Swayamvadhu : The Bride he Chose

10 : Marriage

He almost prepared his mind to accept this fortuitous incident as his fate...
On one side, he was not at all prepared to lead a conjugal life,at least not now...but on the other side,there stood his promises and responsibilities, which he has to fulfill..and finally putting his desires aside, arjun prepared his mind to accept this as his Destiny...to accept draupadi as his good fortune

Savyasachi took a deep breath and walked slowly towards chaluka...he looked directly into his orbs and stated
" If becoming my better half would retrieve her back,if this marriage would save her..then I'm ready..I'm ready to marry her and make her my ardhangini.."

His cold voice carried determination...if this could save a life and keep his promise,then he is ready..but what about his family then?
But Arjun didn't bother to think too far as now his focus is only on draupadi...

"Good decision prince...sit here..we have to do some preparations... finally an auspicious ceremony is going to happen here after years..." Chaluka's eyes beamed with joy whereas arjun passed a dry smile...

Arjun finally got relaxed..well not exactly,but got a physical relaxation as he sat on the rock under a big tree and his hazels travelled all around the surroundings...
His Hazels finally stopped it's journey at the figure of draupadi,who is going to become his ardhangini after a few minutes or hours may be...arjun leaned back to the trunk of the tree and closed his eyes...indeed he needs some rest...Slowly,arjun slipped into a light nap...

" putra arjun... don't worry...I'll happily accept whoever you bring with you as my putravadhu..."

Arjun got up startled, from his nap when he heard his beloved father's kind voice in his dreams...he touched his cheeks to find out that it's already got drenched in tears...he thanked his father silently, gazing fondly at the infinite sky above him...
Just then, chaluka called him and gestured him to come near to draupadi....arjun looked around to see the whole place was adorned with small earthen lamps... While arjun took a small nap,the sages arranged everything and also did a special veneration to indradev,to shower his blessings on his son and soon-to-be daughter in law.

Arjun slowly got up from the rock and walked towards draupadi and sat beside her...arjun saw chaluka slowly streching a huge leaf towards him, filled with flowers of different hues..arjun looked up at chaluka in amusement..

" Here's the garland, make her wear it.." chaluka replied as if he read Arjun's mind and arjun slightly nodded, taking that garland in his hands...

Arjun felt a myriad of emotions rushing into his mind ,when he adorned her swan like neck with the beautiful garland given by the Vamana sages...he took a glimpse of her face, which was still emitting the radiance of fire,with twinkling fresh tears in his Hazels... flowers showered from every corners as a blessing ,from that dwarf sages...

He dipped his forefinger and thumb into the scarlet vermillion kept on the leaf and took a pinch of it, between those fingers...he fixed his gaze on her desolated center partition and filled it with red vermillion immediately, by trailing his fingers over her partition...
He quickly wiped the Fresh drops of tears rolled down through his cheeks as he heard chaluka saying that the wedding, according to gandharvik rituals is complete now..and now they are husband and wife ....

Arjun got up from where he was sitting, fixing his gaze on his newly wedded wife..his swayamvadhu,the bride he choose...arjun carried draupadi in his arms..he walked towards the chief sage and knelt down before him to take blessings...

" May God bless you with all happiness ahead prince.." arjun heard the old sage blessing him and stood up with the mortal body of draupadi...

" What I want to do now rishivar..can I go inside...she will come back to life right?" Arjun again asked for a reassurance and saw the sage nodding his head positively...