LOVE: To Infinity And Beyond

Forgiven..?

Krishnaa's P.O.V.:

I could literally sense his eyes all over me. But, this time there was more wonder than the other filthy emotions they had previously held. Then, he suddenly closed his eyes. The soldiers tensed and tightened their grips on their weapons, but my sixth sense said that, that was not the case. He finally opened his eyes and clearly but softly stated, "I truly am", and his tone and the apologetic and honest look in his eyes said that he truly was. Then, suddenly, his composure began to falter as I could feel him visibly go weak and his expressions crumble... What?!

Duryodhan's P.O.V.:

Suddenly, my cover of serenity began to slip and all of the world's miseries began to gather in my heart, which was probably dark enough to attract them, I suppose. And then suddenly, without warning, the truth of all my failures and WORSE-- my evil attempts at the successes stabbed me straight through the chest like a heated knife.. Arghh!! 

For a while I felt like I won't be able to sit straight, my heart and soul and body wanted to cave into dark, secret nothingness and suddenly I felt a searing touch on my clenched right fist. Searing means literally SEARING, as in burning. My scrunched shut eyes flew open and I spotted the least expected, molten gold-like, sculpted-to-perfection hand placed lightly on my fist. I drew back my hand and my first reaction was the change of my expression from mortification and pain and guilt, to utter bewilderment. What! How high is her temperature! ? How does Arjun  manage to bear this touch without being burnt?!  I stared down at my hands to check if there was any burn mark, but, there was none. I looked around and the soldiers were all staring me down, fixedly-- as if I was the weird element here. Alright.. Atleast this answers one question-- even if any of the palace servants (of course the female ones) have ever had the golden luck to feel the touch of this Total Goddess, none of them had been seared; otherwise, word must have spread. This also let  another question off my mind... What was Arjun's body temperature, when I (whenever that was) touched him?... 

Before my mind could process any  further dark speck of some evil idea, I fell to my knees in front of her. Even if the soldiers or she was totally taken aback, I really couldn't care less. My hands folded in front of me and my head lowered to her feet. She didn't draw her feet back-- Oh, lucky me! I didn't speak a single word, but just stayed there.. I realized all of a sudden that I have never known real PEACE before this golden moment. They say that each man's heart unknowingly craves for the moment when His lady-love enters his life and his heart. But, my heart, my wretched heart was of course waiting for this golden moment of ultimate ablution. I could almost feel something being drawn out of my heart and soul and then a bright warmth taking its place, filling me up to the bring of absolute and ultimate satisfaction. 

After a long frozen moment, I looked up at her. It seemed like her blue eyes glowed even brighter, had I really been so blind all along? Then she smiled softly and forgivingly at me, and the corners of my lips twitched up at their own accord. I felt like a baby seeing his mother for the first time, while her eyes held a very similar affection-- the endless and forgiving  affection and care of the Ultimate Mother. She nodded lightly at me, and my trance cleared, leaving me to figure out what that trance was of.. 

Bhakti.. Yes.. Respect and devotion towards this Divine Lady who had conditionlessly  forgiven all my mistakes and sins at one go. As I walked out of Her Mahal, under the first mild pink-ish rays of the rising Sun, I felt like I was walking with a new and totally sin-less, purified-to-the-level-of-holy body, soul, mind and heart. Not even guilt, self-loathe or sorrow.. Just the feeling of lightness and brightness... I was excited to almost run to my wife and my children and hug them tight with my new, pure and probably deserving-of-them self. 

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Krishnaa's P.O.V.:

Watching Duryodhan walk away, I felt a sense of victory, I have done it! I have successfully forgiven him and corrected him all at the same time. For a moment, I felt like announcing it all around to call him as Suyodhan, instead of Duryodhan; I felt like a protective and caring Mother. Well, that's only natural... 

I smiled to myself as I entered the chamber where my kids, except for my lovely and brave Abhi, were asleep in peace and innocence with Malini and Nitambini. As I looked at Malini, I felt like it was time for her other half to enter her life, and my smile brightened. I looked at Nitambini, who was slowly stirring and starting to wake up, as the effect to the fresh pale-golden rays touching her eyelids. I slowly walked to her and caressed her forehead softly-- my sweet friend.. She has devoted so many years of her life for me, almost making it MY life instead of HERS. Now, when she has finally found her love, I will help her in every possible or even seemingly impossible way so that the two of them unite and live together and happily, ever after-- as they say. 

Though Their definition of 'ever after' and Our definition of 'ever after' differ a bit. In my and His dictionary, 'ever after' means literally and essentially so-- most probably in the serene and spectacular vicinities of Mansarovar, near Mount Kailash. 

Oh.. how I miss my home! OUR home.. How is Kailash doing now? What about the followers? Nandi.. Oh, he was almost my little boy.. He loved watching me running around, doing the chores. Our home was not people essentially understand as home in the human civilization. It was amongst the natural flower beds around the lake, inside some cave, with vines lining the walls, their small colourful flowers swaying in the breezes... Sometimes, just on the banks of the frozen lake in the seemingly cruel winters, on the soft snow-covered banks.

 He....Oh come on, calling him by his original name is not going to kill either of you.. Shiva used to say that my skin was softer than the fresh-fallen snow, my hair often smelled like the wild orchid-flowers... We will go back there, once we complete our duties in this human life.. I often feel like breaking these secrets to the people here, to my children, to my Sakhis- when they ask me to close the windows to the cold wind. The wind dis affect my human body, till the day I recalled my real identity.. But honestly, people who don't feel a tad bit of chill on the fresh fallen snow of Kailash, who held hands and almost sank into each others eyes and touches while they dangled and swayed their feet in the crystal-clear waters of Mansarovar.. I closed my eyes.. I cannot bear to reminisce these memories now... First, lets get out of this chamber. If I really want to reminisce all these, then I need to be alone-- that's rule number one. 

I left the chamber hurriedly, realizing that a woken-up Nitambini was gaping at my escaping form, totally startled.