"Her love sets the thunders of my soul ablaze, and she reigns the kingdom of my heart, where the spring called love blooms."
Arjuna, the Prince of the Kurus, finds his love, heart, and soul dedicated to the Princess of the Srinjayas, who arose from...
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"But the Svayamvara?"
Krishnaa voiced through her smile as she noticed her father breath deeply. She wanted to know the cause of the sudden thought of a Svayamvara for her out of the blue, for the possibility of that discussion was still unforeseen. She loved Arjuna and they could have had their marriage arranged in the Brahma or the Prajapatya vivaha, but she hadn't thought of the possibility of a self-choice ceremony.
"I will answer that question, Bhagini." Shikhandi who was seated by Panchali's side the whole time rose up, and clutched Krishnaa's palm in his assuringly. Looking at his sister, he pursued his lips, nodding his head as he noticed her signal him to continue.
"Your birth was an extraordinary event, Krishnaa. Born from the sacrificial fire, you became the centre of the Aryavarta's attention along with Dhrishtadyumna. You are destined to be the cause of change in Bharatavarsha as Maharshi Yaja and Maharshi Upayaja have christened on the day of your birth. You do know the political unrest in Hastinapura regarding the throne. If you wed Partha Arjuna through Prajapatya Vivaha, that will throw you too into that abyss of unrest in Hastinapura. And as you are aware, the Dhartarashtras and their father, and also all the people of Aryavarta fathom that the Pandavas are dead in the fire accident. I do not see any reason why the Pandavas will reveal themselves now when they haven't done so in the entirety of the past year if they are alive. Without them revealing themselves, the Princess of Panchala cannot wed a prince in disguise. That would bring about disasters to you, Bhagini. This Svayamvara is inevitable."
Krishnaa gaped as all the information seeped into her, and her own thoughts puzzled her to no extent. Her family had put forward this idea after a lot of strenuous thinking and perception, and that was evident in the clarity of their words. Separation from him took a toll on her, but she did not realise the amount of external factors that lay beneath.
"That is not all, Tanayaa. As you are well aware, Drona had visited Panchala on the pretext of meeting Dhrishtadyumna, but he had instead suggesting various proposals for you. And I am disinterested in them, because i know of your love and I know that they are not suitable for you. But I cannot reveal it to Bhaaradvaja about our situation, Putri, but he is insistent to know the reason of the delay. Svayamvara is the best option at this moment, I do not want to make your life strugglesome by putting you into such situations."
Drupada's words stunned Krishnaa who stood up and walked towards her father, the stupefaction reaching her soul directly. She had been surrounded by various marriage proposals, yet was unaware. She knew it was for her betterment, but the shock she experience could not be eradicated.
"Do not worry, Krishnaa. The Svayamvara would be something that only the one who holds your heart will be able to pass. It is not a normal self-choice ceremony. You are a warrior at heart, and your characteristics are unmatchable like those of Svarga's Sri itself. You would be Viryashulka, and your Svayamvara will have a competition that none but He could breach through, as your heart wishes." Shikhandi's words relaxed Krishnaa as she looked up at her brother and father, her eyes shining with the tears of joy and love as her heart thrummed.
She could not be more grateful for the family she had been blessed with, and none but her family could shower such love on her. Her heart overflowed with joy as she was pulled into a collective hug by Drupada and Shikhandi, and she smiled through tears, relief replacing the shock in her.
"Uhmm.. Needless to say, that would also give us our own chance to test Pandava Kumara's valour!" The youngest son of Prishati quipped, easing the tension in the air as the others guffawed, enjoying the mischief Krishnaa's twin brought up, at the most serious of times, filling happiness in their family.
—————
Krishnaa stood by the jasmine tree in the gardens connected to her chambers, her eyes looking at the full moon of the Marghashira, the cold winds wrapping around her as she sat down at the base of the tree.
A single branch of the tree hung loose, and she clasped it tenderly in her palms, brushing her nimble fingers across the blooming jasmine buds on the branch as she closed her eyes, breathing deeply.
Her life came to an important juncture, and at that moment, she craved for Arjuna's companionship. He was like the jasmine creeper of hers. His beauty resembled the jasmine buds, and his divinity was like the fragrance that the jasmine let out, pure and lucid, and full of life. His sweetness was like the branch that withheld the flowers, and his sweetness was what the support he gave to her like the branch supports its flowers. His valour was like the plant itself, strong and branched out into various branches, like his finesse in not only archery but all other shastra vidyas as well, and the roots of the tree were like him too. Down to earth, full of kindness and humility, and the love and respect that he had for her, the adoration in his eyes for her, the overpowering sense of his love.
Everything about that night reminded Krishnaa of Arjuna, and the intensity of it had amplified as her heart felt his heart beat in itself, and the fact that he was not far from her, and the fact that he was in the outskirts of Panchala itself, fueled her wish to have a glance of him.
Their journey began as the descendants of two royal families in the Aryavarta who had a rift with each other, but they realised the importance of their connection the very day their ideas and aspirations met. Their aspirations united first and they solved the issues that was surrounded in their families. But their relationship grew into that of strong, unshakeable friendship, and the paksha they spent together in Panchala before Arjuna and his family left for Varanavata, opened up a new dimension to their relation. They realised the pure love they had for each other, and they understood the depth of their feelings in togetherness, and now, no adversity could ever separate them, for it does not have the power to alter their love. And that is all that her heart earnestly wished for.
Looking up at her precious jasmine tree, and the full moon in the night sky, she decided that she would begin to search for him. She had no idea how he had been spending his days in the forest, and that moved her to tears.
He was the most exalted of the Kuru Princes, or that is what the Aryavarta had called him so. Yet, his heart was so tender and soft, like a lotus, and having being born into the lineage of Maharaja Pandu, life in the woods will not suffice his stature. But she understood him too well to believe the same. Living in the forests, in disguises, and having to move from place to place periodically to avoid any suspicion, and having to beg for alms like Brahmanas was not an easy task, but she understood his heart. A life in the forests would be easier over the life in the Palace where there was nothing but hatred for them. Death lurked around him, and followed him like a shadow, but as an ascetic, he and his family would be safe and sound, and that is all that mattered.
She loved him for what he truly is, and not what he became over the years, for she had fallen in love with the Arjuna whose heart she knew. And she needed to see him, and care for him when he truly needed her support in her kingdom, just like how he was her companion through all trials she had faced previously.
His presence and companionship, and a beautiful life together with each other was all that her heart wanted, and a glance of his, and the image of his well-being alone, could keep her restless heart at ease until the day of her Svayamvara.
