Aahana
A normal girl turned into a samragyi
A daughter turned into a wife
A wife turned into a mother
From being brother less, she turned into a sister to four brothers.
Unaware of her reality, she walked into an unfamiliar life only to emerge lik...
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Author's POV
The day the family of pandavas was dreading was here. It was time for Shri Krishna to go back to his abode, Dwaraka. After informing the guards, Kunti entered his chamber.
She looked at him, who sat there in absolute silence and calm as if in a meditating state. The serenity on his face never failed to calm the chaos. Her eyes fell on his feet, the feet which were destination of crores of devotees who were just waiting for him to choose them and give them a place in his feet. With slow and silent steps, she approached him.
Shri Krishna suddenly felt a pair of rough yet soft hands touching his feet, bringing him out of his own world. His eywbrows furrowed as he found kunti, his aunt in his feet.
"Bua, what are you doing?" Shri Krishna asked shocked by her sudden actions.
"It's not an aunt touching her nephew's feet but a devotee seeking refugee in parmatma's feet." Shri Krishna smiled slightly at her words.
"Technically I should be the one giving you a farewell gift but this old woman has nothing to give you. You are parabrahma parmeshwar. Will you give me something I ask for?" She looked up at him expectedly while he nodded in return.
"Please fill my life with hardships and sorrows." Her unusual demand made Shri Krishna confused.
"Bua, whenever someone has to ask me for something, they ask for is happiness, all their hardships to go away. Why are you asking for more hardships? After so long you have got to live a peaceful life, a life you deserve." Kunti chuckled at his question.
"What will we do with this peace Krishna? You won't be there with us to enjoy this peace. When we had hardships, you were there with us at every moment. Now that we have a smooth life, you are leaving. Don't you think hardships are better that way?" Shri Krishna couldn't help but smile. Such pure devotion was rare. There were numerous devotees who came up with endless wishes but never has anyone asked for hardships just to be with him.
"Bua, when have I really left my true devotees? I might be leaving Hastinapur but I'm not leaving you all." Kunti understood, he too was bound by his worldly responsibilities as a husband, a father and Dwarakadheesh. She rested her forehead on his feet and spoke a few words as his stuti.
Bowing down his lotus feet, she got up with her palms joined. He blessed her extending his right palm towards her.
He then met Karna, Yudhishthir, Bheem, Nakul, Sahadev and Arjun.
Draupadi looked at her best friend, her confidant with glistening eyes.
"Now you are leaving Govind."
"I have to Panchali. My work here is done. It's time that I focus on other responsibilities."
"But who will take care of me now Govind. I trust no one but you." Shri Krishna smiled at her.
"I never saved you Draupadi. It was your chastity, your austerity and purity. They are your strength. You are powerful because of your inner strength. Hence, you will be one of the panchkanyas, women whose mere name can cure sins of births." Shri Krishna blessed Draupadi as he touched his lotus feet to seek his blessings.
Shri Krishna smiled as Varad and Varnika ran towards him followed by Aahana.
"They must be the first children who are so excited to go away from their own home to study." Aahana shook her head as the twins giggled, clinging on to Shri Krishna's legs. He chuckled before Draupadi added.
"Why not? It's not at their home that they get full permission and support to do all mischievous activities from an elder." She gave a side - knowing glance to Shri Krishna.
"Well, they are kids. They should be having fun. Adult life will be boring nevertheless. So why not let them enjoy this stage of their lives to the fullest." Both women chuckled and shook their heads at him. Draupadi took the twins towards the gate of the palace while Shri Krishna and Aahana trailed behind silently.
"Bhaiya, when will we meet again?" Aahana asked loud enough for only him to hear. He smiled slightly, the smile that did not reach his eyes, the one that held pain.
"You know it won't be anytime soon." Aahana let out a watery chuckle knowing the meaning behind his words.
On reaching the gates, they both hugged each other. Parting ways promising to meet again, be it late but again.
Biding everyone a goodbye, Shri Krishna left with the twins, his chariot leaving a cloud of dust behind. The sight of his disappearing chariot was painful for everyone.
Soon everyone went back to their work and responsibilities. Aahana was walking towards the library when she met Gandhari on her way. Not wanting to have any kind of interaction with her, Aahana continued walking towards her destination when Gandhari stopped her.
"Did Krishna leave?" Gandhari asked Aahana making her stop in her tracks.
"Why? Was there any curse that you did not impose on him?" Aahana asked sarcastically making Gandhari uncomfortable.
"I wanted to speak to him before he left. To apologize once again." Aahana chuckled bitterly as soon as the words left Gandhari's mouth.
"You know Maharani, you are one person who makes me realize that having a voice doesn't make you strong but using it on time does. When you have to curse someone, when you have to stop your filthy sons being cursed, you raised your voice so loud that it reached the heavens but when you had to stop your husband, your sons and your brother from doing what they were doing, you had a blindfold to your lips too. You were well aware of everyone's intentions yet they only people you raised your voice against was bhaiya, I and Bhrata Karna. Rest were just innocent in your eyes." Aahana shook her head, pitying Gandhari for her life.
"Look where it got you now." Gandhari lowered her head, feeling ashamed of her own doings in her life.
"Aahana, they were my sons. You have also lost your son. Our pain is sa-"
"Don't you dare Maharani Gandhari." Aahana raised her voice slightly, her tone strict and stern.
"Don't you dare compare our pain or our sons. My son was a warrior, a valorous warrior who died fighting for the honor of his kingdom unlike your sons who died because of their own actions. I can hold my head high while I speak of him but you, you can never gaze away from the floor while you speak of your sons." Saying so, Aahana stormed off towards the library leaving Gandhari drown in her own sorrow and guilt.
What made her more guilty was the words of Barbarik who told the truth about the war. She realized how wrong she was to blame everyone. Now she had no choice but to live with this guilt all alone, all her life.
