Maha Vishnu Trilogy

The Exile of Mukunda {Beyond The Perceptible}

Chapter 1

Some 9 Prithvi months later

The mist had finally started to lift and the lakefront was now visible under the nascent sunlight. The tranquil blue water of the lake could be seen as far as the sight could decipher and no matter in which direction one looked. It surrounded the city from all eight directions and acted as a natural boundary to it.

Those waters were not meant for charting and no one ever ventured even close to them. Give or take a few feet, the lake never encroached the shores. On most days of the year the waters were placid and on many quiet days, even the sound of the waves could not be heard. More so after the daylight, when at dusk a thick layer of mist would very systematically make lake invisible.

As soon as the last batch of Brahmportation landed on Prithvi, Shyam gathered everyone and moved in quickly to constitute the city. It took him months to plan everything from the bricks to the buildings, making sure that each facility was built exactly as it was in Madhavpur.

‘You will have to do me a favor. Rather two.’ said Shyam.

‘Just spell them out.’

‘Choose a name of your liking for the city and then rule it with all your courage and wisdom.’

ShriRam stood in silence, without even batting an eyelid. ‘Having thoughts?’

‘I remember the day, when I made you wear that crown of thorns.’ he said.

Now Shyam went speechless. He realized how he had become more mechanized than those big construction machines placing one story over another. As if he was running on some kind of fuel, and that fuel didn’t power emotions.

‘I gained my younger daughter back. While you had to leave behind your son.’ said ShriRam. Shyam sighed.

‘I am left with no interest to oversee the daily management of our settlements, any further. If you are not willing to head the state, I will probably have to reach out further. I do understand that you want to spend quality time with your daughters. And that’s fine with me. But I too have an urge to retire.’ he said.

‘I could have united us all on that very day, but I didn’t. I owe you this one. I will take over all the affairs of Ksharanpur from here onwards.’ ShriRam replied.

Even while, when Shyam was making sure that construction of the city was going on in full swing, ShriRam was visiting each family to make sure that everyone else felt at home.

But, the person who mattered most to him was feeling completely out of place. Her eyes still teary were waiting for the heavens above to part and for miracles to happen. Soon her tears paved way for cries; cries of loneliness and helplessness. She was already in pain of what she had to leave behind, when another pain subjugated the former one.

It was the Eighth day of the waning moon, when one cry peaked and tapered while another one rose. Both Shyam and ShriRam were racing up and down the hall, when Mohan and Raghava entered.

‘I simply cannot believe that all of them had to go into the labor, on the same night.’ said Raghava.

‘As if they get a vote.’ said Shyam.

‘Doctors are at it. They will be fine, relax you both.’ said ShriRam.

‘I am more concerned about Radhika. I barely can look her eye into eye. This pain is too excruciating for her.’ said Mohan.

‘She is my daughter, I am sure she would come out strong.’

Just when Shyam could extend his arm to reach out for his friend’s shoulder, an elderly looking doctor came rushing out of the Operation Room.

‘It’s a baby boy for Meera and a baby girl for Vallabha.’ he said.

‘What about Radhika doctor?’ said Shyam with a wobbling voice.

‘It’s a baby boy, but her parameters are weak.’

ShriRam dashed toward the O.R. and went straight to the bed by the window corner. Shyam followed.

He wanted to extend his hand to grab that of his daughter, but his eyes got stuck on the soft face of the baby.

He clasped her hand with both his palms and said ‘Look at the child. He is progeny of the one whom you miss so very much. He sacrificed everything for us, for you. You will have to pull yourself up to raise his Son.’

‘Let us see, what we can do.’ said the doctor.

Shyam nodded and convinced ShriRam to leave along with him.

As soon as they left the door, the baby’s cry emanating from the O.R. filled the hallway. ShriRam turned midway, only to be stopped by Shyam.

‘Please Shri, a little patience. Let the doctors handle.’

‘There is my daughter and my grandson in there, they need me.’

‘He is my grandson too, but right now they need medical assistance. You and me can only crowd the room.’

ShriRam sighed. ‘Have faith in Lord Rama, Shri.’

They both sat on the metal chairs placed alongside the hallway wall. As Shyam placed his back against the chair, he realized he was perspiring heavily. It was hard on him too, but he could not have let his friend fall apart.

Barely, a minute or so after they both seated; the baby’s cry subsided. ShriRam rose from his seat, and this time even Shyam didn’t stop him.

Rushing towards the O.R., he saw doctors emerging from the door. ShriRam froze midway and sweats could be seen tumbling down Shyam’s face (in the glistening hallway lights).

‘You both may come in.’ he said.

While, ShriRam didn’t stop before reaching the bedside of Radhika. Shyam stopped and stood at some feet’s distance. Unlike ShriRam, he seemed more composed now.

‘Her parameters now look normal, it seems.’ Shyam said.

‘We placed the baby alongside her, and placed her arm in an embracing position. The baby held her finger and within moments rejuvenated her heartbeat.’ said doctor.

ShriRam now couldn’t hold himself back and those long held tears started rolling down his cheeks. He raised Radhika’s arm and placed a kiss on her hand.

‘He is no ordinary kid. He is a flower of hope.’ said the doctor.

‘Not an iota of doubt on that, he will liberate us all. He will be our Mukunda.’ said Shyam.

As, ShriRam rose from the bedside; Mohan and Raghava arrived. Holding their babies in their arm.

‘Do you see what I see?’ said ShriRam smilingly.

‘Yes, Indeed! Our boys aren’t boys anymore. They have crossed onto the threshold of being fathers. The batons are exchanging hands.’ said Shyam.

A whole year went by. With ShriRam bringing order to the City, Shyam was spending most of his time with all his grandkids. He was now a Pita-Maha.

‘Who is your favorite, of them all?’ asked Vallabha. She knew the answer and had heard the supporting arguments multiple times. But still she couldn’t help but tease Shyam, lovingly.

‘Rukmini is cutest of them all.’ he said.

‘Inferences are clear; Madhav isn’t cute. He isn’t a charming lad.’ said Vallabha.

‘I said – of them all. That doesn’t make others less charming.’

‘Forget about pretty, cute and charming. Whom do you love the most?’

‘See all of them make us smile, but..’

‘Just pick a name.’ she was barely able to conceal her smile any further.

‘Mukunda.’ he said.

To which she burst into laughter. ‘You are in such deep love with the kid, that you can’t even feign it.’

‘You are being mean. I cannot think of spending my day without any of them. But, Yes! By a fraction of a milligram, I care for him a tad bit more.’ he said.

‘We all do. And who wouldn’t, he is most mischievous of them all. His single touch brought Radhika back to life.’ she replied.

Shyam nodded.

The sunset just seemed right. The thin lining of silver-greyish cloud just above the horizon, adorned the setting sun, as a silver ring would hold a ruby. It all felt right because those momentary visuals made every Manava forget that the circular placid lake made no sense. That is not how nature works and that it being there could not have been the work of the nature.

The winds were now growing and the sweet scent of the misty lake waters now dominated the breeze.

‘The evening is more pleasant than usual. Shyam how about a stroll near the lakefront.’ said Vallabha as they left the grass covered pavement some 100 meters from the lakefront. Shyam nodded and said ‘Let me hold Madhav and Rukmini.’

Vallabha took Mukunda from Shyam. Mukunda took no qualms in expressing his displeasure from being away from his Pita-Maha. Looking at his heavy-lidded eyes, Shyam couldn’t help but laugh.

But again it was not Mukunda’s fault. Madhav and Rukmini too were equally fond of Shyam. Rukmini was giggling out of joy, lovingly embracing his Pita-Maha. Vallabha extended her arm and cupped her right cheek. ‘Love you, Sweetheart.’ she said.

‘You asked her, right?’ said Shyam.

‘A number of times! But, she has a pile of administrative files to clear, she says.’

‘She wasn’t like this. But probably she needs more time by herself.’

‘Radhika should come out, more often. She cannot spend all her time in the palace.’ said Vallabha.

As they stepped on the golden grainy sand of the beach shore, they both noticed something. The wind grew wilder; the coconut trees (planted all along the shore line, by the lawn side) started swinging to the gusts.

‘The weather here can be surprising at times.’

‘The lake! The lake is responding to the winds, it usually remains calm.’ replied Shyam.

‘When would the lake be open for swim?’ she said.

‘Not anytime sooner, kid. We still aren’t sure what it is.’

As they inched toward the lakefront, Mukunda started growing restless and was constantly pointing toward the shores.

Shyam smiled and said ‘You want to go there. Come let us sit by the lake.’

He pointed toward the yellow line drawn on the beach and said ‘Vallabha, lets sit by that line. Don’t let any of these toddlers cross that, though.’

As soon as they sat by the line, the winds lulled. And even before they could face each other in amazement, a sound of roar grew in the background. The waves jumped and reached for the line, as if they were already ambushing.

The cold lake water touched the bare feet of Mukunda, and he started laughing and chuckling in joy and amazement.

Shyam and Vallabha, with kids still in their lap, crawled back.

‘This never happens, the line is well studied and lake never breaches it.’ said Shyam as he got up and stepped back further.

The lake was growing much restless now. They both quickly receded back to safety, and finally got off the beach.

‘The first time we brought the kids to the lake, and this happens.’ he said.

‘It’s just a lake, with cold clear water. Maybe we are being hyper-critical.’ she replied.

Shyam nodded. But, then he saw something and couldn’t believe his eyes.

The mist had already started covering the lake, but this time around it was different.

The mist was light and some visuals started appearing on those mist screens. Shyam turned and looked around, lest somebody was playing tricks and was projecting something onto the mist.

There was no one else in sight.

The visuals were now gaining coherence and were getting more prominent.

They were images of Madhavpur.

They both couldn’t help but gasp in astonishment.

P.S. – ‘The Exile of Mukunda’ {Beyond The Perceptible} is copyrighted to Arpit Bakshi. The material can be shared only with proper Attributions to the Author, solely for non-commercial purposes.

The First Book in the Maha Vishnu Trilogy can be found here – http://goo.gl/cwEgBF