Ch30Mrityu Yog The Rise of Rudravanya #3
"Maa... you have always been with me. You always showed me the right path, and whatever I ever asked from you, you gave me. It was only because of your blessings that I received Rudraksh as my husband... and today... today my husband's life is in danger, Maa..."
Her voice broke between sobs.
"Please Maa... please save my Rudra. Save my suhag, Maa... please..."
Rivanya kept crying helplessly. Then her tear-filled eyes shifted towards Mahadev's idol.
"Mahadev... Rudraksh worships you with all his heart. Today you have to protect him. Please... please save him..."
Again she looked at Maa Gauri and pleaded like a helpless child.
"Maa... you are my mother, aren't you? Then please don't let anything happen to my husband. Just once... give me some sign that you are listening to my prayers..."
As she spoke those words, Rivanya closed her eyes and rested her forehead against Maa Gauri's feet, crying uncontrollably. But what she did not know was that Maa had already answered her prayer.
Just like before marriage in Kashi when Maa's chunni had fallen over Rivanya, and sindoor from the Goddess's idol had landed on her forehead as a divine sign of Rudraksh entering her life-today too Maa Gauri had given her another powerful sign. Rivanya simply had not noticed it yet.
After pouring her heart out before the Goddess, Rivanya slowly walked back upstairs. But the moment she entered, everyone stared at her in shock and disbelief. At first she didn't notice, but when she did, she looked around in confusion.
"Why is everyone looking at me like this? What happened?"
Dhara immediately understood and walked towards her.
"You prayed to Maa Gauri for Jiju, didn't you?" she asked softly. "Did Maa give you your answer?"
Rivanya shook her head weakly. "No... not yet."
Dhara smiled emotionally.
"She already did, Rivanya."
Rivanya frowned in confusion. "What do you mean?"
Dhara pointed towards her forehead.
"Didn't you look at yourself?"
Without understanding anything, Rivanya touched her forehead. The moment her fingers brushed against her skin, they came away stained in deep red sindoor. Rivanya froze.
Her eyes widened in shock.
"Where did this sindoor come from...?"
And then suddenly she remembered.
When she had fallen at Maa Gauri's feet while crying, the sindoor offered at the Goddess's feet had spread across her forehead like a blessing. It was no ordinary coincidence it was Maa's biggest sign that nothing would happen to Rudraksh.
Dadima stepped forward with tears in her eyes and lovingly caressed Rivanya's head.
"All my life I had only heard that Maa gives signs to her devotees... today, for the first time, I have witnessed it with my own eyes. There is immense power in your love, Rivanya... and now I truly believe my grandson will return safely."
At that very moment, one of the doctors came out from inside Rudraksh's room.
"His condition is improving," the doctor announced.
The moment everyone heard those words, it felt as if life returned to their bodies. Relief spread across every face, though the doctor quickly added,
"But the next few hours are still critical. We are doing our best."
Everyone got busy again, discussing prayers, medicines, and arrangements. Amidst all that chaos, Dhara noticed Rivanya standing silently, lost in her thoughts. She walked up to her gently.
"Rivu... what are you thinking?"
Among everything Dadima had said earlier, one particular sentence had stayed in Rivanya's mind.
"Why did Dadima call my concern... love?" Rivanya whispered softly.
Dhara stared at her for a moment before shaking her head with a helpless smile.
"Seriously, Rivu... you are still the same innocent idiot. You still haven't realized how deeply you've fallen in love with Jiju."
Rivanya looked at Dhara in stunned silence. For the first time, she truly felt that strange ache inside her heart the fear, the pain, the helplessness she had been feeling since morning. It all suddenly started making sense.
Dhara held her shoulders gently and said,
"Rivanya... every single person standing here can see your love clearly. The way you broke down for him... the way you fought for him... the way you prayed for him... that isn't just concern anymore. That is love. Pure love."
At that moment, Rivanya finally realized the truth she had been unknowingly running from all this time.
Somewhere between the fights, the misunderstandings, the pain, and the silent care... she had fallen hopelessly in love with Rudraksh.
But the realization only brought more pain to her heart.
With teary eyes she whispered,
"But Dhara... this is wrong, isn't it? Rudraksh will never love me back... never..."
Dhara gently held Rivanya's face in her hands and softly said, "Rivanya... did you forget your own words?"
A small smile appeared on her face as she continued, "You are the one who always says that love comes without conditions... without restrictions. Then why are you making your love dependent on whether Jijusa loves you back or not?"
Rivanya silently looked at her while Dhara continued lovingly,
"You always say that true love holds immense power. And your love is pure, Rivu... pure enough to one day break even the wall of hatred Rudraksh Jiju has built around his heart."
Dhara smiled confidently and touched Rivanya's forehead gently.
"So until that day comes... just love him. Don't overthink it."
Hearing those words, Rivanya's eyes filled again. Without saying anything, she tightly hugged Dhara.
But before either of them could speak further, suddenly a nurse came running outside in panic and quickly asked, "Who among you is Rivanya?"
Rivanya immediately stepped forward anxiously. "I am Rivanya. What happened? Rudraksh is fine, right?"
The nurse nodded quickly. "Yes, his condition is stable for now... but in his half-conscious state he keeps taking your name again and again. The doctor asked me to call you because they think maybe if you stay near him, he might regain consciousness properly."
The moment Rivanya heard that Rudraksh was calling out for her even in that condition, something inside her completely melted.
Without wasting even a second, she hurried inside the room.