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Love Stories from The Mahabharata  
Sumukh and Gunakeshi – 7

Lost in his own imaginings, absent-mindedly Sumukh gazes into the far distance. Perhaps by now Indra, king of the gods, pleased by the prayers of his dear sakhaa Matali, has gifted amrita. For making true the Naga youth Sumukh’s dream of gaining immortality, Matali is bringing amrita. As though footsteps can be heard—perhaps Matali has arrived. Eagerly, with unblinking gaze, Sumukh keeps staring at the path towards the Mandar grove.

At that very instant, crying out like a terrified child, Sumukh shrieks, “Save me!”

Like a gust of an all-destroying fire, someone’s cruel and terrible breath rushing this way has stopped near the Mandar grove. Within the creeper-covered hut, like a thin leaf shaken by the wind, shivers Sumukh. He has come; Naga-enemy Garud has come to fulfil his terrible vow. The claws of death have drawn near to the heart of immortality-seeking Sumukh.

Gunakeshi says, “Be at peace, Naga prince.”
Sumukh: “Give me peace, daughter of Matali.”
Gunakeshi: “It is I that am your peace.”
Sumukh: “You?”
Gunakeshi: “Yes, I.”
Sumukh: “You will be able to save me from death?”
Gunakeshi: “I am not amrita, son of Chikur. I can be your companion on the path of death, I can only sweeten the moment of your death.”

Like gusts of destroying fire, in uncontrolled fury Garud’s breath seems to be straining impatiently on the path to the Mandaar grove. Staring at Gunakeshi’s face in a calm voice Sumukh expresses his wonder,

“By sweetening the last moments of one on death’s road what joy will you gain, daughter of Matali?”
Gunakeshi: “That sweetness will become immortal in my life, till my very last breath.”
Sumukh says, “You are a unique wonder of the many-splendoured heart of this world.”
Gunakeshi: “I am a very ordinary heart of this wonderful world.”
Sumukh: “You are beautiful.”
Gunakeshi: “Only when you say so am I beautiful.”
Sumukh strives to hold back tears. In a broken voice, like a distressed plea, he says, “I have a request, daughter of Matali.”
Gunakeshi: “Command me, son of Chikur.”
Sumukh: “With his body torn by ravaging Garud, may this son of Chikur see with his last breath that in the eyes of Gunakeshi of the abode of gods, two tears have sprung.”
“Son of Chikur!”
“Speak, lovely-hearted daughter of Matali.”
“Why this obsession for so very ephemeral two drops of tears?”
“I have realised, standing in the shade of death I have understood Gunakeshi, how much sweeter are these ephemeral tears than extreme joy. I have realised, that which can make even the moment of death honeyed is truly amrita.”

– Continued

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