[A note: As human beings, we are all equal. Kindly do not persecute or discriminate against anyone and stand up against people who do so. The author does not wish to create any social/religious/political tension and respects all religions equally. Any mention of caste or religion is done to provide the background of people of the era mentioned in the story. The author would not tolerate if her work is used to insult anyone.]
Around 3100 B.C. Hastinapura, Suta Residence (Dwapara Yuga)
The phosphenes settled and the dark streaks took the form of a girl. She was sitting reclined on the window sill engrossed in a leather-bound book. Inscrutable and incorrigible words swam and started floating in the sky...
Sanskrit... assumed the Vidhvathi... she didn't know how to read... but certainly no other language existed other than the divine and pure Sanskrit, did it?
"As a person puts on new garments, giving up old ones, the soul similarly accepts new material bodies, giving up the old and useless ones." She heard a melodic voice speak. It was 'Sanskrit'.
Forget this life and remember only your cause... your wish...
The world started shaking violently. The girl, Vidhvathi observed, was seated in the same position as if nothing happened.
"The soul can never be cut to pieces by any weapon, nor burned by fire, nor moistened by water, nor withered by the wind."
The one who asked for this was you... your soul... now fulfil my command and change...
Vidhvathi felt a sharp pain in her head. She felt it would explode and the surroundings obscured and bedimmed. She felt nauseous.
"One who has taken his birth is sure to die, and after death one is sure to take birth again."
Change the prewritten destiny... in your new life... Shree...
Vidhvathi could not endure anymore... She could not brood over the words... but she felt familiarity as if she already knew that and much more... as if the girl... was her. But surely it was not possible. She dismissed everything and screamed in pain completely unaware that she had heard and learnt about the most important truths of the world.
The last thing she saw was the book's title... She did not understand it, but a voice said, "Bhagavad Gita."
She woke up gasping for air.
A morpankh flew into her bedroom through the balcony and she fell asleep again. This time a dreamless one.
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"Dharvi Ma!", called Vidhvathi (fondly called, Vidya), "I heard an enchanting voice in my dreams-"
"You are too young to marry, Vidya," said the aforementioned as she made ladoos and placed them on the copper plate.
"And I do not wish to," continued 'Vidya' annoyed, "the voice talked about rebirths and I – I felt that... it was outlandish."
"That we are born as low castes because we committed grave crimes in our previous lives?" she muttered with concealed anger. Truly, society had insulted them, ostracized them and worst of all... crushed their dreams...
They had trampled on their ambitions. And their explanation... their ultimatum? The lower castes did not have the right to do... anything... except serve the higher castes. For women it was worse...
"No. And yes," replied Vidya, "that's not what I thought but, yes, I consider the caste system to be the most outlandish thing. At second place is my aforementioned dream and the voice. The voice said something about Bhagavad Gita. Do you know about it? I have only heard that Kesh Kumar ever talk about Puranas, Upa-puranas..."
"Kesh Kumar?", interrupted Dharvi amused by her daughter's naming sense.
Truly, only Vidya in the Suta community would ever call the son of the Royal Tailor – Kesh Kumar...
"He calls me Nirgunya (Sanskrit, no good quality). Surely, my alterations to his name are not that implausible and laughable. And I am not wrong - he goes around flipping his hair in everyone's faces. Even Vayujit does not like him", answered Vidya as she picked up one ladoos and brought it near her mouth.
"Do not eat that," yelled Dharvi, as she snatched the ladoo from the sulking Vidya's hand. "They are for Shon, Radha and Adirath's son. He turned five yesterday," continued Dharvi. Radha's first son had died early and she had not been able to give birth since. After Vasusena came things changed.
Vidya sighed. I turned seven three months ago... Why do I not get to eat ladoos?
"And Vayujit is a horse, do not blame him for not liking a person who steals his food," commented Dharvi. Dharvi personally considered it to be laughable that a human was stealing... horse food... But Harish – the son of the Royal Tailor would certainly take pride in it for he would see the irritated faces of Vidya and Vasusena... unable to do anything.
"Vidya... do not ever ask for revenge... never. Ask for justice," whispered Dharvi mysteriously as if... she was about to tell he something important... something that would drive her to take revenge...
"Vidya, I am taking the horse to bathe. Do you want to come with me?" questioned Nirav, Vidya's father as he stood outside the house with horse reins in his hand.
"I am," replied Vidya and as she wore her sandals asked, "And what if no one grants me justice, Ma?". Why was Mata even talking about revenge?
"Fight for it," replied Dharvi pleased that she would not have to tell the... secret... the truth...
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"Baba, did you try bribing Mata?" questioned Vidya.
"I tried. She told me that we won't be getting any ladoos even if we get her the moon..." sighed Nirav.
'This is Adharma. How can one not give ladoos to this sweet, cute and intelligent child?', thought Vidya.
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Around 3100 B.C., Gokul
"Krishna, why are you giggling so much?", questioned Yashoda definitely enjoying the three-year old's melodic laughter.
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Hello! I am Nisha (pen name).
Mahabharatha in its essence elaborates on dharma, karma, artha and moksha. But it failed to elaborate on an essential idea - one that our society requires. Female Empowerment. Draupadi was shared. Gandhari covered her eyes. Why? Their troubles and pain?
Mahabharatha potrays their devotion to their husbands and their lives, but who will talk about their pain and feelings? Should I potray them or do you want me to focus on Vidhvathi and what she changes?
Vidhvathi will bring change. Because change is essential. What do you think about her?
Do feel free to present your views and what you want to take place in the story. Also, you may point out my mistakes.
Thanking you,
Nisha. 😊
YOU ARE READING
An Endeavor to Change Destiny
Historical FictionA young girl from the Dwapara Yuga hears a part of the great Bhagavad Gita through a dream. Why was she chosen? How did she hear it? Delve in to know about the secrets, mysteries and politics that took place and how the girl used her knowledge to ch...
