"She has spent twelve years of her life in doing penance and worshipping the Lord and she has received many blessings. It's so hard to be a father of such a graceful daughter," Prabhupada said with pride. "I am searching for a man worthy of her grace, beauty and devotion. If you happen to know someone to be worthy of her please let me know," he added.
"Your daughter is beautiful, Prabhupada. I am sure you will find a good husband for her,"
"Indeed, the young maiden is beautiful. May you find a good hus…?" Aayreya was saying when a jerk came from behind her and the plate in which she had bought the offerings for the goddess fell from her hands.
He looked at her for a second, looked around and then bent down to pick up the plate from the ground. She also bent down to pick up the thaal.
"I am sorry, Your Highness. It slipped off my hand."
"It's okay, maiden. It wasn't your fault."
Their hands touched each other's. They looked at each other. Aatreya felt a sense of completeness in his heart as if a long-awaited longing had been met, a search had been completed. He looked at her with great curiosity.
"Be careful daughter," Prabhupada said.
"Yes, father," she said and stood up. "I should take my leave now."
She bowed down to them and left the temple.
"If my son would have been of age I would have asked your daughter for him. Haha," Veerapalli Chief said. "But, don't worry, I know someone worthy of your daughter. My nephew, Kichak. He is the Army Chief of Hasta."
"Ah! Yes, yes. You have mentioned him before. Chief, if you think of someone this highly then he must be a man of matter. If you don't have any problem please consider this marriage alliance," Prabhupada said as he was elated to hear Surender's words.
"Of course, Haha. Well, Chief Aatreya, about our....what do you think?"
Aatreya didn't pay much attention to their conversation. His mind was contemplating what had happened between him and the beautiful woman. Why did he feel that way, that happiness, that completeness? "Is she the one?" he asked his heart.
●●●
Aatreya, along with Bali and Nivid, was ready to leave Veerapalli. Servants prepared their horses for the long journey while they stood outside the ashram. Bali continuously looked towards the temple for the woman he met yesterday.
"She came to the temple yesterday at this time. She may come here again today," he thought.
Little did he know that she had already left the temple. Yesterday she was late because of Vani.
"Let's go. Shall we?" Aatreya said.
"Yes, Your Highness," Nivid said.
Aatreya expected to hear from Bali but he did not respond as his mind was into the temple. Aatreya looked at him, whose eyes were fixated at the temple gate.
"Bali, do you want to go to the temple?" Aatreya asked.
"She may be there…..," Bali thought and said; "I will be back after seeking Mother Goddess's blessings."
He went inside the temple while Aatreya raised his brows."Why is he behaving like this? Since when did he become fond of going to temples?" Aatreya asked Nivid.
"What should I say?" Thought Nivid.
"I am asking you," Aatreya said authoritatively.
"I… I…don't…" Nivid looked down, closed his eyes and blabbed. "He saw a woman yesterday at the temple. I think he wants to see her again."
"What? He is behaving like this merely to see a woman. How shameful. Call him back."
"Yes, Your Highness."
"Actually, leave it. I have something for you to do," Aatreya sighed and said after a pause.
"Order me, Your Highness!"
"Advisor Prabhupada…he.."
"Yes?"
"He has a daughter named Dhani. I want you to seek some information about her."
"Information about a girl? Why Your Highness? Do you find something suspicious about her?"
"No. That's not the reason. I want to know if she did penance for twelve years or not and what blessings she received."
"Why, Your Highness? I don't understand its purpose."
"I want to know about her blessings. If she has received boons from the Lord, I wish to make her a daughter-in-law of the Mitraman dynasty. Such a woman will bring good fortunes with her to our home,"
"I have understood my task," Nivida said and bowed down his head.
"Come after collecting information about her blessings. And most importantly, her father is looking for a man for her. Make sure that does not happen until I decide any further."
"Understood. Your Highness!"
Bali returned from the temple with a grieving yet angry face. By that time, Chief Surender and Prabhupada also arrived there to bid them farewell.
"I hope you got your blessings. Let's go now," Aatreya said to Bali.
Bali scratched his head and frowned his brows. "Yes brother."
"Have a safe journey, Chief Aatreya."
"Thank you, Chief Surender."
"Why aren't you sitting up on the horse?" Bali asked Nivid.
"He will come later," Aatreya replied.
Nivid, Chief Surender and Prabhupada bid farewell to them. When the guests were gone outside the vision of the three, Surender looked at Nivid.
"What task have you got this time, Sir Nivid?"
"Hahaha. You caught on to it so soon Chief. Haha. By the way, you said your daughter is doing penance in Kailasa Temple, right?"
Surender grinned. "Looks like Chief Aatreya is interested in her. That's why he left Nivid here," he thought. "Yes, Sir Nivid."
"It's the same temple where Sir Prabhupada's daughter had been to. Isn't it?"
"Oh! No, no. My daughter did her penance at the Shiva Temple of Nilgiri Hills," Prabhupada said.
The talks took long time among the three. Nivid was a quite skilled in taking out the deapths of a topic from one's heart. Both, Surender and Prabhupada gleefully told him about their daughters as they took pride in them. Yet, the piece of information which was sought by him wasn't coming out of Prabhupada's mouth. Something different would need to be done. Perhaps, he could get more familier with Prabhupada first. Then only, he would get what he wants.