Karna-Nandini Padmaja: Her Journey Through Mahabharata (Karna Series 5)

Chapter 22: Entry of Babrubahan

Story Unfolds :

At the palace of Manipur, the colour was everywhere. People were singing and dancing and laughing together. The old King Chitra Bahan had been decided to take rest from his age long responsibility of Kingship. He wanted his "Dauhitra" (grandson) to be in the throne of Manipur. And it was a truly wonderful suggestion too. His beloved grandson Babrubahan had proved his mettle as a worthy Crown Prince. He should be a good King too. So people were rejoicing his choice. They loved their royal family very much.

One such happy day he was sitting in the throne and was talking to his wife Basundhara. His daughter Chitra was also sitting there with a pleasant smile on her beautiful face. They loved to hear his meaningless nonstop banters about the future of Babru.

                 King Chitra Vahan

           His Queen Basundhara

         His Princess Chitrangada

They were talking happily about the upcoming coronation of Babrubahan. They were in merry mood after so long times in their lives. Chitra never disclosed the truth why her husband Arjuna did not contact her after living her rudely that auspicious night nor did they forced to. They were loving parents and they understood that there must be something amiss. As a King of Manipur Chitra Vahan was no fool himself. He knew that he got what he demanded. He wanted a very worthy and promising grandson and he received it in the form of Babru. The relation between spouses could be sour sometimes and he hoped that Arjuna-Chitra relationship would be okay with time. But it could not. But he did not press hard. He let them go. If he would try to intervene perhaps the another greatest blood thirsty war between father and son could be then stopped. And it could change the whole course of our story too. But unfortunately Arjuna and Babru war was inevitable. None could ever stop it. Not even Gods.

"Hamare Pota kitna bara ho gaya!! Ab toh uske bibah dene ke liye Patriwo ko nirbachan karna chahiye!!! (Our grandson has been all grown up. Now we should choose bride for him.)" The King was churning his moustache in pride.

His wife was smiling at his foolish remarks. She knew that he was totally harmless in his jokes. But his dearest daughter got scared. Chitra stood up from her seat and went straight to the window. She was scared. She did not want Babru to get married to any random girl. She, as a mother, knew to whom his heart belonged to. She knew that Babru loved Shoma, his childhood friend Sujata's daughter. He wanted to marry only her. Not on anyone else. But her father might not be so easily consent on such unusual paining. Babru was a Crown Prince while Shoma was a girl from a simple middle class family. Her dear father Sudharma was working as medicine man or Vaid under the royal family.
But she loved Shoma. She did not want her son to sacrifice his love and happiness for the sake of his country. Just like she once did it. To secure the border of the state and to make a good Ally with Hastinapur. She chose a truly wrong man as her husband. The scar on her virginity. The loath of her life. Arjuna!!! Just to fulfil her father's wish to have a worthy son she chose a wrong man who destroyed her love and affection and trampled her all happiness under his arrogant feet. How she hated the name!!! How she repented the day when she met him?!! She did not want the same destiny for her son.

Suddenly she heard her mother was saying to her father -

"Toh dhundiye na!!! Prayatna kijiye. Abasaya koi yogya Patri mil jayegi!! (Then try to find out!! You will then definitely find out someone like him.)"

Her father was replying her mother -

"Ha. Suna hain ki Anga Rajya ki Raj Kumari Padmaja badi Sundar hain. Sochte hain wohi bat chalaye. Aise bhi Anga hamare Jamata Arjuna ki bhrata Karna ka rajya hain!! Ab agar usiki Putri se hamare Babru ki bibah ho jay toh kitna achha hoga!! Karna aur Arjuna smandhi bhi ho jayenge!!"

(Yes, I learnt from my spies that the Princess of Anga, Padmaja, was very pretty and beautiful girl. She will be good match for our Babru. And after all it is the state of Arjuna's eldest brother Karna. If Padmaja and Babru will be united in marriage, then in reality Karna and Arjuna will be united too.)

He laughed in his own joke. His wife smiled brightly at him. But Chitra was sacred. Very very scared.
........

At the garden, One beautiful girl was making a beautiful flower garland for her lover. She was dreaming to give it to him when he would return back from Akher or hunt. She was none but Shoma Shukla, the lover of Babru.

         Grown up Shoma Shukla

She was dreaming about her lover. Her big beautiful hazel eyes were in trance. She unknowingly touched the left palm that Babru kissed before leaving for Akher and blushed hard. Then she hid her face in her palms. She did not know that someone else was watching her emotional outburst. She was none but her would be mother-in-law Chitrangada herself.
........

A letter has been sent to Anga state. To her dismay, Her father, Her Majesty King Chitra Vahan did not want to wait for a second. Chitra tried to stop him but as usual he was not in the mood of listening to her valid claims.
But the problem did not end here. Two letters reached to Maharani Vrushali at same time. Asking the hand of her daughter. One from Manipur. From King Chitra Vahan. For his grandson Babrubahan. While another from Dwarka. From Lord Krishna Vasudeva. For his first born son. Pradumna.

                 Devi Vrushali
           
Now it was truly up-to Devi Vrushali Padmavati whom she would consent to take as her would be son-in-law. Let her give some time to decide.

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