DRAUPADI- XI

 

Prafulla Kumar Mohanty's 

DRAUPADI - XI

 

Alpana, do you know Sri Krishna Vasudev?

Alpana's face brightened, a flush

reddened her dimpled cheeks, Yes Princess,

Who doesn't know him, when I was twelve

my father took me with him to the Mathura festival,

father showed me a very young Krishna

and his brother Balram fighting Kansa's wrestlers:

That was years ago, how did he look

asked Draupadi, her curiosity bubbling out,

Alpana added with a happy reminiscent voice,

he was dark but with a glistening body

he was well proportioned and handsome

he wore a peacock plume on his head gear

his walk had a strident message

he killed Kansa the terrible king

and released his parents from Kansa's prison.

 

No woman can resist

his ebullient demeanour

Really! Is he a man or a player!

Alpana's defence she chopped -

But he is now in Dwarika, how come?

 

Their entire family moved out

with the Yadavs of Mathura and Vrindaban

to Dwarika, that's what I have heard.

For fear of repression from Jarasandh

the Father- in - law of Kansa

more tyrannical and cruel than Kansa,

But why do you want to know Krishna?

Don't you know, Krishna Vasudev is visiting

Kampilya next week: Great that is great!

I'll be happy to see him again,

he must be full grown, his fame

has spread far and wide as a wise,

brave, judicious and heroic man

he is incomparable in Aryabarta.

  Hey Princess, do you know

he was naughty, he stole clothes

of the gopikas on Yamuna banks

he played the flute which charmed

all the women of vrindaban,

I have also heard that he loved Radha

a beautiful young maiden

he doted on her.

 

Draupadi asked her to stop,

How do you know all these,

Alpana smiled and said

everyone knows I have heard from

many women about his greatness.

Princess!

You will love him when you see him.

Let's see when he comes.

I am all agog inside me.