Entanglement With Fate (Part 2)

14. The Courage To Face Death

I almost cried and hugged him tightly. He held me tightly till I felt the courage flow from him to me. My heart only felt stronger and stronger. I only felt more powerful inside my heart. The small of me which felt so scared began to dwindle down and disappear as he held me.

"It is alright, Alaknanda. I will wait for the day you will return to me as my daughter again. Perhaps then I will get to raise you and see your childhood and enjoy it immensely. I will wait for the day I can teach you how to use a bow and an arrow. I will wait when I can teach you how to walk. I will wait for the time when I can once again carry you on my shoulder so you can reach the fruits on trees. As Krishna, my friends and Dau would let me climb over their shoulder and reach the pot of butter. I always smile with such happiness when I hear it because it reminds me how much I am loved. The same way whenever I think of the time when I put you over my shoulder so you could reach those fruits always makes me happy because it reminds me how much I have loved you, my sweet Alaknanda. Just remember that I have always loved you, I still love you and will always love you."

He took out his ring and put it in a gold chain. He put it around my neck. I looked at it and smiled.

"Mahalakshmi gave it to me. You know when I promised Bali that I'll stand guard to his door forever, I used to stand here in my true form. Sri couldn't stay apart from me for long. She also knew that I had to return to Vaikuntha and take charge of things. I am the preserver of creation. The emptiness of that spot has to be filled. So, she came here and made Bali her brother. Hence, she asked for a gift in return and asked him to return me back to her. I wanted to go back with but then I couldn't leave my promise empty. I didn't want to stay away from Bali either who is one of my greatest devotees. Staying with him made me happy. So, when I stood here like this in this form, she gave me this ring as a memory that in this way, she will always stay with me. The same way, I might not be there with you in that moment but I want you to know that in this memory, I will always be there with you."

"Okay stop. You are going to make me break down into tears. I will ruin my 80$ mascara." I said.

He looked dumbfounded. "80$ mascara? What is it made of? Diamonds?"

That made me laugh. "Makeup items are expensive, pa."

"Shiva... Shiva..." He shook his head dramatically. I laughed.

"Oh, hello. Look at yourself. You also wear eyeliner."

"Yes. Mine is practically just as expensive as ghee. Put a vessel over the ghee diya and there is your eyeliner. That pure carbon. Also, our ghee isn't expensive at all. We have cows who give us milk for free. An easily available commodity here in rest of the worlds. I don't want to talk about Earth."

"Thanks, pa. I wish that if I'm born again, I get to be Vishnusuta again. I hope that next time around, I accept it as well as I accept that I breathe air."

He smiled.

With that, I let myself be taken away from him. The soldiers arrived to take me. Maharaj Bali, Raj, Mayura, Kanika, Videsha and Yashasvi walked with me. Raj held my hand.

The nervousness I had before had dwindled so much that now I was at ease. I only thought of the fight. Relaxed and assured that everything is alright. Whatever happens, I know the outcome now. When you know what the outcome is, you don't fear the test anymore. You walk towards assuring yourself that it is just okay. The outcome is fixed.

For the first time, I felt a different level of awakenment. Guru Vashista had been taking me through a path of awakenment. This awakenment is important for Devansh. Knowing that death is going to happen sometime. They prepare from a young age for that. The awakenment is important.