✧.*Upasna prem the Meera ka, Krishna ko aradhya bana diya,
Dampatya prem tha Rukmini ka, Krishna ko pati bana diya,
Un-mukt prem tha Devasena ka, Krishna ko Krishna hi rehne diya.✧.*
...
DEVASENA SAT on the corner of the hut as Ved Vyas talked to the rest of her family. She was in no mood to even see anyone's face. Neither did she drink or eat since the second she has been back. She didn't understand where was she at fault? She never won Draupadi in the swayamwar, she never gave the order to divide her among the brothers, then where was she at fault? Devasena thought back to the words that Kanha said to her in the forest.
Flashback
Devasena walked in the forest as sobs escaped through her lips. Suddenly her dupatta got stuck in the tree. She turned and tried to pull it out but was failing in doing so. Tears clouded her vision as she fell on the ground sobbing. She felt her head leaning against someone's chest.
"Ro lo, Radhe. Jitne ashru aayein, unhe baha do kyunki iske pashchat main tumhare netron ashru girne nahi dunga." he said soothingly.
"Aisa mere saath kyun hua Kanha?" she asked between her sobs. "Mera kya dosh tha?!"
"Tumahara dosh nahi tha, priye. Dosh tumhari niyati ka tha, dosh mera tha." he said, his voice getting heavy while Chandra kept sobbing.
"Paruntu mera kya, Kanha? Kya mera jeevan satya mein ashruon se bhara rahega?" she asked as tears kept flowing. "Mera toh koi dosh nahi hai...tumne hi kaha hai na....toh tum hi batao mera jeevan kaisa hoga?" Krishna looked at her with pained eyes, he wished he could tell her of what she would suffer in her life, he wished he could tell her of how the Jagat Mata has promised to sacrifice her own happiness for removing the adharma. Tears brimmed in his eyes too, he took a harsh breath as he spoke again.
"Main tumhe kuch nahi bata sakta, priye kintu itna avashya bata sakta hoon ki jeevan mein shanti sangharsh ke baad hi milti hai. Ek din jab tumhe apne baare mein gyaat hoga uss din, yeh saari paheliyan swayam hal ho jayengi, priye." he said with a sad smile as Devasena looked him and nodded. Kanha got up and started to leave.
"Ruko," she said. "Mujhe tumse kuch puchna hai, Kanha."
"Abhi nahi, meri priye Radhe. Jab uchit samay ayega tab puchna." with that he left.
Flashback ends
"Wo kaunse sangharsh ki baat kar raha tha?" she whispered to herself. "Aur wo kaise jaanta tha ki main kya bolne waali hoon? Aur wo kaunsa uchit samay hai?" She heard the voice of Ved Vyas, feeling that she has been alone long enough, she thought of getting out and seeing of what was happening.
"Aise hi dharm ki sthapna hoga, putra." Ved Vyas said to Yudhishtira, who looked conflicted yet nodded.
"Arthat?" the feminine voice made everyone turn around. Ved Vyas smiled at Devasena as she came near her family.
"Aao putri Devsena." he said as she stood near her mother.
"Hum paanch bhai Draupadi se vivah karne ko sajya hain, Maharishi Ved Vyas ji ka bhi yahi kehna hai." Yudhishtira said as the brothers looked down, feeling ashamed. Devasena sighed.
"Mere netron mein agar aap ek stree ko kehte hain ki ve paanch purushon se vivah karein, vo adharm hai kintu agar ek adharm karne se dharm ki sthapna hoti to vo adharm, adharm nahi kehalata." she said as Ved Vyas smiled at her. "Mujhe gyaat tha putri ki tum yeh baat avashya hi samjhogi."
"Paruntu Rishivar kya iss nirnay se Panchali santusht hogi?" she questioned as Ved Vyas turned to the Pandavas. "Wo tumhare bhaiyon ke kaandhon par hai, putri." he smiled as he raised his hands up in the form of aashirwad.
"Jao Pandu Santanon," his voice boomed. "Tumhara kalyan ho!" The Pandu Family bowed their head in front of the sage and left for the Panchal Palace. Ved Vyas smiled as he looked at the retreating figure of Devasena.
"Aapke darshan paakar main dhanya ho gaya, Mata. Main dhanya ho gaya." he said as he folded his hands in respect at her retreating figure.
"Kisi ne kuch bola?" Devasena asked as she looked around.
"Nahi Parthvi kisi ne kuch nahi bola." Arjun answered.
"Ho sakta hai ki humari Parthvi ki sunne kshamta samapt ho gayi ho." Nakul teased.
"Haan Nakul, maine toh suna tha ki jab stree adhik aayu ki ho jaati hain toh unke dekhne aur sunne ki kshamta samapt ho jaati hai." Bheem played along as Devasena pouted.
"Meri aayu adhik nahi hai aur agar aisa hai bhi toh kya Mata ki bhi sunne kshamta samapt ho gayi hai?" she asked as Kunti glared Nakul and Bheem as if daring them to speak anything about her age.
"Maine ye toh kaha hi nahi ki saari streeyon mein hota hai." Bheem reasoned as Kunti kept glaring him despite having a smile on her lips.
"Ye keval unhi streeyon ko hota hai jinke buddhi se adhik mukh chalta hai." Nakul added as the brothers laughed but Devasena pouted, she started to jog away as Bheem held her by the neck and dragged her back.
"Kahan ja rahi ho behen?" he laughed. "Satya avashya hi kadwa hota hai."
"Aur karela bhi." she retorted as Bheem made a face remembering the sour taste of karela.
"Tum hamesha humein satati ho, kabhi Jyeshth ya Bhrata Arjun ko bhi sataya karo." Sahdev said as a mischevius smile formed on her lips.
"Aap chahtein hai ki main Bhrata Arjun ko sataun?" Nakul nodded his head vigorously. Devasena got her head out of Bheem's arms and stood straight, she saw that Arjun and Yudhishtira seemed in a serious conversation. Kunti observed her daughter as Devasena cleared her throat.
"Arre Brihanalla tanik sunna to." she called out as Arjun turned.
"Haan bolo behen," he said in a female like voice as everyone of them burst out laughing. Arjun looked at his sister as he understood what he did. Kunti looked at her children, all of them laughing and happy. She sighed, maybe things weren't that bad after all.
*.·:·.✧ ✦ ✧.·:·.*
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