Chapter 6: Her Master's Choice, A Maiden's Approval

                                  The Farewell                           

                     Her Master's Choice, A Maiden's Approval

Akrura was sitting in the chariot and was staring at Krishna with amazement! Krishna was walking towards a  woman who was sitting on the riverbank like a  torn garland. He was with disbelief as he watched  Krishna sitting near her feet and putting his head over her lap and hands around her and looking deep into her eyes with unspoken pain.  

Akrura looked at Balaram and questioned with astonishment who is that lucky maiden whom Krishna is respecting so much? Why our God is sitting at the feet of his devotee?

She is Radha, Krishna's  Sakhi as well as his preacher! Since childhood,  Krishna was attached to her like his own self .' -- Balaram asked  Akrura to take a dip in the  Yamuna river before leaving this Dev Bhoomi which bears the footprints of Krishna!

Just like a rainbow  makes the sky shine after the rain, she  wore her hopes for him as a crown and  started talking as an outspoken soliloquy, pouring out  her  dreams  softly, while  her soul was trying to  hide her  pain --        

"Krishna!  living without you means certain death to your  Radha, my plight will be like a plucked lifeless flower floating on the surface of water moving with the flow without any destination! You are taking my life with you, it will always protect you when you are in trouble, if you face any disappointment it will uplift your confidence,  my love will guide you throughout  Krishna!

You asked me to accompany you to Mathura, how can a villager like me live with a prince in his Palace? A novice like me will have no idea of any niceties the people follow in royal palaces. I know only love and expressing it without any inhibition.  If tomorrow, anyone asks you who am I, what will you tell? In royal palaces, the rules and norms will be different.  In the future, you will proceed to an ashram for learning andragogy, for your edification. Then, with what right I can stay there Krishna? So let me leave you to your kingdom to promulgate your main objective, to do the needful preaching to the world! I will live with your memories, and I know, in the future you may not have any time to even think about your Radha, but remember one thing, I will wait for you throughout my life with a hope that one day my Krishna will be back to embrace his longing Radha before she dies! Do your duty, Krishna, your Radha is gifting her Krishna to the universe." With tears flowing from her eyes and spreading on the ground like pearls from a snapped garland, Radha shut her eyes with the replica of Krishna embedded in them.    

"Radha, a duty-bound human being is marching towards Mathura, leaving behind a tender lover image for you.  As a symbol of our love, I will always wear the peacock feather in my crown; to recollect your musical words with divine love in our moonlight strolls and the cool comfort I derived, I will always hold the Bansuri in my hand. These two are the symbols of our eternal love and will stay with your Krishna till his end!  Radha ...please, nurture that tender lover in your heart and one day I will be back searching for myself, for only  losing myself again in your enchanting embrace !''

Krishna started walking towards the chariot. Radha closed her eyes, unable to watch  Krishna going far away from her.

 He realized that she was again slipping into her Penance for her Krishna who is her own forever.

The sky and the stream were watching the divine interaction with utmost sorrow; the breeze and the trees that followed their conversation were confused and asked each other who was the biggest loser? Radha or Krishna? The flowing Yamuna told the wading shadows of the sky that both are gainers, by getting each other's precious love, but for now,  they are the biggest losers momentarily, as they started their longing for each other afresh just now!  No one knew how long they have to wait to meet again in this illusory universe in their earthly life! ---