The religious drama “Saran khukhuu”

Sambuu Khuvsgul

The religious drama “Saran khukhuu”

(62nd Annual Meeting Friedensau, 2019)

My major study is the religious drama “Saran khukhuu” /Moon cuckoo/ by Danzanravjaa. I have been many articles and reports in many countries. At the conference in Germany I want present my minds with topic: State and religion.

In this drama there are many characters: king and his officers, bodhisatva and lamas, people and animals. In this article I will tell about  the character of persons.
Persons in Saran Khukhuu — men’s or women’s group, how many people in that group — is not clear. They are not named. But they have many important function. They are talking his mind about State’s and Religious problems.
1. They want live peaceful and happy. They no need king’s table, fame and goods.
2. They don’t know about intrigue in kingdom between officers and his wives. Because they criticize the Prince when Officer Lagana take the body of prince Nomubayasgalang and set in his throne. People thought Nomubayasgalan is changed and became a cruel king.
3. They don’t know about religious metamorphosis. Because they are happy when Bodhisattva banish the Lagana from prince’s body and install soul of vise bird Udadan. But Actually the real Nomubayasgalang became the Cuckoo and teaches Buddhist dogma in the forest to birds and animals. And People thought Nomubayasgalan is changed and became humanist and religions king.
4. People welcome to scene many times and tell state position.

Example. In 4-th part after fake prince Lagana the people discuss social life.

“Манай хаан Номунбаясгалан сүүдэр бага, томоороогүй, наадамд дан их дуртай байж, хайран эрхэн сайн түшмэл Лаганаа усанд алдав. Төрийн их түшмэл Мянганы ноён шиг, хуучин Лагана шиг залуу сайн түшмэл хаанаас олдох вэ?” /тал 379/.

“Our king Nomubayasgalang is very youngest, not to be wise. He only like games and fun, because loss his clever officer Lagana in river. How to find major officer like Myangan noyon, vise officer like young Lagana?” /page 379/.

The religious drama “Saran khukhuu” /Moon cuckoo/ by Danzanravjaa is reflects some problems of State and Religion from the first half of XIX century in Mongolia. Danzanravjaa made the Tibetan Didactic Poem by Luvsangdamdijaltsan to religious Drama with social problems.