Kunti looked at the young lad glowing like the golden expanse of the sun. She had recognised him instantly. He was the one she had given up as the young maiden. He was now Adhirath Putr, the son of a Kshatriya father and a Brahmin mother(Radha). He had brothers- an elaborate family. His father was a close friend of Maharaj Dhritrashtr. Her tongue somersaulted in her mouth, she rubbed it against the hidden irregularities of her last molar. She looked at him, trying to find any resemblance with the infant she had given up years ago.
She couldn't find any.
His eyes glazed in fire. More than ambition he dripped of envy. Kunti sat above the rang-maidan- the place where all the kuru princes- students of Guru Dron- freshly graduated- were given a stage to showcase their prowess.
But then- her lost son entered.
He claimed himself- as bhagwan Parshuram's student.
'Impossible!' Kunti had muttered. Parshuram only took brahmins as his disciples. Karn, had a brahmin mother- but a Kshatriya father- he was a Sut putr- a warrior. She feared that her son had lied- straight through his teeth- in front of a man equivalent to god. She wondered if he would payback someday.
He was announced as Ang Desh's king that day. Kunti smiled a bit. Her eldest was already crowned. But her gut was twisted.
Karn was so envious of Arjun.
Her Arjun was so young- fresh from his teen years. He was about 15 years younger to the man- who was Ang's king now.
Arjun was nowhere close to the throne.
Hell! even Yudhistir was no closer.
Kunti wondered looking down. Look like, the one she had given up- doesn't carry her bad luck.
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Kunti sat under the tree. She didn't even have a carpet left. Her clothes was all she had.
Everything else- was charred down to ashes.
Sahdev napped in her lap. She ruffled his hair. Nakul was slicing some wood for the hut, her eldest three were begging for alms in some village nearby.
She looked at her own self- dishevelled at this mature age. Her sons inspected upon her like a dotting brother. They were grown up princes with nothing at hand.
Their own cousins had tried to burn them down, kill them with the worst of pains.
But Kunti's thoughts lingered towards her own son. Angraj Karn. The way he laughed with Duryodhan, the way he planned the murder of his brothers- unknown and inevitably.
Kunti thought that maybe- it was her mistake. Maybe she should have confessed.
What was she saving? What did she have left anyway?
But something in her stopped. The man- Karn had become- was not her son- could never be her son.
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'A prostitute- whether naked or clothed- how is she any different, Mitr Duryodhan?' Karn laughed heartily. He looked pissed and irritated. He had just suggested his sister-in-law's disrobing.
Shakuni gasped at his seat. His heart feared the outcome.
'Angraj!' he had almost screamed. His nephew's name would be tarnished with such felony.
But Duryodhan was intoxicated with Karn's influence. His suggestion looked like a brilliant idea to the Yuvraj of Hastinapur.
--
Kunti had held Draupadi for hours that day.
She was angry at her sons.
Disgusted by Hastinapur's justice.
But one of her doubts were surely cleared that day- that Karn was not her blood.
He was cunning and average. He was the weaker one. He was defeated in Drauapadi's swaymvar- unable to hit the target, so he took upon himself to insult her daughter-in-law. He almost drove her to self immolation.
She pitied her own womb- for letting him be born.
-------
The war was a few days away.
Kunti sat with Krishn. He was savoring the laddoos she had prepared. 'Bua! your hand can do wonders. Great warriors would leave the battle field if you commanded.'
Kunti looked at Krishn. His eyes conveying exactly what he had said.
'Tell him the truth.' Krishn had said. 'If he steps down- Dyuryodhan will accept his defeat.'
Krishn was explicit and cutting.
'But he is no son of mine- Vasudev. He is an anomaly- a mistake- an obstacle.' Kunti spat. She was explicit. Her soul had seen her children suffer- because of one man and his deviousnees. Duryodhan might have an excuse- but what excuse did Angraj have?
Krishn smiled- 'You repent and regret for his behaviour bua! He is still your son, show him the light he couldn't see.' Krishna pestered.
'His eyes have always shone in reflection of glitter. He has lived royally- he has dictated evil- he is the trunk on which Duryodhan stands proudly today. What a poor lady like me would say to Angraj?' Kunti chortled.
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It was the 17th day of war.
Karn lay on the battlefield - dead and defeated.
Kunti had revealed his truth to Yudhisthir- late at night- in the yudh-shivir.
'Om Sury Devay namah!' She chanted unstoppably as tears flowed out of her dry eyes.
----
inspired from Vyas's Mahabharat.
