Home | Hindi | Kabir | Poetry | Workshop | BoloKids | Writers | Contribute | Search | Contact                                               Shop Online

Love Stories from The Mahabharata  
Parikshit and Sushobhana – 2

“Why this practice of deception and this courtesan-like behaviour?  Stop, princess!” Even this desperate plea of Subinita has not had any effect. Subinita has grown more miserable, Manduka-king Ayu is sadder and the golden lamp atop the moss-green stone palace has become even fainter, hiding its face behind the evening mist.

But the lamp blazes up brighter in Sushobhana’s chamber. Returning after each assignation, it is as though Sushobhana loses herself in victory celebrations. Sushobhana’s festival loses itself in the drunken lassitude of wine, the music of the vina, and the tinkling of golden anklets on dancing feet. Observing the life-style of this dancing, cruel actress, her companions shiver with fear and the fly-whisks held in their hands tremble in pain and terror.

How can Sushobhana escape so easily from the embrace of the infatuated lover? By what magic? Does no one stop her? Has no one the strength to prevent her?

Not by magic, but through deception. And that deception is so very enchanting and flawless. Expert in deceiving, Sushobhana has discovered a trick of how to vanish after having achieved victory in the campaign for conquering a man’s heart.

Before surrendering herself to each lover Sushobhana requests one promise. It is a vow wrought of pretended fear and imaginary anxiety:

“I have no objection to become your life-companion, beloved best-of-men.  But promise me one thing.”
“Speak, sweet-of-speech.”
“You will never show me a tamaal tree on a cloudy day.”
“Sweet-smiling one, why are you so afraid of the tamaal tree?”
“Not fear, but a curse, beloved!”
“Curse?”
“Yes. The moment, on a cloudy day, my eyes fall on a tamaal tree, that very instant you will not find me any more. Know, that on that day will occur the death of this unknown one, blessed by your love.”
The lover proclaims his vow: “Every hour of every cloudy day shall you repose on this breast, embraced by me on the bed of love. The misfortune of looking on a tamaal tree shall not be yours.”

Sushobhana does not delay any longer. She surrenders herself to the lover’s embraces, and from the next instant this playgirl’s life awaits in secret the occurrence of only one event. After one hour or two, one day or two, or seven days and nights, or even after a month—when will the gaze of this infatuated man be free of the shadow of blazing lust to reveal the profound depths of his being?

This waiting ends that day when, clasping Sushobhana’s hands lovingly to his breast, looking at the mountain bathed in orange glow by the soft rays of the young sun at dawn, the lover says,

“Even in the midst of so much happiness I feel afraid at times, beloved.”
“Afraid of what?”
“Should I have to lose you some day, I shall not be able to bear that misfortune I think.”

– Continued

Page 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12

Top | Love Stories from The Mahabharata