Krishnapriya Devashree

40.The Talk

Balrama grabbed Krishna by his bicep and whisked him away to a secluded corner behind a pillar of the palace.

"Ow Dau! What are you doing? What will the daasis think?" Krishna berated his brother, releasing himself from his tight grip on his arm, looking to see if anyone saw his clingy dau.

"Kanha," Balram began, his voice low, a barely contained chuckle threatening to break through his serious demeanor. "Savdhan ho jao Kanha! Pitashree is coming to talk to you."

"Haan so? Let him come." Krishna shrugged.

"Arey, Pitashree is on his way to have 'the talk' with you." Balrama wispered in Krishna's ear, his tone grave and serious.

Krishna was momentarily puzzled, but then understanding dawned on him, and a mischievous smile played on his lips. "The talk? You mean, he's decided to educate me on the mysteries of the... birds and the bees?"

Balram nodded, his attempt at a grave face crumbling into a wide grin. "Yes, that very one.I received it before my marriage. And if I know our Pitashree, he's probably rehearsing his speech, finding the right words to explain the, uh, pollination process, without turning into a ripe tomato."

Krishna laughed, leaning against the pillar. "Ah, dau,do you think he'll bring diagrams and scrolls for visual diagrams?"

"I wouldn't put it past him," Balram snorted, shaking his head. "He might even call the sages and scriptures, just to ensure the purity of the message."

Krishna's laughter echoed through the garden, bright and clear.

"Imagine, the great texts and sages brought to teach such a... delicate subject. Do you think I should feign ignorance, ask pointed questions to see how far he's prepared to go?"

Balram joined in the laughter, imagining the scene.

"That would be a sight to see. But, anuj, remember that pitashree is doing this out of love and a sense of duty. Though, I suspect, he's more nervous about it than you are.Take it with the gravity it deserves but remember, if you need to hide your laughter, think of something solemn. Like me wrestling a bear."

"That would only make me laugh harder," Krishna quipped, imagining the scenario.

"Oh, before I forget," Balram said, leaning against the pilllar, a twinkle of mischief in his eye. "Let me share with you my experience of 'the talk' with Pitashree. It might just prepare you for what's coming, or at least, give you a good laugh."

Krishna, intrigued and eager for a humorous anecdote, nodded. "Please, do tell."

Balram cleared his throat, adopting a mock-serious tone. "Well, it was many years ago, as you might imagine. Father approached me with the same seriousness.He began with the importance of duty, as expected, and then ventured into the territory of... marital responsibilities."

Krishna, leaning in, prompted, "And how did you manage to keep a straight face?"

Balram chuckled. "Oh, it was a challenge. Especially when he started using metaphors involving farming. 'Sowing seeds', 'tilling the soil', you get the idea. I was half expecting him to pull out a plough and demonstrate."

Laughter burst from Krishna, the image of Vasudev lecturing a young Balram with farming analogies was too vivid and amusing.

"You know, Kanha, during my talk with pitashree, he was so engrossed in explaining the 'sacred union' that he completely missed the monkeys mimicking him from the tree above. It was as if nature itself decided to join in on the lesson."

Krishna, intrigued and amused, couldn't help but chuckle. "Really? Monkeys, you say? How did you keep from bursting into laughter?"

Balram grinned, the memory clearly a cherished one. "Oh, it was a huge effort. Every time pitashree mentioned 'harmonious union', the monkeys... well, they were quite enthusiastic in their demonstrations. I had to pretend I was coughing to cover up my laughter."