The Emancipation of God

Krishna stood on the shore and looked at the horizon. His heart was telling him, it was time to go back. Sighing, he picked up the grass tendrils from the shore and threw them on the fighting 'Yadavs'.

Mahadev smiled with his closed eyes, feeling Krishna’s heart beat rapidly within his. He knew Vishnu will be back soon.

Tendrils turned into clubs and clubs into weapons strewn with blood. Hit by hit, blow by blow, clan against clan. Krishna looked sadly at the strewn bodies at his feet, feeling their crying souls pierce his ears. It was time to call Parth (Arjun). But, what will he do? Nothing could ever stop this rampage.

Krishna closed his eyes and remembered Gandhari’s curse.

“Oh, Krishna, I, Gandhari, the mother of 101 children, curse you to see the death of Yadav clan. Everyone will be slain. No one will be spared. Your soul will be stained with blood as mine is today. You will sit in despair like I am doing now. Hear this Vasudev Putra, you will not be able to prevent that war as you have not stopped this one.”

Sighing, Krishna opened his eyes. Turning towards Daruka, he nodded. Daruka turned and got on his horse, and sped away towards Indraprastha.

Penance and meditation was the only way for Krishna to find some solace from his wounds. Finding a place under a Kadam tree, Krishna closed his eye and felt his soul connect with Mahadev.

“Why are you worried?” Shiva asked.

“Mahadev, why so much blood shed?” Krishna lamented.

Mahadev smiled and replied, “Because even the preserver needs purification. Your emancipation is coming. Be prepared for it, Narayan.”

Smiling sadly, Krishna opened the doors of his minds and let the worldly pleasures out. His hunter was coming.

Jara, the hunter neared the clearing slowly. Looking through the bushes, he hunched lower, trying to get a better view. He has to get a kill today, otherwise his family will starve. Moving his sharp eye from here and there, he caught something behind a tree. His nerves cried with joy and he pulled out his arrow. Aiming, he released his bow string with a fearsome twang.

Krishna just smiled and beckoned the arrow towards him. Piercing his thumb, the arrow cut through his veins slowly. Letting out a loud sigh, Krishna fell to his side.

Jara ran to claim his kill. As, he neared the tree, his joy turned to shock and then grief. Falling down at Krishna’s side, he cried out, “Forgive me, Lord. I thought I saw a dear. I’ll rot in hell for doing this to you.”

“Jara, you have done a great service to mankind. I am the last of my clan. My time has come.”

Rising away from his worldly body, Krishna turned himself to Vishnu. Jara’s eyes shone with wonder, as he saw the protector. Blessing him, Vishnu melted away in the jungle air.

As Vishnu neared the gates of Vaikunth, Dwarka submerged under the waves of the giant sea.

Copyright © Paromita Majumder. All Rights Reserved.

Disclaimer: This story is an adaptation of Mahabharata's Mausala Parva or the "Book of Clubs". The author is not posting her opinions about this mythological book. Events and dialogues have been added for literary and story line purpose.