The kingdom of Indraprastha was extremely vibrant ,as its people were overjoyed to celebrate Krishna's birthday. Floral decorations and rangolis were being created in every part of the palace ,in every street .Dancers wore beautiful attire and danced gracefully ,portraying Krishna's childhood ,his mischievous deeds when he was a child ,his heroic adventures when he killed all the asuras and protected his people .Musicians sang beautiful bhajans and played different ragas on their instruments,glorifying his divinity ,his compassion ,his powers and his loving nature towards everyone .Children dressed up as him , and even imitated as him by stealing butter and breaking the pots ,and really it was so much adorable to watch them do so .
At the palace ,everyone were in their finest attire and amidst everyone stood my beloved lord ,his radiance illuminating the whole place .And he looked so ,so much handsome that I could barely keep my eyes off him .The Pandavas were overjoyed to have him at their place on the special occasion .Draupadi ,Subhadra and the other women made delicious sweetmeats and churned lots of butter ,his favourite .
I prepared myself for the day and walked towards the royal kitchen ,and offered some help .I even made my favourite Pedhas and Seedai ,which me and my mother would always make on the occasion of Janmashtami every year .And as I did , I would find Krishna standing near the doorway with a mischievous glint in his eye ,very often .He knew that I was making delicacies for him ,and it seemed that he couldn't resist the temptation to taste them .
The day went on beautifully ,filled with vibrant colours and the music of Veena ,Sitar ,Tablas and Flute filling the air .Priests and Brahmans conducted various yagnas .And then came the favourite moment of mine - showcasing my painting in front of everyone .Krishna being a wonderful actor ,pretended as if he saw the painting for the first time ever .The way his eyes widened in surprise ,the way he appreciated me ,everything was so adorable .But deep inside we both knew about the secret moments during last night ,how we both painted the painting together .Everyone appreciated me wholeheartedly ,and it was an amazing experience and feeling for me .
As the day moved on ,everyone played by throwing colours and flowers on each other ,and this moment was the most favourite thing for Krishna .He became like a mischievous boy again ,wild and free , and threw colours on every person whom he laid eyes on .I hid behind a pillar and observed him silently .I giggled mischievously and took some flowers in my hand . I stood behind him and suddenly threw all the flowers on him .Krishna turned around and his gaze locked with mine ,grinning mischievously "You shouldn't have done that ....." he whispered .
I squealed in delight and ran away from there immediately ,with Krishna right behind me .I dodged and weaved through the crowd ,giggling playfully and finally reached a secluded temple .The sun set over the kingdom of Indraprastha ,casting a golden and ethereal light on the palace .I panted slightly ,after the chase and thought that I had evaded his grasp .But as I thought I heard footsteps behind me ,light and deliberate .I gasped softly as I turned back to look .
"Princess Godha ,I believe that you have started a war by throwing flowers on the Lord of Dwarka ,without his permission or knowledge .So prepare yourself for the consequences of your actions ." Krishna whispered ,grinning mischievously at me as he stepped closer .
"But I didn't do anything ....." I giggled as I stepped back slowly .
"Oh really ? Well I don't think so . Besides ,a war started should always be finished .And I am going to do that job ." He grinned and suddenly grasped my hand ,pulling me closer .
"Your punishment is a dance with me ,under the stars and falling flowers ." He whispered and suddenly snapped his fingers .Vibrant flowers started to shower on us from nowhere ,creating a magical scene .Krishna spun me around ,and lead me into a beautiful dance .
"You are very troublesome ,Krishna ! Always trying to keep me up on my toes !" I protested playfully as I danced .Krishna just chuckled and pulled me closer ,his hands around my waist "Oh Godha ,you like it if I am being a bit troublesome and wicked ,don't you ? And besides ,you should have thought about it before you threw flowers on me ,without my notice ."
I hit his shoulders playfully "You are being too mischievous today .What's wrong with you!"
"Aah ,cruel girl ! Your blows are so mighty that I might fall down !" He clutched his chest and pretended to stumble back ,and then suddenly grasped my hands "Now you are going to pay for that !" He whispered playfully ,sending shivers down my spine. He swept me in his arms ,cradling me close to his chest and spun around .His laughter echoed through the garden and I wrapped my arms around his neck tightly ,squealing in delight and happiness . It was a moment of joy and unlimited happiness ,with Krishna so close to me as my beloved lover .
He stopped spinning and held me closer ,gazing into my eyes lovingly .He reached out and brushed a strand of hair behind my ear .
"You look adorable when you laugh ,Godha .I could see you laughing and smiling forever ." He said softly ,smiling . I giggled softly as I looked at him "Aren't you being a bit....romantic ?"
"Perhaps...." He winked at me ,making me blush . "But you love me like that ,don't you ? I am your friend ,your companion ,your mentor and even your lover ."
"You are being possessive ,Krishna ?" I teased playfully .His eyes sparkled with amusement and chuckled in a low tone "Of course I am possessive ,Godha . I am very much possessive and protective of what's mine, and you , my dear are definitely mine ."
I giggled softly and pulled his ears and twisting them "You are very mischievous !"
He struggled and stumbled back ,as if he had been struck with a mortal wound "Oh Godha ,have mercy ...I promise to be on my best behaviour ." He pleaded to me ,but as I looked into his eyes ,I knew that he was enjoying all this ,the way how I teased him and joked with him .
"So ,did you see how everyone at Indraprastha are overjoyed to celebrate your birthday ?" I asked enthusiastically as I looked at the festivities from afar .Krishna nodded in agreement ,smiling initially ,but soon his smile faltered and his gaze turned serious "But soon ...I would have to leave ."
"Leave ? But..but why ?" I asked worriedly .
"Shalva , the king of Saubha and Dantavakra , the king of Karusha, Shishupal's close friends and Jarasandha's allies will be soon invading my kingdom Dwarka and exploit its resources in my absence . I must soon go and protect my kingdom from harm ." He said .
"But ,are others aware of it ?" I asked .
"I had informed all the Yadava warriors to be vigilant and alert ,as I had foreseen it .But I have to leave for Dwarka soon ." He said thoughtfully .
"I will also come with you Krishna ,I too long to see you in battle....." As I spoke ,he gently raised his hand and silenced me "Godha ,not this time .I can't take you along with me ,even if you are invisible .Shalva has a divine Vimana named Saubha ,which was given by Lord Shiva himself ,and it is too powerful and disastrous .I want you to stay in the palace ,once we reach Dwarka .Please ,you have to understand me .I want you to be safe ."
I nodded slowly ,without any further questioning .
The next day ,the Pandavas bid farewell to Krishna reluctantly .They wanted him very much ,especially Yudhishthira .Krishna had helped him in forming trade agreements with the other kingdoms ,in creating powerful military defences to protect the kingdom and even forming peace proposals with the enemies .He even trained Panchali how to run and handle the administrative and financial affairs of a kingdom and she proved to be an excellent stateswoman .
Krishna pacified and encouraged all the five brothers ,and advised Yudhishthira on how to be a righteous ,noble king .
As he turned towards Draupadi, his eyes moisten slightly .He glanced at the piece of sari pallu at his finger .Draupadi had tended to his wound affectionately as a sister ,after his finger got hurt by the blades of the Sudarshana Chakra while killing Shishupal .
"Panchali ,whenever you need me ,don't hesitate to call me . I shall always come for you ,whenever you call me ." Krishna spoke in a low tone .Draupadi smiled gently and touched his feet "I will Sakha ,I will ."
As we made our way back to Dwarka ,I could sense the underlying tension beneath Krishna's calm demeanour .He drove the chariot silently ,looking intently at the horizon beyond .He was not only worried about Shalva and Dantavakra's invasion over Dwarka ,but also the unexpected turn of events which the Pandavas and Draupadi had to face soon , the humiliations they had to face . He knew that since he was not there to guide , the Pandavas would surely accept the invitation for the game of dice ,since it was their weakness .The kingdom of Dwarka came into view as we approached and as neared the palace ,Krishna gestured me towards a secret passageway "Godha ,walk through this and you'll reach into the palace ." He spoke in a low and urgent voice .I nodded slowly and walked towards the passageway .As I walked ,I suddenly turned towards him "Be careful Krishna ..." I said softly .Krishna smiled at me gently and nodded in agreement ,before riding away into the battlefield. I could hear the clashing of steel and metal . But I knew that Krishna would take care of everything .
As I reached the palace , I took Krishna's golden flute and started to play it ,meditating him deeply .
"Oh Krishna ,Oh Madhava...."
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I opened my eyes and found myself at the palace of Hastinapur .The palace ,unlike the other days ,was not lively or pleasant .The atmosphere seemed to be very gloomy and filled with negativity .The corridors were dark and the lamps casted eerie shadows on the walls .Something was definitely wrong .I walked through the corridors silently .I was invisible ,but still I felt highly uncomfortable and being watched by someone .As I walked silently ,I suddenly heard the loud sound of malicious laughter ,booming across the palace corridors .It came from the court room and as I hurried there to see what was happening ,I realised the harsh truth - the game of dice was going on ,and it seemed that the Pandavas had lost everything in the game ,their wealth ,their servants ,their elephants ,their horses ,their chariots and other assets .They even lost their status as warriors and even their royalty .Yudhishthira had staked his brothers one by one , and even himself .After losing all the matches ,now they all became as servants .And it was Duryodhana, whose malicious laughter echoed through the palace .He was clearly satisfied after watching the Pandavas lose everything ,thanks to his even more malicious uncle Shakuni .
"So ,what will be your next stake ?" He questioned Yudhishthira..
"We don't have anything to put at stake .We have lost everything ." Yudhishthira replied .
"Lost everything ? I don't think so . You still have something very precious ." Duryodhana spoke up ,and paused as he glanced at Shakuni "You still have Panchali ."
Bhima's rage filled eyes snapped up instantly as he heard him say ,and he clenched his fists in anger "Duryodhana ,how dare you speak so ?" He growled .
"Silence ,servant ! Know your place !" Duryodhana shouted back ,silencing him and then turned towards Yudhishthira again "Let us play another match .I'll put my wife ,Bhanumati ,the princess of Kalinga ,at stake."
Yudhishthira didn't even think about it once. His brothers protested ,begging him to stop .But he never listened and accepted the match "I stake my wife ,as well" .And as the dice rolled ,it resulted in favour of Shakuni ,thus making the Pandavas lose everything ,even their wife.
Duryodhana turned towards the doorkeeper , Pratikami "Go and summon Draupadi .Make sure that she comes here ." He commanded .Pratikami bowed his head and rushed out from the court room .After some moments he returned ,his head hung low "You're majesty ,Queen Draupadi asks that whether Yudhishthira staked himself first ,before staking her .Because if he had staked himself first ,he has no right over her ." He stammered nervously ,trembling .
Duryodhana's eyes flashed with anger and rage as he heard him say. "Whom do you call a king or a queen ? They are all my servants , no more royals ! And how dare she questions like this ? Go again and tell her that I command her to come here , and present herself at the court ."
Pratikami nervously nodded his head and rushed out again the second time .After some moments he returned again ,this time even more nervous and fearful .
"Where is she ? Why hasn't she come yet ?" Duryodhana questioned in a loud voice .
"My ....my lord ,she ..she asks the elders whether is it appropriate to come in the court or not .." Pratikami stammered severely ,his voice shaking with fear .Duryodhana stood up immediately and his face darkened with anger "How dare she ? Doesn't she know that she is no position to speak against or question me ? I think she should be summoned here by force ." He spoke menacingly .
Vidura ,who was standing silently ,now spoke up "Duryodhana ,be in your limits ! Draupadi is an incarnate of the divine goddess herself . This behaviour of yours shall lead to the destruction of the Kuru dynasty . You are crossing the boundaries of Dharma ." He turned towards Dhritarashtra ,pleadingly "My king ,please explain your son and ask him to stop ,before things get worse ."
Before Dhritarashtra could say anything ,Duryodhana shouted and argued arrogantly "Yudhishthira has lost the match and thus ,he loses his wife ! And rightfully they all are my servants ,including that woman !"
He beckoned his brother Dushassana to come forward "Go Dushassana . Go and bring that arrogant lady , who dared to call me blind in front of everyone .Drag her by her long ,black tresses and make sure that I hear her screams and cries .Use force , wherever necessary .It's time she realised her grave mistake ."
Everyone present at the court looked at him with a shock after hearing his statement .The Pandavas's eyes were blazing in anger and they tried to confront him ,but were silenced eventually .The elders of the court tried to warn him of the dreadful consequences of his immoral behaviour ,but he paid no heed to them . He was determined to have Draupadi brought here and get his revenge .
I rushed to Draupadi's chambers and saw her ,sitting on a couch and accompanied by her attendants .I could see the pain and turmoil in her eyes . And then her eyes snapped up suddenly towards the door ,where she saw Dushassana standing at the entrance ,his eyes gleaming with an evil intent .The attendants became afraid after sensing his presence and ran away from there .Dushassana entered the place ,his eyes fixed intently on Draupadi .It was as if a predator was hunting it's prey .
"Your master Duryodhana has summoned you twice and yet you stay within here ? How dare you disobey your master's orders ?" Dushassana roared in anger .
"Be in your limits ! I am the Queen of Indraprastha ,and the daughter in law of the Kuru Dynasty ! I shall not be intimidated by you or your foolish brother ! How dare you enter in my chambers ?" Draupadi stood up tall and raised her voice .
"Queen ? You are no more a queen ,but a slave of the Kauravas .And your husbands have lost everything ,including themselves and now even you .So stop being so stubborn and start behaving like a slave !" Dushassana spoke in a malicious tone and stepped forward towards her .
"Please ,let me go .I can't come to the court ." Draupadi pleaded ,trying to reason with him ,but he in return slapped her hard and she fell down on the floor with a thud .
Draupadi was taken aback by his audacity ,got up frantically and tried to walk away from that place to get help .She hurried towards the door ,but unfortunately Dushassana grabbed her by her hair and threw her on the floor again .My heart sank deeply as I saw the scene unfolding before me .Draupadi stood ,her whole body trembling and took the support of the nearby furnitures .But he grasped her hair again and started to drag her away from the chambers .
"Let me go ,you evil ! You are making the greatest sin !" Draupadi protested as he yanked her and dragged her through the palace corridors .She kicked her legs and hit his arms wildly, trying to break free .But she was no match for his brutal force .
"Help ! Someone ,please help ! Protect me !" She screamed and shouted for help ,and her voice boomed across the palace corridors. But the attendants and guards were too afraid to intervene ,and they hid behind the pillars and curtains .They could do nothing but watch the daughter in law of the Kuru Dynasty getting dragged ruthlessly and mercilessly .
Dushassana slapped her hard whenever she resisted and threw her on the floor .Her ornaments were gone ,her face injured and swollen at some parts ,her eyes red rimmed with tears . She looked around helplessly ,hoping that someone would come and help her .
"You dared to defy our orders .Now ,face the consequences !" Dushassana sneered maliciously and grabbed her hair again ,pulling her towards court room .
I stood there in the shadows silently ,watching the dreadful scene unfold before me .