✓ Narottam Arjun: Soul of the Sage

t e n - h o m e & t r u s t ?

As soon as the sun rose, Arjun and Uloopi were ready to leave for Indraprasth. Vrinda was unhappy, she hated parting from her brother.

"Come with me?" Arjun simply asked, she comes or not, she was the Princess of Indraprasth. 

Vrinda agreed happily, and why wouldn't she? It was her home too.

As Arjun was coming with his wife and sister, Satyaki and Kritvarma had decorated the city and palace. 

An elderly lady bought a plate of aarti, "Rajkumari, please enter first and do the tilak of Maharaj and Maharani." Vrinda smiled at the old lady, she entered the Palace.

Vrinda took a step in, and the Palace of Indraprasth shone brightly. The footsteps of Mahalakshmi bought happiness and prosperity.

Rukmini, meaning the one who shone like gold/sun, the supreme goddess born as human, smiled at her brother, Arjun, and welcomed the two.

Uloopi entered first, followed by Arjun.

Blessed were the lands of Indraprasth as Mahalakshmi and an ansh of Devi Parvati entered the city. The pious feet of the Goddess touched the rough land, removing all inauspiciousness from the city. 

Evil lurking in the woods of Indraprasth became weaker, with the mere presence of supreme Goddess. Ashwasen, youngest son of Takshak had managed to elope the battlefield terrified of Arjun. Drowned in revenge, he settled in the woods of Indraprasth, waiting for the right opportunity to kill him.

He was the younger brother of Ashwasena, Uloopi's first husband. He didn't knew what exactly happened at the end of the war, he assumed that everyone was death, including Uloopi.

He saw it with his own eyes, the whole Maya of Khandava had burned. All the Nagas that were alive, like soldiers who were wounded, or whom Arjun did not kill, women, children and elderly; They were all sent to the Kauravya clan. 

But an expected event had happened, Ashwasen was driven by the deaths of his loved thought these Nagas had no right to live when his father and brother were dead. He slayed down every Naga, his own people and left.

He was now the only Naga of Airavata clan, sworn to revenge, driven by madness; Like an unstoppable mad elephant left lose in a forest.

Arjun or Uloopi had no idea that one Naga of Airavata clan was alive, for them there was a mysterious attack and the remaining Nagas had died.

Ashwasen winced in pain, he felt a strong power in the palace, and his eyes were set on one woman, 'Vrinda' he did not notice Uloopi, because the moment he saw Vrinda he was overpowered by lust.

"Who is she? If she holds this power, and becomes mine, then I will kill that Arjun and rule over Khandava like my father." He said to himself, trying to get another glimpse of her.

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Arjun showed his Queens the Palace of Indraprasth, both Uloopi and Vrinda were amazed by the ethereal architecture and the spellbound illusions of Mayasur.

Vrinda and Uloopi almost fell in the water half time or tried to jump over ground which was disguised as water, but Arjun always stood by them and helped them understand the nature of illusions.

As the sun set, everyone retired to bed, Uloopi realised that this would be the first night of them, together.

The first night Radha didn't allow them, and second they had gone to save Karn.
And now, being alone in the room with his scared her.

She knew he respected her, and her heart trusted him; But what can sooth a mind burning in worry like a sun in the sky, other than the moon that shines for her?

She gazed at the window, and walked towards it, looking at the sky, dark yet shining with the moonshine. Her mother used to say, that be a moon, to never let the darkness of outside enter ourselves, shine from inside and let not anyone affect who we are.

Suddenly she heard a sound coming from the balcony, clutching the nearest weapon, she walked over to check. She was expecting some intruder, or thief or a murderer at worst, but whom she saw was unexpected. "Ashwasen?" she asked, keeping the weapon aside.

"Bhabhi?" He was shocked, wasn't she dead? "You are alive? and how inappropriately dressed are you?" he questioned again, knowing that her husband, first-husband, was dead.

"This is an appropriate dress Ashwasen." She sternly said, "I married to Maharaj Arjun."

"How could you? You married the murderer of your husband?" He accused.

"What else should I do then Ashwasen? I married your brother so you should have protected me, but no. You ran away like cowards. I stayed with your brother till the commoners took away his body for final rights. 
When I got to know that Airavata people were taken to Kauravya, I went to, but they were massacred and I was not welcome.
I had to go somewhere, and it was Maharaj Arjun because of whom I lost everything.
So it is Dharma that he should give me everything.

And Ashwasen, trust me. Maharaj is a good person. Two days of which I have lived with him, he has proven himself to me.
I suggest you surrender and come live with us.
I promise you a good position at the court." Uloopi explained.

Ashwasen was happy when she married him for revenge, but realizing the truth and how she changed her mind, his face dropped.

"You are happy with the one who killed Airavata? Who do think slaughtered our innocents in the name of sending them to Kauravya. It was him.
I saw it with my own eyes." Ashwasen lied.

"No. He cannot, he is a good man." Uloopi said, her heart didn't believe but brain? It thought why would Ashwasen lie?

"Yes. A good man, and men have already hated us, hated us enough to annihilate our entire clans." Ashwasen replied.

"Just leave Ashawsen, I do not wish to talk with you." Uloopi said, her mind was torn between trusting her heart and not believing Ashwasen's word or trusting her brains and believe him.

Ashawsen left, but not before saying, "If you don't believe me, then ask him if who killed our innocents. He won't admit it's him, but instead will lie saying he doesn't know." and he left, sowing a seed of mistrust between husband and wife.

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Arjun is incarnation of Rishi Nar, and has ansh of Mahadev.
But Rishi Nar does not have ansh of Mahadev.

Understand the difference?

Uloopi is ansh of Devi Parvati, consort to Arjun, who has ansh of Mahadev.
While Nayantara/Chandana is Hrushika, eternal consort of Rishi Nar.

Also- Arjun is son of Indra, making him Indransh, so his wives have ansh of Devi Sachi.
Both Uloopi and Nayantara have ansh of Swarg Lakshmi.

Now many of you DMed me with this question, cause I mentioned how Uloopi's first husband died.
Should I add the story of Uloopi's first husband and curse of Devi Parvati in detail or you have understood?

Many had doubts about how an entire clan would be diminished? Like some would be alive?
Even I was in confusion first cause why was everyone asking me that? but then I just realised that I did not mention Ashwasen first.
He was supposed to mentioned in the Khandava war sequence but I forgot =_=
How very smart of me *sarcastically*

Me to Ashawsen: Dekh ek toh tu Vrinda pe nazar maar raha aur Uloopi Arjun ke bicn bhi aa raha hai, ab nikal jaa warna aisi maut dungi ki tuje nani yaad aajayegi.