Aftermath: The outlasting Krishna-Arjun journey

ℂ𝕙𝕒𝕡𝕥𝕖𝕣 𝟙𝟘: 𝕋𝕙𝕖 𝕙𝕠𝕡𝕖 𝕠𝕗 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕗𝕦𝕥𝕦𝕣𝕖

Arjun's pov

The second road into the future opened up a week later, as Queen Sudeshna's letter summoned them to Matsya. Uttara was in labour.

A large delegation from Hastinapur set off for Matsya immediately at breakneck speed. Aswatthama's curse loomed large in the Pandava brothers' mind. Arjun, riding alongside Madhav, who had fortunately been in Hastinapur that week, heard the cursed words in his head on loop.

'The Weapon I released with the purpose of destroying the Pandavas, I cannot withdraw, hence I shall release it in the wombs of the Pandava women, and limit the destruction.'

But Madhav had said:

'But Parikshit, attaining to manhood and completing his studies, shall rule the earth for sixty years. He shall become King of the Kurus in front of your very eyes.'

Arjun shut out his doubts and as always, chose to trust Madhav.

***

When they reached Matsya, they were greeted with the silence of mourning. The child had been born dead, the servants whispered fearfully as they showed the royal family into the delivery room.

Uttara was inert in Queen Sudeshna's arms and holding her child in her own arms tenderly. Her soft, broken weeping hurt Arjun's ears. 

No mother should have to bear this.

The pain of giving birth to a stillborn child--no mother should have to bear this.

"Madhav," Yudhishthir said hoarsely. "You had said--the day Aswatthama cursed us--you had said Uttara's son would--"

"Mamashree," said Uttara suddenly, straightening up and looking at Krishna. "You have to do something, Mamashree. Abhi always said--he was always confident you could do anything, anything in the world. Please, in Abhimanyu's honour, please bring my baby back to life."

She was breathing hard, face flushed with the effort of speaking so much.

"Lie down, my dear," Subhadra said soothingly. "I am sure your uncle can do something."

She looked up at her brother imploringly.

With a grave expression very uncharacteristic of him, Krishna walked up to the front and touched Parikshit's head.

"All right," he said softly. "I will give my best."

***

"O Uttara, I never utter an untruth. My words will prove true. I shall revive this child in the presence of all creatures. Never before have I uttered an untruth even in jest. Never have I turned back from battle. By the merit of those acts, let this child revive! As righteousness is dear to me, as Brahmanas are specially dear to me, by the merit of that disposition of mine let Abhimanyu's son, who is born dead, revive! Never hath a misunderstanding arisen between me and my friend Arjuna. Let this dead child revive by that truth! As truth and righteousness are always established in me, let this dead child of Abhimanyu revive by the merit of these! As Kansa and Kesi have been righteously slain by me, let this child revive today by that truth!"

Madhav's words, spoken in a powerful, ringing voice, had frozen everyone into awestruck silence. Dozens of eyes stayed fixed on the motionless child in Uttara's arms.

As the minutes ticked by, the silence intensified.

Arjun swallowed a lump inside his throat.

'Never has a misunderstanding arisen between me and Arjun,' Madhav had said.