God the Actor

A drama is never complete without a heroine. So, too, all the Lord’s performances are acoompanied by a complementary role by Lakshmi, so that the Divine Couple are never apart. If he plays Rama, she is Sita; if he is Cowherd Krishna, she is Yadukul Nappinai (the Tamil folk name for Radha). So much so, that when the Lord takes the form of a brahmachari in Vamanavatar (which does not permit a patni), Lakshmi refuses to leave Her place on the Lord’s chest and has to be hidden by His deerskin. (The Lord is called Srinivas, the Abode of Sri, for her place is by His heart.)

The Lord’s memorable role as Mohini the Enchantress, assumed to ensure that the devas alone get access to amrita, the nectar of immortality, is remembered forever. However, when He preened before devotee Parasara Bhatta, in His female form, he was told that though He might dress like His Consort, He could never acquire the look of mercy and compassion that is a natural adornment for Her eyes. The Lord puts on makeup too, as the script warrants. He is of a golden shade as Parama Purusha, sapphire blue as Rama and Krishna and sports different complexions in different yugas, from very dark to very pale.

Like a Master Director, the Lord devotes much attention to casting and assembles His cast at appropriate locales well in advance. Thus, chosen devas were made to take birth at Ayodhya, Kishkinda and other scenes of action, even before the Lord took birth as Dasaratha’s son. And as in any well-made drama, the dialogues continue to ring in the ears of the audience, for a long time after the performance is over.

Extracted from Nrisimhapriya magazine, June 2005