Monday, April 13, 2015

K for Kidnap




Kidnap? How can that be a manifestation of love? Did I digress from my theme? Well no, in the tale that I talk of today, the protagonist kidnaps his lady love and at her insistence! So there, when in love, there is no right or wrong!

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Swathed in golden light, as if the last rays of sun fell in yearning just on him, draped in an electric yellow flowing Pitamabara robe, the Srivatsa twirled on his bare chest, and a peacock feather adorning his crown, he sat majestically on his jeweled aasana. His face, the colour of a full blown blue lotus, his magnificent eyes the shape of a delicate lotus bud, wearing white lotus earrings, and a pink lotus garland that touched his knees, the king of Dwarka smiled. His aura was mesmerizing and as Krishna smiled, the flowers bloomed, and the koels sang their sweetest song.

“Kaanha, why the smile?” asked Balarama, Krishna’s elder brother.

“Dau, Rukhmini has sent me a message,” he said, handing over the scroll to his brother.

“My beloved Shrikaantha, my brother Rukhmi, is about to marry me off to Shisupala. So come and take me away, for, if I cannot marry you, I will kill myself in this birth and for a hundred more, until you are mine.”  

The incarnation of Goddess Lakshmi, Rukhmini was waiting to be married to her beloved Vishnu in this birth too. Her brother Rukhmi, however had other plans.

“Dau, I had approached Rukhmi asking for his sister’s hand in marriage, but he has promised her to Shisupala.”

Balarama smiled. “Go Kaanha, go and bring Dwarka’s rightful queen. You have my blessings.”

“Dau, kidnapping and eloping thus would be termed as a rakshasa vivaha,” worried Krishna.

“No Kaanha, not if the girl herself wishes to elope and has herself requested to be kidnapped,” assured Balarama.

The streets of Vidharbha had been decorated for the wedding. The whole kingdom had been decorated with lights and flowers, and the palace itself had been abuzz with festivities, befitting the wedding of a princess.

Within the palace, in her royal chamber, Rukhmini glowed with happiness. She knew her Krishna, her Madana Mohana, would be here to take her away. She readied herself for her wedding, not with Shisupala but her Lord, who she knew would not disappoint her. She anointed her body with rare sandalwood oils, and wore precious jewels around her delicate neck. The rubies and emeralds glowed on her fingers, set in exquisite golden rings. She draped herself in her finest silks and looked every inch the bride, befitting the Lord of Dwaraka.

Her long eyelashes curled around her almond shaped, kohl lined eyes trying to conceal her excitement, even as her lotus pink lips quivered in anticipation of her Blue God.

It was time for the Gouri Puja before the wedding, and her maids walked with her, showering fragrant flowers at her feet. She bowed before the idol of Maa Gouri at the temple and sought the Devi’s blessings, offering rice, bangles, kumkum and turmeric, praying to be united with her beloved. The people who were gathered there stood bewitched by her beauty. “She is only fit for Krishna” they whispered amongst themselves.

She stepped out of the temple, her heart pounding wildly, eyes looking out for the one who had stolen her heart. Suddenly, a golden chariot appeared out of nowhere. 

Her Krishna had arrived! 

She smiled at him and as Krishna pulled her inside, the chariot disappearing as quickly as it had appeared, leaving behind a thunder of horses’ hooves and a kingdom full of spellbound people. Krishna had managed to whisk away his lady love from right under the noses of her brother and the prospective groom!

It took a kidnap and an elopement to unite Lord Vishnu and his consort, Goddess Lakshmi in their birth as Krishna and Rukhmini.

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 Glossary-
Srivatsa- an auspicious symbol meaning beloved of Sri or Lakshmi
Shrikaantha- One of the many names of Lord Krishna, meaning Husband of Goddess Lakshmi.
Madana Mohana- God of love who mesmerizes everyone

Rakshasa vivaha- demonic wedding

This day...last year...K for Karma

28 comments:

  1. Every story of Krishna makes you fall in love with him again and again. And again. When I first saw your title for K, I thought you may be telling the story of Arjun and Subhadra. But this one is even better, because it involves Him directly :) Lovingly told, Titli. I can feel the great love you have for the Blue God through the way you have narrated this beautiful story.

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    1. Krishna happens to be my favorite, and I cannot get enough of him!! reading about him still gives me goosebumps! I guess, I'm indeed head over heels in love with Him!!

      The Arjuna Subhadra kidnap did come to mind, but since I had written about a part of the episode yesterday (Draupadi's jealousy after the Arjuna-Subhadra marriage), I decided to do this today.

      I'm happy you liked it!

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    2. Beautiful! You actually transported me there with your words! And I agree with both you and Beloo, Krishna is the best! :D

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  2. Ah! Just for info - Eloping is 'Kshatriya Vivaha'; Consensual premarital sex is 'Gandharva Vivaha'; kidnap/rape is 'Rakshasa Vivaha'. This should count as eloping, since both parties are willing. (Incidentally, the classification of rape as a type of 'Vivaha' was not meant to coerce the woman into a marriage without consent; it was more to say that the woman should NOT be treated as a person who has yielded to lust but with as much respect as a married person AND the progeny, if any, should be considered the legitimate children of the rapist with all attendant benefits. I would say that the 'rakshasa' part applies to the rapist and the 'vivaha' part to the woman. In fact, assessed rightly, all these 'vivaha' types were meant more as a safeguard of the woman's place in Society rather than as a means for men to marry unwilling women)

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    1. So Bal-Dau was right! Kaanha did not commit rakhshasa vivaha as he feared!

      Wonderful explanation of the kinds of Vivaha...I guess with people getting into all kinds of relationships, some kind of safeguard was needed for the women...and to her offspring arising out of such marriages...that is one more reason why I love the epic...it is so complete, it has a mention of everything, one can possibly think of...
      Thank you for adding all that info, for the benefit of those reading the post and the comments....

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  3. I'm learning so much from your posts :)

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  4. I like the way you tell these stories in your own inimitable style. Very nice.

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  5. Being a Krishna devotee, this one brought a smile on my face :) I love the Krishna- Radha love story too. There are so many versions to it!

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    1. Hmmm...how can I miss Radha Krishna....? that will surely feature here... :)

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  6. I loved watching this episode on TV when I was young. Krishna was like a bollywood hero to me :)

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  7. It is not really kidnapping if she wanted it... And this is the only kind of "asking for it" that's valid! :)) In Hungarian traditions, kidnapping a bride used to exist, originally as real kidnapping and later on as planned elopement... I guess we are not the only culture :)

    @TarkabarkaHolgy from
    Multicolored Diary - Epics from A to Z
    MopDog - 26 Ways to Die in Medieval Hungary

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    1. Kidnapping and elopement, does not look like it was prohibited back those days in either cultures...it would seem, what constitutes morals now, surely did not have a place in times of yore!

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  8. This was a story I didn't know! Enjoyed reading this one. Your narration is awesome :)

    Kaleidoscope of Hopes

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    1. Glad you enjoyed this one! Krishna and Rukhmini are bound together for infinite lifetimes and it was my pleasure narrating this tale of their union!

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  9. Hey Princess! Did you read your narration on Krishna? As I was reading it, I saw Krishna, just the way you narrated. Am Awestruck. The Pitambaradhari with that peacock feather. I had goosebumps ..literally.

    "The best part was, when you narrated the white lotus earring " Just awesome. Very powerful and captivating usage of words. Krishna has become more handsome with this narrative of yours. I would request you to write a blog post only narrating the mannerisms of krishna. You would do an awesome job in it. It's a request. Do consider.

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    1. Awww....really? I'm humbled by all that praise! I don't know if words can ever describe Him adequately! His image is in the mind and heart, and yet they do not seem enough when penned!
      A blog post on my beloved..why not? thanks a ton Aj!

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  10. WOW! What a presentation! Kudos Little Princess. Your description of Krishna at the beginning is simply wonderful. I love your stories. Have you ever considered publishing?
    You are welcome to check my A-Z posts here: http://sundarivenkatraman.blogspot.in/

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    1. Thank you so much for the kind words! Yea, we all are chaff from the same flour, right! someday, god willing!!

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  11. What a fascinating description of Krishna! No wonder all the gopis and most women who looked at Him fell in love with Him. I loved your retelling of the kidnap! Such a beautiful narrative! Kudos!

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  12. Loved the imagery your words created for this story, S! Fabulous narration! ♥

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  13. Knew of this story :) But glad that you refreshed my memory anyways. Nice to read you, Titli.

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  14. I could visualize the whole scene and the description of Krishna is mind blowing. Superb narration.
    *Shantala @ ShanayaTales*

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At times our own light goes out and is rekindled by a spark from another person..deep gratitude for those who have lighted the flame within me!! your comments will be appreciated..

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