Chapter 5

Entry for the round --4 [ Third Milestone ] Together, We Are Timeless [IF-NC_Entry]

[5000 words, 2nd Milestone]

With a proud smile, Yashoda said, "Earlier, you were all complaining that my Kanha stole your clothes while you were bathing in the river. See, my son is a saviour of a woman's honour! He is not a thief or anything of that sort; he is her protector!"

Radha stared at the maidens for a probing moment, her heart filled with a swirl of emotions. After a brief pause, the luminosity of a smile dawned on her lips. Turning to Gagan Sundari, she said,

"The life of our Krishna was filled with acts of social rebellion. As a child, he even asked us to worship Nature instead of Indra! If such divine acts had a deeper purpose, who are we to question Him? Draupadi's marriage was just one among many examples of uncommon practices in royal families that were nevertheless legitimized by seers and sages. Therefore, we cannot simply call it unethical. The Pandavas married Draupadi through formal rituals. She fulfilled all her duties as a wife and had one son from each of the Pandava princes. It was not as though she ran from one chamber to another seeking the attention of her husbands. Each brother had to wait for his turn to be with her.

"Do not question that marriage without trying to understand Draupadi's circumstances and endurance. Why don't we try to understand what was expected of her? She faced immense humiliation because of this unique relationship. Sundari, never insult a woman without knowing the reasons behind her circumstances. We are all instruments in the hands of fate, and none can escape what destiny has ordained....not even God!"

Radha paused for a moment before continuing,

"And never compare Krishna taking away our clothes when we were in the river Yamuna with the disrobing of Draupadi by that wretched royal. Our Krishna taught us about surrendering our pride and removing every veil that stands between Him and us...the complete abdication of the ego. Vaishnavi, when Krishna took away our clothes, it was as though He was asking us to surrender all our bodily attachments. Clothes merely cover the body, and the body itself is only an instrument through which the Atma experiences the universe. The relationship between the Atma and the body is what we call life.

"God is omnipresent and can see directly into our hearts. So how can a mere piece of cloth conceal us from His eyes? He wanted to remove the barriers of 'I', 'Me', and 'Myself'. By hiding our clothes, He sought to strip away our pride and ego. And when Draupadi was in danger, He gifted her an inexhaustible garment to protect her from the lustful eyes of those sinners."

Radha explained all this like a seer, but suddenly felt shy like a young maiden recollecting Krishna's pranks at the bathing ghat that day. Observing the coquettish grin spreading across Radha's face, Vandana beamed while Vakula chuckled. No words passed between them, yet their silent pantomime conveyed the meaning of a thousand thoughts!

"Radha, we heard that your Krishna blessed Draupadi with an Akshaya Patra, a vessel that provides unlimited food to feed the sages and her family during their years in the forest?"

Yashoda proudly interjected, "You all blamed my child for stealing butter. See, he is also the provider of food for royalty and learned sages in the hermitages!"

"When did you ever agree that your Kanha steals our butter, Yashoda? We know very well that a mother's love protects her child from all his sins, praising him even for his vices!" Vakula teased gleefully.

"Vakula, are you not the very one who first taught my Kanha how to snatch milk pots from the maidens' heads without their notice?" Radha asked with a fond smile.

"Who am I to teach him such vices? Our little toyboy was both teacher and student when it came to mischief in those days," Vakula replied. "Bhabhi even punished My Krishna for stealing butter pots from your houses." Her voice softened as she recalled the punishment her beloved Krishna had received, and she expressed concern over his childhood ordeal.

Uddhav, who had come from Dwaraka to attend the festivities, sat there, following their discussions intently. Every year, Krishna would send him to attend the Rain Festival on his behalf and request him to interact with the Gopikas and tell them about his well-being. They all knew him as the Yadava boy from the royal palace, Krishna's friend and confidant. He had become a messenger between the village maidens and their Krishna, carrying their silent messages in the form of garlands between Radha and Krishna ever since Krishna's marriage to Rukmini.

Uddhav was often left awestruck and humbled by the unconditional love of these milkmaids. Every time he visited them, they would ask him countless questions about their Krishna. But Radha never asked him about Him, for she knew what was happening in her Krishna's life. He was always with her emotionally, and she could sense his presence without needing to ask.

Now, the maidens turned to Uddhav and began asking about Draupadi and her closeness with Krishna.

Uddhav began speaking, his voice heavy with grief. "Listen, wise girls. We are living through a time of profound social upheaval, when many royal women are making unorthodox yet legitimate choices. Draupadi's marriage was one such extraordinary decision. The acceptance of five husbands itself became a challenge for her. Though Draupadi was an unabashedly graceful and dignified queen, possessing a woman's pride and strength, she endured humiliation and lived the life of a lone warrior, fighting against the fate that had been thrust upon her.

"We should never attempt to interpret every act of divinity solely at the human level. Draupadi was living with a fire burning within her soul. But remember this, behind every trial and sorrow that God makes us shoulder, there is a purpose. And wherever there is sorrow, our Krishna will be there to save those who surrender to Him.

"When I went to meet our Krishna after that fateful incident of Draupadi's dishonour, he shared with me the conversation he had with her before her marriage."

Before sharing Krishna's words with them, Uddhav recollected that conversation.

On that day, Krishna had been sitting alone in his chamber, waiting for Uddhav. When Uddhav entered, he saw tears flowing from Krishna's eyes. He was immersed in deep thought. Krishna silently indicated a seat and, after a moment, began speaking.

"Uddhava, what can I say? The life of my Sakhi Draupadi is unique and vital. She has come into this world for a specific purpose, like a sacred fire. Despite being drawn into an extraordinary marriage with the five Pandavas, she exercised her own will and accepted them wholeheartedly.

"On that day, when Draupadi questioned me about supporting this marriage, I explained to her, 'You are here for a divine purpose. Your birth was accompanied by a prophecy—that this woman would become an instrument in the downfall of sinful rulers, bringing about the destruction of certain dynasties. She would become a catalyst for a great turmoil, through which righteousness would ultimately be established upon this earth.'

"Draupadi looked at me, and a pale smile dawned on her lips. She asked, 'Krishna, to establish dharma through Arjuna, the unity of the Pandava brothers is necessary for you. And to strengthen that bond, there must be a binding force between them. Are you using me as a rein to bind them together for that purpose? How can a girl marry and manage five roaring lions, God knows! You have divine powers to manage thousands of wives, but how will I manage five warriors as husbands?'

"The chuckle with which she asked the question was soft, like the voice of a koel, but I could see the shock on her face before she managed to conceal it. At that moment, Uddhava, I saw all the trepidation and apprehension written across her face. How can I ever forget that moment?

"I asked her, 'Are you not blessed with divine power, Sakhi? To me, all women are blessed with a sublime confidence that shines through their seraphic smiles. Taming five lions will not be difficult for you. With your grace, your imposing beauty, and that divinity radiating from your eyes, I know you are clever enough to establish rules that will define even the subtle matters of everyday life with them.'

"'At present, the world is like a Homa altar, and we are all oblations offered into its sacred fire, so that the universe may be cleansed of vice and sin. Am I not also a stick of sacrifice in that Havan, Yajnaseni? God is both the grinding stone and the grain here. As human beings, we must perform our duty. I will be with you at every moment.'

"She nodded her head. At that moment, she readied herself for the ultimate sacrifice, and I could see it in her very stance."

Krishna had shared those words with Uddhav, but then his voice had become heavy with anguish.

"Am I putting her on the grindstone merely to fulfil my duty on this earth, Uddhava? I know I cannot accomplish this without her participation in this sacrificial yajna. In our close association, we must establish dharma upon the earth, even if it means burning ourselves in the fire of that duty. My heart cries for the hardships she is going through.

"Uddhava, do you know what happened on that fateful day? The five brothers stood there in a resounding silence of disgrace and dishonour when Draupadi was dragged into the assembly by Dushasana. Though she pleaded for help, her anger kept rising. And as she was dragged before that perfidious assembly, she cast a look towards her husbands that inflamed their hearts.

"It was a glance that wrapped itself around them, vibrating with command. A glance carrying authority like a gale-force wind, shaking the very ground like a storm. It was the questioning glare of an insulted woman directed at the universe itself.

"In that moment of torment, she prayed for help. I was deeply moved and rushed to her aid, covering her with divine protection in the form of unceasing cloth. At that moment, my eyes were filled with tears for her."

Uddhav recollected those words and conveyed Krishna's thoughts to the assembled villagers. They listened with rapt attention, wiping away their tears with empathy.

By evening, oil lamps had been placed in every nook and corner of the area, spreading their gentle light. The flickering flames created a delicate play of light and shadow across the faces of those who had remained absorbed in their discussion for a long time.

A gentle breeze moved the dark tendrils of hair across Radha's forehead as she listened silently to the story of a woman's tormented fate, borne for the sake of a divine purpose. The glow of the oil lamps touched her face, but her eyes remained lost in thought. Somewhere within her, she could feel the weight of Draupadi's sacrifice...and perhaps, in a way she could not yet explain, the pain of a woman whose destiny had also been intertwined with Krishna's divine purpose.

[1671 Words]

Viswasruti2019-03-18 08:53:12