PRATIKOP (Wrath)

Chapter 10

The rays of Suryadev touched the earth providing his usual warmth. But inside the cave chamber where the hundred unborn son of Rajkumari Viswa was, it remained deprived of that warmth or light.

Rajkumari Viswa held her breath as the sound of a pot bursting open reached her ears. She held her husband's hand tightly as they went towards the sound. A gasp left her mouth and a lone tear fell from her eyes, but contrasting to that a smile took residence on her face.

And it spoke of the pleasure of a mother hearing the first cry of her child. A mother who had waited a very long time to hear that cry! A mother who had endured despair and fear unlike any! A mother who had reached the end of her patience to feel her motherhood being completed.

***

On the other hand, outside the cave the clear sky darkened with clouds and thunderclaps were heard. Wind started to blow violently. As thunder struck the dry ground and trees, different places caught fire. The sudden change in the nature frightened the animals and birds too and their restlessness could be felt from the sounds they made. Donkeys, vultures, jackals, crows and other carnivorous animals began to howl ominously.

"What is happening?" Rajkumar Jayaditya wondered loudly. He rushed to the palace and went to meet Rajguru Vihastachariya.
As he reached there, he found a worried Rajmata Vilasvati, Maharaj Jagadeesan and Rajkumar Durdharsh already present there with the Rajguru and the Mahamantri (chief minister) of Amvasthapuram, Ketu.

"What is the reason behind this sudden change of nature, Rajguru?" Maharaj Jagadeesan asked.

"Maharaj, jab bhi koyi sangkat ka aagaman hota hai, toh manussya se purb, uska bhan prakriti ko ho jata hai. Yeh sare sanket ussi sangkat ka hai Maharaj, jisne Amvasthapuram ke dharti par janm le liya hai.

(Maharaj, whenever some danger arrives, nature gets the premonition before human realizes it. All these signs are of that danger that had taken birth in the land of Amvasthapuram.)" Rajguru Vihastachariya replied gravely.

"Kiski baat kar rahe hai aap, gurudev? Kaisa sangkat?
(What are you talking about, Gurudev? Which danger?)" Rajkumar Durdharsh asked with a tensed frown.

"Yeh sanket hai, asuri shakti ke janm ka!!!
(This is the indication of the birth of evil!!!)" Mahamantri Ketu replied instead.
"Aur khed hain mujhe ye kehte huye, kintu inn ashub sanketo ke saath janm lene wala balak Vajravansh ka hi rakt hai.
(And I am sorry to say but the boy bringing all this ominousness is the blood of Vajravansh only.)" He said cautiously. But then hesitated to say it outright, still added,

"Rajkumar Kashyap ke pratham santan ka janm ho cuka hai Maharaj!
(The first son of Rajkumar Kashyap has already been born, Maharaj!)"

Rajkumar Jayaditya frowned at the implication, but Maharaj Jagadeesan looked at him with a blank expression before asking,

"Toh aap unhe badhai dene jana cahte hai, Mahamantri?
(So, do you want to go to congratulate him, Mahamantri?)"

Mahamantri Ketu's jaw slackened before he closed his mouth and looked away in embarrassment. He understood that Maharaj Jagadeesan was challenging him to say it if he dared. However, Rajmata Vilasvati didn't back out from the challenge as she addressed Rajguru.

"Rajguru, aap batai. Kya Kashyap ka jyesth putra, asuri prabbritti ka hoga? Kya issi karan prakriti yeh ashub sanket de rahi hai?

(You tell us, Rajguru. Is Kashyap's eldest son will be of devilish nature? Is this why nature is giving these inauspicious signs?)"

"Yoh toh dristtikon par nirbhar karta hai, Rajmata.
(That depends on the perspectives, Rajmata.)" Rajguru replied calmly. He turned his eyes to Maharaj Jagadeesan as he said again,