Kurukshetra Vijayadhari

The Duel

As both of us entered the arena the sight that awaited us was somewhat that I had predicted beforehand . The hundred brothers of my dear friend were lying scattered all around the arena as if creating a battle formation . The only difference being that none of them were in a state to fight . Dushasana was almost begging for mercy from their tormentor who stood tall amidst the bleeding and almost unconscious Kauravas . A tall and robust man emitting the aura of godliness draped in all blue with a white complexion that had turned almost pink owing to his anger was the reason of the misery of the sons of Dhritarastra.

It wasn't that only the Kauravas were present here . Even their parents along with their uncles and the great Bheeshma were gracing their presence in this historic occasion . The king was absolutely terrified with what he had come to know from his younger one while the queen had almost passed out but for the support of her maid . The Grandsire , the royal preceptor and the Godfather of the Kurus were just silent spectators of the onslaught continuing in front of them . Aswathama was the only one who tried to pacify the mighty son of Rohini however without minimal success . He came towards us once he saw us entering the arena and that brought everyone's attention towards myself.

" Friend , why did you return ? And why is Angaraja with you ? Shreeman Balarama is unstoppable today and won't spare both of you now . " the son of Drona warned both of us .

" I had sneaked out only to send him off to Anga but it was he who dragged me back and perhaps rightly so as now I feel guilty to have left my brothers to face the ire of Gurudev . " lamented a worried Duryodhana.

" Now that I am here , you needn't worry both of you . I will handle it in my way . " I offered an assuring nod to both of them and proceeded towards the mighty bull amongst men .

" So finally you mustered some courage to come out of your shelter , you coward . " taunted the son of Basudeva .

" Look who's saying , the brother of the one who runs away from battlefield. " I gave him back .

" You insolent brat , where the hell were you hiding ? " spat out the Grandsire this time .

" Am I answerable to you about the schedule of my daily chores as well , Grandsire ? " chuckled myself which made even the battered Kauravas split into laughter.

" Where else would he have been , uncle ? He would have ran away to some forbidden aspect of the palace when he would have got to know about the arrival of the Dwarka siblings . " chipped in the Vidura

" Is any such part available to rest here in Hastinapur, esteemed prime minister? I am really tired of fighting and am in dire need of a holiday . " my quirky reply cracked Duryodhana this time .

" I will send you to one you desire . A long and eternal package to hell , you moron . " threatened Balarama .

" I have a permanent pass there . Hence  your help isn't required at all , angry bird . " my response confused him while it almost popped out the eyes of my friend at such a playful remark with his revered teacher .

" Come show me what you are made up of . I challenge you into a duel . " declared the son of Rohini .

" And I have no interest in accepting your challenge. " I spoke quite indifferently that made every pair of eye to widen in surprise .

" What the hell ? Are you even a warrior ? Kshatriyas can't ever back out from a challenge. " a dumbfounded Balarama managed .

" But who said that I am a Kshatriya ? I am a Suta , in fact a Sutaputra . " asserted myself as I looked at the surprised audience .

" So now you remember your position , brat . Why the hell you didn't do so when you fought Arjuna ? " spat out the godfather of Kurus , Kripacharya .

" Because I needn't act according to what others want me to . I am a free man you see . " my response made the Kauravas roll on the floor laughing.

" If you don't fight with me then I will drag the whole of the Hastinapur into river Ganga . " Balarama issued his threat that made even the Grandsire shiver .

" Just dare trying it and Dwarka would cease to exist from the very next moment . " the confidence in my voice unsettled the robust man this time .

" Dwarka has the protection of the lord of the universe , you fool . Nothing can ever damage it . " the Incarnation of Shesha tried to reassure more so himself making me chuckle.

" Is it ? Just try asking your younger one . The same lord of the universe who came begging for the Gods instead of fighting for his sister like you . " the smirk in my face made him realize that something was amiss .

" I will kill you if you speak anything ill about my siblings from that filthy mouth of yours . " an enraged Ananta shrieked in fury .

" Just keep barking dude . It would just get the better of your sanity . " mocked myself to break the last straw as the elder brother of Krishna summoned his  plough to charge towards me . As he drew closer , I lifted a gigantic wheel lying beside to entangle the edge of the plough in the gaps between its spokes . Removing myself from the direction of the charging bull , I started rotating the wheel . The centrifugal force put to optimal effect showed a miraculous feat as the plough of the Ananta along with himself went up in the air circumambulating until he lost his grip . Flying tangentially out of the circular motion the powerful Shesha fell miles away breaking the largest of the stands for the audience .

Whoever witnessed the spectacle was speechless at the effortless throw . The son of Basudev recovered from the initial blow to rush again with all his might . I summoned my internal energies and enriched the wheel with the same while chanting hymns as the wheel started glowing like the sun . I waited for the son of Rohini to come closer and when there was just a few feet gap between us I hurled the wheel at him that sent him back further away than before . The wishful weapon smashed the great man as he almost swooned . Enraged by the attack , Balrama threw his mace which I caught midway to hurl back at him injuring him again . He was infuriated and hence metamorphosed into his true form .

The endless hooded lord of the serpents arose from the thin air scaring every soul present therein . The beast plunged itself towards myself as I summoned all my energies to gather inside myself . Pulling the scorching heat from the suns across all the universes I created a massive fusion shield of fire into which the hoods of the serpent got caught . I enlarged the solar space to engulf the whole of him as I came out of it to grab his tail from behind . Once he felt me at his tail he came down charging only to bite his own tail as I sneaked back into my created sun . Before the gigantic serpent could recover , I pulled across the energies of fire to hurl the magnificent solar frame burning the indomitable beast as if offered into a sacrificial altar . As I exited the massive portal , I was greeted with the astonished gazes of the royal family of Hastinapur while a pair of conspirators who had just entered were horrified by the sight of the spectacular battle .