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Janmashtami Drama by S. Vyas Scene Sound:  Sounds of horses feet, shouts of “long live Devki, long live Vasudev,  may you live happily Vasudev and Devki for ever., aashivaad, aashirvaad., may Vishnu protect you, May Sri Lakshmi be pleased with you.  Jai.  jai.  Jai.  Conch shell, bugle, etc.. band, citizens sprinkle flowers on them. Devki:  O my dear husband Vasudev, O son of Yadu King Sursena, I am very much pleased to marry you.  I love you very much. Janmashtami Drama Scene Sound:  Sounds of horses feet, shouts of “long live Devki, long live Vasudev,  may you live happily Vasudev and Devki for ever., aashivaad, aashirvaad., may Vishnu protect you, May Sri Lakshmi be pleased with you.  Jai.  jai.  Jai.  Conch shell, bugle, etc.. band, citizens sprinkle flowers on them. Devki:  O my dear husband Vasudev, O son of Yadu King Sursena, I am very much pleased to marry you.  I love you very much. Vasudev:  O my dear wife Devki, O daughter of Ugrasena, the king of Mathura, I am pleased to marry you too.  You are very beautiful and chaste woman.  I love you.  See, your brother Kamsa loves you so..... much that he drives our chariot and takes us home.  O Lord Narayan you are very merciful on us. Kamsa:  My dear sister Devki, I am also pleased that Vasudev and you got married now.  May you live happily for ever. One citizen to another:  O brother, see.  although Kamsa is a mean prince, he loves his sister and Vasudev.  At least that is very nice. Other citizen:  Yes brother.  It is certainly very nice of Kamsa. Sounds of horses, etc Suddenly a sound of gong. again gong. Kamsa stops chariot.  looks around in amazement. Aakash vani:  (a great heavenly voice from the sky:)  "Kamsa, you are such a fool. The eighth son of Devki and Vasudev whose chariot you are driving so happily will kill you." Kamsa:  (Perplexed, raised hands) Wa,  Wa,  What?  The eighth son of Devki will kill me?  My sister Devki’s eighth son will kill me?  (Kamsa becomes afraid.) (Immediately he catches Devaki's hair and raised his sword) Devki,  I will kill you. Devki:  Please do not kill me brother,  it is very sinful to kill or hurt sister.  Let me go, let me go,  Vasudev, please save me, please. Vasudev:  (Holding Kamsa’s hand with sword) "My dear brother-in-law, please do not kill your own sister. She would never give you any trouble.  Right now you are safe because she does not have any child yet.  Whenever she would give birth to a child, I promise I would give it to you." Kamsa:  All right Vasudev,  I know you always keep your promise.  So, I will not kill her. But I will put you both in jail, so that you could not run away. Guards, take them to the jail and lock them up. You citizens, what you are looking, get lost.  (Citizens running away saying, your father is a king and he will punish you.) Kamsa:  Guards, lock up my old father Ugrasena, the king, in the jail too.  Now I am the king. (After 9 months or so.) Scene:  Jail cell.  A couple of guards. Vasudev:  (With Japamala in hand, and walking back and forth).  (Chanting)  Hare Rama,  Hare Rama, Hare Rama,  ... O Lord Narayan,  my wife Devki is about to give birth to a baby.  Please save the baby from Kamsa.  Please My lord, please save the baby.  My lord, do as you please, I am just your devotee. (Child is born)  Crying sounds. Devki:  My dear husband, here is our baby. Vasudev:  (holds baby, kisses). O baby, I love you.  (hugs, gives it to Devki.) A Guard:  Oh the baby has come.  Now let go and tell it to Kamsa as he has ordered us. Vasudev and Devki:  O Guard, please do not tell to Kamsa. please please..(crying). Guard:  No. I must tell it to Kamsa, or he will kill me.  (He goes.) Devki:  (Baby in her hand).  Vasudev, I want to hide my baby.  (runs around crazily to find place to hide).  (Kisses baby again and again.)  I love you, I love you.  Where do I hide you, where, where.  (running around corner to corner) Kamsa:  Give me the baby, give me the baby, ... Devki:  No.....No.......No..... (Kamsa snatches away the baby and smashes it to ground a few times.  (sound of crying baby). (crying sound stops) Kamsa:  yes, the baby is dead now.  (goes away)  (Devki faints and falls on ground.) (Vasudev holds his head in hand and against a wall.) Curtain falls. (Sound) In this manner, the demoniac Kamsa, the king of Mathura, killed five more sons of Devaki and Vasudeva, one after another.  When Balaram, the seventh son of Devki was born, Yogamaya took Him away and put Him safely in Vridavana with Rohini in the house of Nanda Maharaj and Yasoda. (A few months passes.)   Devki:  O my dear husband Vasudev,  I feel very happy that Krshna, the 8th son will be born soon to me. Vasudev:  Yes, my dear, I feel happy too. (Narad entering with a group of demigods) Narad:  Narayan, Narayan, Narayan. Devki:  (with folded hands, bowing down) O Narad Muni.  I am pleased with your visit. Narad:  O sinless Devki,  these demigods like Brahma, Shankar, Ganesh, Durga, Varun, etc. and I have come to tell you not be afraid. Your son, Krshna, can never be killed by the demon Kamsa. Krshna is coming just to kill all the demons everywhere in the world so that His devotees can live peacefully."  Aashirvad Devki, do not be afraid (each repeats and then go away).   (At the time of Krsna's birth, there were auspicious signs everywhere. The planets and stars were to good positions in the sky. The rivers were full of clear flowing waters and the lakes were full of lotus flowers. The forests were full of beautiful singing birds and dancing peacocks. The soft winds smelled like sweet flowers. The brahmana priests were offering bhoga to the Lord and for sacrifices in their homes. The Gandharvas and Kinnaras began singing; the Siddhas and Charanas offered prayers; the Apsaras began dancing; and the celestial sages and demigods showered flowers from the skies.) (Then in the darkness of night, during a heavy rain storm, Lord Visnu appeared as the Supreme Personality of Godhead before Devaki. Vasudeva saw his wonderful baby son with four hands holding a conch shell, club, disc and lotus flower. The rook was full with His bright effulgence.  He had the special mark of Srivatsa on His chest and the jeweled necklace with the kaustubha stone around His neck. He was dressed in yellow silk, valuable golden bracelets, bangles, earrings and other ornaments all over His body He had a full head of thick hair and wore a helmet with the vaidurya stone. Vasudeva wanted to celebrate the birth of his wonderful baby. So he mentally gave in charity thousands of decorated cows to the brahmanas.) Vasudev:  ( bowing down with folded hands) "My Lord, You are the Supreme Personality of Godhead.  You have so kindly appeared in my home to kill the demonic kings of the world like Kamsa. Knowing that You are to kill him and his followers, he has already killed Your six baby brothers who were born before You.  As soon as he hears that You have come, he will try to kill You, too." Devaki:   (very afraid) "My dear Krsna, please save me from the cruel hands of Kamsa. As soon as he knows You have come here, he may hurt You. Besides,  I do not know how I can love and care you like a mother when you form is of the four armed Supreme controller.  So please hide Your four-armed form and be a baby.  I only know how to love and care babies. Krsna:  "I know you are thinking this about Me out of great love for Me, and you are afraid of Kamsa. Therefore, dear father, take Me now to Gokula Vrindavan and exchange Me with the girl who has just been born to Yasoda." Dear mother, now I will become your baby again.  (sits down and crawls out of scene, leaving a baby doll.) Devki:  Vasudev, see.  All the guards are a sleep and the prison doors are all fully open. (Vasudeva quietly took his little son and went out of the prison.) (That night was very dark and it was thundering and raining. While Vasudeva carried little Krsna in the heavy rain, Lord Ananta Sesa spread His serpent hood over the head of Vasudeva like an umbrella. They came to the Yamuna River which was roaring with big waves and foam. But they were able to cross it miraculusly. On the other side of Yamuna river, Vasudev went to the home of Nanda Maharaja in Vrindavan where everyone was also asleep. He walked inside the home quietly and put Krsna next to Mother Yasoda. Then he picked up Yasoda's new-born daughter and went back with her to the prison house, where he put her down next to Devaki. ) Scene:  Nanda and Yashoda’s home: (sound of crying baby) A Maid:  O Yashoda, a boy is born to you. Yashoda:  O Narayan, I am so happy.  Thank you, thank you. ( sounds of conch shell, bugles, jai, jai, hari hari, ... ... ... Nanda ghar aanand bhayo, jai kanaila lal ki, hathi ghoda palkhi, jai kanaiya lalki Nanda ghar aanand bhayo, jai kanaila lal ki, hathi ghoda palkhi, jai kanaiya lalki Nanda ghar aanand bhayo, jai kanaila lal ki, hathi ghoda palkhi, jai kanaiya lalki Nanda ghar aanand bhayo, jai kanaila lal ki, hathi ghoda palkhi, jai kanaiya lalki Nanda ghar aanand bhayo, jai kanaila lal ki, hathi ghoda palkhi, jai kanaiya lalki Bal Krshna is brought out in a cradle. Vasudev:  O my dear wife Devki, O daughter of Ugrasena, the king of Mathura, I am pleased to marry you too.  You are very beautiful and chaste woman.  I love you.  See, your brother Kamsa loves you so..... much that he drives our chariot and takes us home.  O Lord Narayan you are very merciful on us. Kamsa:  My dear sister Devki, I am also pleased that Vasudev and you got married now.  May you live happily for ever. One citizen to another:  O brother, see.  although Kamsa is a mean prince, he loves his sister and Vasudev.  At least that is very nice. Other citizen:  Yes brother.  It is certainly very nice of Kamsa. Sounds of horses, etc Suddenly a sound of gong. again gong. Kamsa stops chariot.  looks around in amazement. Aakash vani:  (a great heavenly voice from the sky:)  "Kamsa, you are such a fool. The eighth son of Devki and Vasudev whose chariot you are driving so happily will kill you." Kamsa:  (Perplexed, raised hands) Wa,  Wa,  What?  The eighth son of Devki will kill me?  My sister Devki’s eighth son will kill me?  (Kamsa becomes afraid.) (Immediately he catches Devaki's hair and raised his sword) Devki,  I will kill you. Devki:  Please do not kill me brother,  it is very sinful to kill or hurt sister.  Let me go, let me go,  Vasudev, please save me, please. Vasudev:  (Holding Kamsa’s hand with sword) "My dear brother-in-law, please do not kill your own sister. She would never give you any trouble.  Right now you are safe because she does not have any child yet.  Whenever she would give birth to a child, I promise I would give it to you." Kamsa:  All right Vasudev,  I know you always keep your promise.  So, I will not kill her. But I will put you both in jail, so that you could not run away. Guards, take them to the jail and lock them up. You citizens, what you are looking, get lost.  (Citizens running away saying, your father is a king and he will punish you.) Kamsa:  Guards, lock up my old father Ugrasena, the king, in the jail too.  Now I am the king. (After 9 months or so.) Scene:  Jail cell.  A couple of guards. Vasudev:  (With Japamala in hand, and walking back and forth).  (Chanting)  Hare Rama,  Hare Rama, Hare Rama,  ... O Lord Narayan,  my wife Devki is about to give birth to a baby.  Please save the baby from Kamsa.  Please My lord, please save the baby.  My lord, do as you please, I am just your devotee. (Child is born)  Crying sounds. Devki:  My dear husband, here is our baby. Vasudev:  (holds baby, kisses). O baby, I love you.  (hugs, gives it to Devki.) A Guard:  Oh the baby has come.  Now let go and tell it to Kamsa as he has ordered us. Vasudev and Devki:  O Guard, please do not tell to Kamsa. please please..(crying). Guard:  No. I must tell it to Kamsa, or he will kill me.  (He goes.) Devki:  (Baby in her hand).  Vasudev, I want to hide my baby.  (runs around crazily to find place to hide).  (Kisses baby again and again.)  I love you, I love you.  Where do I hide you, where, where.  (running around corner to corner) Kamsa:  Give me the baby, give me the baby, ... Devki:  No.....No.......No..... (Kamsa snatches away the baby and smashes it to ground a few times.  (sound of crying baby). (crying sound stops) Kamsa:  yes, the baby is dead now.  (goes away)  (Devki faints and falls on ground.) (Vasudev holds his head in hand and against a wall.) Curtain falls. (Sound) In this manner, the demoniac Kamsa, the king of Mathura, killed five more sons of Devaki and Vasudeva, one after another.  When Balaram, the seventh son of Devki was born, Yogamaya took Him away and put Him safely in Vridavana with Rohini in the house of Nanda Maharaj and Yasoda. (A few months passes.)   Devki:  O my dear husband Vasudev,  I feel very happy that Krshna, the 8th son will be born soon to me. Vasudev:  Yes, my dear, I feel happy too. (Narad entering with a group of demigods) Narad:  Narayan, Narayan, Narayan. Devki:  (with folded hands, bowing down) O Narad Muni.  I am pleased with your visit. Narad:  O sinless Devki,  these demigods like Brahma, Shankar, Ganesh, Durga, Varun, etc. and I have come to tell you not be afraid. Your son, Krshna, can never be killed by the demon Kamsa. Krshna is coming just to kill all the demons everywhere in the world so that His devotees can live peacefully."  Aashirvad Devki, do not be afraid (each repeats and then go away).   (At the time of Krsna's birth, there were auspicious signs everywhere. The planets and stars were to good positions in the sky. The rivers were full of clear flowing waters and the lakes were full of lotus flowers. The forests were full of beautiful singing birds and dancing peacocks. The soft winds smelled like sweet flowers. The brahmana priests were offering bhoga to the Lord and for sacrifices in their homes. The Gandharvas and Kinnaras began singing; the Siddhas and Charanas offered prayers; the Apsaras began dancing; and the celestial sages and demigods showered flowers from the skies.) (Then in the darkness of night, during a heavy rain storm, Lord Visnu appeared as the Supreme Personality of Godhead before Devaki. Vasudeva saw his wonderful baby son with four hands holding a conch shell, club, disc and lotus flower. The rook was full with His bright effulgence.  He had the special mark of Srivatsa on His chest and the jeweled necklace with the kaustubha stone around His neck. He was dressed in yellow silk, valuable golden bracelets, bangles, earrings and other ornaments all over His body He had a full head of thick hair and wore a helmet with the vaidurya stone. Vasudeva wanted to celebrate the birth of his wonderful baby. So he mentally gave in charity thousands of decorated cows to the brahmanas.) Vasudev:  ( bowing down with folded hands) "My Lord, You are the Supreme Personality of Godhead.  You have so kindly appeared in my home to kill the demonic kings of the world like Kamsa. Knowing that You are to kill him and his followers, he has already killed Your six baby brothers who were born before You.  As soon as he hears that You have come, he will try to kill You, too." Devaki:   (very afraid) "My dear Krsna, please save me from the cruel hands of Kamsa. As soon as he knows You have come here, he may hurt You. Besides,  I do not know how I can love and care you like a mother when you form is of the four armed Supreme controller.  So please hide Your four-armed form and be a baby.  I only know how to love and care babies. Krsna:  "I know you are thinking this about Me out of great love for Me, and you are afraid of Kamsa. Therefore, dear father, take Me now to Gokula Vrindavan and exchange Me with the girl who has just been born to Yasoda." Dear mother, now I will become your baby again.  (sits down and crawls out of scene, leaving a baby doll.) Devki:  Vasudev, see.  All the guards are a sleep and the prison doors are all fully open. (Vasudeva quietly took his little son and went out of the prison.) (That night was very dark and it was thundering and raining. While Vasudeva carried little Krsna in the heavy rain, Lord Ananta Sesa spread His serpent hood over the head of Vasudeva like an umbrella. They came to the Yamuna River which was roaring with big waves and foam. But they were able to cross it miraculusly. On the other side of Yamuna river, Vasudev went to the home of Nanda Maharaja in Vrindavan where everyone was also asleep. He walked inside the home quietly and put Krsna next to Mother Yasoda. Then he picked up Yasoda's new-born daughter and went back with her to the prison house, where he put her down next to Devaki. ) Scene:  Nanda and Yashoda’s home: (sound of crying baby) A Maid:  O Yashoda, a boy is born to you. Yashoda:  O Narayan, I am so happy.  Thank you, thank you. ( sounds of conch shell, bugles, jai, jai, hari hari, ... ... ... Nanda ghar aanand bhayo, jai kanaila lal ki, hathi ghoda palkhi, jai kanaiya lalki Nanda ghar aanand bhayo, jai kanaila lal ki, hathi ghoda palkhi, jai kanaiya lalki Nanda ghar aanand bhayo, jai kanaila lal ki, hathi ghoda palkhi, jai kanaiya lalki Nanda ghar aanand bhayo, jai kanaila lal ki, hathi ghoda palkhi, jai kanaiya lalki Nanda ghar aanand bhayo, jai kanaila lal ki, hathi ghoda palkhi, jai kanaiya lalki Bal Krshna is brought out in a cradle.