KRISHAVYAYAM

54. Shri Hari's Leela

The sight of the residents of the hermitage engaging in a pell-mell was amusing no doubt, but certainly also remotely annoying for the sage who was a new father too.

Kandali glanced at her consort, her charcoal eyes almost daring him to pronounce any trouble in the auspicious ceremony of their little one's naming.
And obviously, the Maharshi smiled sheepishly, something he had been doing a lot lately given to the pregnancy hormones kicking in his already sassy wife. Surely the precious moments were the ones to bask in, but the pout thrown almost every second moment in his way, and his better half randomly bursting into tears were nightmarish. He'd not like any questions in his way about the same, but the little bundle of joy before his eyes made everything worth it.

"You sure they will not mess anything up, Shrimati?"

"We have quite a lot of time at our hands because of the muhurta, Shrimana." Kandali responded with a saccharine smile as the savant waved a hand, sighing in relief. She then heard him mutter a small 'thank god' to himself, sniggering internally.

Huffing playfully, Maharshi Durvasa noticed a pair of oceanic eyes peering unhindered on him, unhesitating and not even blinking as his daughter went ahead to pick at the beard that came down till his torso. He let out a small laugh, picking up the little one from her mother's lap who couldn't help but chuckle at the sight. "Such charmer you are, Kaandaleyi," he cooed at his child, smiling along when she flashed a broad toothless smile, flapping her limbs in zest. "And also very agile, aren't you? Such excitement! Are we inaugurating your monkey business too, my lovely?"

"Do you have a name for her, Natha?" Kandali inquired gently, a fond look to her slightly chubby countenance as the father shook his head in denial, pursing his lips.

"I was too occupied."

The mother's doe eyes scintillated positively nevertheless, "No worries, we have plenty of people to assist us with that. I have a dozen names too." She admitted sticking her tongue out with her cheeks colouring demurely.

"And you shall have her taste her first meal too, Bharyae. You are her mother, and you would be well-versed with her likes and dislikes." Durvasa smiled back, cradling the little one whose pixyish appeal never failed to daze him. The father had many dreams, and now one of them was spending ample time and attention on the most precious ones of his life. "Seems it would take me time to get along with my daughter."

Kandali shook her head mirthfully at her husband's meteorically changing demeanour, "Worry not, she's a spitting image of you I believe. Besides, she loves you as much as she sticks to me. Annaprashana still does have time."

Durvasa cocked a bossy eyebrow, "Doesn't seem like it to me." He then pointedly gestured via his eyes towards their daughter whose new found, even fastly morphing mood had now zeroed on the sweets being carried around by the assistants who hurried at the decrees of high profiled learnt seers and sages, the ambiance of their dwelling seeming to find joy in their offspring alone, her aura verily like the elements coming together to pour life on Bhumi.

Decked in nothing but forest blooms, the place was indeed a treat to the eye for even the gods had come to join the Rishi and Rishika in their priceless moments. The Ashvini twins had been the earliest, both almost engaging into a whimsical fight for the Rishi's daughter who had sided with Dasra for the moment. Needless to say, the elder twin had done a dramatic 'woe is me' gesture before the divinities shook their heads fuzzily at their antics.

Devi Sangya, Chhaya, Dhumorna, Sachi, Bharati and Usha had been accompanying their significant halves and the Saptarishis who all were now respectfully seated on the grass seats. The creator and his muse, Brahma and his Medha respectively had been looking after the RishiKanya's janma kundali and other crucial horoscopes which would give hints of her role in Bharatavarsha's changing winds. Durvasa's Aaradhya Hara and HaraSvamini had been more than glad to receive the heartfelt offering of the sage via yagyas and pious chants reverberating in the woods.