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Love Stories
from
The Mahabharata
Sumukh and Gunakeshi – 9
Garud departs.
Like the song of newly awakened birds trills Gunakeshi’s voice. Abruptly
breaking Sumukh’s embrace, Gunakeshi stands up.
Sumukh starts
at the laughter, but is wonder struck to see two tears held in Gunakeshi’s
two eyes. “What is this, Gunakeshi?”
Gunakeshi: “Your death, angered, denounced me and left.”
Sumukh: “Why did that heartless one denounce you?”
Gunakeshi: “Because it is I who frustrated all the hopes of that
remorseless one for taking revenge. You are safe, you are free.”
“Gunakeshi! Life-giving Gunakeshi!” Unable to contain his wonder, Sumukh
shouts out aloud.
Gunakeshi says, “Now, disgusted with one night’s foolishness displayed by
a loose woman of the city of gods, go away to Patal, Naga youth.”
Covering her face with both hands, as though concealing an unbearably
painful picture of that lovely face, swiftly Gunakeshi departs. Earnestly,
eagerly calls out Sumukh, “Do not go, Gunakeshi!”
Matali has
returned from Indra, depressed, disappointed and overwhelmed with anguish.
Indra, king of the gods, has not granted amrita for Sumukh. Only, very
graciously, he has promised that Sumukh will be saved from Garud’s fury. The
king of the gods has only granted life to the suitor for his sakhaa Matali’s
daughter Gunakeshi’s hand.
Sumukh bursts
out laughing: “You could not give me amrita. Then prepare to give me leave
now, sakhaa of the king of gods, Matali.”
Matali stands
with a fixed, vacant stare. The Naga youth Sumukh wishes to leave. After
coming to the city of gods, despite gazing on the face of Matali’s daughter,
more lovely than the Parijat, no desire awoke in his breast, no greed flared
in his eyes. That creature, greedy only for amrita, is leaving, utterly an
ungrateful and heartless serpent.
Again Sumukh
laughed, “I shall not return alone, Vaasav’s friend Matali.”
Taken aback, Matali asks in embarrassment, “What are you saying, Sumukh?”
Sumukh: “Yes, charioteer of Indra, Matali. In your abode of gods all the
Parijats are false in their beauty. There is only one Parijat of the
heart. Give me the permission to take it away with me.”
“Who is that?”
“One who has given me life. The amrita of the abode of immortals only
deceives, friend of Indra. But even the very moment of death can become
immortally sweet through two extremely ephemeral tears of two eyes.”
“Tears of whose eyes?”
“Your daughter Gunakeshi’s.”
Indra’s
charioteer Matali’s sad face lights up finally with joy.
Turning towards
the entrance of his house, where a flower-bedecked swing lay in the shade,
with a glad heart Matali calls, “Daughter Gunakeshi.”
Gunakeshi appears to stand before him. Chanting mantras Matali gives
Gunakeshi’s hand in Sumukh’s.
No more of the city of immortals. Out of this tearless land of eternal joy
for proceeding to Bhogvati where life is short, happily Sumukh prepares.
Tenderly he calls, “Come, beloved Gunakeshi.”
In Gunakeshi’s two anguished eyes those sweet tears again spring up: “Tell
me that you have no sorrow in your heart.”
Sumukh: “What sorrow?”
Gunakeshi: “For not having found amrita despite coming to the city of
immortals.”
Eagerly clasping Gunakeshi’s hands Sumukh says, “I have got it, Gunakeshi.”
Gunakeshi: “Got it? Then father did bring amrita?”
Sumukh: “Your father has given me amrita.”
Gunakeshi: “Where is that amrita?”
Sumukh: “Here it is, in front of me.”
Gunakeshi: “What?”
Sumukh: “You.”
–
Original in Bengali by Subodh Ghosh
– Translated by
Pradip Bhattacharya
March 28, 2004
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Love Stories
from
The Mahabharata
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