Changing Of Course [✔]

35. Revelation

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The whole family stood in Kunti's room, aware of her relation with Karna—he was her eldest son.

Yudhishthira had called everyone to the room. He believed that, now the secret had been revealed, there was no point in trying to hide it from the rest. Kunti showed no protest; she knew her secret would one day be revealed, and that day was today.

Karna stood frozen, beyond surprise—everything was too much for him to process, and he found no words to start his flow of questions.

Madirakshi stood beside Suchitra and Draupadi, unsure if it was her place to speak. She closed her eyes, silently murmuring prayers to Mahadev.

Duryodhana, upon learning that Karna was a Kaunteya— the eldest Kaunteya—was stunned, but his love for Karna as a friend remained unshaken. This new truth did not sow bitterness in his heart.

The atmosphere in the room grew dense. Silence deepened, so profound that it seemed the very heartbeats of the room’s occupants echoed.

Having enough of the silence, Bhishma decided to break the ice. "I already knew Karna wasn’t the son of a suta."

All eyes darted toward him—cold, moist, and red. He continued, chuckling sadly, "I’m no fool. When I first saw Karna, I understood that he belonged to a royal lineage."

"Vidura, you were right when you said that such a powerful warrior, blessed with a kavach and kundal, could not be the son of a sut," he added.

"You knew, Pitamah?" Arjuna asked, breaking through his astonishment.

"What is the truth, Kunti?" Gandhari questioned, distressed.

"Can anyone explain the whole matter? Is Karna Kunti's son? If so, is he also a Pandava?" Dhritarashtra expressed his irritation.

Kunti stepped forward, summoning all her courage. "Karna is my son. He is my first son, from..."

"Suryadev. I am a Suryaputra," Karna interrupted, and once again, cold silence fell over the room.

The ground seemed to slip from beneath Duryodhana’s feet—his best friend was a Suryaputra, not a Sutaputra. He was a demigod, just like the Pandavas—a Kshatriya not only by karma but also by birth.

Kunti’s pale expression urged him to continue. "Suryadev himself told me, and he would never lie."

"I've given him a life of constant agony and extreme struggle," she cried.

"Ma, please be clear," Sahadeva requested, unable to grasp the full extent of the situation.

"Many years ago," she began, but Karna interrupted her again. "No, Rajmata, please don't! Prestige and respect are pillars of sand. Please stay quiet."

She shook her head, determination visible in her eyes. "All these years, you had to bear the punishment for my crime. Even if my five sons condemn me, even if the world ridicules me, I will still speak the truth."

Madirakshi whispered, "You don’t have to stake your prestige, Ma."

"Let me speak today. No one will stop me."

All eyes rested on Kunti, their ears restless to hear the truth, and their hearts pounding with tension.

"What is going on, didi? I can't understand anything. Is Angraj Mata Kunti's son?" Suchitra whispered, torn between confusion and the mixed emotions of whether to feel happy or sad about the situation.

Arjuna glanced at Kunti and Karna. "My heart shivers at the mere thought of this relation. But what is the mystery, Mata?" he asked, tears welling in his eyes.