Appeasement of Radhika by Muddupalani

Author:Muddupalani [Muddupalani]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9788184755640
Publisher: Penguin Books Ltd
Published: 2011-12-14T05:00:00+00:00

Chapter Three

Ila pleads with Madhava to give up Radhika

Radha’s growing jealousy of Ila

Parrot says Krishna is obsessed with Ila

Radha curses her fate

Parrot narrates how Ila’s love has transformed Madhava

Radha’s unbearable anger

Maids pacify Radha

Seeking Manmatha’s help

Maidens console Radha

Krishna spies the parrot

Krishna worries, thinking of Radhika

Brother-in-law taunts Krishna

Madhava explains his love for Radha

Krishna ridicules Manmatha

Maids placate Krishna

Hail to young Krishna,

Ruler of women’s hearts

Lord of kings and giver of boons

King of the three worlds!

1. ‘Listen carefully,’ continued Suka, son of Vyasa,

One who had experienced God.

Looking at Raja Janaka

With unsurpassed sweetness

Spoke these words:

2. ‘Unrelenting, overwhelmed with desire

Breasts pushing against her blouse

Lotus face shining

Fragrant with perfume and paan

Enticing and coy,

Ila pressed herself against his broad chest

Over and over again.’

From early childhood, Ila had been jealous of the proximity and hold Radha exercised over Krishna but, very cleverly, had never revealed her feelings.

Overhearing a conversation between Radha and Madhava, where Krishna dismisses her as being ‘a novice’, Ila bides her time. After the wedding, she uses every trick in the book to make her new husband happy, to the extent that Krishna acknowledges her as his Queen of Love, agreeing in a moment of weakness to even leave Radha.

3. ‘Making love rigorously

The lotus-eyed lady prayed fervently

And at the exact moment of ecstasy

To her lover and lord saying,

“My dear lord, promise me true,

To give up Radhika forever!”

And Madhava, consumed with bliss,

Agreed and assured her,

Rather readily.

4. ‘Ah, but do promises made by men ever hold good?

Is there ever any truth in their words?

Do they keep their commitments?

My dear doe-eyed damsel,

It’s only your love

If only you know

That will keep growing.’

5. On hearing the parrot’s words, like swans on hearing the sound of thunder, like deer hearing the roar of tigers, like a parrot at the sound of a cat, like elephants at the roar of lions, her body trembling, heart racing, disturbed and worried, her love for Nandabala’s son causing her endless trouble, Radha swooned and fell in a faint.

Seeing this, the maids surrounded her, concerned and worried. Wiping sweat off her brow, applying fresh scented water, fanning her, applying cool karpuram, they revived her and advised her that ‘her Krishna could no longer be trusted’.

6. Well into noon did Radha open her eyes

Heaving deep sighs, hissing like a snake,

Nose twitching, her moon-like face flushed with anger,

Lips quivering like a fresh bud blown by winds

Eyes red with anger and grief,

Sorrow personified.

Tired and distressed,

She asked her parrot,

Quiet and in control but

In a trembling voice:

7. ‘Did I hear it right?

Ila said this to him, without fear?

And that unfeeling Gopala agreed?

O Rama! Well then, what else transpired?

Isn’t it enough if they live happily ever after?

8. ‘Has she forgotten that she learnt

To sing like the nightingale from me?

Has she forgotten she learnt to write poetry from me?

Has she forgotten she learnt to play musical instruments from me?

Has she forgotten that she even learnt to make love from me?’

9. ‘Has she forgotten the lashings

I gave her when she was my pupil?

Now that she has Murari,

Has she forgotten everyone and everything?

10. ‘Yesterday’s little grain is

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