Actually, there is only one game, the game in which each of us is the player playing our own role. That game is the all-encompassing game of cosmic forces: Leela. It is a divine game that is present in the nature of our deepest inner self, which also creates the names and forms, the world we perceive. Leela is life itself, the energy that finds expression in the thousands of images and feelings that constantly play out within us.
The essence of the players is their ability to take on a role, and in itself, this essence can assume any role. But once they participate in the game, once they have adopted the identity of a personality, they lose insight into their true nature. They forget the essence, and they forget that they are playing a game. Their movements are determined by the dice of their actions (karma).
Just as there are moments when sunlight momentarily illuminates the pattern of the river's waves, there are moments when the clear light of our consciousness illuminates the pattern of the role a person plays in their life. In those moments, the nature and flow of their life energy are revealed clearly, as if in relief. In those moments, the player loses attachment to their role and begins to see their life as part of a greater whole.
The goal of this game is to help the players avoid attachment to their identifications and to show them how they can become better players. For this game is the microcosm of the larger Game. The 72 squares on the game board contain the essence of thousands of years of self-discovery, which forms the heart of the Indian tradition.