Mitravinda stared into the horizon of the city of Avanti. The colourful tents adorning the outskirts of the illustrious town gave her no joy today for they were but a reminder of her impending fate. Her swayamvar was to take place the next day. The tents were populated by her suitors from across the world. She felt a shiver running down her spine every time she thought of marrying any of them. How could she? Wasn’t it a sin to surrender oneself to more than one man? How could she marry any of them when her heart already belonged to Krishna, the best among all men, and the Yadavas? Rukmini must have performed unparalleled penances for she was able to send a message to her Lord in just the nick of time! Her brothers were wary of the possibility now. She was effectively on house arrest since the announcement of her impending marriage was made.
She turned around puzzled, as the tinkling laugh of a familiar voice drew closer. She smiled for the first time in a long time as she saw the bright, smiling face of Subhadra, her Lord’s sister and her cousin. “Well, well, if it isn’t my least favourite cousin!” Teased Subhadra as the women embraced. Despite the initial surge of happiness, Mitravinda found herself unwilling to partake in normal sisterly banter. She smiled and politely nodded while Subhadra kept chattering about the highlights of her visit, seemingly unaware of her cousin’s disinterest.
That afternoon, as the sun rose to the helm of the sky, and scorching sunlight ricocheted off the golden kalash at the tip of the temple of Sri Mahakaleswara, the girls retired to their chambers seeking the sweet midday nap. Soon, most of the women had fallen asleep. Even the kanchukis fanning the royal ladies were nodding off at intervals. Yet, sleep evaded the lotus eyes of Princess Mitravinda. Nervously, she kept repeating prayers under her breath beseeching the great Lord Mahakala.
Rolling over to her side, she found Subhadra wide awake and staring at her expectantly. “Dearest sister mine, do you have anything to say?” Mitravinda raised an eyebrow markedly, “Do you have nothing else to do but tease me all day?”
“Well, isn’t it customary to tease the bride-to-be? I heard it’s good for an auspicious marriage.” Retorted Subhadra, “Last chance cousin, anything to say at all? I’m just putting it out there- the entire city of Mathura saw you practically fainting when my brother walked past you the last time you came to visit, you couldn’t hide it even if you tried!” Mitravinda blushed bright red at the mention of that faux pas. Was it really that obvious?
“Well, I suppose it would have been nice if he were an option in the swayamvar, but both you and I know that’s not happening.” She said with a sad smile.
“In fact, I am really surprised my brothers let you come here in the first place!”
Subhadra smiled mysteriously, “So, you would choose him if he were an option, right?” Mitravinda nodded silently.
“Good to know,” Subhadra yawned and rolled over to the other side and as far as appearances go, she was fast asleep in a minute.
---
As the sleepless night rolled into a glaring morning, Mitra’s anxiety grew. She felt as though Lord Nataraja himself were dancing within her heart. People ran hither and thither all around her, while Mitra felt like the world itself had stopped turning. Her sisters-in-law had gathered around her, adorning her in a bride's garb. Under their breaths, they muttered consolations. Nearly all of them had been abducted from their homes by Mitra's brothers, Vinda and Anuvinda. Suchitra, the youngest wife of Vinda complained, like nearly every other day, "Your brother is lucky we took our vows in the temple of Mahakala! It's the only reason, I don't just stab him in his sleep! He killed all my brothers and my nephew! He was only fourteen!" Suchitra ran away, hiding her tears. She had not yet adjusted to her life here. Devadarshita, Vinda's oldest wife shook her head in disapproval. While she hated the ways of her husband, she didn't approve of the open hostility. She had after all bore the physical brunt of her husband's anger, long back, when she still had had the heart in her to protest. Instead, she simply sighed and concentrated on braiding Mitra's hair. Her silence also stemmed from the fact that she was the only one who had chosen Vinda in a swayamvara, and held herself responsible for her fate to some extent.
All four of Anuvinda's wives were abducted. They mostly preferred to keep their heads down and get on with their lives. There had been a fifth wife, Anuvinda's first wife. She had stood up to him once, refusing to allow him entrance to his newly-abducted second wife's room. By the next week, she had vanished from the palace. No one knew where she went or what happened to her. Even today, five years later, the second wife made sure to offer special prayers to Mahakaleswara on the date of her disappearance. No one had any doubts about the quality of the Kings and Princes who would be invited to this swayamvara. Quietly, Chandrika, one of the queens whispered into Mitra's ears, as she tied something to the end of her saree, "We are all bound by the promises we made before the Lord Mahadeva, but you won't be. Try out your new life for a week. If it is truly as unbearable, here's the finest poison I could find. Either take it yourself or feed it to him. Don't suffer like we do!" A lone tear rolled down Mitra's cheek as she stared off into the distance, barely heeding the remonstrations about ruining her makeup.
Subhadra, however, was bouncing around, happy as ever. She leaned in close to Mitra, applying kohl on her long, lotus-like eyes. She whispered to Mitra when no one was looking at them, "Just eat light today okay? We can't have you fainting again!" Mitra glared at her cousin. How could she be so insensitive? She was definitely as heartless as her brother!
Mitra pushed Subhadra's hand away from her face. "How would you feel if your brothers stopped you from marrying someone you loved?" She said.
Subhadra's face broke out into a wide grin, "I'd like to see them try!" Subhadra cupped Mitra's face in hers, "Just promise me, you'll hold on tight, will you? All the love, all the trust that you have in your heart, just bundle it all up, and hold on to it!"
"Hold on...to what?" Mitra asked.
"Just, hold on." Subhadra said kindly, "No matter what I tell people, you are my favourite cousin. How did you ever think I'd give up that easy? Just you wait and see."
Even though Mitra wanted to believe Subhadra, she had come to understand that this happy little cousin of hers was just overtly optimistic, and just a bit spoiled. She couldn't decide if she should pay her any attention or not. She did, however, cry comparing Subhadra's brothers to hers.
---
Mitra felt numb and could hardly perceive her surroundings as she was led onto the arena of the swayamvar. Vinda and Anuvidya had tightly gripped an arm each. Vinda bent down to whisper to his sister, "I'll press hard on your arm when you reach our choice prince. Put the garland on him." She looked around with a well-laden garland of flowers in her hand. She felt less like a bride, and more like an animal led up to the dais for execution. No one in the arena caught her eye, for they were blurred out by a thick film of tears forming in her eyes. So, this is how it ends. Now will begin a lifelong slavery to a man other than her Lord. Even if she consumed the poison, she would still be bound to a random man for the rest of her mortal life, and be remembered eternally as his cowardly wife!
Mitravinda called out one last time to the dakshina-murthi Lord Mahadeva- the south-facing Lord of boundless compassion. Sati, his first wife, had embraced the flames for the honour of Shaivya’s Lord Shiva. If he didn’t show compassion now, Krishna’s Shaivya would also definitely meet a similar fate! Mitravinda felt her brothers discreetly dragging her up the aisle of suitors. She could feel their eyes boring into her, sizing her up. Some of them had the decency to look uncomfortable, but no prince charming burst out of the row, putting an end to the farce. Instead, she was marched up and down twice by her brother. Both times he had pressed arm when she had stood before Prince Duryodhana of Hastinapura. She could feel her brothers' glares almost piercing a hole through the back of her neck. She could also feel the forced smiles they still donned for the sake of appearances. Mitra felt a strange rebellion bubbling inside of her. She had never been so determined. She would not raise the garland around his neck on her own. If she was to be married to him, her brothers would have to physically make her go through the motions, shedding all garb of decency. If she went down now, she would go down kicking and scratching.
Suddenly a loud noise shook the sabha. Everybody turned to look at the locked main door. Someone seemed to be trying to break it down. Mitra's brothers immediately let go of her, drawing their swords instead. Most of the suitors followed suit. She gasped as, with the second bang, the heavy wooden doors of the guarded arena burst into a hundred pieces and a humongous golden chariot rolled in, enveloped in a startling ball of light. Her horror turned into incredulity as she spotted the figurine of the great bird Garuda at the helm of the chariot and the realization dawned on her. Subhadra, that sly little devil! She could have kissed both her and her brother right now!
Without a word, Krishna bent down and lifted her by the waist onto the chariot and immediately turned it around on its wheel, as her garland lay abandoned on the floor. The barricades of the Yadava army helmed by Balarama and Satyaki quickly flanked into two pieces making way for Krishna’s while simultaneously blocking the path of the other kings who attempted to follow. Terrified of her brothers’ reaction Mitra looked over her shoulder and sighed in relief to find that the Yadava army had again merged into a single front behind them. She gulped however as she saw Vinda and Anuvinda who had somehow broken free of the barricade and were now chasing them down on horseback. Krishna had also noticed them. He turned around with the speed of lightning and started raining numerous arrows on the brothers. He switched so quickly between fighting and driving the chariot, that Mitra could've sworn he had four hands, not two! Eventually, he managed to injure both of their horses, leaving them stranded on the road, as he sped up the chariot.
She looked back at Krishna whose gaze was fixated on the road as he guided the chariot over the rough terrain. Mitravinda took a deep breath and spoke with a smile, “You could have hurt me, you know?” Krishna spoke without looking up, “Don’t you get sassy with me miss! Heard you fainted?” Mitravinda blushed and laughed, and Krishna joined her as he finally slowed down the chariot over the plain road ahead of them.
The burning midday sun had never seemed so pleasant. Mitra turned back and whispered a quick, grateful prayer in the direction of the ancient temple.
A widow, Gauri met her long lost friend Omkara in a family function, who still ...
Life Journey of two people poles apart in career, status and style. One is the ...
Drabbles for Shrimad Ramayana Contest
Comments (3)
View all
BrhannadaArmour @BrhannadaArmour
+ 12
2 days ago
You have developed Mitravindā into an observant character and surrounded her with diverse supporting characters to question the marriage customs of their society. Mitravindā’s interaction with Subhadrā is a clever idea, as there are myths about Duryodhana being chosen for both of them by their brothers.
Why does Mitravindā’s heart belong to the Yādavas, and not only to Kṛṣṇa? I found that thought unclear. Unlike the preceding four heroines, you haven’t portrayed what Mitravindā likes about Kṛṣṇa, or how her devotion to her Lord grows, apart from almost fainting one time. Surely you could imagine some incidents for that, since they’re cousins.
Mitravindā’s generalization that it’s a sin to surrender to more than one man, juxtaposed with her wanting the same husband as Rukmiṇī, is a striking double standard. It could be explored through how Vinda and Anuvinda behave with their plural wives ... Vinda's first wife is disapproving and Anuvinda's first wife is protective towards the new wives. The allusion to Satī as a first wife is relevant too.
The characters all have a fatalistic attitude towards the deity Mahākāla: they have to keep their vows before him while praying that he will show mercy to them.
“That afternoon, as the sun rose to the helm of the sky, and scorching sunlight ricocheted” doesn’t make sense as written. The sun doesn’t rise higher in the afternoon; it drops lower. Does the sky have a helm = position from which its movement is controlled? Does continuous sunlight ricochet like discrete hard solids? “That afternoon, after the sun had risen to the zenith of the sky, and while scorching sunlight reflected” might be better. Anyway, the repeated imagery of the sun conveys the oppressive atmosphere beautifully.
“Mitra felt like the world itself had stopped turning” implies that she was aware that Earth rotates, whereas Bhāgavatapurāṇa, where Mitravindā’s story originates, describes at length how the Sun circles Mount Meru.