Entanglement With Fate (Part 2)

14. The Courage To Face Death

"Go meet him once if you want. It may not be the original Sri Hari you want to meet. He's just a form of his here fulfilling the promise he made to me. But I'm sure the feeling will be the same because the core is the same. I'm sure that Vaikunthavasa Sri Hari will at least feel you." He offered.

I walked to the gate.

"Hi, dad..." I greeted him. He turned around. A sweet smile on his face.

"Alaknanda!!" He exclaimed my name cheerfully. Even though I was being brave on the surface, deep inside my heart, I did feel the nervousness. I had committed myself to a painful death. An odd kind of restlessness. The restlessness with knowing that this is the end.

I wrapped my arms around him. He hugged me tightly. Tears fell down my face. His embrace was so loving that for the first time I missed having a father in my childhood. I wished I had been able to experience it was longer.

"Well, I would be going to get myself killed today," I told him.

"Alaknanda??" He asked, confused, pulling away and looking at me.

"Well, Virat had sentenced Raj to be in the fighting ring. Till he dies. I offered myself in place of him. I have a plan. I want Raj to go to Gurukul and tell the Gurus about this reactor by the Laksha grove so they can find out more about this. Also, I want to save Raj and let him have a better life. I'm sorry that I have never been like your other children who have proudly done great things. But I hope that at least now I can be worthy of being called Vishnusuta."

He held my face and wiped away tears. He put my hand over his heart.

"This is exactly where my Mahalakshmi resides. This is where my wonderful child born from that same Mahalakshmi lives. You have always made me proud. Every single moment you have fought for the right thing, you have made me proud. Every single time you had stood proudly for your duty, you have made me proud. Every single time you have stood bravely in face of danger and went through most dangerous things to reach your goal, you have made me proud. Every single time you have stood your ground against Virat, you have made me extremely proud. Till I exist, you will live here in my heart. What is death if the final place you have to return is into me. You came from me and will return to me in the end. So, why fear? In the end, you will always come back to me."

I looked into his eyes and smiled. The eyes that had so much pride in them as he looked at me. That was enough for me in this lifetime. Knowing that Sri Hari himself was proud of me. The great lord, protector of the entire creation, ever-pleasant Narayana was my father and proud of me. That was enough for me. I wish I could read his letter one last time. I wish that I could have died with his locket around my neck. Knowing that a piece of him stayed with me till my last breath.

I was quite aware that even if Virat made a promise to mamashree and Nandini, he would still break them and kill me. I knew that much. He tried to kill me several times but failed now he has the chance. He won't let that go. I could also feel it in my bones.

Though the only thing I regret is not meeting my dad in person.

"I am sure that he is proud of you too. To know that such a brave girl is his blood and flesh is a thing of great happiness. You know, they say that having one daughter is equal to having 10 sons because that is how much a daughter makes her father proud. She always thinks of making her father proud. Every time she achieves something, her heart jumps to go tell her father of what she has achieves and feels happy seeing the pride in his eyes. A daughter brings such happiness to her father that it is indescribable. Unfortunate are those men who have never experience the love of a daughter. A girl is called Mahalakshmi because her presence itself is a source of much happiness to a father that is equivalent to having 10 sons. A man feels so happy when his wife takes his name as her last name. It makes me really happy when someone calls Mahalakshmi as Vishnupatni because that is how much I'm proud of her. Only when I had you, I could understand why Maharishi Bhrigu melts when someone addresses her as Bhargavi. Why he always calls her Bhargavi. I understand why samudra melts so easily when they call her Sindhuja. I understood why he is so attached to her. I too think of it. Someday you too will be called by another man's name and I would simply wait for a time when someone calls you Vishnusuta again and melt at that." He told me.