Manvendra kept looking at the three men as they mounted off their chariots. His eyes were especially stuck on the one with peacock feather on his crown as he came towards him with the other two.
"Tall warrior of auspicious appearance but with a stoic countenance. You must be Yuddh-jeevi Manvendra." He said standing in front of the son of Vidur.
"Indeed I am. And you all must be Yadavas." Manvendra said.
"We are." The young looking man asked.
"Now I know you are the son of Vidur." The fair skinned one said.
"Manvendra, I am Krishna. He is Balram and that is Satyaki. We are the maternal cousins of the Pandavas." The one in front of Vidurputra said.
Manvendra stared at him for a moment, he didn't seem to be someone from this world, nor did he felt outworldly. He felt unknown yet familiar.
"Welcome to Kuru-rashtra." Manvendra said.
"Forgive us, but we cannot accept your welcome for now. We are here just to offer water oblations to our cousins for the sake of their lineage." Balram said.
It will make it more believable, Manvendra thought.
"Please go ahead." He said.
Balram and Satyaki left to make preparations, but Krishna stayed there. He had a sad smile on his face.
"Congratulations on your marriage." He said, causing Manvendra to look at him with a confused frown, "I had gotten the news." Krishna quickly added before he gets suspicious.
Manvendra just nodded not thinking much about it, Krishna raised a brow and looked at him with a knowing expression.
"You do not seem happy about it ?" He asked.
"Happiness.... Sadness.... I cannot feel anything." Manvendra said.
"I know." Krishna said, his face turned a little sad, as a sigh left his lips. "It was a cruel curse indeed. But not something that cannot be broken."
"What do you mean ?" Manvendra asked.
"Love can kill one, but also resurrect. It can damn one but also uplift. It can be a doom, it can be a blessing." Krishna said.
"Love is another mere emotion that I cannot feel. When wars couldn't stir anything in me, then how can something as silly as love ?" Manvendra argued.
"But something is stirring, is it not ?" Krishna asked with a knowing smile, as he kept his lotus like soft hand over the chest of Manvendra, as if touching his cursed heart.
Manvendra didn't know what it was about his touch, it was something indescribable. Whatever it was, it seemed to be taking away his exhaustion and restlessness of past three years. His touch was soothing both for the body and mind.
"You know why is that ? Because love is not just a mere emotion." Krishna said with a smile and then took back his hand.
"I am not sure." Manvendra said, keeping his hand right where Krishna had touched.
"But I am. After all, didn't Savitri too bring Satyavaan back from the dead ?" Krishna said.
"But I am not dead." Manvendra said.
"You're not exactly living either." Krishna said, "Trust me on this one, son." He assured smilingly.
"Am I not older than you ?" Manvendra asked, Krishna chuckled.
"No one is." He said as the son of Vidur looked at him amusedly.
"Kanha !" Balram called.
"Coming." Krishna said and then looked back at Manvendra, "I'll get going. And I think you should too. It's not good to keep the newly wedded wife alone and waiting." He told and then began walking away.
"Krishna ?" Manvendra called.
"Yes ?" Krishna turned back to look at him.
"You live in Dwarka, right ?" Manvendra asked.
"Look within. I reside in your heart as well." Krishna said with a smile.
"But we have just met." Manvendra said confused.
"Yes. But we have known each other from a long long time." Krishna said.
Manvendra didn't say anything on that, he just joined hands to bid his goodbye. But what Krishna told him, had gotten engraved in the back of his mind.
He went back to his horse, got mounted on it and then rode his way back to Varanasahrya, still thinking about his conversation with Krishna.
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A/N
Woh Bhagwaan jinke sparsh se Ashtvakra ke sharirk vakra dur ho gaye, jinke sparsh se kubja sundar ho gayi, jinke haatho se mrityu paa sabhi ne moksh Paya..... Unn Bhagwaan Shri Krishna ne Manvendra ke shrapit hridaye ko sparsh Kiya hai 😍😍
Uddhar toh nishchit hai 😍🙏
Btw, I wrote this chapter in Gokul 🌝✨
So for those interested in Psychology, if you are wondering is love an emotion or not.... Well even the psychologists are divided in this matter. Some say Love is an emotion, while others say Love is a set of many emotions.
Personally I subscribe to the second school of opinion.
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𝐑𝐀𝐔𝐃𝐑𝐀 𝐁𝐇Ā𝐕𝐀
Historical FictionFirst among 11 Rudras is Manyu, the war god, wielder of thunder and Slayer of foes. He is the one who brings wealth and health. Through him Vidur and his wife Sulabha beget a son, named Manvendra, who was fierce, queller of foes, follower of Dharma...
