Draupadi's Mahabharat

Part 66

I went to the river to collect water for all of us, carrying two pots with me while they dangled as I walked. It had been a few days since Govind had last come to visit us.  I was feeling weak today for no particular reason. The day had been tiring more than usual because Sage Durvasa showed up on our door steps and asked us to prepare food for him and his hundred disciples while they took bath in the river nearby. All of us were surprised and we had no idea how we were going to bring that much of food because we had just finished eating ours and I had washed the pot clean, there was no scope that we were going to get anymore food from the 'magical pot'. So the question now was, what do we do? Yudhisthir instructed Bheem to get some fruits for them while Nakul would keep a watch on the sages and the rest would go and beg for alms from the nearby village. Yudhisthir didn't ask me to do anything probably because he could no longer face me or considered himself in no position to command me after he had done so much. All of them quickly left leaving me alone in the hut.

I could do nothing but pray to the almighty to help us in this difficult time but instead Krishna seemed to fill my mind, with his playful smile he was leaning against  the door, with his famous flute in his hand. It had been quiet a while since I had seen it and just the sight of it brought peace to one's mind. "Govind, why are we being tested again and again? Why is it that all the time disaster befalls us? What is we are not able to feel Rishi Durvasa and he adds to the burden of curses we are already carrying with ourselves?"

"Slow down, Slow down, Krishnaa. I just came and you already bombarded me with all your questions! First give me some food I am too hungry, will you?"

"Stop it, Govind! I just told you there is no food! Were you not listening? Or is this some other silly trick of yours?"

"Sakhi, I know you have food in your hut, just check it once maybe there's something left in the pot, a grain or something". I was flabbergasted. Even after explaining to him a thousand times he did not seem to understand. Irritated, I went and brought the pot to him so that he could himself see there was nothing in it and that I cleaned it myself. "Do you see anything here? Because you don't seem to comprehend my words."

He smiled, "There you go, see I told you there must be something but you only listen to yourself. I knew you were never good at any house work. And maybe you aged a little too much to see this grain". As he picked out a grain of rice from the bottom of the pot, I stood astounded holding the pot in my hands.

"But I--".

He ate the single grain of rice with full satisfaction and said, "May the universe be satisfied with this grain". I looked at him like he had just lost all sense of reason. 

"That is no helping, Govind. You eat a grain of rice which came out of no where and say may the universe be satisfied! How is that ever going to solve the problem?". 

"Time will tell and now will you keep standing here like a statue holding this pot?". He raised his eyebrow. I narrowed my eyes and went to keep the pot back at its place. As I was doing it I heard Nakul calling me, "Panchali!", I immediately went back and almost staggered to see Krishna vanished from the spot where he had been. Nakul came exactly in from that place. "Panchali, today the strangest thing happened back there at the river! Rishi Durvasa and his disciples came out after bathing and started dressing up and out of nowhere they said they didn't want to eat anymore, that their stomach was full. They sent us their blessings and continued on their journey." 

I could not say anything, it was a miracle and I could not comprehend how all this happened. "Krishna was here a few moments ago and-", I told him but Nakul said that Krishna was peacefully ruling his kingdom in Dwarka. "No I-".

"Panchali, you need to rest. You are seeing day dreams. Take care of yourself and I will call the others, alright?". I nodded and he caressed my face and left. After all of them had come back and were discussing about the event I came  in the evening to the lake to fill water for all of us.

Suddenly I heard movement behind me and froze at my place. The movement stooped. I immediately turned around to see who it was and was relieved to see that it was none other than Arjun. I sighed in relief.  "You almost scared me to death!".

Arjun laughed sitting by my side. "I saw you leave but I waited for sometime to come behind you". I narrowed my eyes, "Why? Are you afraid to come behind your wife?". 

"No, No I didn't mean that just.... you know what, leave it. There was something I needed to discuss with you". He looked visibly distraught. I kept a hand on his shoulder and eyed him with  concern. "What-What happened?"

"Um...I need to go."

"Go where?".

"Towards further up north.....towards the himalayas. To-To get the divine weapons and pray to Lord Shiva". I could not mask my sadness at this decision. And he saw it, I know I had to be strong so that he can go without any worries to fulfill his task but I just could not do it. We were already living in  the forest and I was already far away from my children. All that gave me the strength  to live was seeing my husbands everyday and if I wasn't even going to see all of them then how was I supposed to survive all this time in the forest.

"Panchali, don't worry I will be fine", he said trying to comfort me. I said nothing and just rested my head on his shoulder and held his hand tightly. Neither of us said anything to each other, we just sat there like pictures frozen in time.