Chapter 8

Chapter 8

Krishna rose from the ground and sat beside her. He gently held her shoulders and smiled at her. There was no Radha and Krishna; there was only Radhakrishna...one being, the reflection of the other. Just as the moon smiles at its own reflection on the water, he smiled at her, watching his reflection in her tear-filled eyes.

She continued, "The world needs a preacher at this crucial juncture. Now, the Divine Self is here to define dharma and show humanity the right path. Tell them to give peace a chance. But if they still choose to annihilate themselves in the fire of lust and greed for supremacy, then assist dharma and deliver the justice that is needed. I am merely a cowherd maiden without any worldly knowledge. How can I advise you, Krishna? And yet, I am tempted to say this...you are the embodiment of Truth, Knowledge, and Bliss. You are capable of resolving any dispute. You rule this world with your divine compassion. You are devoted to the welfare of humanity. You are the splendor of this universe and the conqueror of its enemies. You are the Absolute Truth, the Infinite, the limitless. You are the shore of the ocean of problems, the quintessence of all the sacred Vedas! What more can I say, Krishna? Mankind is blessed by your presence on this earth."

"Radha, now the time has come for me to move on, to teach humanity about the fundamental duties of an ideal human being....the four purusharthas: dharma, artha, kama, and moksha....righteousness, prosperity, desire, and salvation. I have to go, Radha. Send your Krishna to this world once again with your assuring smile."

"Yes, Krishna, how can I deny you? You are on a mission now, merely a visitor to your Radha." Her ardent desire for their union was visible in her downcast eyes, as was the excruciating and unbearable pain of their approaching separation.

Radha rested her head on his chest and whispered, "When you are not with me, I don't even exist. The time we spend apart may be mere moments for you, but for me, it stretches into ages. In your embraces, I used to see all my memories come alive. Now, where can I store the memories of our past? How can I bear this impending separation, Krishna?"

Suddenly, a radiant thought of hope, accompanied by a dazzling sparkle, appeared in Radha's eyes. She made one last attempt to convince him. "Oh, Krishna, you are divine; you can do anything! Then why don't you erase our separation from my life and replace it with an inseparable closeness between us?"

Radha was intelligent and incisive; hence, she tried to control her emotions and choose her words carefully. Still, her desperate eagerness to avert their separation was unmistakable in her deep, dark eyes.

"Radha, whatever is destined to happen will happen. Everything unfolds according to the design of fate. Sometimes we feel dejected, but it is only a matter of time. We will unite again in another sphere."

Radha stood in strained silence, her heart crestfallen.

Watching her like that caused intense pain in every cell of his body...the very pain that Radha herself was enduring. He placed her hand on his heart and said, "It is our fate, Radha. I hide behind fate because it is fate that has kept us apart. What can I do, Radha? Your Krishna is duty-bound now." His voice choked with emotion.

"From the moment I heard your gentle footsteps, and that melodious call of my name escaped your lips, I knew it was you, Krishna! You had finally arrived for me, like an unannounced divine blessing! And now you are going away from me once again. How can I bear this pain? My dear traveler of an imaginary landscape, please wait for a moment. Do not sing a melodious song in your elation; time is asleep at this moment. Do not disturb it. Let it rest for a while until our meeting is over! I made a garland from my hopes and wove it with my dreams, only to adorn you with my love, Krishna. The sky and the river are watching us with inquisitive eyes. Let me make a chain from the stars and adorn your heart with it, Krishna. Please, wait for a while."

"Why with stars, Radha? Your smiles are the most beautiful gems glittering across the sky of love. Gift those to me instead; I will hide them within my embrace."

"Krishna, let others sing of morals and ethics in unkind words and demean me for my love. Let them paint shadows across imaginary lines. When you were yet to be born, I was already there, waiting for you. And after that brief stint of dancing with glee in the moonlit meadows, I was with you, melting into that divine symphony. Then, all of a sudden, you left me behind. Let me live forever in the shade of your eternal love. Krishna, let us admit the impediments. I know the worth of your love, a love whose depth remained unknown to the world unto eternity. Let us bear this separation. Humanity stands on the verge of doom and looks toward you for sacrifice; you must go to restore virtue. I know, Krishna, you have already prepared Draupadi for the final act, and now I am sending you forth with my faith as a cushion beneath your feet, with the soothing balm of our memories upon our burning hearts. Come into my arms once . I want you for myself for a moment in this never-ending journey of time. Draw strength from your Radha, who lives only for you. I am gifting my Krishna to the world as its preacher now. Teach virtue to mankind, Mukunda. The world must save itself from the flames of war; it is waiting to breathe again beneath your radiant rays of kindness. The world is seeking your guidance. Decide the fate of sinners through a stern act of justice and define the theory of Karma for generations to come."

She knew that she might never see him again. And he knew it too. They wished that time would freeze for a while, but time, like fate, would continue along its defined and relentless path.

"I don't cry because we have been separated by distance. As long as we share the same sky, we are together, Krishna."

"I wake every morning with your name on my lips, Radha. The delicate strands of our love will keep us together even when we are far apart. It is time for me to leave—to do what I am destined to do, to make the changes and sacrifices that are necessary. Do not think that I am going far away from you. I am carrying you with me in my heart."

Space and Time began playing their ancient game of separation and union.

Krishna began walking towards the chariot. Radha closed her eyes, unable to bear the sight of him moving farther from her. The sky and the stream watched their divine interaction with the utmost reverence. The breeze and the trees, which had listened to their entire conversation, seemed confused and whispered to one another—

"Who was the greater loser: Radha or Krishna?"

The flowing Yamuna answered the shadows reflected on its waters: both were blessed, for each had received the other's most precious gift...their love.

No one knew how long they would have to wait to meet again in this illusory world, in their earthly lives.

Radha and Krishna are merely ripples, while their love is a perennial river...eternal, infinite, and forever flowing beyond the boundaries of Space and Time.

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Viswasruti2019-03-16 10:45:54