The Great Mandala Lyrics - Peter, Paul & Mary

So I told him that he'd better shut his mouth 

And do his job like a man 

And he answered "Listen, father" 

"I will never kill another" 

He thinks he's better than his brother that died 

What the hell does he think he's doing 

To his father who brought him up right? 

Take your place on the great Mandala 

As it moves through your brief moment of time 

Win or lose now, you must choose now 

And if you lose you're only losing your life 

Tell the jailer not to bother 

With his meal of bread and water today 

He is fasting 'til the killings over 

He's a martyr, he thinks he's a prophet 

But he's a coward, he's just playing a game 

He can't do it, he can't change it 

It's been going on for ten thousand years 

Take your place on the great Mandala 

As it moves through your brief moment of time 

Win or lose now, you must choose now 

And if you lose you're only losing your life 

Tell the people they are safe now 

Hunger stopped him, he lies still in his cell 

Death has gagged his accusations 

We are free now, we can kill now 

We can hate now, now we can end the world 

We're not guilty, he was crazy 

And it's been going on for ten thousand years 

Take your place on the great Mandala 

As it moves through your brief moment of time 

Win or lose now you must choose now 

And if you lose you've only wasted your life