Chapter 6

Chapter 6

Yashoda asked Uddhava to stay back for the night so that she could inquire about her Krishna and his family life. Krishna had once told Uddhava to tell Maa Yashoda whatever she wanted to know about him, as it would make her happy. Uddhava could not deny her request. Yashoda sent a servant to Radha's house to inform them that she would be staying back at Nand's place. Radha's house was like a hermitage. Her husband would often invite many sages to engage in discussions on myriad spiritual aspects.

Uddhava sat in the front yard on the elevated platform beneath the Bakula tree, talking with Radha and Yashoda until dawn. In the serenade of the night, the stars were like a million lights singing sweet melodies in infinite rhythmic patterns. Sometimes, the senses crave a musical symphony, and the darker the night, the sweeter the celestial song!

When Yashoda expressed her displeasure at not meeting any of her bahus or blessing any of her grandchildren, Uddhava replied, "You have had the privilege of watching God grow from your blessed lap. One day, when Devaki expressed the same dissatisfaction to Krishna about not having had the opportunity to pamper him as a child, Krishna said to her, 'Mata, when you were in Kansa's prison, Maa Yashoda took care of me. Now you are witnessing the growth of her child as a husband and a father to your grandchildren. There in Vrindavan, she is longing to have a glimpse of my family life.'

"My life was divided between the two of you. I have always shared every moment of my life with many lives, but, surprisingly, I have always been dependent on the tender care of the women who have been there for me as mothers, friends, lovers, and queens. I am fortunate enough to have all these associations and to share my life with all of you. I am a follower of fate, with no right to choose or lose according to my own wishes. This love is both a protective shield and an unbreakable bond for me. These manacles are always like tender garlands, Mata....garlands that allured me, tied me, and kept me under their control through a beautiful bond of love."

While answering Yashoda's questions, Uddhava was observing Radha. He felt as if she was trying to ask him something. He looked at her, ready to respond.

"Uddhava, why is society always eager to insult women? My thoughts are with Draupadi. Why did she have to bear such an insult because of the lust of sinful royals or the ambitions of princes claiming the crown? Why did they make a maiden's honor a wager in that game for the sake of a crown?"

"Radha, do not worry about Draupadi. Krishna will save her in every situation," assured Uddhava.

With a pale smile, Radha replied, "Now what is there to save? Only the final sacrifice is left!"

Yashoda was listening to their conversation silently. Suddenly, she said, "I am concerned for my Krishna. As long as he was here, he was the most blissful child. He played and danced with such frolicking joy, and at the end of the day, he would return to my lap and sleep peacefully. Tell him to come once and spend a few moments resting on the lap of his Maa, to relax for a while."

Radha, in a reassuring voice, said, "Bhabhi, your son is God Himself. You are the fortunate mother who loved Him and was loved by Him. Everyone calls him Yashodanandan. Every mother sings your praises while putting her child to sleep, and it will remain so for ages to come. No God has ever received such pampering from a mother, but our Krishna is fortunate enough to have received such pure love from you."

Radha's words calmed her down for a while, but Yashoda was still disturbed by the current phase of his life.

"My child is a mischievous God, a naughty little boy who kept his mother on her toes! Once, to grab my attention, he pretended to eat mud, for which I scolded him. When I asked him to open his mouth, he mesmerized me by showing me the entire universe within his tiny, gaping mouth. When I was confused, he became afraid and started crying like a normal child, just to get a hug from me.

"When I questioned him for eating butter from other people's houses, his answer was, 'How do I know the meaning of "mine" and "yours", Maa? Hence, I feel no difference in eating or taking things from others. For me, makhan is makhan; it will melt within no time! How can it be yours or mine when there is nothing left to see after a few moments?'"

With a smile, Radha and Uddhava tried to understand little Krishna's words.

"My Krishna is the tiniest child to his mothers and the most romantic youth to his lovely maidens! Mischievous and mysterious Krishna accommodated Himself as a speck within His mother's womb, yet held the entire universe as a tiny particle within His stomach." Radha laughed musically. The laugh came from deep within her, while tears of elation flowed from her eyes.

Again, Yashoda said, "I want to see him once before I die, Uddhava. Tell him to come to me whenever he feels hungry. I am here, with my doors open, waiting for him."

With tears flowing from her eyes, she pleaded with him.

Radha hugged Yashoda to console her. "Don't be in despair, Bhabhi. You are the mother of God Himself. Like a child, He played with you, and later, when He wanted to leave, you dedicated Him to His kingdom like a selfless mother! Your son is a universal ruler now! He has no time to respond to our supplications. You were left with your recollections, and I was left with my memories and passion for Him."

Her sigh was resigned and weary.

To divert the topic, Uddhava shared an interesting incident with them that had taken place when Draupadi had visited Krishna as the queen of Indraprastha. He recollected the conversation between them, which Krishna had narrated to him later.

"On that day, when Draupadi was talking to Krishna while sitting in His chambers, Rukmini entered with refreshments for them. Their conversation turned towards women's rights and the duties defined for them by the sages and rishis of that time.

"Draupadi had mockingly teased Rukmini for sending a pandit as a messenger to Krishna to convey her love. Rukmini, with a tight-lipped smile, asked her, 'What to do, Yajnaseni? Your Sakha is such a charmer that he made young girls run after Him with devotion!'

"For that, Draupadi, with a suppressed smile, questioned her, 'Rukmini, tell me again? With devotion or with a delusion of desire?'

"With a coy admission, Rukmini continued, 'Before He was owned by anyone, I wanted to tie Him with my love in a hurry! But now, look at me. Here I am, inviting His brides one after another, standing with an aarti at the threshold!"

They had a hearty laugh.

All of a sudden, Satyabhama and the others entered with grins on their faces, inquiring, "What is going on between Sakha and His Sakhis?"

"Their conversation led to many other topics concerning women and their freedom to choose their spouses. Suddenly, a portrait of a beautiful woman with a divine aura caught Yajnaseni's eyes. She questioned Krishna, 'Who is this exquisitely beautiful woman?'

To that, all the Ashta Bharyas answered in one voice, 'It is me! You can see some of my traits in that portrait!'

Draupadi was surprised and looked at Krishna. He was watching the portrait with adoration. As if speaking in a trance, he said, 'How beautiful are those eyes! The entire love of this world is flowing from those eyes like moonlight... so soothing to my soul!'

His well-tuned voice sounded like the musical whisper of a gently flowing river.

"I cannot express my feelings at that moment in mere words, Radha. With a divine glow, you were standing there in that portrait painted by Krishna. I was surprised... that delicate, fragile woman looking out from the frame had once shaped and strengthened Krishna's thoughts with her love!

"Draupadi recognized that it was you, Radha! Later, when Draupadi met me, she said with a hearty laugh, 'Uddhava, what a cunning person our Krishna is! Instead of naming his Radha, he saved himself from the wrath of his wives by simply nodding his head and keeping himself silent!'

"In a way, he is right, Radha. He searched for your special traits in those beautiful women and married them so that he could have a strand of you closer to him in that Raj Mahal!

"I heard about you for the first time from Rukmini. She said, 'You gifted him to the universe so that he could fulfil his duty!' I have seen pure love in her eyes—so selfless and dedicated! She loves him unconditionally, just like you, Radha!

"I can imagine your self-pride and courage when you wanted to protect your Krishna from every danger. The warrior queen Satyabhama possesses this special trait of yours!

"I saw the adoration in Jambavati's eyes, and now I see the same adoration in your eyes. I have seen immense dedication towards Krishna in Mitravinda's smiles; that same smile I am witnessing now as you think about him. Your peace-loving nature is embodied by Bhadra there!"

Uddhava narrated the incident to Radha to convey the message that her Krishna had never forgotten her. She smiled blissfully, and with that realization, serenity returned to her face.

The sun began to open like an orange flower on the horizon, painting a beautiful hue upon the cheeks of the earth. Uddhava left for Dwaraka with a heavy heart.

Dawn came with a musical silence; souls could hear melodies that ears could not. A new day had arrived with new possibilities. A fresh page in Time's classic epic was yet to be written. A new beginning was possible, and possibility meant hope!

But the wait to meet her Krishna was unbearable for Radha. She lost interest in all earthly chores. Always sitting in one place, she remained lost in deep thoughts. Her family began to worry about her.

Sometimes, Radha would aimlessly go to Nand's house and ask Yashoda about Krishna. The two would hug each other with flowing tears. For hours, they would talk about Krishna and his playful ways of teasing the Gopikas with his mischievous pranks.

She laughed at an illusory image of her Krishna and suddenly began talking to herself.

"Why were you born, Radha? If your Krishna is not here, why are you still alive? Go to your Krishna and live with him. Oh, how insane you are! He is not yours. He is a royal ruler now. Because of your good karma in your previous birth, you were given the chance to be with him for a while. Now you are left with only his image to live with."

--[ 1808 +words.]

Viswasruti2019-03-15 23:32:17