Scene 1
(Prajapati’s abode. The Eye, the Ear, the Organ of Speech, the Mind and the Life-Energy appear, bringing the Body with them. They all bow to Prajapati.)THE ORGAN OF SPEECH: O Prajapati, save us, save us. We are having a terrible dispute. Each of us feels that he is the greatest, and now we want to know for sure who is the greatest among us.
PRAJAPATI: My children, you have put me into terrible difficulty. If I tell any one of you that he is the greatest, the others will be displeased and angry with me, and they will literally hate me. Why don’t you solve your problem yourselves?
THE MIND: O Prajapati, we have tried our best. We have tried to solve this problem, but it is simply impossible for us. Each one of us feels that he is the greatest. It is you alone who can solve our problem. We shall, without fail, accept your judgment.
PRAJAPATI: Is it true? Are you all sure that you will accept my judgment? Whatever I say, you will believe gladly, cheerfully and wholeheartedly?
THE EYE: Of course, of course. Had it not been our intention to accept you as the judge supreme, we would not have come to you. Please tell us who is actually the greatest among us.
PRAJAPATI: My divine children, allow me to concentrate for a few seconds. Then I shall let you know. (Concentrates.) Ah, I have an excellent idea. I won’t have to tell you who the greatest is. You will be able to find out for yourselves.
THE EAR: O Prajapati, you are avoiding the issue. We could not solve our problem ourselves; that is why we came to you. And now you are telling us that we can solve the problem ourselves. We have come here; we are bowing down to you and touching your feet, O Prajapati. Please do not avoid us, do not evade the issue. Tell us frankly, we beg of you, who is the greatest among us.
PRAJAPATI: My sweet children, just listen to me. You can easily know who is the greatest, and I will tell you how. Here you all are before me: the Eye, the Ear, the Organ of Speech, the Mind and the Life-Energy. Now will you do one thing?
THE ORGAN OF SPEECH: Yes, we shall do it. We shall at least try.
PRAJAPATI: Try. You will succeed; you are bound to succeed. Now, here is my advice. One by one you will leave the Body for a year. The one whose absence makes the Body suffer most, or prevents the Body from functioning at all, is the most important.
THE MIND: Ah, that is very easy. We shall easily find out who is really the greatest.
(With folded hands they bow to Prajapati and leave. The Body follows them.)
