DEVASENA THE UNSUNG WARRIOR (Discontinued)

Part 10

THE FIVE siblings stood at the entrance of the hut as Arjun proceeded to enter first. Kunti sat on the floor and did her pooja as Arjun began to speak.

"Mata dekhiye na hum apke liye kya daan laaye hain." he happily said as Nakul smiled. "Haan mata, Bhrata Arjun ke bhagya khul gaye aisa daan pakar." Devasena looked around to find Sahadev but was unable to.

   'Kuch karya hoga isliye nahi aaye.' she thought

"Maine kitni baar tumhe samjhaya hai ki jo daan prapt hua hai, uss par kisi ek ka adhikar nahi. Tum paanchon bhaiyon ka hai aur haan Parthvi ko jal bharne ke liye bhej do." she ordered as brothers looked at each other, Devasena looked at Yudhishtir and urged him to say something before Kunti says something that would be inappropriate.

"Mata ek baar dekh toh lijiye ki Arjun kya daan laya hai." Yudhishtir reasoned.

"Maine kaha na jo bhi daan prapt kiya hai usse tum panchon bhai baant lo." she ordered as Panchali stood there numb.

"Mata!" Devasena screamed. Listening the pain and anger in her voice, Kunti immediately turned, she saw a girl wearing varmala appearing behind Arjun. Realization dawned on her as the aarti thali fell from hands.

"Mata aapne yeh aadesh kaise de diya?" Arjun questioned. "Mujhe daan mein ek patni prapt hui hai. Aapko ek putravadhu mili hai."

"Tumne daan jaisa shabd ek stree ke liye kaise upyog kar liya?" Kunti cried out.

"Mata ye daan nahi toh kya hai. Kanya ka daan. Ap hi ne humein sikhaya ki jagat mein daan karne wale yachna karne waale ko baandh dete hain, keval kanya ka daan manushya ke bhagyon ko khol deta hai. Issi tatparya se Nakul ne kaha ki Bhrata Arjun ke bhagya khul gaye hain." Arjun answered as Draupadi staggered back and left the hut, Devasena looked towards her mother. Her eyes showing only anger.

"Ek baar mudhkar toh dekh liya hota, Mata." she began. "Kyunki jinhe aadesh dene ka adhikar hota hai, unhe anjaan rahne ka adhikar nahi hota hai." she took a few deep breaths to calm herself and left to search for Panchali.

Devasena saw that Panchali sat on a rock sobbing hysterically. The moon-faced princess couldn't feel but blame herself for this, if only she had interfered nothing like this would have happened. Devasena crouched in front of the fire-born princess and kept a hand over hers. 

"Mujhe kshama kar dein Rajkumari." Devasena said, her voice filled wavering as tears brimmed in her own eyes. "Mata ne yeh aadesh diya hai, ve avashya hi iska koi upaay bhi nikal lengi."

"Iska kya upaay hoga?" Panchali sobbed. "Unhone aadesh diya hai, uss aadesh ka palan karna apke panchon bhaiyon ka kartavya hai."

"Main apko vachan deti hoon." Devasena said in a confident voice. "Aapke samman par mein anch nahi aane doongi." Draupadi looked at her with hopeful eyes.

"Aapki mata ne toh baant diya mujhe, paruntu kaise batungi main apna prem." she said as Devasena turned to see Arjun standing there in dilemma. She knew that the couple needed to talk.

Devasena took her hand back and moved towards Arjun, she nodded at him, indicating him to talk. He nodded and left. Devasena went back to the hut to find all her brother's standing in shock while Kunti kept sobbing. 

"Kya hua? Kya nirnay liya aap sab ne?" she asked as the brother's shared looks with each at the end Yudhishtira sighed as he understood that he would be the one breaking the news to Devasena and facing her wrath.

"Humne vichar kiya hai ki Arjun Rajkumari Draupadi se vivah karega aur hum chaaron bhai brahmacharya ko apna lenge." The eldest brother calmly said as Devasena looked at them bewildered.