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The Striking Of The Body Parts * * * * * * * * CAST: Narrator, Head, Eyes, Mouth, Nose, Arms & Hands, Legs & Feet. Narrator: Ladies and gentlemen. The following play is based upon examples given by His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami, Srila Prabhupada, Founder-Acharya of ISKCON, The International Society for Krishna Consciousness, as found in his books on bhakti-yoga.Nearly every day, in the newspaper, on the radio and T.V., we hear of organizations of people going on strike when they feel they are being treated unfairly. There are teacher strikes, student strikes, police strikes, union strikes, garbage men strikes. So now the story of quite an unusual strike will be told — The Striking of The Body Parts! Narrator: Once upon a time, all the body parts called a meeting. They were dissatisfied with the arrangement of things. Each part claimed it was working so hard, yet the stomach was reaping all the benefits. They could all agree that this was unfair. Everyone: Unfair! Unfair! Unfair! The Hands: We're picking. We're choosing. We're doing so much work. We use our skill to cut and clean and deliver, but the stomach takes everything — and we're left empty-handed. The Arms: Yeah! We're carrying everything, too. Narrator: The eyes, the nose, and the mouth put forth their pleas. The Eyes: I always look for the most attractive items, but it's just a flash in the pan for me — because the stomach always gets it in the end.The Nose: I'm in charge of quality control — without me, the stomach wouldn't know what was good as what was bad. The Mouth: Yeah! I chew, and it's true. I get to taste a little, but soon it's gone down there to the stomach. Taste and chew that's all I do; but soon it's through. I'm fed up with this! Narrator: The lower half set up a faction and spoke in unison. The Legs and Feet: You think you all got it bad? Well, we're carrying the weight of the whole operation. We're standing long hours in the kitchen, and walking all around and standing in long lines at the grocery store. Then, after the stomach is happily filled to capacity, we're expected to keep dragging the stomach all around. The evidence stands on its own merit. We must strike! Everyone: Strike! Strike! Strike! Narrator: ...And all fell silent. And thus, the parts of the body went on strike against the stomach. But they didn't get what they wanted. No, quite the contrary. They all began to feel weak and shaky; but out of stubbornness, they continued their strike against the stomach. The lower half refused to work for the stomach, but was feeling very tired... The eyes wouldn't even look at any more food... The nose simply held itself away from all fragrant edibles... The mouth, in protest, remained silent and refused to chew anything... The hands, holding the strongest grudge against the stomach, didn't even care that they were becoming weaker and weaker... In fact, one time the hand went out on its own and tried to enjoy by itself... but its attempts were fruitless. All fruitless... After that, the body parts decided to call another meeting. For it seemed to them that the stomach, though not being fed, was still as fired up as always. It was as if the stomach was actually benefiting from the rest, while the other parts felt great fatigue. The Leg: I don't mind doing my part as long as I get some energy back. Narrator: The head spoke for the group this time. The Head: I don't know if I'm coming or going — let's break this strike! Narrator: The arms and hands were raised in surrender. The Legs and Feet: Let's break this strike! Narrator: The hand pointed out: The Hand: Just see what happened when I tried to enjoy by myself. Look what mess I made of everything! Everyone: We must serve the stomach. It's the only way we can survive. Yeah. Break, break! Serve the stomach, serve the stomach, break the strike! Narrator: So the strike was broken when the body
parts again took up their constitutional positions in service to the
stomach. Just as the various parts of the body are rightly situated in
service to the stomach, since the stomach is the source of energy which
extends to every part of the body; or, just as pouring water on the root
of a tree energizes its leaves, twigs and branches — similarly, the
individual spirit soul is rightly situated in his constitutional
position as servant to Sri Krishna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead,
who is the cause of all causes, source of all sources, the supreme
enjoyer and maintainer of all that be. Hare Krishna Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna Hare Hare Hare Rama Hare Rama, Rama Rama Hare Hare. For further information, consult the Bhagavad-Gita As It Is, translation and purports by His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami, Srila Prabhupada. Thank you very much. The End
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