Originally posted by: proteeti
Satyabhama
Satyabhama, the daughter of Satrajit; the most beautiful maiden in the three worlds stood awestruck behind a curtain of vines staring as her brothers led Krishna, the newfound Yadava prince towards the Sun temple in her father’s quarters. She had heard the rumors, but never imagined he would be this handsome!
She had often found herself in the center of showers of praise, as others raved upon her unparalleled beauty. Usually, she enjoyed the attention, yet after seeing him she was bewildered. “But sakhe, devis and apsaras from the heavens must be lining up to have but a glimpse of him, and here I am, being so close but could not still fall at his feet! Oh, how wasteful must be my beauty for he did not even throw a glance at me, and admired only the wretched Syamantaka!” She cried, back in the privacy of her personal grove. Her maids gasped at the last comment, “Satye, hush your voice! That what you call the wretched gem, is the source of your father’s pride! You have lost yourself in your pining, for you do not know anymore what is right and what is wrong!” They admonished her.
“Krishna!Huh, that cowherd boy! I knew he had greed in his eyes when he ogled at my gem!Give it to me for safeguarding. Safeguarding, my foot! I had refused him then and there! I’m telling you he has stolen it!” Balarama, the elder prince,roared in anger. Krishna was holding Balarama back with all his strength it seemed. Gasping, Satyabhama retraced a few steps. How could he?! What had she seen the previous night then? Behind the heavy curtains at the entrance to her father’s chambers? She looked at Krishna. He looked more hurt than angry. He was shaking his head, trying wordlessly to communicate his innocence.The Syamantaka had gone missing that morning. Or had it?
Making up her mind, Satyabhama wiped her tears and ran towards the main exit and waited behind a grove. Soon Krishna and his brothers storming out. Thinking fast, she threw a flower at him. Stopping in his tracks, Krishna gestured for the rest of their party to move ahead and came towards her. For a moment she almost turned on her heels, but steadied her feet and steeled her heart. Pulling him close behind a pillar, she whispered, “I don’t know if this will help, but my father is lying. Please don’t make me speak against him, I cannot stoop any lower.”Krishna was still silently staring at her. Gulping, she continued, “Yesterday night my father gave the Syamantaka to my Uncle Prasena.” Krishna nodded seriously, “Where do I find him?” “Go towards the Eastern forests. He likes to go hunting there. He must be there. And…” She dropped her head in shame. Krishnacame close to her face and whispered, “You did the right thing, Satyabhame, and I promise to keep your honour. I’ll go solve this; you just wait for me.”
So, she waited. Krishna had left for the forests with some of his friends and brothers.They told everyone that they too were going hunting. Only she knew why they actually went into the Eastern forests. After eight days, all his friends returned.Without him. Her heart trembling, she watched as they relayed the news of losing him there. She watched as her father remained torn, as his paternal instincts clicked back and he pondered what a terrible fate he had sent a young boy to suffer. Clutching onto a minuscule hope still, she waited.
After twenty and one agonizing days, the drums at the gate of Dwarika sounded again. “He has come!” “He is victorious at last!” Ripples of Jaya-dhhwani teared apart the grief in the sky of the city as laughter and happiness cascaded down the ether, and down Satyabhama’s cheeks. He had returned at last. Glorious, the Syamantaka bouncing off his chest, his new wife in his arms. Strangely opposed to her daydreams, Satyabhama did not feel even a hint of jealousy. Instead she joined Rukmini,the crown princess, as they shed tears of overwhelming joy together and rushed in unison to witness this triumph of the man that they had both accepted as their Lord.
In a special parliament meet, Krishna explained his delay, and relayed the full account of his adventures. They had ventured into the Eastern forests to find Prasena.In stead they had found his mangled, lifeless body. A lion had attacked him mid-hunt,killed him and ripped his right arm off along with jewel clenched in it. A few miles further, they had found the carcass of lion, and following strange foot-marks had found the entrance to the land of Jambavan, the king of the Bears. Krishna had left his companions at this gate and ventured in alone. Satyabhama sat close to her father, listening enraptured to this fascinating tale. Slightly amused, she noticed, Balarama had an arm around Krishna’s waist. He still seemed pretty shaken from the ordeal. It seemed as though he did not want to let him go out of his sight again. He continued his story. Inside the cave, he had been challenged to a duel by King Jambavan and after a furious battle of twenty-nine days he had finally defeated the bear-king and returned with the gem and princess Jambavati. His friends had returned after eight days, thinking him to be a lost cause. Satyabhama was mildly annoyed at this, but decided to stay quiet so as to not draw any further attention to her already guilty father.
Right as the sabha broke up, her father took Satyabhama’s hand and led her to Krishna and requested his attention. Krishna smiled back at them with not even the slightest hint of anger. “Please my son, Krishna, “ said Satrajit, “Accept this gem. I do not deserve to be owner of this. Not after all I put you through!”Krishna shook his head, laughing shyly. “Please, Sir. You keep it. I have no interest in keeping it. I just asked to take it to safeguard it in the royal treasury. But I have understood now, nobody can take it from your home unless you yourself are willing.” Satrajit folded his hands, “Taunt me as much as you like. I deserve it but please let me do something! Yes! Accept my daughter’s hand in marriage then?!” Satyabhama was stunned. “Please, my child. I will not consider myself forgiven unless you accept her!” Krishna turned to her with an incredulous expression as she felt herself go beet red. In shame, she hid her face in her palms. “You too, Satyabhama?!” He cooed, laughing a little. “Guess you were the better gem in your father’s house! Mind coming to mine?” Blushing she vigorously nodded her head from side to side as her father enclosed her hands in his.
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