marry this girl. Alas, I have never spoken to a girl before!!

Kapila: Oh!my friend. Beware what you pledge to the Gods. They have a long memory. Anyway I cannot bear to see my best friend in such a state of love-sickness. Tell me where she lives & I will propose to her on your behalf & fix your wedding.

Devadatta: Kapila, I will forever be indebted to you.

They exit stage.

Scene 2

Padmini & Kapila

Padmini is on stage. Possibly singing a song. (to be decided.) Towards middle of song Kapila enters stage. She doesn’t notice him yet. He is enchanted by her. Song ends & she sees him.

Padmini: (blushes). Sir, who are you? Excuse me for not noticing you earlier.

Kapila: Dear lady, It was my mistake to intrude upon you. Your voice is beautiful, I couldn’t help but stare. I am Kapila & I have come here to speak to you.

Padmini: (blushes further) (thinking to herself) Oh! he is such a decent , well built & handsome man.

Kapila: My friend, the great Devadatta, poet, scholar & philosopher is madly in love with you. I cant imagine of a more eligible husband for you. Do you consent to this match?

Padmini: Oh!Pandit Devadatta, the man who has won all the intellectual debates in this country. They say he conquered the indriyas(list) & arishadvargas(list). It is my honor to be his wife.

Padmini exits stage.

Kapila☹to himself) : She is so beautiful & childlike. How I wish it was me who was marrying her. (rebukes himself). No what am I thinking , she is the wife of my closest pal.

possibly commentary or music to indicate the marriage [ music of Maangyalyam Thanthunaanena ... ]

Scene 3

Padmini , Devadatta & Kapila

Padmini: (complaining to Devadatta) (kapila is in the background) It has been 6 months since we married & you havent taken me to the Ujjain mela yet. You r always busy with your books & discussions. If only Kapila was not around, I would have gone crazy by now!!

Devadatta: (reacts with a sharp pain, looks at Kapila in jealousy for a second then becomes his normal self)Oh! lotus eyed beauty! I am sorry. Let both of us, the both of us, go to Ujjain tomorrow itself!

Padmini: Oh! You r sho shweet!! (turning to Kapila). Kapila! pack your bags. All three of us are going to Ujjain tomorrow!! Oh! I am so much looking forward to this yatra.

Devadatta burns silently.

all exit stage

Scene 4

Padmini , Devadatta & Kapila enroute to ujjain

Devadatta: Let us rest here. I am tired with so much walking.

Padmini: Oh!come on Deva. Don’t act like an old man. We just started walking. See how Kapila is moving so much ahead of us. Kapila wait,wait!!

Kapila: what is it ,my friend, Devadatta?

Padmini: Deva wants to rest for a while. Let us go & explore that garden.

Devadatta (seething with anger & pain): Bhagwan! What am I seeing?Am I imagining things or is it true? My loyal friend Kapila & faithful wife Padmini.

No! How can i be so untrusting? The world thinks that i have conquered kama,krodha,lobha,moha,mada,matsarya. But here i am, so envious & suspicious.Is my reputation just a sham to decieve people.

No it cant be. I wasnt like this before. The day i started coveting Padmini, i started falling into an abyss.

No Padmini is as chaste as Sita who passed the test of fire.How can i suspect her?

 Ah!No, she is like Tara , the wife of Sugreeva, who lived with his brother Vaali & then again after Vaali's death lived with Sugreeva. Many a war has been the result of a woman's insatiable desire.

while speaking to himself as above he reaches an abandoned Kali temple.

Devadatta: Temple of Goddess Kali!! Oh! my pledge. Didn’t I pledge to give my head to Kali if I marry Padmini!Alas I forgot. Are my problems because of this. Is the Goddess really so vengeful. No it cant be, the almighty is always merciful & doesn’t care about the minor errors of its subjects. No Kali must be avengeful. See the skulls around her neck & her blood dripping tongue. Are these not the trophies of her punishments. Oh! I am going crazy. Mata I surrender to you!! (prostrates & beheads himself).

commentary: After a while, Padmini & Kapila were worried on not finding Devadatta.  Kapila set out to find him.

Kapila arrives

Kapila: Oh! Devadatta. What has happened? What have u done to yourself?. (some cries. then a change of mood & thinking. stop thinking abt Ddatta & think abt self).

What should I do now? The society will think that I murdered my friend to get his beautiful wife. But why should I fear when I have done no crime? Don’t be a fool Kapila. What proof do you have to prove your innocence? society is unforgiving & quick to ascribe motives. It cares more for a scandal than for the integrity of a few souls. How many gossip mongerers will have a field day to weave stories out of my problems. They are not interested in justice & fair play. They will condemn me to death.

If death is what I am going to get, why not escape with Padmini to some far off land. After all did'nt I covet her once upon a time. Gods had conspired against me to steal her away. Now the same Gods have given me an opportunity. As they say, strike the hammer when its hot.

No!how can I do this. What happened to my soul. I can escape from the society & the world, but can I escape from myself. Every person knows when he does something wrong & it is to that Anthrathma that every man is anwserable to. The Maharshis have given this Anthrathma an other name. i,e God. You can betray these Gods of stone but you cannot betray your inner God. I have only one way out of this. I too must die. (prostrates & beheads himself).

commentary: After a while Padmini, started searching for Devadatta & Kapila. 

Padmini: (aghast). Oh! what has befallen on me? Devadatta, my caring husband, & Kapila, my beloved companion, dead , with their heads severed apart. Why has fate played such a cruel joke on me? With a single stroke(or was it two- poor attempt at PJ)my life has turned upside down. Of what use is my young life to me now? (possibly sings) (tries to behead herself).

Kali: Dear child , why do u commit suicide? Life is beautiful. Live it Kingsize!! Oh probably I should say Queen size. I think you don’t believe in cross dressing.(PJ!)

Padmini: How do I live? Both my husband & friend have sacrificed themselves for your sake.

Kali: Padmini, why do you blame the Gods for the deeds of the humans. Both DD & Kapila are dead not because of me , but because of their own insecurities & fears. Mankind tarnishes the image of Gods by claiming to act on their behalf. FYI we have our own problems to grapple with. We have to deal with the internal politics of Indra, Yama & the Trimurthies. We have to stop Indra from chasing skirts, Shiva from dancing wildly, Brahma from sleeping too long & Vishnu from fighting with Laskmi all the while. We also have to grapple with millions of swamis & babas whom u humans try to promote to Godhood. We cannot simply give away our seats to them. To put simply we have no time for you. The brahmand has a set of physical rules which were there always & will always be there. They are not permutable. Everyone is just subservient to these rules. Your prayers to Gods (who r they?who am I?) to bend these rules, to perform miracles are of no use.

Padmini: Mata, if u say that I have nothing else to do but die.

Kali: Oh!these women!! Now,now all that I said till now is for the record. Off-the-record , on the sly, actually I can do something for you. what do you want?

Padmini: Mata , pls bring them back to life.

Kali: Ok! If you so wish. Fix their heads back on their bodies & they will live again. & she vanishes

Padmini: Thank u. Thank u so much.

(she hurriedly puts the heads back but for the wrong bodies).

Devadatta & Kapila get up with heads exchanged now.

Padmini is delighted at first till she realises what she did.

from now wherever it says DD it means DD head+Kapila body.

Kapila means Kapila head+DD body.

Devadatta: Oh!What happened?Padmini, i am so glad to see u. Hey whats this. I feel so strong & energetic. And who has changed my clothes.

Kapila: Hey those r my clothes!(Realises...). Oh!our heads & bodies are interchanged.What a mircale?Dare u touch Padmini.She is my wife. I have the body of DD.

Devadatta: Shut up Kapila.Dont blabber. I am DD. I have the head of DD && its me who is the husband of Padmini.

Padmini: Oh! My Goodness. What did i do?Who is my husband amongst the two? Should I choose the DDs head or DDs body?

Davadatta: Head is the ruler of the body.It controls what the body does & is hence more important. So i am the hubby.

Kapila: Nonsense. Body is more important. If not for the hands, legs, stomach & other organs the head is but a dead matter. So i am the hubby.

Devadatta: Cogito ergo sum. I think therefore i am. If my mind doesnt think nothing in the world exists. If i remove all the panchendriya, the senses then what is existence. This temple exists for me because i see that it is there. Anything in the world exists only as long as u perceive it.

Kapila: You r overemphasizing the importance of senses , thereby exposing your own selfishness. The sun rises in the east, whether you see it or not , whether you feel it or not. You imagine the universe to be human centric. But the universe existed before humans came & shall continue to exist long after they r gone.And as long as a human breathes in this world the body is important. If not for the body of your father (& mother) you wouldnt be standing today.

Devadatta: If your fathers mind did not instruct his body to do what he did, you wouldnt have been here today either.

Padmini: Pls dont fight. According to one mythological story Draupadi prayed to have a just,strong,skillful,handsome & pleasing husband. The Gods in their own mighty wisdom gave her Pandavas one with each of the above qualities. Probably i must have a prayed for an intelligent & strong husband. Why dont you both accept me as your wife?

Kapila: No, this dispute can only be resolved by a learned scholar. I know a Mahasadhvi, lets go to her and ask for her advise.

Commentary: Friendship shattered, family torn apart , the three went in search of a soultion to the problem of the transposed heads.

Scholar: yes this is a strange problem indeed. Who is the complete & whole Devadatta? The one with DD's head or his body? What is whole? Can we mere mortals understand the "poorna" (whole)?

Om. Purnah-madah. Purnah-midam

Purnat purna-mudach-ya-tay

Purnas-ya purna-madayah

Purna-meva-vashees-ya-tay

That is Whole, This is Whole ,

From the Whole the Whole becomes manifest.

From the Whole, when the Whole is negated,

What remains is again the Whole

This is what Isa Upanishad says.

But there has to be way out of this deadlock. Knowledge imparted by education is the only thing that separates man from beast. And the abode of Sarada is in the head. So the person with DD's head is the husband of Padmini.

Scene 5

commentary: The issue having been so resolved, Kapila with his new DD's body withdrew to the forests now that he lost Padmini. DD, with his new found & energetic body lived with Padmini enjoying conjugal bliss. Padmini also enjoyed now with an intelligent husband who was strong & energetic as well.  They lived happily ever after. Ever after!!One moment, let us peek into DD's & Padmini's life to see how there happiness is continuing... After all, they said, spread happiness!! 

Devadatta: Paddu, i participated in a wrestling match today.i was quite good at it. My mind kept saying that i should shun violence but my body won this time!!

Padmini: Its ok to succumb to instincts some times. After all violence & self defence are the basic instincts in the state of nature. I always tell you to exercise your body. As they say 'A sound mind in a sound body is a must for happy life. But you r always stuck with your literary pursuits & r neglecting your health.

commentary: As fate has it, or should i say as mind has it, DD neglected his body in favour of his mind. Over a period of time he lost the well toned body of Kapila & instead got the weak & creaky body of DD. On the other hand Kapila in the forest was at times writing poetry under the influence of DD's body. But most of the times he worked hard as his mind instructed him to & made DDs weak body into a healthy one. Alas Padmini, who now had a baby, again came back to square one - An intelligent husband with a weak body who didnt have much time for his wife. She started to think of the playful Kapila & decided to pay a visit.

Kapila: Padmini!! I cannot believe this. Am i dreaming? How r u?

Padmini: Hello Kapila, i wanted to see you.

At this moment DD charges onto the stage.

Devadatta: You deceitful man. Are you planning to mislead my wife with your vileful tricks?Paddu, have u no shame to come here even after knowing his true intentions.

Padmini: I was only visiting an old friend.

Kapila: You havent changed. Have u?You r still the same old doubter. See what u have done to my body.

Devadatta: I will not let u live for another minute.

They charge at each other & cut each others heads.

Padmini is stunned falls on the ground & moans.

Hayavadana enters stage on his fours & neighing.

Padmini: Are u not Hayavadana , that my husband told me about? Werent you praying to be whole. Alas when u said whole, the Gods didnt understand whether it is a whole man or whole horse. Why shud we imagine that God looks like a human being & should have made you a man. May be God is a horse. Why do human beings think that they are the pinnacle of nature & it is a God in their own form who has made it? We are told everyday that a child's where,what,who,how questions are the basis of all knowledge & progress. But do we ask these questions about God? We just believe what we are told. But is there really a God?If so what is his/her/its purpose? And importantly what is my purpose. Am i just some character in a play that God is hosting to entertain his guests on a Diwali night. May be the whole universe is just a parasite in the intestine of an alien. But then where is this alien? Does he stay in some other universe?How can i be sure that is the outermost universe? Universe?Who told that this is a universe ? May be it is a multiverse.  What is the beginning? What is the end ? Then what meaning does whole & complete have.

Probably The Hymn of Creation (Nasadiya Sukta of Rg Veda (10-129)) says the truth,

Who verily knows and who can here declare it , whence it was

Born and whence came this creation?

The gods are later than this world‘s production. Who knows?

Then whence it first came into being?

He, the first origin of this creation, whether he formed it all

Or did not form it

Whose eyes control this world in highest heaven, he verily

Knows it or perhaps he knows not.

Does he know or does he even not know?

play title music from discovery of india echoing the above hymn & end.