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Sagar : Wonderful! Wonderful Computer! Sumana, at last we could bring this problem to its logical conclusion. Sumana : Very good, Sagar! Very good! Let's proceed to the next step. Sagar : OK. (after a pause) Oh, my goodness! We have forgotten it altogether. We must listen to the ne! ws headlines for that announcement. Sumana : Yes, Sagar! Yes. Engrossed in this 'Rabbit gene' problem, we almost missed it. Sagar : OK, Computer? Change to TV mode. Tune-in the news bulletin. Computer : [Repeating the voice command]. To TV mode. Done! Here is the news: News Reader : Important news of the hour.... Flanked by Francis S. Collins, Director, National Institute of Health and Craig Venter, Chief of Celera Genomics amongst others, US president Mr. Bill Clinton has unveiled the 'Book of Life' at a special session of scientists in Washington D.C. today. It's the blue print of the working draft of the publicly funded International Human Genome Project which provides 97% of the Human Genome, 85% of it accurately. Sumana : Excellent! Sagar : [excitedly ] Oh! Excellent! News Reader : The book which was made public simultaneously in London & Washington, contains information about the one lakh and odd genes in the human body; the sets of instructions they carry and the simple alphabet of the four nucleotides A,T,G,C - their arrangements on the DNA double helix. Mr. Clinton also praised the contribution made by the Indian Scientists in the project. Sumana : Hats off to our scientists! Sagar : Three cheers to Human Genius! News Reader : Dr. James Watson, the American Scientist who received the Noble Prize for Physiology in 50's for discovering the double helix structure of DNA, has said in a telephonic interview: "It is a giant resource. Now we have the instruction book for human life and will have the instruction books for many other forms of life. Things are just going to move faster. Like the explosion of information after the invention of the Printing Press, the experimental work, henceforth, will receive a new lease of life. We will understand ourselves better, have a better idea of what human nature is." Sagar : Marvellous, Sumana! Marvellous. At last our dreams have come true . Sumana : True. This is a feat equivalent to Neil Armstrong's first step on the Moon. It excels even Charles Darwin's Theory of Evolution. [Prahlad enters chanting the last lines of "Mantra Pushpam"] Prahlad : "God! What is all this hullabaloo for? Why don't you attend to your work rather peacefully. You are undermining the roof top. Sagar : Don't bother, father! Let it go off. Today is an auspicious day. Prahlad : [derisively] One must appreciate your discovery. Today is the full-moon day of Sravan. What is it if not an auspicious day? By the way, have you changed your sacred thread? I brought one for you. Sagar : ! Oh, father! Why do you press me for such observances. Did I not tell you I dislike those practices? I don't have the sacred thread on, nor shall I put on. Prahlad : Narayana! Narayana! You should be ashamed of saying so. It's like getting dunce after joining the school. Sumana : Don't say so sir! Sagar is really a genius. His genetic experiments on Rabbits and Guinea Pigs have shown promising results. There is Sagar's contribution to the Human Genome Project made public today all over the globe. That's why we are excited. Just wait and see. Sagar would become a renowned scientist shortly. Prahlad : It's a matter of pride if he becomes so. But as the saying goes, humility nurtures knowledge. However scholastic one might be, it is his humility that adds virtue to it and brings name for him. Sumana : Scientific temper always sets aside the popular beliefs, sir.&nb! sp; Rejecting the rites and rituals is only a part of it. Prahlad : Thank God! You stopped at that. You did not say that there's no God. Sagar : For that matter, I don't have faith in his existence. All the attributes of God would, one day, be within the reach of man. That's my firm conviction. Prahlad : Narayana! Narayana! Don't you believe in God? Then tell me how the whole creation has come up? Tell me who had created it? For ages, seers and scientists have believed Him. If He were not to be there, neither will you be here nor me. Nor the whole world for that matter. Sagar : I don't subscribe to it father. The world had existed before man. And it will exist after him. Nobody has created it. It exists on its own. Prahlad : You are prepared to believe that world exists on its own but reject if I say God is also self-existent. You don't believe if ! I say He is the creator and scripts our life from birth to death. Sagar : You need not have to believe it any more father! Shorty, man is going to rewrite the script of his life from birth to death. Prahlad : It is all your illusion. There are many things beyond our imagination which are controlled by him. As an example, can you bless a barren woman with offspring? Sagar : With certainty. Haven't you heard of test-tube babies? From now on, by selecting and controlling certain genes, we can create children of our choice shape, choice colour and character. We can replicate even Cupids. Prahlad : In spite of that, don't you agree that there are cases of inexplicable infertility beyond the realm of science? Sagar : Even that problem is going to be resolved sooner or later. There are days ahead when children can be created asexually. Prahlad : Impossible! I can't believe it. Corrob! orate your claim with supporting facts. Sagar : That's good. Say so. Look at this computer. It has "Universalnet" connection. You can look through it at any object in the universe of any size; can contact any being. There is nothing that it can not present us to our view. No matter what language you speak it can understand. We say it voice command, the moment you give a command it can access and answer. Have our fore fathers ever heard of such a thing? Prahlad : Didn't you hear that by constant practising of Yoga, people used to attain such powers earlier. But, what is the relevance of computer for what you are going to say? Sagar : I am coming to the point. (addressing the computer) Computer! Back to PC mode. Show me Human Genome Project. (Effects. Computer changes to PC mode and presents multimedia demonstration of HGP.) Look at this picture. This is one of the billions of cells we are made up of. We are looking at its zoomed version. Look carefully at the centre. That circular object is called the Nucleus. Look at those strands. They are called chromosomes. Observe those globular objects. They are called genes. They contain the DNA which has a double helix structure and pairs of nucleotides are arranged on them. This arrangement of genes and nucleotides on the helix is characteristic of each individual. Like a silk thread twisted from both ends, this double helix and the four nucleotides A, T, G, C, their arrangement defines us, and determines why we are what we are. Prahlad : Then who do you think that controls the arrangement of genes? It is only Lord Srimannarayana! Sagar : So long as we could not decipher the Genome, everybody believed it. But there is no need any more. By identifying t! he causative genes and treating them with gene therapy, man is able to control and contain the diseases now. By choice selection of genes is able to create an altogether new generation. From now on you can forget about fate and determinism. Prahlad : Narayana! Narayana! Is it true that man has annexed the secrets of creation? Or, You are bequeathing your responsibility to humanity? God! Is it all real or only a dream? Or, another facet of your mystic expression! (end of scene 1) (he stops in the middle of the prayer..) God! You reminded me ! You are a resident of Vaikunth!... Computer! Connect me to Vaikunth! Narayana! Narayana! Computer : We have come to Vaikunth. (Lord Maha Vishnu will be in privacy with Goddess Sri Laxmi) Lord Vishnu : Darling! How pleasant is this scent-filled wind blowing softly over bowers and flowers! Sri Laxmi : My Lord! You are cold-hearted towards me of late. Anything wrong with me? L.V. : Darling! What makes you think so? S.L. : What should I say? You are pleased ! and bless your devotees if they chant any one of your thousand and odd names once in a day. I am at your feet serving constantly. But you never took time off to take me for an outing. Ages passed since the last one. I have no knowledge of what is happening in the three worlds. Even Saint Narada is not seen for long. I am getting anxious. L.V.: Don't be so anxious, my darling! Everything is as it should be. I sent Narada for collecting information as some curious things are happening over the earth. S.L. : That is one reason for my anxiety. The other day our boy Brahma came to me and complained of things happening there. Is it true that they are defying him and his life-script by resorting to abortions and creating test-tube babies? He is worried his status is undermined. (a beep ... beep... sound is heard) (with concern in her voice) Lord! What is this exotic sound? L.V. : (with a smile) Don't be so frightened, my love! This is a call from my devotee Prahlad! S.L. : But I hear no voice? L.V. : This is the latest invention on the earth. This is called 'Compucell'-- which can be activated through any computer having the "Universalnet" connection. One can access anybody from anywhere in the universe. S.L. : What a slice of wonder is this! You have never mentioned about it to me earlier. But why did Prahlad call you out for? Is history repeating itself with another Hiranyakasipa? L.V. : Worry not, my darling! Let us hear him. Prahlad : O, Lord! You chose to bless me at last! Answered my prayers! O Lord of the Universe! O serenity personified! You who lie on the serpent bed! ....... L.V. : Devotee Prahlad! I am delighted at your obeisance to me. I am aware of your state of confusion. You stood my test and came out successful pu! tting trust in me. I clear your doubts. My boy Brahma is the first genetic engineer. He has the genome bank of all beings extinct and extant. There are still more secrets encrypted in the genes which are yet to be decoded. I shall express myself at the appropriate moment to save the world from chaos. You continue your trust in me. At the culmination of your Karma, you shall reach my heavenly abode. Prahlad : Thank you. Thank you, my Lord! My Father! You lifted me from the myre of incertitude! Saved me from Hell. I submit my several thousand pranams! L.V. : Here is my blessing. Good things happen to you! (God disappears) (end of scene 2) Sagar : Is it? Then I must see him once! . I must get my doubts clarified as well. Computer! Computer : Yes Sir! Where do you want to go? Sagar : What was the path you took to connect my father to Vaikunth? Computer : Vaikunth@Heaven.I Sagar : Then take the same path to connect me. Computer : Sorry Sir! Here at the entrance of Vaikunth access is denied. Password is needed. Sagar : (surprised) Access denied? Password needed? Prahlad : What else do you expect to happen? Did you hear me all along? When you don't believe in His existence, how can you expect to enter His abode? Sagar : I'll see how access can be denied. Just watch how I hack the password in no time. Prahlad : That is not good. Don't be so arrogant. Sagar : Computer! Did anybody other than my father enter Vaikunth earlier? Computer : (after a little while) One p! erson, Narada by name, had entered earlier. Sagar : When Narada is able to enter into Vaikunth, he must be in possession of the password. Umph! What could that be? Prahlad : (teasingly) It is not that easy to reach him. Even Brahma can not comprehend Lord Narayana's actions. Sagar : What did you say, father? Please repeat. Prahlad : Lord Narayana's actions are incomprehensible even to Brahma. Sagar : Eureka! I got it. Computer! Try Narayana as the password. Computer : (with a beep) Sorry. Password is wrong. Sagar : Never mind. Try Narayana Narayana. Computer : Narayana Narayana ( A great brilliance flashes on all of them.) Sagar : Oh! What is this blinding light? Where is it originating from? Prahlad : It is the Lord Srimannarayana Himself. Sagar : Are you Lord Maha Vishnu? L.V. : Ye! s, it is me. Sagar : I see only great brilliance. And hear the words from elsewhere. L.V. : Haven't you studied that light travels many times faster than sound? Sagar : Of course, I did. But if you can appear before me in your real form, I would like to ask you some questions. L.V. : I am formless. But I can hear you and converse with. Sagar : OK. If you don't wish to appear before me, it is your choice. Why should I care. (teasingly) What a pity! Your principal sleuth Narada, it is heard, has vanished into thin air without address. Starved of information-flow, you are compelled to take the "Universalnet" subscription. Am I right? L.V. : What is its relevance? Sagar : Only to ensure before I pass on some important information myself. L.V. : What is that information? Sagar : There, upon the earth, scientists have successfully deco! ded the genetic structure of man and unravelled the secrets of life. L.V. : What are the secrets unravelled? Sagar : That esoteric knowledge of genomes of all beings your loving child Brahma has all along been so covetously guarding. L.V. : So what? Sagar : Now your reign over the worlds has come to an end. L.V. : What prompted you to think so? Sagar : We have successfully decoded the Human Genome. It is in my hands now. I no longer need Brahma's cryptic script. I am the creator myself. L.V. : I see. Sagar : And in a short time it will be available for public use. We are going to create a new generation. L.V. : Then? Sagar : I must pity you. From hence, you will not have temples constructed. Nor regular prayers in them. For that matter, nobody would ever think of you. S.L. : (frighten! ed) My Lord! What a misfortune! After all, a simple human being threatens you, the Lord of the worlds, of the whole universe like this? And you keep mum? By any mischance, is what all he has said going to be true? L.V. : My darling! Don't be afraid when I am your beside. (to Sagar) Why are you so arrogant about it man? Do you think intelligent people were not born earlier ? Nobody among them had got such ideas? Or, they did not make such experiments? Sagar : May I know the name of one such person? L.V. : Haven't you heard about Brahmarshi Viswamitra? Sagar : Why not? Not only his name, I also heard about your design of making him your devotee by conferring Brahmarshi status to appease him. But, you will not succeed a second time. L.V. : ( smilingly) I can't help laughing at your confidence. If I were entertaining such ideas, is it difficult for me! to find a selfish man amongst you? Sagar : Dedicating the knowledge of Human Genome to mankind, we foster universal brotherhood. L.V. : (satirically) Universal brotherhood? Among people vulnerable to age, disease, and death? Sagar : You shall shortly see how we are going to overcome the barriers. With gene-therapy, we rid mankind of every disease. L.V. : Man! Listen to me. This creation is a well organised cosmos. Every being is assigned a predetermined place and role to play. Arrogance out of half-baked knowledge will upset the order and results in chaos. Sagar : I can see through your words your devious design to dissuade us from furthering our experiments. S.L. : Lord! Why do you spare this impertinent creature? Sagar : I will make public your vested interest and see that people no longer perform prayers or praise you for favours. S.L. : My Lord! My Lord! Can't you stop his bragging? L.V. : (angered) You fool! All the while I have only been trying to warn you about the possible repercussions of your deeds. Remember! The Gene, that you are so arrogant about, which is responsible for your intellect is also responsible for your amnesia; the Gene which is responsible for your growth, is also responsible for your ageing and death. Take heed that all experiments, conducted without discipline and discretion, shall only boomerang on you. Behave properly and get lost! Get lost instantly back to your land! (effect of Sagar turtling down to earth. Prahlad slips out of his bed with a thud) Prahlad : (in sleep still) sagar! Sagar! Foolish fellow! You did not heed my warning! ( Sagar and Sumana run up to his bed) Sagar : Father! Father! Sumana : Sir! Sir! What happened? ( They shake him to consciousness) Prahlad : Where am I? Sagar : In our home, father! Prahlad : What happened to me? Sumana : Calling out "Sagar, Sagar" in sleep you fell off from your bed sir. Prahlad : I saw and conversed with my Lord. Is it all a dream, then? Sagar : Yes, father. God is a dream. And your seeing him is also a dream. Prahlad : Don't say that. Why not we interpret this as another mystic expression of God! ** ** ** From Brihadaranyaka Upanishad "The whole creation in its divergent and variegated forms is an expression of the Supreme being ... Paramatma. ! Only by possession of knowledge, which is devoid of ego, the being comes to know he is himself the Supreme being, the Paramatma." |
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