It was early in the morning, mala was out in the garden, picking up the parijatham flowers.As she picked up the flowers,she admired the beauty of it, It’s white petals with an orange stalk looked like a ballet girl ready for her first dance, it fragrance filled the air like none other would.She always liked this flower and liked making different strands of mala for bala since it added beauty to her.Her mother once told her the myth about this parijatham flowers.
Once a royal princess fell in love with the sun god-Surya.She was enamored of his brilliance and beauty as he daily passed through the sky from east to west in his fiery chariot. Her devotion attracted his attention and for a while he favored her with his
attention but after awhile he was distracted with other interests and she was deserted. In despair she killed herself and from her cremated ashes the parijatham tree arose. Since she was rejected by Surya, the flowers of the tree only bloom at night. Then before the sun rises the flowers fall so its rays will not strike her. Based on this story the tree was given
the species name ëarbortristisí which means "tree of sorrow !”.
That story instilled in her the sense of affection for those flowers and she can never see it as an ordinary flower. As she sat there thinking about the parijatham flowers her thoughts shifted to bala.”Where are you bala?the flowers are ready for you,come and wear them,saying she lifted the garland and through the garland on the other side stood bala.
Mala smiled and said “I was thinking of you just now” “come here wear this”saying she garlanded bala. Bala was looking gorgeous . she was wearing a pink flowered skirt with a short pink blouse to match it. the puffed sleeves made her look like a fairy,her angelic face was round with a dark red lips turned like tulips, her cheeks were puffed up like a chocolate dipped in cream and honey.her jaw line were well defined making one understand that when needed she could be tough and strong.
“hey, why are you looking at me like that” asked bala.
“i was admiring you” replied mala.
“why all of a sudden, am i looking different today?”
“ no, i am lost in your beauty today”
“ha..ha.. you sound like a poet today?”
“anyone will become a poet if they look at you” chuckled mala.
“ok then ,write a poem about me now...let me see”quivered bala.
“ ha..ha. don’t ask me something which i don’t know”
“you said anyone seeing me will write a poem ,then you should”
“ok. let me try”
bala sat in front of mala looking straight into her eyes.
“streaking sunsets are beautiful,
airbrushed rainbows are wonderful
but can they match the divine grace of yours?.
flowers are beautiful
blue skylines are wonderful
but can they match your angelic smile?.
rivers are beautiful,
fluffy clouds are wonderful
can anything be more beautiful
than the smile that appears on your face
when I look at you?"
Bala laughed,and she came closer and garlanded mala.
“that is truly wonderful” saying she hugged mala.
Mala was embarrassed.”was it truly nice,did you like it?”
“yes.mala, it was nice.so every day you are going to write poems for me” winked bala.
“you must be joking” said mala.
“i am not. ok. let us worry about that some other time” saying she went near the parijatham tree and shook it. the remaining flowers dropped.she turned to mala and said “do you know why parijatham flowers are so beautiful and scented?”
“ no why?
Vishnu - the Preserver of the Universe,churned the cosmic ocean to obtain certain boons that would help alleviate suffering and protect the powers of good from the powers of evil. The Parijatham tree appeared as one of the divine treasures. Its perfume was said to permeate the entire universe.
After the parijatham tree emerged from the ocean of existence it was taken to the heaven worlds and planted in the pleasure garden of Indra- the lord of the gods.
One day a great sage Narad Muni visited this garden in his meditations visited this garden and saw this lovely tree emitting its divine perfume. Using his yogic powers he gathered up some of these ethereal blossoms and brought them back to the physical plane and gave them to Rukmini, the wife Lord Krishna,who was at that time dwelling in Dwaraka.The flowers were so lovely and the fragrance so delicate that Satyabhama another wife of Lord Krishna
became desirous of possessing that celestial tree and having it planted in her own garden. To satisfy her desire he entered into a state of deep meditation and in that state plucked up the tree from the garden. Before leaving that place he was accosted by the keepers of the garden and was told he would incur the wrath of Indra as the tree belonged to his wife Sachi. But Satyabhama would not be put off by any obstacle and said that the tree was the common property of all and had as much place on earth as it had in the heavens.
As a result Krishna waged a great war with Indra and his celestial army. In the end Krishnaís strength prevailed and Indra was forced to retreat. Indra said that there was no shame in being defeated by the avatar of Vishnu and that the tree should be taken to earth and planted in Dwarka where its fragrance could be enjoined by all the people of the earth. Thus the first parijatham tree was planted and its divine fragrance was said to spread for three
furlongs. Its aroma was charged with so much power that it would help people inhaling it, to remember events of their past lives.”
“oh is it?”
“yes”
“can i remember my last life then”
bala laughed.”you will remember when the time comes not now”
Bala went closer to the tree and touched it. The tree was a three feet tall,at the touch of bala, the tree shook itself and out of the tree a small girl came out...
“why did you call me,bala?”
“ meet mala ,parijatha, i was telling mala about you,and your appearance on earth.
“yes,bala,i heard what you said,it is true, if not for krishna i wouldn't be here”
mala came closer to parijatha, touched her and saw that she was real.she was a short healthy girl same age as bala and her eyes were calm and serene never to give away anything.
Turning to mala, bala said “Parijatham will stay for some time here,to provide me with the flowers until both of us are here,once we move out of this place then she will go away.
“yes, i will,but where will we go and why will we go?”
Bala smiled.
“are you going to be here forever,in your mother’s place?”
“why not?”
“no. you will be married one day and move out to make a family of your own”
“I will not marry,i cannot leave my parents”
Bala laughed loudly.
“you will,a small family with a wonderful child”
Mala reddened.
“will I?”
“Yes” replied bala.
so take care of parijatha,and she will protect us from evil.
parijatham bowed to bala and vanished into the tree.
Mala was mesmerized by the whole scenario, and that she couldn’t believe her eyes that the tree could turn into a girl like her.Bala touched mala’s shoulders signalled to move on and the girls walked away from the tree.Mala deep in thought......
Kathai Unmaiaanathu...
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