माया मच्छन्दर का खेल

Maya Machinder play

The story begins with Ksheera Sagar Manthan. After Amrit comes out, Vishnu comes in the form of Jagan Mohini and gives the nectar to the gods and the demons are deprived of the same. Knowing this through Narada, Lord Shiva says that no one can deceive him like that because he is the one who burnt the deity of Kama (lust). On hearing this, Vishnu comes again in the form of Mohini and is able to seduce Lord Shiva seduces. Then Vishnu appears in his original form and mocks Shiva. Lord Shiva challenges him to teach Vishnu a lesson. Lakshmi Devi also argues that woman is superior to man and hence Vishnu took the form of woman. They decide to prove it.
Now Vishnu incarnates as sage Maya Machindra and starts his intense meditation to attain salvation. Upon being provoked by Narada, Hanuman goes to test Machindra. He recognizes him as his lord and bows at his feet. Lord Shiva takes the form of Gorakh and becomes a disciple of Machindra. Lakshmi is born as Tilottama Devi. She is a male hater and establishes a women’s kingdom. Listening to it, Machindra encounters her when she warns him. But her tricks do not succeed and she becomes his disciple, marries him and the couple is blessed with a baby boy Meena Nath. Learning it through Hanuman, Gorakh decides to divert his mentor’s mind back to spirituality. Gorakh sets out to rescue him, but the entire experience turns out to be an ‘illusion’ set up by his mentor. There are many special and interesting things that happen including the classic shot of Gorakh’s beheading with his head rolling back and re-joining his body. At one point in time, he went to the sea shore and there he saw many pearls, golden bricks and gems. He thought he would bring them back to his place and started filling them in his dress and wherever possible. But after a while, he realises the truth that all this is an illusion. Tilottama Devi does not allow Gorakh to succeed in his attempts and also tries to eliminate him. But Gorak succeeds in taking away his mentor along with him but his son’s bondage pulls Machindra back. At that moment, Gorak sends a snake on Meena Nath and he dies. Machindra tries to make the boy alive but he loses his powers due to physical bondage. Machindra asks Gorakh to try, but he too fails. Disheartened, Gorakh immolates himself. Hanuman brings out his ashes and requests Machindra to make Gorakh alive. Machindra attempts truthfully with his true heart and succeeds in making Gorakh alive. At that point of time, Gorakh questions why he is not able to make Meena Nath alive? Hanuman explains him that his entire power is based on the devotion of his mentor, which he has forgotten due to arrogance. Gorakh realizes his mistake, prays to his mentor and makes Meena Nath alive. Finally, all of them go back to Vaikuntha where Lord Vishnu explains that the male & female are equal in the creation and human beings should safeguard against such illusion.

Spiritual Significance: – Shiv Baba says that in this play, many interesting things are shown, which confuses a human being but knowledgeable souls should safeguard themselves and not get caught in the pomp of Maya (illusion). They also show in the play that Gorakh got gold bricks, gems etc. but this was also an illusion. Shiv Baba says that he sends his children to a new Golden world where jewels and diamonds are lying everywhere like stones and where golden bricks are used for constructing palaces.