The Fateful Evening part 2

Part 28

Panchali filled the pots looking at the setting sun. How sublime is the same Sun set in Indraprasth when she watched it from her balcony ,with Kirti tugging her legs and Pragati giggling happily in her arms.
How merciless is her fate to crush her sweet home,the abode of her children,the sign of the excellence of her supremely talented greatest warrior husband.  Above all the insult done to her in the midst of the Elders,in the whole assembly,before the eyes of her husband,who sat rocklike ...
Really Krishnaa,he did commit crime by not protesting,by not raising his voice ,his bow...Forgive him Sakhi...Krishna's words made her furious ,her eyes expressed dissent ,She kept the pots down and countered him.' Forgive him? You are asking me to forgive him for not standing by me,whom he supposedly loved the most? Why? Why should I?
" Draupadi lost her Samyam . Krishna cautiously delivered his answer.' Yes. Forgive him in the name of your love for him.In the name of the beautiful moments you shared with him,and in the name of your father's explicit desire to make you his wife.Forgive him Krishnaa."

Panchali replied bitterly.' Ofcourse Govind,My father literally burnt with the desire to have him as his son inlaw. But little did he know that he will ditch me,He will throw me as a prey to those jackals.Yes. We shared beautiful moments. I love him and I hate him for breaking my heart yet again proving his Eldest's dominance in his life.And you ask me to forgive him?"
Krishna's voice is firm.' Yes . I want you to forgive him. Because without your forgiveness,he can't move forward in his life.He can't fight his destiny. He can't punish those jackals. He needs you Krishnaa." Draupadi retorted with annoyance.' No. He doesn't need my kshama. He can very well survive doing what is dearer to his Eldest and serving him loyally..He will survive. Govind,enough of your love for him. You don't consider my feelings before his priorities. I hate him Govind. I hate him for making me drift away from my children.

My Kirti,what would he do without me? He won't cope up with my absence. My Pragati,who will be devoid of her mother's milk for no fault of her. My other children who dote upon me?And you ask me to forgive him? Govind,I am grateful to you for saving my honour,my dignity before those wolfs. But don't try to convince me by taking his side. " Panchali filled the pots and started towards the hut.

' Then why are you not going away from him?" Krishna's words made her stop . She was dazed. The pots fell down and she leaned on the tree branch for support. Krishna came near her,looked straight into her eyes and continued.' There is no clause in the conditions put up during the second dice game that you should accompany Pandavas. Your brother is adamant to take you to Panchal.Satya begged you to come to Dwaraka. If you come there Abhi will be on top of the world.You can share your sorrow with Subhadra. I will nourish your sons and groom them as future heroes. Why do you insist on staying here with him whom you hate now?"

Panchali shivered in pain.She collapsed on the ground and the long suppressed tears rolled out like water fall in rainy season.She wept heartfully her shoulders heaving up and down due to the uncontrollable outburst of tears that can't stop at all. Krishna let her weep completely and honestly. She finally shed the pure water that flew like a river of sorrow making her get rid of her inhibitions in revealing her truth.
Krishna sat beside her and took her head on his shoulder.' Don't stop your tears. Let them flow out . It will lighten your heart to a great extent. Listen to me Krishnaa. Your hatred for Parth also is your love for him. You may hate him but you can not live without him."
Panchali sobbed with tears still rolling down her cheeks.Krishna kept his hand on her head as if to give her strength to face and to stand firm in adversity. The darkness covered around was  gone.Tadiya moon is coming out of the white clouds.Krishna's presence cast  magical spell on Panchali's ruptured heart.He said softly in his magnetic voice.' Now,listen to me Sakhi, if you don't forgive him he can't concentrate on the most difficult tasks ahead of him. It is not a cakewalk for him. He has to train himself to face his formidable enemies single handedly. He has to concentrate,dedicate himself to the purpose.
Like you believed in me that I will save you ,Parth believed his Madhav will save his wife. You both are flawless in your devotion.and belief. Without that I wouldn't have created magic on that day. Poor Dussasan,he doesn't know how many nice garments I can gift to my Sakhi." Krishna smiled  mischievously  and Krishnaa bit her lip not letting her smile to be seen.
Satya's voice is heard from a distance. ' Panchali,where are you? Bheemsen is getting hungry. He says that only you can make food from Akshaya Patra." Draupadi got up wiping her face and Krishna reminded her. ' by punishing him you will punish yourself. Scold him. Abuse him but don't  be silent. " Panchali  cast a sulking glance at him and walked off.