Krishnapriya Devashree

42.Consequences

The assembly fell into a shocked silence at Shishupal's words.

It was an audacious demand. It was a betrayal of the very relationship between a guru and shishya.

The very notion that Dharmendra's adherence to dharma could be bartered for his sister's hand in marriage was abhorrent, a perversion of the sacred teacher-student bond.

Members of the assembly exchanged glances, their expressions was a mixture of disbelief and indignation. Whispers began to ripple through the crowd, a collective murmur of dissent that underscored the absurdity and injustice of the demand.

"Enough!" Rajpitah Adhiraj's voice boomed across the hall, a thunderclap breaking the heavy silence. Every eye turned to him, and the very air seemed to still around his commanding figure.

He rose to his feet. His age had in no way dimmed the vigor and authority that had once made him a revered ruler, and now, in the twilight of his years, he commanded an imposing presence.

His face was a mask of barely contained fury. His eyes, sharp as ever, flashed with indignation at the audacity of King Damaghosh and Shishupal.

"To think that I would live to see the day when the sacred bond of guru and shishya would be so blatantly exploited for political maneuvering," he continued, his voice laden with disappointment and anger. "Is this what the teachings of our ancestors have been reduced to? Bargaining chips in the games of thrones and power?"

Turning his gaze towards King Damaghosh, Adhiraj's voice took on a razor-sharp edge.

"And you, Maharaj Damaghosh, have the audacity to use your position as a guru not to uplift and guide, but to coerce and threaten? To demand a marriage as guru dakshina, not out of concern for the spiritual well-being of your disciple, but to further your own kingdom's ambitions?"

"This matter," Damaghosh spat in response, his voice tinged with defiance,"is between me and my shishya. I have every right to ask for guru dakshina as per our traditions." His gaze swept across the assembly, daring anyone to challenge his authority.

"However," he continued,"it seems that the esteemed Rajpitah Adhiraj forgets the weight and significance of such a bond. The request for guru dakshina is not a demand but a right, earned through years of guidance and teaching."

The assembly murmured, divided in their sentiments. Some nodded in agreement, swayed by Damaghosh's appeal to tradition and duty, while others remained unconvinced, their allegiance with Adhiraj's interpretation of dharma-a dharma that transcended the narrow confines of personal gain and power plays.

"Kanha," Balrama murmured to Krishna, his voice low and laced with barely contained anger, "this farce has gone on long enough. How dare they manipulate to further their own ends? It's an insult to Dharma itself!" His fists clenched at his sides, and the very air around him seemed to thrum with his suppressed fury.

"I know, dau. I share your anger," Krishna replied, his voice even. "Their actions today have not only dishonored the sacred traditions but have also threatened the peace and dignity of Shree and her family."

Balrama's eyes flashed.

"Allow me to confront them. Should I remind them of the power they seek to challenge?" he asked, the warrior within him ready to step forward and defend the honor of their kin and the sanctity of dharma.

Krishna placed a calming hand on Balrama's massive shoulder

"No, dau. While your strength is unmatched and your courage unquestionable, this battle is not one to be fought with brute force. Our actions must uphold the dharma they seek to manipulate."