Krishnaaaa You Came!

Sridhar did not know what to do. In front of him his beloved wife Vidya of nine years was sobbing very heavily. He leaned forward to comfort her and she sank into his shoulders. Sridhar waited patiently as his mind went over the events of that morning.It was January 1st and he had planned a whole day of activities with his wife. He liked nothing more than taking Vidya out shopping and waited to admire her while she tried on new clothes. They would then go to a chat pat stall and have pani puri or bhel. They would then walk down commercial street and think of going to a movie. Then they would go somewhere nice for dinner before heading back home.
All his plans took a setback as they were leaving their home that morning. Vidya’s doctor called and asked them to stopby his office that morning. This was the doctor who was examining the couple for fertility problems. Vidya and Sridhar had been married for 9 years now and every effort to try and have a child had proved to be futile.This doctor was almost like the last resort for Vidya. She was fedup of going to different doctors and wanted to give this one last try. Sridhar was the perfect husband anyone could cope for.
He was kind , gentle and loving and adored his wife. It never bothered him that his wife could not conceive.Sridhar felt that his life was perfect the way it was. Maybe it was. But Vidya was restless. She wanted to bear a child and was taunted she did not have one by the society around her.So this trip to the doctor. Inspite of Sridhar trying to tone the whole thing down, Vidya walked as if everything was going to work out and the Doctor had the solution to her problems. Well the Doctor did not mince any words and told in no uncertain terms that Vidya will never conceive. Vidya was shocked was a mild understatement. Somehow Sridhar thanked the doctor and brought Vidya out of the there. Luckily for them there was a bench outside of the doctors office surrounded by trees. They both sat there for a long time.
Then Vidya pulled herself out of her misery and decided to forget the report from the Doctor’s office.Sridhar took Vidya that day to every place he could think of. To some fancy saree stores, churidhar shops, fine restaurants.. even to a lake to watch some geese. He knew this would never erase the hurt from her heart but he wanted to lessen it.Monday morning, everything seemed back to normal. Both of them went to work and Vidya seemed her normal self. The next week they had a call from Vidya’s aunt. Vidya’s aunt wanted her to attend a local temple sponsored Sapthaham. Sridhar also felt that it would cheer up Vidya and so suggested she attend. Vidya took leave from work and attended the Sapthaham. Though both Sridhar and Vidya were religious people, they rarely spent long hours in puja or in religious discourses. Vidya found the Sapthaham very interesting. When they chanted the slokas , she was immersed in her troubles. It helped her to block everything out and sit in misery. Unfortunately for her, the talented artist conducting the satsang refused to give her much room. He went on about the problems of the world and how everyone needed to rise out of their miseries.Vidya didn’t think much of it.
In her mind, she felt that it was easier for the person sitting on the dias to preach What did he know about her problems. One of the activities that the artisit engaged in was for everyone present to cry out to Lord Krishna. This he insisted would help everyone react better to their problems and would help ease the pain in those suffering. He also said one should open both arms and cry out loud “Krishna, Krishna”. Though the audience responded , he was not happy. He said everyone should open their arms wide and cry out with their whole heart “Krishna” as if they surrendered everything to the Lord’s feet.
Vidya too joined in the exercise and felt her heart a little lighter for trying out this exercise.The next month, Vidya’s mother inlaw visited them for a few days. Vidya knew her mother in-law disapproved that she could not conceive. One evening, when Vidya was sitting in the prayer room engaged in prayers, she overheard Sridhar and his mother talking nearby. His mother was shocked to hear the Doctor’s report and told Sridhar he should think of taking some action.
By action she might have implied Sridhar was to divorce his wife. Before she even completed her sentence, a very angry Sridhar told his mother she could not talk that way about his wife and asked her to pack her things and leave the next day. He then went for a walk unable to bear the hurting words of his mother.Vidya sitting inside the prayer room, thought of Lord Krishna and opening her arms wide she surrendered her problems to the Lords feet by crying out loudly “Krishna.. Hare Krishna..”
She realized at that moment it was not for the Doctor to decide her fate but for God to. It brought her immense happiness to surrender at the Lords feet.
Within 12 months of that prayer, Sridhar held a baby in his arms whom he and Vidya named Shri Krishna.