Wayang Sutasoma it tells of the compassionate strength of King Sutasoma, who strives to transform conflict into peace and harmony. When his kingdom is threatened by war, he refuses violence. Instead of allowing his army or his minister Dasabahu to fight in order to protect him, Sutasoma chooses to surrender himself and allows himself to be captured by the giant Purusada’s forces, in order to prevent loss of life.
The Power of Compassion
With his wisdom and spiritual power, Sutasoma is able to transform Purusada’s deadly weapons into flowers, and turn the enemy’s destructive fire into sacred water that revives the fallen warriors.
His actions symbolize the triumph of compassion and awareness over hatred and violence.
The Enlightenment of Sang Kala
At the climax of the story, Kala—the embodiment of time—transforms into a giant serpent to devour Sutasoma. However, the king does not fight back. Instead, he offers enlightenment to Kala and radiates the energy of pure consciousness (…jñāna hening) which brings peace to the entire universe.
Philosophical Meaning
Sutasoma not only saves his people, the natural resources, and the wealth of the kingdom, but also provides spiritual enlightenment to his enemies. He embodies the ancient wisdom of Jagat Kerthi (Satya/truth, Rta/divine cosmic order, Diksa/purity, Tapa/self-discipline, Brahman/divinity, Yadnya/ritual offering) as well as the humanitarian values of Jatma Kerthi (Satya Dharma/social duty, Bhakti/respect, Ahimsa/non-violence, and Santi/peace).
Performing Arts
In the performance Wayang Sutasoma, certain lyrics are usually sung with distinctive melodies, while the puppeteer emphasizes specific words in the narrative to reinforce the characters. All of this blends with the accompanying music and the movements of the puppets, creating a dramatic atmosphere that is both emotionally moving and spiritually meaningful.