Chapter 1

Madhuri

@Viswasruti

Mohana Murali 

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'Why, Radha, why are my lips repeating your name while it reverberates in my heart incessantly? Whatever others believe, I am for you, and you are mine. Do you know how your eyes create magic?  I still asked my feet to move, but they refused to take a step away from your side! Why, Radha, why does my heart yearn to be with you?" 

'You are not separate from me, Krishna; you are myself to me.' Radha smiled as she handed him the small pot of butter.

Radha and Krishna, along with Nand, were strolling on the river bank of the Yamuna that afternoon, watching the grazing cows in the neighboring fields. 

The wet breeze beneath the cloud cover swishes Radha's hair into lovely spirals. The powerful lightning within the clouds is reflected in Krishna's glittering grins as he sends a message to nature with his entrancing presence.   

Nand began to worry about his little Krishna because, he would be terrified of the dazzling lighting and thunder that signaled the coming threat of heavy rain.  

The sky suddenly fills with darkness, and silver raindrops patter with the flashing of lightning and thunder. Krishna grew terrified after witnessing these horrors. 

Nand asked Radha to escort Krishna to his safe haven, his house, because he thought that she is braver and more informed about the path than Krishna. 

In response to Nand's words, she nodded her head and took Krishna's hand into hers, urging him to accompany her. 

He began following her with an innocent smile, like a night tide eagerly moving fast to meet the first ray of light for a warm hug!

Dark clouds in the western sky started moving quickly, ready to create a new canvas in the twilight sky. 

The huge trees on the bank of the Yamuna began whispering to the river, "Look, our wizard of love is diligently accompanying that dulcet maiden's devotion..." 

Yamuna smirked at the tall trees, saying, "This kid always prefers to learn the doctrines of love from that beautiful girl." 

Krishna paused for a moment at Lata Nikunj to admire nature's splendor!

The tender lavanga (clove) creepers sway in the mild southern zephyr, while the humming bees and singing Koyals fill the arbor with their sweet mirth. The busy bees are gleefully collecting nectar from the blooming Bakula flowers in that bower! 

The rain paused for a while. Krishna stopped near that canopy of floral creepers,

'Radha... I can't walk anymore, let us halt for a while. Look, how beautiful this bower is!!' 

Radha looked at him and said, "Mai Yashoda must be expecting us; we need to get home before the next spell lashes the path." 

'Maa knows I'm with you, and as long as I'm with you, she won't be concerned about me.' 

Radha looked at him with an affectionate smile.

'Radha, see... the air is enticing, the evening is seductive, and I want to hug the entire universe just to own it for a moment!'

Radha sensed his playful suggestions!  She wanted to warn him, 'I know your mischief, Krishna. By hugging me, you will feel the presence of universal love in a woman's heart!'

They were sitting in the blooming bower together.   A peacock came dashing there with a well-pecked piece of bamboo, gleefully started dancing in front of them.

Radha adorned Krishna's curly hair with a peacock feather.  She took that bird-pecked bamboo stem that had multiple holes, checked it for a moment, and then handed it to Krishna.

'Who wounded this precious stem and inflicted so many wounds on it, Radha?' Krishna asked with concern.

'Krishna, give a kiss to that aching heart to alleviate its suffering, that is what you always do to us when we are sad to leave you and despondent to stay away from you!' He looked into her eyes as if suggesting that she shouldn't leave him.

 When he stroked its wounds with his caring lips, a universal melody began to flow.

'Krishna! See how it yearned for you to bring peace to its heart, to touch your lips and emerge into a concerto!'

Radha sat there listening to that universal melody with enchantment, a symphony emerged from that melody!

The everlasting world knows well that this is where soulful melodies that reinforce the universe's rhythm emerge. 

A song of love is transforming into the poetry of desire there!  

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