अर्जुनप्रिया - Arjuna's beloved.
They had dreamt of a life with each other, for each other, and in each other, but the said life made them face the reality that they had to stay apart from each other for twelve long years. Those young hearts who cou...
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"What do you all think?" Yudhishthira enquired his family members as he settled down on the couch along with his wife and his mother in the family meeting chambers, his brothers sitting on another couch adjacent to them. All of their faces were glowing with the happiness of having heard from Arjuna after long. But they couldn't ignore the matter of gravity at hand for that.
The Pandava family did not consider only politics while forging marriage alliances. Politics and family held the same importance for them. Without considering how an alliance would affect the family, they wouldn't take it forward. Whether it be the alliance with Madra, Kashi or Shibi, they considered every aspect carefully before taking the decision of marriage.
The most important aspect was the assent of their queen Krishnaa. She wasn't just their wife and the mistress of the household, but she was the Queen of Indraprastha, and she had as much rights in making crucial decisions for the kingdom and the royal family as the Pandavas themselves did or even more than the Pandavas did.
Ideally and naturally, it was their decision whether to marry or not, and whom to marry and whom not to marry. She was not someone who put restrictions on their lives. But it was their choice to give that authority to her because she was deserving of it. She loved them so much so that she knew them better than than they themselves did. She knew what was right for them and who was right for them. More importantly, she did not take decisions for her own comfort. She took the right decisions, irrespective of how she felt about them, and that's the reason her husbands place their trust in her decisions without any hesitation.
A large part of the credit for the Pandavas' consideration of their wife's opinion also goes to Pritha's teachings and guidance. She was the one who ensured that her daughter-in-law was treated like the queen in every sense. Not only in her husbands' lives but Krishnaa was irreplaceable in her mother-in-law's life as well. She was the light that drove away every ounce of darkness from hovering around her family and she was also the warmth that did not leave a trace of coldness to touch her family members.
"Maharaja, this is not the time to assess the nuances of the alliance," Krishnaa said softly as she noticed that everyone seemed lost in thought. "I won't say that we shouldn't look at the political impact of the alliance. It is closely related to the welfare of the subjects and it needs to be considered. But Chitrangada has become the daughter-in-law of Pandu Vamsha the moment she married Arjuna. It becomes our responsibility to acknowledge their relationship."
"Putri, I agree with what you say. What has happened cannot be changed with our assessment." Pritha placed her palm on Krishnaa's palm. "Still I want you to express what you think about this marriage. You need not accept Phalguna's decision just because it's already taken. Do you think this alliance is good for our family?"
"If it not acceptable to me, I won't accept it whether the decision is taken or not, Mata. No compulsion will win over me if I really feel that something is wrong." Krishnaa squeezed the mother's palm gently. "I don't have any problem with the decision he had taken. Maharaja has told me all the details about the marriage as per what Arjuna had written in the letter. There is none in the Bharatavarsha who would accept the condition of Yuvarani Chitrangada's marriage other than Phalguna. It is not just a coincidence, but the will of Mahadeva that he reached there and decided to support the Pandya family. In fact, I'm happy with this marriage alliance and his noble decision and another sacrifice that he has made for the sake of Dharma. It's not easy to do what he did, to let go off his rights on his child."
Pritha and her sons exchanged glances of relief, assurance and cheerfulness at the understanding that the daughter of the Panchala clan showed as the latter continued, "If the alliance is good for the family or not, I cannot figure that out from afar. He who could forsake the luxuries of royalty and the shade of his family so that his family can live comfortably and safely, is capable of making that judgement much better than me. And as per me, as his wife, his individual well being is more important for me at this time as he is away from his loved ones. I do not want to worry myself with any other thoughts."
"Putri, I'm in awe of your unwavering trust in Phalguna and the sense of responsibility towards him that you never forget no matter the gap of distance and time," Pritha uttered, her voice trembling with emotion.
"His wellbeing matters the most to all of us, Mata. After all that he has done for us, it's natural to just wish that he's happy wherever he is. When you all have already accepted, I would most definitely not go against it, and you all knew that. That is why you hid your opinions from me that you are willing to accept and arranged this meeting to know my honest opinion by putting the matter in scrutiny." Krishnaa smiled amusedly as the five other people in the chamber turned red in embarrassment. "I'm glad that you give me so much importance. You haven't forgotten me even amidst the affection you have for Arjuna. No need to keep your gazes down. I'm not at all miffed!"
All six of them laughed together, their eyes slightly misty for the one person whose tune of laughter was missing from the melody. The song of nostalgia spread in the air as they exchanged silent glances, sharing the burden of the incompleteness with one another.
"On the political front too, this alliance is beneficial, Maharani." Yudhishthira brought the remaining part of the discussion to the fore. "The Pandya Rajya has been under the Kuru rule for the past few years. Bhima and Arjuna had conquered the kingdom when we were the princes of Hastinapura. With this alliance, Manalura's relations with Indraprastha are properly established."
"Then let us prepare the message for Maharaja Chitravahana that we are accepting the alliance wholeheartedly." The finality in Krishnaa's tone brought the deliberation to an end, and cleared all the confusions and questions that the meeting had started with.
