Turning on a New Leaf

It was almost the break of dawn. The leaves rustled slowly from the cold breeze that blew around the hilltop. I lay still on the rock examining the constellations twinkling in the night sky. The Saptarishis twinkled paving way for Devi Arundhati to twinkle as a sign of respect for her immense and powerful power of chastity. Dhruva was situated as usual showing the way to millions of explorers and navigators to find their way back to their homeland both physically and esoterically. As I was engrossed with the serenity of the atmosphere that my surroundings created, a peacock feather flew by and landed on my face. I picked it up gently and smiled at it. 

“Couldn’t I get a moment of privacy, Sakhi?” I said, chuckling.

A hand landed on my right shoulder, from the back came a soft voice, “Sure, Sakha. But the problem is that you have always been in private.”

I replied smiling looking back at her and holding her hand from the shoulder onto my hands, “It is not a problem at all, Sakhi. When I have you all who do all the work so efficiently for me. Why do I need to come out?”

“We can do anything for you, brother,” said another voice from the right, “but you can’t shun away from the world like that. Someday you will have to come out and accept yourself and your responsibilities.”

“Sister” I replied to her smiling “I am still fulfilling my responsibilities. When you all fail to take the hard decisions, I take them for you. Otherwise like mother, you are too soft to turn away anything when it is asked from you sweetly and devoutly.”

She replied mockingly, “And like father, you too shun away from the world. You do everything for everyone but never give yourself the desired credit.”

I took the peacock feather and examining it closely with my hands, chuckled at her, and replied smiling, “What does matter is that the work gets done. Who does it doesn’t matter? Whether I get the credit or you all get it, what significance does it hold? Nothing.”

She replied staring at me, serious, “It doesn’t matter to you, brother but it matters to us. Isn’t it so, Sari?” She looked at her and she nodded.

“Moreover, no matter how much you try to hide away from the world, you can’t. We have learnt it the hard way. When the appropriate time arrives, even Shiva has to turn into Shankar. Isn’t that so, Kishori?” Said another voice from the left. She continued, “And so will you, cousin. No matter how much you veil yourself amongst us, you have to come out one day.”

I got up and came in front of her, smiled, and said,” Cousin, can you please turn back for a moment?”

She nodded and turned back and I placed the peacock feather on her tuft of hair. Holding her shoulders, I turned her towards me and holding her cheeks, replied smiling,” Kumari, you look pretty as usual. But you three are sufficient to cover all the aspects that the world desires. You all have enough knowledge and skills that are needed in this day and age. So why you all are so hellbent on making me come out? Believe me, it is not needed. You all are doing a marvellous job. I am proud of the trio that you all have become. It gives me immense satisfaction watching you all fulfilling your responsibilities effectively.”

She took my hand and took it away from her cheeks. Then she joined the other two in a row and said,” Bhrata, it is true that we three have something specific that the world desires but” Kishori continued from her “you have something that we don’t have and” Sari continued next “without it all our efforts will not find fulfillment, Sakha.”

I looked at them, turned back and looking at them sideways, replied seriously, “What you all are asking from me, the time is not appropriate. Your efforts are as whole as the creation itself.”

Kishori replied, “It is indeed true that our efforts are as whole as the creation itself but until and unless the efforts of the creator get amalgamated with it, no life will reach to its ultimate nature, Bhrata…”

“Try to understand, Bhrata,” said Kumari. They looked at each other exchanging glances and continued, “We are all Prakriti tatva but only you Bhrata, only you among us is the Purush tatva.”

“And without Purush tatva,” continued Sari, “Prakriti can’t sustain herself for long, Sakha. It will one day collapse. Till now, we have been doing everything that we could but…”

“You now have to take a more active role, Bhrata. You have to get involved in the affairs of the world and the society in which you hide so easily,” added Kishori.

“And what effect will it have on the body, little sisters? You very well know, don’t you Sari?” I asked them seriously. “Can our body even handle it? The body could handle your journey because you all were subtle but if I take on, the body is not competent enough to handle it. Mahadevi had already instructed us to start our schooling and by her grace, Kamesh has suited us with such a being who is able to impart us with the entire 64 Kalas. It is best that we focus on making our bodies competent enough. Till then, you three keep on maintaining the body as usual. When the appropriate time comes, I assure you that I will take the lead. Are we clear?’ I looked at them, smiling.

They all exchanged glances and looking at me, smilingly nodded.

“Then we must concentrate on our Sadhana, Sakhis so that we could make this body compatible enough so that Bhrata could take the lead,” said Kishori.

“True indeed. We all will help in this endeavour. Isn’t it, Sari?” Kumari said.

“Why not, Sakhi? I can’t wait when the tapa agni of my Sakha will illuminate the whole existence.” Added Sari.

They all came and touched my feet together.

“Bless us, Bhrata, so that we can make this body competent enough for you to take over,” said Kishori.

I took all of their hands and replied,” Kalyan ho. Your place is not at my feet but near my heart.” I laid my arms wide open and all of them hugged me. 

As we all looked at the horizon to welcome the rising sun, I kissed their foreheads and caressing their heads I said smiling, overwhelmed with bliss.” Till this world has you three, its auspiciousness can’t diminish. When someone seeks intensely for the divine, I am glad that they would have you all beside them in ways that they even can’t imagine, possible.”