'Please escort the bride to the Ambika temple', rang Harivarma's voice and everyone turned to belond their princess with bated breaths.
Rukmini walked in, with a grim face on the outside, but completely joyous on the inside. She walked with the confidence of a soldier, the daintiness of a swan, as majestic as a lioness, her head held not too high but firm enough to establish her royalty. With her every step, the citizens held their breath. They did not see her as their princess but as Mahalakshmi herself.
The five brothers looked at her and each other with tears in their eyes. They did want her to get married, but they did not expect that time to come this soon, nor did they expect her to look this radiant. Rukmi looked suspicious, but could not take his eyes off his dear little sister. One look at her and immediately he forgot his suspicions and smiled at her with a lot of love and affection. Rukmaratha wanted to crush her in his embrace and never let her go. But he had to console his heart and accept this reality and he silently wiped his tears away. In unison as always, Rukmabahu, Rukmakeshi and Rukmamali silently put their hands forward, towards Rukmini, circled their palms into a fist, capturing all the evil eye around her aura and crushed all bad things to happen to her, by gently pressing their fists against their temples. And to everyone's surprise all their knuckles cracked quite loudly. Rukmini saw them and felt loved like never before.
As she walked, she looked up at them and smiled. And that smile just took away Shishipal's heart. Shamelessly, despite the warning of Harivarman, he stared at her, his eyes filled with lust, scanning her from head to toe, which Rukmini sensed, losing her smile in an instant.
She breathed out and merely glanced at him, her eyes shining. One look at him and Shishupal shuddered. He sensed a blazing fire burning in her eyes. She was stoic, but there was an inexplicable anger that he sensed in her. He did not understand what to do and controlled himself, looking away.
Rukmini expressed her disgust subtly, shook away that feeling and looked around, flashing a small smile at everyone else, but her eyes searched only for one pair. Those deep lotus-like eyes. Those eyes that gave nothing but love, compassion and joy. To her utter disappointment she did not find them. Through her search, her eyes met that of her new brother-in-law. His eyes, shone, sending her the message that he was there. Just waiting for the right time. Her fire inside her calmed down and her eyes softened a little.
She walked ahead towards Harivarman and prostrated to seek his blessings. He gave her blessings along with a plate containing a tiny burning lamp, bell, some camphor, coconut, vermillion, some hibiscus flowers, a red piece of cloth, some fruits and a conch.
'My child, take this up to the temple, offer these to Goddess Ambika. She will grant you all that is good for you.', he said.
'Thank you. I will do as you say.', her head facing down.
Slowly she looked up at her four brothers and her brother-in-law, sister-in-law and parents and they all had just one message for her.
'Go up, Krishna is waiting there for you!',
Rukmi fortunately did not realise this and kept smiling at Rukmini who just smiled back at him. She daintily carried up the plate to the first step of the temple and sighed, excited that she was going to meet the man she loved!
And she began climbing the steps when she heard the citizens murmur,
'Look at our Princess! For her beauty, knowledge and kindness, Shishupal is such an unworthy groom! How I wish she could wed someone like that Prince of Mathura!?',
'Why someone like him? Why not him?',
'Yes yes! It should be Krishna. Nobody else.'
'Oh Mother Ambika, please do something and get our Princess married to Krishna only.'
Listening to all of this, Rukmini smiled to herself. Their wish was her wish too. And she knew, her wish was his wish too! With a new surge of confidence, she walked up to the Temple's Garbha Griha, waiting to see her beloved.
YOU ARE READING
Krishna! - Part 2
Historical FictionRukmini constantly dreams of Krishna and has made up her mind to wed him. But will her brother Rukmi allow it? Would she be able to wed the man of her dreams amidst schemes of Kings like Shishupala and Jarasandha?
