His Warrior Queen- A Diwali TS- upt. 3/11 - Page 3

HIS WARRIOR QUEEN

That night...

Satyabhama sat at her dressing table, taking off her jewellery. For the first time, her husband hadn't come to help her with them. But she felt Him, His agony, the hurt in His soul. He after all feels everything every living being feels, that too in a magnified way. His pain will reduce only when one gives themselves completely to Him. If Rukmini Jiji understood Him the best, Bhama was the one who felt every single thing He feels. And together, they made Mahalakshmi.

Her hand went to the back of her neck to remove her necklace, when she felt her husband's hands, removing her necklace for her. Their eyes met in the mirror, and an understanding passed between them. After removing all of Satyabhama's jewellery, Lord Krishna gently lifted her up and turned her to face Him.

"Love, sixteen thousand one hundred women", said He.

"I know my Lord. And I will always support you in your decision, so will the others. I can vouch for them, though I don't actually need to", said Satyabhama, smiling slightly at her husband.

Krishna smiled at her, and gently led her to their bed.

"We need sleep"

"I need sleep Swami. You are an endless reservoir of energy", said Satyabhama.

"You have very high energy reserves as well, Priye. You are the Earth", said Krishna.

"The Earth gets her energy from her Lord, Swami", said Satyabhama.

"But the Earth's Lord gets His energy from her", said Krishna, eyes twinkling.

"Never will I be able to win with you Swami", said Satyabhama, as she gently laid her head on His chest and closed her eyes. The next day was going to be long and rough.

The next day morning...

Krishna and Satyabhama bid farewell to Balarama, Revathi and the seven Bharya, when they felt a heavy weight landing on the balcony of Krishna's chambers.

They turned, only to see a beautiful sight in front of them. Garuda, the son of Vinata, the vehicle of swayam Narayana. Krishna grinned at the gigantic eagle. Garuda will take Him and Satyabhama to Pragyojitspura within two hours, something chariots would take a day or so to do.

The eagle turned into His human form, and folded His hands, greeting His Lord and the Bharya, as well as His elder brother Adisesha's Avatar Balarama and His Bhabhi's Avatar Revathi. All of them smiled, and blessed the King of Birds.

Krishna and Satyabhama said one last farewell, before approaching Garuda, who had changed back into His complete bird form. Krishna lifted Satyabhama, placed her on Garuda, and got on Garuda behind her. He whispered orders to Garuda, who took off and sped in a speed almost equal to that of light.

Satyabhama enjoyed the wind hitting her face, as Garuda flew at lightning speed, even though she knew that she was the one who had to ultimately kill Narakasura. She was one who lived in the present, like her husband always advised. He says the past is the past, and the future is the future. Why worry about anything, when He is there to enjoy the present with her? Why worry at all?

She knew where He was coming from. He, in His usual roundabout way, was saying that leave it all to me and relax; I will take care.

Before she knew it, they were nearing Pragyojitspura. She could see the speck of dust the palace seemed from the distance she was in the sky. But she knew they will go lower, and then, the final was hers. She had to do it in the end. Not anyone else. Not even her Lord. Her eyes looked at the bow that was now resting on her husband's shoulder.

"Bhama", said the Lord, squeezing her hand.

"Swami", she said, smiling at Him confidently.

He smiled, pained. He didn't want this, but this was Destiny. No one could change it.

Pragyojitspura.

The Kingdom was beautiful, thought Satyabhama. Her keen, warrior eyes looked around, spotting any disturbance, when she suddenly saw her husband hand her a sword, and arming Himself with His Shranga bow. He nodded at her. She touched His feet, and placed her hands on her head. His blessing and His love will be her strength.

Suddenly, there were arrows raining from the front of the Kingdom. The accuracy of them astounded Satyabhama for a fraction of a second, though she immediately started fighting the shower of the arrows with her sword. She was waiting for what she knew would happen, and wasn't disappointed. Her husband had used a single arrow and cut all the arrows that were showered on them. He continued to do that, in His perfect accuracy, leaving her more in awe of His warrior nature with every passing second.

"Garuda, go low", said Lord Krishna, causing Garuda to immediately go to a much lower level.

Satyabhama could clearly see the eleven Akshauhini that Narakasura had sent to battle them. A light smile formed her lips. Her husband, who could destroy anyone as and when He wanted will not take time to destroy a mere eleven Akshauhini. As she expected, within minutes, the eleven Akshauhini were destroyed.

"Krishna! I will kill you!", roared a voice.

Satyabhama looked around to see who was challenging her husband this time. All she could see was a huge demon, eyes rolling in anger. She looked at her husband, who was sitting to her right, smiling serenely, and muttering, "Mura"

So the demon's name was Mura. The smile on Satyabhama's face grew.

Lord Krishna and Mura had a fierce battle. Deciding that Mura's end was near, Lord Krishna summoned His Sudharshana Chakra, and hurled it at Mura, causing Mura's head to get cut.

"Hail to the Destroyer of Evil! Hail Jagannatha! Oh one who slew the wicked demon Mura, from today, you shall also be called Murari. And one who calls you Murari shall always follow Dharma and have your protection"

The Devas all praised the Lord, as Brahmadev said the words, and flowers were showered on Lord Krishna.

Satyabhama smiled at her Lord, the returning smile she got increasing her strength, yet not completely. The corner of Lord Krishna's lips twisted upward.

"Vaasudeva Krishna!"

Satyabhama heard the familiar voice, the same voice which had yelled at her Goddess form for reprimanding Narakasura for kidnapping sixteen thousand one hundred girls.

"Narakasura!"

Her Lord answered in a similar tone, except the sarcasm was so obvious to Satyabhama that she felt like laughing. Chiding herself, she turned to see Narakasura, eyed red and rolling in anger, almost covered in dark fumes. She could see the noose of Death hanging above his head, waiting to catch him. The time had come.

Narakasura laughed when he saw Krishna and Satyabhama.

"What happened, oh Krishna?", asked Narakasura, mockingly. "You didn't have an army, so you brought your wife along?"

"My wife is my strength. As long as she is by my side, I will never loose", said Lord Krishna.

"We will see", said Narakasura, letting loose arrows.

Lord Krishna countered each of these arrows with ease. Narakasura, frustrated, started using Maya. Satyabhama almost started laughing, yet again. Her Arya was Maya, is Maya. How can Narakasura's futile Maya ever match up to her Lord's? His Maya is what everyone lived in, after all.

The battle continued, and Krishna eased Himself into the attack as and when Narakasura's attacking style increased or changed. This back and forth war Satyabhama watched. Her husband was playing equally matched with Narakasura on purpose. He turned to look at her, and the unimaginable happened. An arrow hit her Lord's shoulder, and He fainted.

"SWAMIII!"

Satyabhama's agony tore through the Sky and Earth. This couldn't have happened. In that second, she forgot that she was Bhudevi, that she was Jaganmata, that her husband was indestructible. But it was a moment, a moment of pure agony.

Naraka's horrible laughter filled the air, and Satyabhama's anger rose. She turned her angry eyes at Naraka's laughing face, and looked around, to see the Shranga, the bow of her Lord lying there. Then she, who seemed like Aadi Shakti, lifted the Shranga bow with ease, thus proving to the world that she was indeed Lord Krishna's worthy wife. The Shranga bow, being heavy to hold was usually difficult to wield as well. And no one but the one who is the other half of the Lord can lift it.

She lifted the bow and aimed at Narakasura, her body pulsing with energy, screaming for justice. She strapped the quiver to her, and started raining arrows at Narakasura. All the powerful arrows he sent at her she broke with ease.

Meanwhile, Lord Krishna got up, and was looking up at His warrior Queen, who stood on Garuda, radiating power. Looks like His strategy worked, after all!

Fed up with the drama, knowing her husband was awake, and wanting to end it, Satyabhama closed her eyes, she summoned the Narayana Astra, the mantra of which her Lord had taught her, and released the arrow from the bow. The arrow met Narakasura's heart, instantly causing him pain.

"Ma!", cried out Narakasura, falling on the Earth with a thud.

Satyabhama closed her eyes. She had done it. She had killed her son, just as he had asked Lord Brahma.

"Jai Shri Krishna! Jai Devi Satyabhama! Jai Dhanurdhaara-Dhanurdhaarini! Jai Bhudevi-Narayana!"

Satyabhama and Krishna walked to Narakasura, and stood in front of him.

Narakasura stared at the Divine couple, and suddenly saw their Vishwaroop. In Krishna's place stood Chaturbhuja Narayana, armed with the chkra, the conch and His mace. In Satyabhama's place stood his mother in Her Chaturbhuja Bhudevi warrior form, conch and discus on the left and right upper hands, a bow in the lower left hand and the right lower hand raised in blessing.

"Ma! Pitashree! Forgive me for my sins", said Narakasura, crying.

Both shook their head, love and compassion in both of their Lotus eyes.

"Son, ask for a boon", said Satyabhama, lovingly.

"Ma, I realised that I could have lived in colour my entire life, filled with love and joy. I realised that I didn't have that, not the way you both have it. Your love for each other radiates from both of you. Ma, you accompanied Pitashree to the battlefield, Pitashree, you let Ma follow you, the same way Devi Sita followed Lord Rama into the forest. Please grant me the boon that in the coming years and Yugas, this day, the day I die, will be celebrated with colours and joy, with a family so loving", said Narakasura, folding his hands.

Satyabhama and Krishna smiled at each other, and said, "Tathastu!"

Narakasura smiled, and took his last breath, immediately followed by the Earth opening and swallowing him up.

Satyabhama and Krishna looked at each other, love and pain etched in both their faces.

They turned to see Narakasura's daughter come out of the palace, two shiny earrings in hand, followed by her brother, who was carrying a Divine umbrella.

They smiled.