Part 2: The Divine Farewell

14 days ago

Anushkaa

@nushhkiee

The moonlight bathed Vrindavan in its silvery glow, casting long shadows across the land. The sacred land, once filled with the laughter of Krishna and the melodies of his flute, now seemed quieter, more somber. The vibrant energy that had always flowed between Radha and Krishna seemed to hang in the air like a dream, fading with each passing moment.

Radha sat alone in the garden of her childhood home. The delicate flowers, which had once bloomed brightly under Krishna’s playful gaze, now drooped in the stillness, as though mourning the departure of the divine presence that had nurtured them. The night was alive with the sounds of crickets and the rustle of the wind in the trees, but none of it reached Radha. Her thoughts were consumed with Krishna.

Radha (whispering to herself): “I feel his absence in every corner of this world. In the breeze, in the rustling leaves, in the quiet river… Krishna, why must you leave me in this sorrow? Why must we be torn apart?”

Her voice trembled as she thought of the countless moments they had shared together - dancing beneath the moonlight, playing with the cows, running through the fields of Vrindavan, their hearts in perfect harmony. She remembered his mischievous smile, his teasing words, the way his eyes glistened when he spoke her name.

“Radha…”

The soft whisper of his name echoed in her ears. She turned, expecting to see him, but the emptiness remained.

Her heart tightened with grief, and tears began to spill from her eyes, cascading down her cheeks like a river that could no longer be dammed.

Radha (crying out in agony): “Krishna… where are you? Why did you leave me behind?”

In the distance, the sound of Krishna’s flute played faintly, a tune that seemed to carry the weight of a thousand emotions. Radha’s heart soared for a brief moment, but the ache of separation soon overshadowed the fleeting joy. The music was distant, like a memory she could no longer touch.

Radha (softly, to herself): “Your flute, Krishna... it always spoke to me. It was as though it carried your very soul. But now, it only brings pain, a reminder of what I’ve lost.”

Suddenly, she heard a familiar voice, and it broke her reverie. It was Lalita again, walking toward her from the shadows of the garden. Radha wiped her tears hastily, but they kept coming. Lalita sat beside her, her presence a quiet comfort.

Lalita: “Radha, I know it is hard. But remember, Krishna’s love is not confined to this world. His purpose in Vrindavan was to awaken the hearts of all who loved him. His mission is greater than our understanding. He cannot remain in one place forever.”

Radha turned to face her, her tear-streaked face full of confusion and pain.

Radha: “But Lalita… how can you speak so calmly? How can you understand what it feels like to be torn from Krishna? You didn’t live with him, laugh with him, dance with him. You didn’t hear his flute playing just for you, feel his touch in the breeze.”

Lalita smiled gently, but her eyes were full of a deep knowing, a wisdom that Radha longed to understand.

Lalita: “Radha, I am your friend, but I am not a part of your bond with Krishna. No one can truly understand the depth of your love except Krishna himself - and you. You have something eternal, something no one else in this world can ever feel. This separation, as painful as it is, is part of your journey with him.”

Radha (sobbing): “But why? Why does love have to hurt so much? Krishna said we would be together forever… he promised.”

Lalita (gently): “Yes, Radha. He promised. And his promise is true. But what you fail to see in this moment is that this separation is not the end. Krishna is the eternal soul, and you - his dearest Radha - are the manifestation of that love. Your love is pure, and your separation only makes that love stronger. This is your destiny.”

Radha’s heart trembled with a thousand emotions, but she remained silent, lost in her thoughts. The air around them seemed to hold a stillness, as though the earth itself was waiting for her to understand the weight of what Lalita had said.

In that moment, a light breeze blew through the trees, and the faintest melody of Krishna’s flute reached Radha’s ears. It was the same melody she had heard countless times before - one that had always brought her peace.

For a brief, fleeting moment, she closed her eyes and allowed herself to feel the music in her soul. She could hear Krishna calling her. Not with words, but with the resonance of his love. The wind was carrying his essence, his presence, into her very being.

Krishna’s voice (in Radha’s heart): “Radha… my love, my eternal one. You are never alone. Even when we are apart, I am with you, for you are in my heart. Our love is boundless, not confined by space or time. This pain you feel… it is only a reminder of the love we share.”

Radha’s body trembled, as if she had been awakened from a deep slumber. Her eyes fluttered open, and she looked at the river once more. The moonlight reflected on its surface, the ripples of the water shimmering with the glow of Krishna’s divine light. It was as if the river itself was speaking to her.

Radha (softly): “Krishna… I feel you, I hear you. I know you are always with me, even if I cannot see you. But this heart, Krishna, it yearns for you… It cannot bear this separation.”

Lalita watched silently as Radha spoke. She knew that Radha’s journey was only beginning. The path of love and separation was one that Radha had to walk alone, but it was a path that would eventually lead her back to Krishna - beyond this world, beyond time.

Lalita (gently): “Radha, Krishna’s love for you is not a passing thing. It is an eternal flame that will never die. You must carry that flame within you, even when it feels like the world around you is dark.”

Radha (whispering): “I will carry it, Lalita. I will carry it forever. But the ache... the ache of being apart... It is a pain I do not know how to bear.”

Just then, a soft voice echoed in the distance, one that Radha had heard a thousand times, and yet it felt new, like a distant melody calling her home.

Krishna (from afar, in the wind): “Radha… remember, I am always with you. You are my heart. Even in your solitude, you are never alone. I will wait for you on the other side of time. And we will be together again, as we were meant to be.”

Radha closed her eyes, her heart swelling with both love and sorrow. In that moment, the pain of separation seemed to fade, replaced by a profound sense of peace.

The stars above her shone brighter, the moon’s light softer, and the breeze carried the divine fragrance of Krishna’s love. And though her body remained in Vrindavan, her soul began to drift, reaching for the eternity she shared with Krishna.