It was a tumultuous morning in the village of Gokul as Nand prepared to leave for Mathura to pay annual tax to Kamsa.
"Aapko abhi hi jana hoga ?" Yashoda asked, cradling her little baby in her arms.
Nand nodded, "Ha Yashodey, Kamsa ko varshik kar toh dena hi hai."
"Parantu abhi toh lalla ka janm huya hai." Yashoda said.
"Jaane ko man toh mujhe bhi nahi hai. Man karta hai bas, lalla ka mukh dekhta rahu. Parantu.... Parantu Kamsa itna dayalu nahi." Nand sighed. He had to make sure to pay the taxes on time, to ensure the safety and well-being of his family and the people of Gokul.
Nand looked at his son, whose countenance seemed to be ever so smiling. Caressing his face, Nand cast one last glance at Yashoda, before climbing on his bullock-cart, where some trusted cowherds were already seated.
"Prasthaan." He said to the bullocky, who began driving the cart.
Yashoda watched him as he rode off into the distance. With a heavy heart, she muttered a prayer, "Hey Narayan, raksha karna."
And then suddenly she felt tiny fingers reaching out to her face, she looked down at the newborn in her arms, a smile automatically making its way on her lips, the little lord raised his arms and touched the forehead of Yashoda, moving his hands down her face clumsily, as if caressing her to ease her worries.
It seemed to work, as a chuckle left Yashoda's lips. Overwhelmed by the adorableness of her child, she showered his face with kisses, making him giggle. All her sorrows lifted just by a glance of his face.
After a long journey Nand arrived at Mathura, he was greeted by the tear-filled faces of the tormented people.
"Mera putra !"
"Woh Rakshasi mere bhi putra ka bhakshan kar gayi !"
The mothers kept lamenting as their newborns succumbed to death, before even getting a chance to know what life is like.
The streets were filled with despair and fear, and Nand's heart ached for them. But what could he do ? He just prayed for them, as the bullock cart rided past them.
Soon Nand and the cowherds approached the palace, their eyes were fixed on the imposing structure before then. As they entered the grand hall, he was met with the piercing gaze of Kamsa, who sat upon his throne with an air of arrogance and cruelty.
"Nand ? Aao aao !" The tyrant said with a twisted time.
Nand walked forward, holding the bag of gold coins in his hands. He approached the officer who had been assigned to collect the exorbitant tax burdening the people of Gokul and handed over the tax money. The cowherds followed closely behind, their arms laden with pots brimming with fresh milk and butter, and they gave it away as taxes.
"Sadev samaye par kar chukate ho tum." Kamsa said, loudly stamping on a paper. He handed it to an attendant, who swiftly made his way towards Nand.
Nand accepted the official paper from the attendant's trembling hands, and replied, "Manushya ko kisi bhi karya mei vilambh nahi karna chahiye."
"Satyavachan, Satyavachan." Kamsa said, "Parantu tumne ek sthaan par bahut vilamb kar diya."
"Kshama Maharaj ?" Nand looked at him confusedly.
"Putra." Kamsa chuckled, and in a mocking voice, he said, "Ab jaa ke tumhe putra huya hai. Jis aayu mei log vanprasth swikar lete hai."
"Bhagwaan ki kripa kab kispe kaise pad jaaye, kaun samajh sakta hai." Nand said humbly.
"Suna hai atyant manmohak hai woh." Kamsa said leaning back on his throne, "Kya naam hai ?"
"Abhi tak naamkaran sanskaar nahi huya hai, Maharaj." Nand said feeling a bit uneasy with the questions.
"Arthat abhi abhi janma hai. 10 din bhi nahi huye honge, kyu ?" Kamsa asked raising a brow.
"Ji Maharaj." Nand nodded.
Kamsa looked at Nand up and down, before a laugh escaped his lips, thinking that his son may become the next prey of Putana.
"Tab toh tumhe apne putra ke paas hona chahiye. Jaao." Kamsa said and in a joking manner said, "Tumhara putra dirghayu ho."
-------
When Vasudev came to know, that Nand had arrived in Mathura, and had paid his due taxes to Kamsa, the chief of Vrishnis didn't waste a single moment before rushing to the place where Nand was staying for the time being.
"Vasudev ?" Seeing him, Nand stood up from his seat, as if life has been bestowed to a dead man. He rushed towards Vasudev and embraced him dearly, relieved that his cousin was out of prison.
"Aayiye, padhariye !" Nand said and welcomed Vasudev in proper accordances and offered him a seat.
Once they were seated together, the cousins talked for sometime, asking about each other's wellbeing.
Vasudev said, "Bhai, tumhari avastha dhal chali thi, aur ab tak tumhe koi santaan nahi huyi thi. Yaha tak ki tumne santaan ki aas hi chhod di thi. Yeh saubhagya ki baat hai ki tumhe putri praapt ho gayi."
"Putri ?" Nand frowned, "Mujhe putra huya hai, Vasudev."
The son of Shurasen sadly looked at the son of Paranjay, keeping a hand on his shoulder, Vasudev said, "Woh mera putra hai Nand."
And then he told Nand, everything that had transpired by the will of the lord on the night of Rohini Nakshatra, how he swapped the babies with the help of divinity and then how Kamsa hurled the baby who took on the form of a goddess and left after giving a warning.
Nand became speechless after listening to that, his mind couldn't fathom the intricacies and plan of the divine play. The incomprehensible leela of Narayan.
"Bhale woh putra mera hai, parantu chuki woh tumhare aur Yashoda ke dwara palan kiya jaayega, woh tum dono ko hi Mata Pita kahega." Vasudev said.
"Bhagwaan bhi kaisi leela rach rahe hai." Nand muttered.
Vasudev said, "Bhai, tumne Kamsa ko uska varshik kar chuka diya hai. Hum dono bhi mil chuke hai, aur tumhe ab satya ka bhi gyaan ho chuka hai. Ab tumhe yaha adhik din nahi rukna chahiye. Gokul mei badi badi aapda aane wali hai."
"Kamsa chup toh nahi baithega." Nand nodded, and then joined his hands.
Vasudev held the hands of Nand, looking at him in a pleading manner, "Kripiya yeh rahasya kisi ko mat batana."
"Aap chinta na kare, yeh baat hum dono ke bich hi rahegi." Nand assured.
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A/N
So this is how Nand baba comes to know about the truth.
Ab hoga Putana uddhaar ✨✨
One of our fav childhood stories 😍✨
Well I'm realising that this book is gonna be very nostalgic for many of us, because of all adventures of Krishna ✨
Also.... PRAN PRATISTHA HO HI GAYA !😍🙏🙏
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HARIHARESHWARI 15 : Namami Braj Nayakam
Historical FictionAmarsri is spellbound, Srinav is mesmerized. The gods and goddesses are charmed, while the humans are bewitched. The animals are enthralled, birds are enraptured, and the trees are captivated. And who wouldn't be? For the supreme God himself has des...
