Premalaya~ Padmavati Srinivasa

Chapter 2

"But Kanha...." Her quivering voice trailed off, scared of the reaction she would recieve

He smiled softly

"Please go ahead, Maiyya" The ever charming Dwarakanatha prodded her, his eyes ever warm and reassuring.

Yashoda swallowed the lump in her throat
"I raised you. Though I did not birth you, god knows I love you more than anything else in this world. I saw you grow into a fine young lad from the blue baby that you were at the time of your birth. The only phase that I did not witness was you getting married." She paused to take a breathe

"You are Vishnu. You are Rama. You married Janakasuta by stringing the enormous Pinaka in treta Yuga, and you again married the very same Janakasuta several times in several forms, this time around in Dwapara. When the whole world gets to witness the reunion of Hari and Hiranmayi eight times, what sin did this unfortunate mother of yours has done, that I do not get to see it at least once?" She asked, tears flowing out of her eyes

Krishna shook his head, and wiped her tears gently. He might be the owner of all those titles that his Maiyya bestowed upon him not moments ago, but he still couldn't see his Maiyya cry

"Please don't say so, Maiyya. I am your son, and I wish to be remembered as Yashodanandana for as long as the world exists" He paused

"As of my wedding, Maiyya, your son promises you, that in my next avatara as Srinivasa, you will be my mother and my wedding with Sridevi's Avatara will be accomplished by you." Krishna's voice rang around, as if predicting the future

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Vakuladevi opened her eyes. The dream kept on playing in her mind, making her head spin. Was the lady in the dream her own past self? Who was the man then, who closely resembled her dear son Srinivasa? She shut her eyes tightly

Was her son really the Vishnu of Kaliyuga?

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Now, miles away from the forest in which Vakuladevi and her son lived, was the Chola kingdom, ruled by a king named Aksha Raja

This King had a wife named Dharani Devi, who was a devotee of Devi Mahalakshmi. After remaining childless for years together, they had found a baby girl in a lotus, buried deep inside the earth (Yes, Yes, Maa officially loves to be a Bhumija time and time again)

While many had opposed adopting her, saying that she might not be of royal bloodline, Aksha Raja and his wife had already accepted the girl as their daughter.

Aksha Raja had stated that yugas ago, even the king of Mithilla, Janaka, had found a baby girl in the same way as they did, and the rest is history.

Now, in Kaliyuga, the kingdom Mithilla and it's King are known by the name of that baby girl who grew up to become the bravest woman the world has ever seen, the Shakti of Daashirathi Rama, the Lakshmi of treta yuga and an impregnable empress, Devi Sita.

In the same way, Aksha Raja believed, his Daughter would be the reason the world would remember his name.

"Padmavati" He whispered
"The one born out of a lotus"

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"Om namo narayanaya namaha!"

She chanted the mantra continuously, while showering her lord's feet with flower petals.

Padmavati. That's what people called her, the one born out of a lotus. She was a beautiful maiden, the most desirable one in the entire land. Her eyes were of hazel shade, and they mirrored all the purity in the world. Her hair was as soft as silk, and curled at the ends. Her tresses reached her knees, and her complexion was that of molten gold. Her forehead housed a deep red bindi and gold earrings dangled down her ears. Her body was covered in the richest of the fabrics and her hands were adorned with diamond bangles and modest pearl jewellery sat on her neck elegantly. She was the princess of Chola kingdom, in all her glory.