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THE SCIENCE OF RELIGION
57

Nilkamal failed to distinguish between the real Hunuman and the Hunuman of the play. In this world our lives are nothing but plays. But alas! we identify ourselves with the play, and hence feel disgust, sorrow, pleasure, etc. We forget the direction and injunction of the Great Stage Manager. In the act of living our lives—playing our parts—we feel as real all our sorrows and pleasures, loves and hates—in a word, we become attached, affected. This play of the world is without beginning and end. Every one must play his part, as assigned by the Great Stage Manager, ungrudgingly; must play for the sake of the play only; must act sorrowful when playing sorrowful parts, or pleased when playing pleasurable parts, but should never be inwardly identified with the play—with its sorrows and pleasures, loves and hates. Nor should one wish to play another’s part. If every one aspires to play the role of a king, the play will be impossible.