Comforts Of The Palace {2nd Runner Up- Gem Awards}

Pursuit of Perfection

In the past week, this was the first time Urmila felt a weight had lifted off her shoulders. She was retiring to her chambers after a hectic day of work. Last week had been a train of emotions for her—emotions she couldn't openly express, a lack of confidence in herself that she couldn't let anyone know about. Everyone expected a lot from the royal family, not specifically from her.

She wondered what had happened to her. She was unsure about the decisions she was making in the household, and administrative matters were becoming increasingly difficult to understand. She had accepted that maybe she wasn't as worthy for these responsibilities as people believed. She feared failure and any trouble she might cause to others.

She questioned why she didn't fit in with her family. Her sisters were graceful, her brothers-in-law decisive, and her husband, Lakshman, was focused and dedicated. She knew he would do great things, but she was uncertain about how he cared for himself. Lakshman embodied a self-discipline seen by no one else.

Urmila, in some ways, was similar. At the beginning of the week, a matter was stuck in the people's court regarding the employment of widows and women abandoned by their families. She had been working rigorously on a policy, facing arguments and discussions. It was taking away her sleep and appetite. Guru Vashisht was strict, and he had asked her to be perfect with it. Internally, it questioned her entire being, making her believe she was taking on roles she wasn't meant for. But she didn't realize she was letting others question her.

It was until Mata Arundhati showed her a way, a way to herself that brought her back on track.

"Purti, if you keep taking everything they say personally, you'll never make a fair decision," Mata Arundhati advised.

Urmila listened quietly. "I don't need to tell you what needs to be done," Arundhati continued. "You, as a woman, have infinite divine feminine energy. It's a wise woman's vice to understand how to preserve one's energy and not absorb another's. If you don't believe in yourself, no one will."

"Believe me, Urmila, you are more than what you know. Your journey has just started."Urmila smiled a bit, caught in the shackles of self-doubt. Arundhati's words were successful in calming her down.

"You are young, and you've done more than expected. Life threw you the biggest challenge without options, and you had the courage to accept it. Living like this, it's an act of courage in itself. You let go of your sister, without whom you could have never imagined living apart. I don't know why the world doesn't see it, but there's strength in these decisions you made."

Arundhati's words brought tears to Urmila's eyes. It was embarrassing but also a reminder of the strength she possessed. She must have done something good in her past life to receive support and love from those around her.

"So you have to be there for women who have lost everything, without support. Be a hope for them, a welcome that listens and understands."Urmila's confidence returned.

"You're right, Mata. It isn't about me and my capabilities. It's about making things just for the masses."
She bowed down to Arundhati and touched her feet in gratitude.

Arundhati blessed her, "My dear Urmila, you are more than just a princess, a daughter, a sister, and even a wife. While it's said that a wife's duty supersedes all, it's up to women to maintain a fine balance in all relationships."

"The most important relationship a woman should have is with herself, accepting her own femininity, thoughts, beauty, capacity to love, even her capacity to endure pain."

"Knowing oneself gives strength," Urmila recalled Mata Gargi's wise words.

With Arundhati's guidance, she reached a common conclusion on the law and finalized the policy. This was her retiring to her chambers from Nandigram after regaining a new life purpose and hope.