HARIHARESHWARI 16 - विशृंखलित राजवंशाः

CHAPTER 4

In the dimly lit chamber, Kamsa tosses and turns in his opulent bed, tormented by the weight of his cruel deeds. Shadows dance on the walls as the flickering candlelight casts an eerie glow. Suddenly, Kamsa's eyes snap open, his body drenched in cold sweat from another haunting nightmare.

His heart pounded in fear as the images of a boy with skin dark as a storm cloud and eyes like burning embers haunted his mind. Unable to shake off the sense of impending doom, Kamsa sat up, his breath coming in short, ragged gasps.

The flickering candlelight cast eerie shadows on the walls as Kamsa rose from his bed, his footsteps echoing in the silent room. He paced back and forth, his mind a whirlwind of fear and uncertainty. The prophecies that had foretold his downfall seemed to loom over him like a dark cloud, suffocating him with their inevitability.

He remained awake for a long time, and both while awake and while dreaming he saw many bad omens, messengers of death.

Moonlight filters through the windows, casting eerie shadows that seem to dance around him. As he passes by a large mirror, Kamsa catches his own reflection and freezes in horror. Staring back at him is a ghastly sight - his own body, but with his head missing, a gaping void where his face should be. A strangled cry escapes his lips as he stumbles back in disbelief, his hands trembling as he reaches up to touch his own neck, feeling the pulse of his racing heart.

Feeling suffocated, Kamsa stumbled to the balcony, hoping the cool night air would calm his frayed nerves. As he gazed up at the sky, a sense of foreboding gripped him. The moon and stars appeared to shimmer unnaturally, casting an eerie glow over the city. Kamsa's eyes widened in fear as he noticed that the celestial bodies seemed to be doubled, their reflections hovering ominously above.

Kamsa lowered his gaze and there he saw a figure unlike any other. His eyes widened in terror as he beheld a naked man, his body gleaming with oil, running past below. The man wore a garland of nalada flowers, his wild eyes reflecting the madness that seemed to grip Kamsa's own mind.

Startled, Kamsa retreated from the balcony, his breath quickening. As he turned, a ghostly figure materialized before him, its icy fingers reaching out to embrace him. Kamsa recoiled in terror, stumbling backward in horror. His eyes widened in disbelief as the figure vanished into thin air, leaving him alone in the eerie silence of the night.

He reaches for a glass of water on the side table, his hand trembling as he brings it to his lips. As the cool liquid touches his tongue, a bitter taste floods his mouth, sending a shock of panic through him. For a moment, his mind races with the thought of poison, his eyes wide with terror, as he spits it out immediately. But then reality sets in, and he realizes it was just water, no different than any other night.

Kamsa stands there, shaken and disturbed, the weight of his actions and fears pressing down on him like a suffocating cloak. Seeing these and other such omens both while dreaming and while awake, Kamsa was terrified by the prospect of death, and out of anxiety he was unable to sleep.

As his trembling form sank to the floor in a corner of the room, Kamsa's mind raced with visions of the prophecy that foretold his demise at the hands of Krishna. His eyes wide with terror, he stared into the darkness, his mind consumed by dread and foreboding.

Throughout the long night, Kamsa remained rooted to the spot, a prisoner of his own fears. Sleep eluded him, his restless mind haunted by visions of the divine being destined to bring about his downfall.

When the night had finally passed and the sun rose up again from the water, Kamsa set about arranging for the grand wrestling festival. The King’s men performed the ritual worship of the wrestling arena, sounded their drums and other instruments and decorated the viewing galleries with garlands, flags, ribbons and arches.

The city-dwellers and residents of the outlying districts, led by brahmanas and Kshatriyas, came and sat down comfortably in the galleries. The royal guests received special seats.

While the musical instruments loudly played in the rhythmic meters appropriate for wrestling matches, the lavishly ornamented wrestlers proudly entered the arena with their coaches and sat down. Enthused by the pleasing music, Chanur, Mushtik, Kuta, Shala and Toshala sat down on the wrestling mat.

Surrounded by his ministers, Kamsa took his seat on the imperial dais. But even as he sat amidst his various provincial rulers, his heart trembled. The specter of his impending doom continued to haunt him, relentless and unforgiving.

Devaki and Vasudev were forcefully dragged to the imperial dais in heavy shackles. The crowd's deafening cheers turned into hushed whispers as they saw the chained couple being brought forward. Devaki's eyes reflected defiance, while Vasudev's gaze remained calm, as they both were made to stand behind the throne of Kamsa.

The ministers ushered in the procession of subordinate rulers. Each one entered the grand hall with elaborate gifts in hand, bowing before the tyrant king. Kamsa’s façade of confidence wavered as his eyes darted nervously around the room, searching for any sign of the impending arrival of Krishna.

As the gifts piled up at his feet, a sense of impending doom clouded his mind. Then, amidst the procession of officials, Nand entered the court. Kamsa's heart skipped a beat as he laid eyes on the simple cowherd, a sense of unease washing over him. Nand raised his gaze and met Vasudev's, and in that moment, an unspoken understanding passed between them. Nand's reassuring nod conveyed the message that Krishna, their divine child, had indeed arrived.

Vasudev's heart swelled with hope while Kamsa scanned their group frantically with his eyes, but there was no sign of Krishna yet. Nand and his associates then went away and took their seats in the gallery, their presence a constant reminder of the prophecy.

"Abhi tak Krishna nahi dikha..." Kamsa muttered.

Satyak who was seated nearby said, "Antim samaye mei sirf Krishna hi dikhenge, Maharaj. Chinta kyu karte hai ?"

Kamsa shot a glare at him, while the son of Shini just smiled.

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A/N

Khel toh ab shuru huya hai 🌝