Where Are The Five Pandavas?

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Sai Pearls Of Wisdom By Prof Anil Kumar

This is about a program that took place on the 27th of February 2004. It was a very funny program. There was no dialogue or speaking; there were only gestures and postures. The students were acting. Only by watching their signs and gestures, we were able to make out the exact theme that they wanted to convey.

Perhaps this was the first time this type of program (known as 'pantomime') was taking place in Sai Kulwant Hall. Usually such things are done in a smaller gathering. But they did this program right in front of Swami and in front of so many people.

The students enacted it in front of Swami and then later, after the enactment, they asked the crowd, "Who will tell the message of this?" Then the other students would raise their hands and one of them would tell the message of the whole scene which had been silently enacted. It was quite interesting and Swami keenly watched every episode (skit.)

In the third episode, a boy sat on a wooden plank and acted like he was a sage doing some penance. There was another boy watching him mischievously from a distance. In the meantime, a few fellows came and they asked the sage for some information. The sage was very angry.

"Who will tell the message of this enactment?"

One boy started narrating: "The Pandavas were in great difficulty at one time. Krishna wanted to save them. He approached the sage, Durvasa, who was known for his anger and fury."

"Krishna told Durvasa, 'Oh sage, protect these five fellows today. I want you to help them.' "

"Durvasa said, 'Krishna, I will protect them, but on one condition: I will not utter a lie. I will speak only the truth. On that condition, I will give them protection.' "

"Krishna said, 'It's alright. I never want you to speak lies. Give protection to these five boys.' "

"So, the sage dug a big pit, telling the five fellows, the Pandavas, to sit in the pit to hide themselves. Then he put a wooden plank over the pit and sat there on the plank doing his penance."

"In the meantime, the Kauravas, the enemies, were in search of the five Pandavas. They passed by this place and asked the sage, 'Oh Sage Durvasa, where are the five Pandavas?' "

"Durvasa was very angry. 'They are here!' he shouted. 'They are here!' Then the Kauravas, who were very much afraid of the saint, thinking, 'Oh, he will curse us!' ran away from there."

Durvasa did not utter a lie. The Pandavas were there; but because Durvasa changed his tone of voice, the Kauravas thought he was going to curse them and so they ran away. Therefore, without having to tell a lie, Durvasa was able to tactfully save the lives of the five Pandavas.

That was the third episode enacted by the students that evening.