Beauty and the Beast

28

Narasimha opened his eyes and looked at her. "Ah.. there he is. Fortune is all mine that he finally decided to grace me with netra darshana." She playfully taunted him.

Narasimha just watched her. Nobody else would ever argue or taunt him. Only her. A luxury she saves for herself because if a commentry in that tone comes from anyone else, her eyes turn red quite soon.

"Your devotees have been so eagerly waiting for you and you do not even take a look at them." She complained. Narasimha turned to look at the sanyaasi.

The sanyaasi had a bright smile on his face and moved his head understanding Hari's leela.

"Ugra Narasimha, Jwala Narasimha. Yoga Narasimha, Prahlada varada Narasimha, Chatravata Narasimha." He counted. He looked at Chenchita, "Amma, who is able to have Vishnu darshan without Sri giving her permission? So many have returned without being heard by him because you did not give them permission. I don't want anyone to ever leave without being heard by Sri Narasimha. So, my request is that you stay here right next to him."

Chenchita smiled and nodded. She walked up to Narasimha and he pulled her over his lap on his left.

All the Rishis, Devas, the hunters and the sanyaasi bowed down to them. "Malola Narasimha. Sri Ramaa Nutha, Bhaktavatsala Prasanna Varada, Sri Lakshmi Narasimha mama dehi sharana..." He bowed down to them.

"From today, I would be known as Malola Narasimha as you have lovingly addressed me as." Narasimha declared.

The hunters all just watched all of the proceedings. They had never ever imagined that someone they almost grew up with was Sri Mahalakshmi. Vasundhara they relied on for their livelihood was living right among them. The Goddess who was the Empress of Arani Devi herself.

They remembered her as the mischievous little girl who played with them for hours. The girl who played with tiger cubs and hunted along with them. The girl who teased them and lived with them.

Taranga didn't want to believe it. This wasn't some goddess. She was her little girl. Her Chenchita. The girl who always came back covered in mud and leaves. The girl who raised tiger cubs when their mother was killed by another tiger for territory. The one who slept on the tree branches along with leopards. The girl who bathed with elephants.

Taranga walked away, unable to stand all of it. All of them were taking away her daughter from her.

"Taranga, what is this? You just walked away." Sagara asked her, slightly angry.

"This is not what I want to be a part of. She is my daughter. Now, I will be kept away from her. To even see her, they will put restrictions. The priests will gather and make all kinds of rules."

"She is his wife, now, Taranga. She is the woman of his home. Wouldn't it be natural that his people become her? She is expected to care for them first. We married away our child, Taranga. She isn't your little Chenchita anymore. She is Sri Chenchita, the consort of Narasimha. It is natural that they will all treat her as a Goddess."

"Then what of me? Do I have no right on my daughter? You and I only gave three parts of Kanya daana not four. She is still my daughter even if she is consort of Narasimha. I have right on my daughter and I do not want any of these people coming around and taking her away from me."

"Amma..." They both looked behind and saw Chenchita standing there. Sagara passed a glare to Taranga for not minding her words and chuckled at his daughter.

"It is nothing, ra, chinna. Your mother is just being silly. Ignore her. Old age is catching up with her and she is going a bit mad. You look after the guests. It is a host's duty to take care of guests. They aren't just humans, your guests are devas. We shouldn't send them dissatisfied." Sagara told her.