Radha - VI - The Parting
Kansa asked Akrura to invite Krishna and Balaram to Mathura for the celebrations. Akrura was an elderly and a highly respected member of the Yadava clan. Akrura knew that he was putting Krishna's life in jeopardy, but he fervently believed that Krishna was the redeemer and hence this chance had to be taken.
Akrura arrived at Vrindavan one evening and held a closed room meeting with Nand, Yashoda, Krishna and Balaram. Nand came out of the meeting in a daze and Yashoda with tears in her eyes. Instructions were given to prepare to leave for Mathura before dawn.
The news that Krishna was leaving spread like wildfire throughout Vrindavan. The youth sensed that they were losing a staunch friend; the maidens sensed that they were losing a man of their dreams and Radha....
Before Radha could even begin to ponder upon the consequences, the melodious sound of a flute wafted throughout the village. The women left what they were doing and ran to the Madhuban. There was no time to wear their ornaments or comb their hair. While running they tried to arrange their clothes to give an appearance of modesty but soon gave up. Radha picked up her anklets and raced ahead of everyone else, her bosom heaving with excitement. Her Kahn was calling her. Krishna was standing in his usual spot, his right leg crossed over his left, and playing his flute with gay abandon. Radha cuddled up to him and began to sway in the rhythm of his music. The other maidens formed circles around them and began to dance. The men folk, the elders and children too had come there, but were watching from a distance, so as not to embarrass the dancers.
Every maiden wanted Krishna to dance only with her, every maiden imagined that Krishna was dancing only with her and the spectators could see a multitude of Krishnas, each dancing separately with one of the lasses. Such is the power of love; such is the power of faith. This was the Maharasa or the "great dance". When the dancing stopped Krishna and Radha were missing.
Radha and Krishna were heading for their favourite nook in the Madhuban, near the Yamuna river. Radha was in Krishna's arms, her tousled head resting on his shoulder.
"Will you always be like this, Kahn?" asked Radha.
"Always," he replied, "Till the sun and the moon endure."
But Radha was not satisfied by this assurance. "Will you always remember me?" she asked.
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