For The Earth Prologue 2- Chapter 1- 27/1/17 - Page 26

TEACHER

Dharani felt happy that she had let all that out to her father. It was now upto them to discuss and decide. Dharani hoped she didn't have to go into the darkness that was her childhood with them. She didn't want to. She prayed that this one talk would be smooth!

Of course that was not going to happen. Her mother had thrown up a fuss, and demanded that Dharani listen to every single thing she said. Her father simply couldn't believe the timetable she had drawn up. If he didn't believe her, then why even ask her for her opinion? They can try to keep controlling her, and she will keep moving away from them. She had already become so completely detached from them. They are her duty, and she will serve them. But her heart. Her heart yearned for their love, for the three of them to be a family. But was it possible? Closing her eyes, she searched for the answers, meditating on Lord Krishna.

"It might, it might not. You have many answers to give me, though you already have. You gave yourself to me", said Lord Krishna. "What has to happen will happen"

Dharani shook her head. Her darling Patidev was always one for ambiguous answers.

"Dharani! Come here!"

Oh goodie! Confrontation time', thought Dharani, as she left the comfort of her study room to her mother's.

As she expected, her father had taken her mother's side. Feeling the fire within her demanding to come out, Dharani walked out of the room majestically, not worrying about whether it was rude or not. She had to get her anger under control. Her anger is never a good thing.

"Dharani, child, listen to us", said Ma Parvati.

"Yes Ma. Anything you say", said Dharani.

"When Bhaiya said you have anger like Rudra, Kali and Narasimha, He meant it. The Rudra and Kali in you are very dominant right now. You have to calm it down", said Ma Parvati.

"Your anger will do the world no good, Prithvi. You are the Ma", said Lord Shiva.

"I know Pa. I will", said Dharani.

Recalling that, she closed her eyes, and chanted Krishna's name, the very word Krishna' calming her irate nerves.

"This Yuga is your test", said Lord Vishnu.

She would not fail her test. She would pass it. With a new Shakti in her blood, she turned back to the timetable she had made. She would show her parents that she could do it faster than this.

Dharani sighed. Dinner had been a tense affair, what with the debate her parents and she had had a while ago. Her hurt over the years came out. Well, the surface of the hurt. Even there she wasn't willing to open up. But she already had opened up. To the one who mattered the most, her Krishna. Though He knew what was happening, He never told her to remain silent. Instead, he loved hearing her jabber and whine and moan and complain. She felt so selfish, but then again, He was her All. It was only to Him, He who would never judge her that she could pour everything out. Due to her having the most ideal person in the world to lament and whine to, she didn't need her parents to cry to. She had her Krishna.

When she said her Krishna, she didn't mean it possessively. Most people think she does, but she didn't. When she says her Krishna, for her it means that in her heart, He is hers. But He is the Universe's as well. He is the Universe, after all. Her Universe He is. She always tells Pragati, "He is my Krishna. He is your Krishna. He is the world's Krishna. Sharing love for Him is the greatest joy that any human being can ever dream of having"

A lovely smile formed on her heart-shaped lips, her eyes filled with love, her heart and soul yearning for Manamohana.

"So, what are you saying Dharani? Follow everything you say so that you do well? Your plan never worked", said Radhika, almost screaming.

"It would have, Amma, and you know it", said Dharani.

"Then what stopped it from working?", asked Radhika.

"My teachers, who decided to fail me on purpose. You see, they get a kick out of failing students because they don't like them", said Dharani.

"They are your teachers. Don't disrespect them", said Radhika.

"They are", acknowledged Dharani. "But tell me, what teacher fails their student because they are intimidated by them or simply don't like them?"

"Your teacher doesn't like you because you don't study well", said Radhika.

"Despite your beliefs Amma, teachers are humans. They make mistakes and wrong judgements", said Dharani.

"A Guru has to be respected", said Radhika.

"A Guru does, yes. But a Guru can also be corrected. Shri Krishna once said that if elders make mistakes, the younger ones can correct them", said Dharani.

"Are you implying your teachers made a mistake?", asked Radhika.

"I know they did. Failing a student just due to personal opinions is not the mark of a good teacher", said Dharani, firmly. "A teacher is one who doesn't compare between his/her students, and showers each of them with equal love. A teacher is meant to be a third parent. But my teachers in University are not that. So yes. They are not good teachers. Do not ask me to call them fantastic teachers, for I cannot. If it sounds harsh, there is nothing I can do about it. I respect them for they are called teachers to the world, and are fellow humans, but I cannot respect those who show partiality"

"They don't show partiality", said Radhika.

"Amma, I love you, but why are you not seeing it? Why is it that difficult to accept that teachers make faults?", asked Dharani.

"Ma Saraswati doesn't", said Radhika.

"Are my teachers Ma Saraswati Amma?", asked Dharani. "If they are, I will go through a million failures. But they aren't. I am not willing to take my failure complacently. But I am not going to do anything about it till Perumal gives me an indication that I should. He will take care of me"

"You always say that. He will take care of you when you take care of yourself", said Radhika, walking away.

"Oh Amma. How do I explain the concept of surrender to you? You have to understand it by yourself", said Dharani, softly.