- 150 - Voice Backstage: Sandilya, where are you? Director (listening): Follow me, the hermit, as his pupil Follows the stalwart Yogisvaral (Both exit.) End of the Prologue (Enter a Hermit,) Hermit: Sandilya, where are you! (looking behind) Still nowhere to be seen. Typical of the boy, covered with immorality. And why I The body is a treasure trove of sickness. Fevers sway it, a lurking death rules it, and it has as much scope as a tree standing on a river bank constantly hemmed in by jetsam and flotsam. So you get yourself a body by endlessly multiplied merits and you are astounded. And if you see its faults eclipsed by the virtues of strength, beauty, health and what not, you are a madman! So perhaps that miserable boy is not entirely to blame. I'll summon him once more. Sandilya, where are youl (Enter Sandilya.) ^ _» Sandilya: So, for a start, I was born properly. My family thrived on what the jackals left, our tongues shrivelled from holding them, our Brahman's threads were glued to our necks, and weren't we utterly satisfied for being BrahmansI So there was nothing to eat in our house I was starved. I ran away to become a Buddhist, so I; could have breakfast• So I had breakfast, but these bastards only eat once a day. So I starved. I flung away the ochre robe, broke my begging bowl to smithereens, and walked out with this loin-clot*h on and only an umbrella up. And finally I wind up the beast of burden of this evil guru. Where art thou, Reverend Sir, whence wendest thou thy way? The evil-membered one I I am sure he went out begging by himself because he wanted breakfast. So I don't suppose he can be far out yet. (He circles the stage and looks.) There is the reverend himself I (hzimbty) Beg pardon, beg pardon, Reverend Sir! Hermit: Have no fear, Sandilya, have no fear I