Hari Priya

The Beginning

Word Count :- 1610

SECTION I

Gokul, a beautiful and peaceful village, lies beside the clear waters of the Yamuna River. The river sparkled under the blue sky, and the air was filled with the sweet smell of flowers like jasmine and champa. Green fields and groves of trees with bright flowers surrounded the village.

Gokul was filled with beauty and happiness, but the whole village was currently dealing with the mischievous Kumar of Gokula – the son of Yashoda. He had enchanted everyone from the day he was born.

At the tender age of 3, the boy would roam around in the forests, his beauty unmatched. His face was soft like the moon, his eyes like lotus petals, and his curly hair and baby voice could melt the hearts of the Gopis who fondly played with their little Kanha.

"Kanha!" Yashoda screamed for her son, running around her home. He had gone on another adventure.

"Hey Narayan!" Yashoda gasped, seeing her 3-year-old son sitting atop a tree. She looked at the calf beside him and questioned herself, "How can a calf climb a tree? Am I losing my mind?"

"Ma—Maiya!!" Kanha laughed, clapping his hands. He giggled and took a mouthful of mud, making Yashoda even angrier.

"Kanha! Ye kya kar rahe ho tum?" Yashoda ran towards him, hastily picking him up.

"Kitni baar mana kiya hai maine, phir bhi tumne mati khayi na," Yashoda scolded, glaring at her son. Kanha made an innocent face, on the verge of crying.

"Ma—maiyaaa, main nahi khaya," Krishna said, looking at his mother and tugging at her pallu.

Yashoda's eyes softened. How does he manage to enchant everyone? Agh! She stirred her thoughts. No, not today; she would punish Kanha for his deeds, she decided.

"Kanha, open your mouth. Let me see if you are telling the truth!" Yashoda said, pulling her son, who giggled and opened his mouth.

Yashoda smirked at how innocent he was, but as soon as she looked inside his mouth, her heartbeat quickened, and her body went numb. She saw different galaxies, tribhuvan, and the seven lokas in the mouth of her baby. Was she hallucinating?

She backed off a little, grasping for air as Kanha giggled more.

"Arya! Arya!" Yashoda screamed in pure horror, worry creeping onto her face as Nand came running to his wife.

He looked at his son and then at his wife. So this mother-son duo had come up with something yet again?

He sighed. "Yashoda? What happened?" he asked, looking visibly stressed as he saw his wife's pale face.

"Lalla ke mukh mein brahmand hai, Arya!" she screamed, clenching his angavastra.

Nand laughed at his wife and picked up his son, who quickly grabbed the golden necklace and started playing with it.

"Why are you behind my innocent son, priye? You might have seen mud only. Stop thinking too much. Don't you have to prepare for Shiv Puja?"

"Agh, yes, yes!" Yashoda said hastily, brushing off her thoughts and going off to make preparations.

Nand kissed Kanha's forehead. "See, Lalla, your mother has gone mad, it seems. Now I should also go and check the preparations, or else she will burst on me!"