Sri stood up. In his hand, he held a small decorative wooden casket containing the Syamantaka jewel. From the circle of royal ministers, Satrajita approached him, trembling. Smiling his usual gentle, ingenious smile Sri handed over the casket to him and humbly bowed down to offer his respects to him. Amidst a thunderous round of applause, the Sudharma royal assembly reverberated with slogans of acclaim, ‘Hail Goddess Ida. Hail Maharaja Vasudeva, Maharani Devakidevi!’
Satrajita was feeling contrite now, remembering his imprudent accusation of Sri in the same assembly hall. He was feeling ashamed. He held the casket in his trembling aged hands, and said in a shaking voice, “Though I am old in age and his senior, Srikrishna should forgive me in front of this royal assembly. I don’t have appropriate and enough words to express my feelings. But, as a father, I can do only one thing. At this moment, I am offering my beautiful daughter Satyabhama’s hand in marriage to Srikrishna! I humbly request that he should graciously accept her as his third queen along with the Syamantaka jewel.”
“Oh Lord of Dwaraka, Maharaja Srikrishna, please accept this second gift along with the Syamantaka jewel. You deserve it rightfully.” Combatant Yadavas in the assembly started shouting continuously in unison. I was sitting next to Sri. He just kept looking at me intently. So many questions were hidden in that look! As if he was silently asking me, ‘What should I do? What do you suggest? Should I accept both the jewels? Do I have your approval, beloved?’ I silently nodded in affirmation. Still, he kept staring at me momentarily. He shook his neck as if in disagreement with something. Then he rose peacefully. The Sudharma royal assembly echoed with thunderous applause and victorious cries of acclaim.
Sri spoke slowly and determinedly, “Dear Yadavas, have no illusions! I accept not both but only one of the jewels – the jewel-like lady. I never had any longing whatsoever for the Syamantaka jewel, and will never have it in future. I am honourably returning it to the senior Yadav Satrajitakaka in front of the Sudharma royal assembly, acknowledging his rightful ownership of the same. I request him to accept it and continue his Sun worship uninterrupted, and take care of it for the welfare and prosperity of Dwaraka.” Sri returned the casket to Satrajita. Now I came to understand, why he shook his head in response to my affirmation a few moments back.
The second act of the Syamantaka jewel drama was concluding after bringing the second co-wife in my life and the third wife in Sri’s life.
I could easily take Jambavati under my wings. But it was the toughest job to do so with Satyabhama. After all she was the daughter of a Yadava. As the daughter of an affluent father, she was greatly pampered at home and had grown up to be an opinionated, stubborn Kshatriya lady. Indeed, she was incredibly beautiful and also bold. That is why she was so full of pride. Notably, she wasn’t even aware of her pride. That was the most difficult task for me. She would never listen to anybody; sometimes not even to Sri. But somehow, in front of me, she was always compliant.
I had understood quite clearly that it wasn’t going to be easy for Sri to handle her. I also came to acknowledge that I would have to take the initiative to mellow her down. It was my duty to do so as the Maharani of the Yadavas. I was also confident that she would never answer me back.
Three edifices on the twin island of Queens’ mansions were now occupied by the three of us. They were now alive with the constant coming and going of the attendants. Nowadays, I had come to realize that the other five edifices were still vacant. Both my co-wives had not yet realized that. It was also up to me to take the initiative and make them aware of this fact at the right time.
When I first bowed to pay obeisance to the architect Gargamuni, he suggestively blessed me saying, “Senior Maharani of the Yadava dynasty, may your life be full of fortune. May you be blessed with eight sons! It is your right after all. But I would like to give you a special blessing – May you be the guardian of the eight mansions of the Queens!”
He had erected the eight mansions on this island with full planning for the future. It was a well-organized colony of palaces with two rows of four palaces facing each other and the towering, grand palace of Sri in the centre. All the palaces had a view of the ocean. Sri would come to stay on this island as far as possible. Sometimes he would stay in the original Dwaraka. We didn’t see him for months once he crossed the ocean and went out of Dwaraka. Then life would be on hold, waiting for him and listening to the sounds of the ocean.
Sri’s daily routine on both islands was fixed. Half an hour before the ‘Brahma Muhurta’, bards would begin reciting hymns and eulogies from the four Vedas accompanied by melodious tunes of Rudravinas. Sri would arise exactly at the ‘Brahma Muhurta’. After waking up first he would gaze at his palms with his fish-shaped expressive eyes. He would observe the lines on his rosy palms which looked like threads. His face would instantaneously reflect many subtle shades of smiles while observing the royal symbols like the pennant, the chakra, the lotus, the fish and the swastika on his palms. Next, he would look at the floor and addressing the earth with innate humility he would say, ‘Forgive me for stepping on you’. Then he would dip his fingers in the fresh water in the golden chalice and run them over his eyes. Sitting on his bed in the Padmasana posture, he would meditate for some time with his eyes closed. At the same time, he would recall the divine mantras of Sudarshan in his mind. At such times, I would occasionally get a rare glimpse of him. How radiant his face looked while meditating with closed eyes! Then he would clean his already very white teeth with the powder of medicinal herbs like Hirada and Behada mixed with Neem leaves, rinse his mouth with water made fragrant by ‘Khus’ grass. For some time, he would do some ‘aasanas’ for the whole body, practising control over breath. A few of his loyal male and female attendants would serve him at that time.
His bathing was a big ritual. In huge golden vessels, hot, warm and cold water from various rivers in the Aanarta region would be filled. Many small and big golden bowls would be filled with a variety of aromatic cleansing powders. Nourishing red soil brought from the mines of Govardhan, sifted and kneaded in buttermilk and Karanjel oil would be there. To scrub his neck, chest and heels thoroughly, dark black stone chips brought from the bed of the river Gandaki would be available. After applying the cleansing powders and the soil on his body he would bathe in the water blended with ‘Khus’ grass. Then immediately on the wet body he would get Abhishek of the freshly drawn milk of the cows from Kathiawar, mixed with the gold water. In the end the attendants would give him Abhishek of aromatic, cool water from a golden jar while singing the folk songs of Saurashtra.
Many a times I have heard his bathing attendants whisper among themselves that, ‘ Maharaja Srikrishna looks like the Shivapindi in the shrine of the Somanath temple while receiving the Abhishek over his head.
To me he often looked like the sun god rising from the western ocean when I saw him like this, fresh after the bath, wearing his royal attire, freshly woven, fragrant, white Vaijayanti garland on his chest and bearing the peacock-feathered golden crown on his head.
After the bath, he would first visit his parents and other elders. Then he would perform the Sandhya prayer and drink the freshly drawn milk to his heart’s content. As the priests chanted mantras he would offer oblations into the fire. Next, he would worship the rising Sun god visible from his meditation chamber. He would sit on the grass mat and with full concentration, he would humbly recite the Savitru mantra in the Gayatri meter. Then ‘Tarpan’ water would be offered with mantras, to the gods, forefathers and the sages of the dynasty. After that the offering of charities would begin. Initially, only I sat by Sri’s side during the charity-offering session. Then I came to realize that I should make both my co-wives also participate in that session. Two golden seats then started being arranged for them at the time of the charity session. Then, Sri would dress up in the armed royal attire of the Sudharma assembly. At such times, he would carry the Ajitanjaya bow on his shoulders. On his back, would be the quiver full of arrows. Sometimes he would carry
the polished, dark black, tall, Saunanda pestle made of black wood. At times, there would be the gold-plated, rounded, elegant Kaumodaki mace made of iron. At other times, he would leave with only the Nandaka sword in its scabbard tied around his waist. I loved watching him dressed up in a variety of armed attires and it gave me immense pleasure.
Before leaving for the Sudharma assembly both of us would follow the ritual of looking at the reflections of our faces in the mirror of liquid ghee in a big golden platter. Then we would take seats in the porch outside and listen to the complaints of the citizens, servants, warriors, and troop leaders. We would satisfy their demands according to their needs.
During this meeting session with the citizens I would always strongly sense an exceptional quality of Sri – that of abundance of Love, that of unconditional affection.
Thus, after performing the morning routine and rituals he would leave for the original Dwaraka to go to the Sudharma assembly. I would not accompany him every time. But whenever a special council was arranged I had to go. He was always invariably accompanied by Balaramadada, Uddhavabhauji, commander Satyaki or Anadhrishti, and minister Vipruthu. Occasionally, one of them would be absent due to some reason. His place would be taken by some unknown guest. At times, some sages like Asitadeval, Yajnavalkya, Katyayan, Gritsamada, Yaaja, and Upayaaja, who were close to him, would be there. Sometimes he would be accompanied by an artist like a singer, dancer, instrument player, or a sculptor. Occasionally, the leaders of the surveillance team of Dwaraka spread all over Aaryavarta would whisper in Sri’s ears. They would inform him about any important secret news in a short and precise way and cautiously collect further orders and instructions from him.
His dear charioteer Daruka would bow down to him and request him to board the Garudadhwaja chariot. Before he could bow down completely and touch his feet Sri would hold Daruka’s hands in his rosy palms with warm affection, and hold him in a deep embrace. Then he would call the four pure white horses of his chariot by their names, Meghapushpa, Balahaka, Sugriva and Shaibya. He would give a heavy thump on the thick nape of one of the horse’s neck. It would raise goose bumps on its body and the horse would immediately respond by pricking its ears. That is when Sri would start the incomprehensible ‘Ashwagita’ as if talking to himself. Those mute, innocent animals with their ears pricked and energized while listening to Sri, looked very different to me. Many a times I have observed that fascinating, extraordinary scene without blinking my eyes, from the window of my palace. Sri’s bluish muscular hand resting on the nape of the pure white horse’s neck was indeed captivating.
Once Sri boarded the chariot and signalled by raising his hand in the air, Daruka would pull the reins and give an inspiring call to the horses. My mind would then fill with an inexpressible yet strongly felt gloom in anticipation of the dullness that would engulf the island of Queens’ mansions till the evening. The Yadava king would be busy for the entire day in the daily routine of the Sudharma assembly.
In the evening, many tweeting ocean-birds would return to their nests. The sun would be about to set. The sound of the ocean that was surrounded by a variety of other sounds during the day would become clearer now. Sri’s chariot would return to the island. Daruka would take it to the stable. Sometimes Sri would have some political predicament on his mind. At such times, he would tell a Yadava fisherman to take a small boat out into the sea. Usually Balaramadada, Vipruthu, Satyaki, Anadhrishti, Kritavarma whoever was associated with that particular problem would accompany him at that time. In any case Uddhavabhauji would accompany him without fail. That time a pure white, triangular pennant visible from far away would fly atop that boat. The sound of a conch resembling the sound of the ocean, blown by the fisherman before pushing the boat in the western ocean would reverberate in the vicinity of the island. It would clearly indicate that, ‘The Lord of Dwaraka is busy in an important, secret political council’. The details of such council would never be revealed to anybody else.
On other evenings, he would practise sword fight, archery, horse riding, elephant riding and charioting. At sunset, he would again sit on the grass mat for the evening ‘Sandhya’ prayer. After the prayer of Goddess Ida, the traditional prayer of the Yadavas, Ishastavana, would begin. Following that would be his dinner time. He loved dishes made from curds and milk. He would savour apupas, soft cooked rice, rotis made from Sattu and chutney. He would also taste the meat of the prey hunted by dada and Satyaki in the Aanarta-Saurashtra region. No matter whatever kind of dinner it was, he would personally pay attention to others to make sure that they were served plenty of delicious dishes. He himself, however, would never eat a single morsel extra.
After dinner, he would converse with the family members and share their joys and sorrows. He would exchange his views in detail about any topic as per the occasion, such as the Vedas and Vedanta, Shastras-Puranas, dance-music etc. with the aacharyas and the priests. With baba, Thorali and Dhakali mata, Balaramadada, tai, Uddhavabhauji, he would discuss any religious or family functions scheduled for the next day.
The time-keeper in the central square of the island of Dwaraka would give the toll on the time disk indicating the beginning of the second quarter of night. At that time, wherever Sri would be, he would give a sweet smile to people around him, and joining his palms together he would say to them, “The karmayoga of this day has come to an end. I am not yours anymore.” His smile would be so enchanting that he never needed to say any more. While going towards his bed chamber, there would be no tinge whatsoever on Sri’s face of the joyous or doleful events of the day. At least to me he seemed like the sun god at dusk, about to immerse in the ocean.
The entire Aaryavarta nation now considered the Dwaraka kingdom as the puissant and dominant imperial capital. Revatitai and the three of us along with our attendants began living happily on the island of Queens’ mansions. Thorali and Dhakali mata stayed in the original Dwaraka due to old age. Along with the original Dwaraka the acclaim of the island of Queens’ mansions had spread all over. This island was now being called as ‘Maharani Rukmini’s island’. All kinds of amenities and luxuries were always available at our fingertips here. But for me looking at Sri’s face every day was the highest joy of all. The company of the newly arrived co-wives, Jambavati and Bhama, was assuring. Both were like sisters to me. Still, the memory of our lost son would occasionally flash through my mind like the sharp wail of a female lapwing. ‘Sri has told me that nothing has happened to him. I have full faith in his words. He will return at the right time. Then where would he be now? How old would he have become?’ I would be overcome with questions like these. But I never talked about my heartache with my two new companions.
Sometimes Revatitai would come to visit my palace, along with both her sons, Nishatha and Ulmuka, who were not far apart in age. She would always talk a lot about her Raivataka kingdom and more so about Mount Raivataka. She was very loquacious, simple and good-natured. She would highly praise her bhaujis – Gada and Sarana.
Once while chatting tai mentioned a very important thing. Her father, Maharaja Kakudmin always cordially received a sage from Prayaga of Madhyadesha. He had actually built a well-equipped aashrama on Mount Raivatak afor that sage. It was said that the sage was a former Yadava descendant from Mathura. Word was that he was very closely related to Sri and dada by blood. Nobody else except Maharaja Kakudmin knew about it. This Yadava descendant who had renounced family life went to the Himalayas, devotedly served Sage Angirasa and was inducted as his disciple. Since then this Yadava senior who was originally a Kshatriya had now become an Angirasa. He was well known as ‘Ghora Angirasa’ in the region of Prayaga.
Tai and I were very fond of Subhadra as she was the youngest among the ladies. She was indeed admirable. Sri himself had suggested the name Subhadra knowing her qualities. She was the apple of his eyes. He always respected her feelings. Sometimes he would tell her stories of his other favourite sister in Gokul – Ekananga. He would insist, ‘Subhadra, you should go to the Goku
l in Vraja once with dada and meet Ekananga; chat with her freely, and bring her with you when you come back.’ Simple Subhadra would listen to him, and just nod her head in affirmation. But when I heard Sri telling the same thing to Subhadra two-three times, once I interrupted saying, “Why only dada should accompany Subhadra? Sri himself should take her to Gokul, and visit all his beloved people once. You yourself should bring your dear sister Ekananga to Dwaraka.”
Sri would unmistakably deduce that my words were pointing towards Radha and say with a smile, “How can I ever go to Vraja now? This enormous kingdom of Dwaraka needs me!” He would usually be in a jolly mood, but if there was even a fleeting mention of Gokul, a minute expression of feeling lost would momentarily linger on his face. I would immediately sense it. At such times, looking at Sri I would strongly feel that I should go to Sri’s beloved Gokul on the banks of Yamuna at least once and meet Sri’s friend Radhika there. See Nandababa and Yashoda mata who nurtured Sri in his childhood. Touch their feet and pay obeisance.
Sri had four aatyas. They were Rajadhidevi, Shrutashrava, Shrutadevi and Kuntidevi. The senior Maharaja and Sri had a soft spot for Kunti aatya among them. That is why dada also held her close to his heart. There was a genuine reason for that. Kunti aatya had been courageously facing many improbable obstacles and calamities right since her childhood. I had never met any of Sri’s aatyas.
One day an unbearable, heart breaking news crossed over the western ocean and reached Dwaraka shaking the cheerful Dwaraka to its roots. ‘Rajmata Kuntidevi, along with the five Pandavas has fallen prey to wildfire in the Varanavata forest. Six completely charred bodies of a mother and her sons, which were beyond recognition, have been found in the burnt down house where they had resided. As they were in no condition to be brought to Hastinapura, they have been cremated in Varanavata itself. The corpse of Purochana, their only faithful attendant was also found in the same house. He has also been cremated there. With Prince Duryodhana’s initiative the present Maharaja Dhritarashtra, will perform their funeral rites on the banks of Ganga.’
Srikrishna- the Lord of the Universe Page 27
