Beyond Times

Chapter 12 - Loosing Sweet Home

Kunti's mind eased a bit after talking to her sons.

She was going towards the royal garden where a feast was arranged to welcome the hundred and five Rajkumars.

She saw someone standing near the foundation. His back was turned towards her but she recognised the frame. The same man whose sudden appearance made her lose consciousness in the arena earlier today.

There he stood. His common attire has changed. Now he is wearing an orange and yellow dhoti and jewels like a royal. He is not wearing his crown yet, as his coronation will take place in two days.

Kunti lost her cool. She approached the figure.

Karna was blankly staring at the flowing water of the fountain.

After the Dwanda, Mitra Duryodhan took him into the Hastinapur palace and forced him to wear royal attire.

Karna asked if he could go back to see his mother, Duryodhan happily agreed and invited him to the feast arranged in the following evening.

Karna was happy, he was now a king, and nobody could disrespect him or his parents. He has his Mitra Duryodhan by his side.

Her. The thought of her brought a smile to his face. He had a lot of questions but that didn't bother him much as he happily went home to meet his parents and tell them to get ready for a journey to Anga.

But first was his coronation that will occur in two days. He couldn't wait to see his mother's smiling face and she would be there. Will she smile at him, like she did today? He hopes she does. Is she happy for him?

He entered his house and saw his Radha maa sitting in front of the house with a blank expression on her face.

He went, sat near her feet, and laid his head on her head.

Radha was startled at first. Then she looked at her smiling and happy son. This brought a sad smile to her face.

-"You seem very happy Putra."

-"Are you not Mata?" Karna asked looking up at Radha's face.

Karna didn't notice when Adhiratha came and stood beside them, "We don't know whether we should be happy or sad Putra."

-"Why Pitashree?", Karna stood up.

-"Why did you do it, why did you enter the arena meant for the kuru Rajkumars? Why did you challenge Rajkumar Arjun?"

-"I sat back till the time guru Drona announced Arjun to be the best Archer in the entire world, that is an insult to my Vidya and my guru Pitashree, how could I let that happen?"

-"Then what is all this?" Adhiratha pointed towards Karna's royal attire.

-"Pitashree you saw what happened, Kumar Duryodhan stood up for me, if not for him I would have never been able to prove my worth. Now it is my dharma to keep my wards to him and take the responsibility he has given me."

-"So becoming a king was your goal?"

-"What are you saying Pitashree, I just wanted to become a warrior and prove myself."

-"Seems like the hunger to prove yourself has made you blind that you have forgotten to discriminate between dharma and adharma, good and bad."

-"Please Swami, don't say it like that, Putra you are too innocent to understand the foul intention of Kumar Duryodhan, please Putra, return him his land and come back to us." Radha said tears filling her eyes.