Kaal Chakra

4.आनन्द

आनन्द- Meaning bliss or happiness

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Dwarka

Chaturdashi, Phalguna Krishna Paksha
5000 BCE

She stared unblinkingly at the moon-like face of the eldest Dwarkeshwari and like a peacock attracted to the first rainfall of monsoon, she moved close to the first wife of Krishna, one hand lifted just the slightest bit, as if wanting to touch her and bring herself back to reality.

"Rukmini."

The name came out of her lips in the softest whisper before she bent down to touch the delicate feet of the oldest Ashtamahishi. A warm motherly aura surrounded her the moment two slender hands tenderly gripped her shoulders and lifted her up.

Two pairs of dark eyes looked at each other, one set calm and composed and oozing compassion in abundance while the other pair was filled with awe and utmost devotion.

No words were needed for her to express what she was feeling for she knew that Rukmini understood what she wanted to say from the way her hands softly squeezed her arms.

"Lakshmi. A beautiful name for a beautiful girl." Rukmini said, her face alight with joy as she took in the delicate, feminine features of the young lady standing in front of her. But at the same time, she had an aura of strong will and an unshakeable strength around her, mixed with humility and courage.

"So similar to Satyabhama," she thought fondly, smiling to herself.

"Jiji, at least let us see her," came a soft teasing voice from behind them and Rukmini flushed dully while Lakshmi just looked at her, trying to deduce what the lady with the dark complexion said. Even though Sanskrit had been one of her best subjects in high school, she could only make out a few words. Just as she was about to ask her best friend to help her out, three women came in front of her, two of which appeared to be pregnant from their rounded stomachs.

A tall fair woman dressed in soft but heavy magenta silk embroidered with exquisite gold embellishments stepped forward to greet her. Her wheatish coloured oval face was sparkling, similar to the way the waves of an ocean shimmer in the sunlight. Although there was an air of authority around her, her dark brown doe eyes were calm and composed, just like Ksheer Sagar in Vaikuntha.

Her jewellery clad countenance gave away who she was, for she was a mirror image of the crown prince of Dwarka.

"Tai," Lakshmi said, kneeling to touch her feet and smiling when the older woman made her stand up.

"Ayushman bhava." Revati blessed her, keeping a hand on her shoulder and with a nod, she gestured to the two women beside her.

Smiling widely, Lakshmi turned to them and kneeled to touch their feet as well and they were quick to lift her up. From the glow on their faces, she knew they were two of the Ashtabharya. Taking a good look at both of them, she deduced that the one with the slightly dark complexion and black eyes was Jambavati and the one with a honey gold complexion and with the radiance of Surya Narayan himself on her face was Satyabhama.

"That means that Dwarka is going to have two Krishnaputras very soon." She thought to herself, smiling giddily with excitement at the thought of seeing Jambavatinandan Samba and Satyabhamanandan Bhanu.

"What happened to her?" Jambavati asked with a puzzled expression looking at the smile that stretched ear to ear on the girl's face and then at her husband.

Krishna, who had already read what was going on in her mind, chuckled merrily and walked towards Lakshmi and gently held her hand with a knowing glint in his eyes.