HARIHARESHWARI 16 - विशृंखलित राजवंशाः

CHAPTER 12

Under the shimmering moonlight, Pandu sat with his five young sons on the steps of their humble thatched hut. Yudhishthir and Arjun were nestled on his lap, while Bheem, Nakul, and Sahadev sat close by, their eyes wide with curiosity as their father told them the story of the first king ever, Manu.

He narrated, "Pehle toh logo ne socha ki ek saath rehne mei kaunsi kathinayi hai ? Unhone nirnaye kiya ki adharmi, apraadhi, durachaari aur dusre ke dhan ka apaharan karne waale ko samaaj se nikaal denge."

As Pandu's deep voice resonated in the quiet night, his sons listened intently, their faces illuminated by the flickering light of the oil lamp.

"Kuch samaye toh samaaj thik se chala kintu avyavastha aa gayi. Tab manushyo ki peeda dekh devta Brahmadev ke paas gayi. Aur unhe ek prithvi ko ek Raja dene ko kaha. Brahma ne Manu ko niyukt kiya. Kintu Manu ne saaf mana kardiya kyuki shaashan karna kathin hai, aur kapati manushyo par shaashan karna aur bhi kathin hai." Pandu said.

"Fir kya huya ? Manu kaise maane ?" Arjun asked.

Pandu smiled caressing his curly locks, "Praja ne Manu se kaha ki woh unhe shaashan karne ke badle pachaas pashu par ek pashu, swarn ka pachaaswa hissa aur anaaj ka daswa hissa kar ke roop mei degi aur unke dikhaaye maarg par chalegi. Praja jo bhi dharm karegi, uske punya ka chautha hissa unhe milega."

"Arthat, Praja ke sahyog se hi Raja shaashan karne mei samarth hota hai ?" Yudhishthir asked.

Pandu nodded, "Ha. Iss liye awashyak hai ki Raja praja se muskura kar baat kare, vinamrata se swayam ko prastut kare. Praja yadi koi prashn puche toh mithi vaani mei uska uttar de."

"Pitashree, aapko itna gyaan kisne diya ?" Arjun asked.

Pandu smiled, "Mere taat Bhishm ne."

"Aapki baato se sada lagta hai ki woh bahut gyaani hai." Bheem said.

The Brahmarishi nodded, "Rajdharm ka prachand gyaan hai unke paas, jaisa iss bhumi par kisi ko bhi nahi."

Suddenly Kunti and Madri came out of the house, their graceful silhouettes illuminated by the soft moonlight. Kunti's loving gaze falls upon all her boys, a smile playing on her lips, while Madri's eyes twinkle with maternal pride at her twins.

"Yadi kahani samaapt ho gayi ho toh sone chale ?" Madri said.

Reluctantly, the boys bid their father goodbye and followed their mothers back into the warmth of their home.

Kunti asked, "Aap nahi chalenge ?"

"Kuch kshan yahi rehna chaahta hu." Pandu said, Kunti nodded and went back inside.

While he sat on the weathered steps of his thatched hut, a wave of nostalgia washed over him. His gaze was fixed on the twinkling stars above, memories of his beloved father figure Bhishm, his mothers Ambalika and Ambika, his grandmother Satyavati, his elder brother Dhritrashtra, his younger brother Vidur, and the grand kingdom of Hastinapur flooded his mind.

The cool night air whispered tales of bygone days, of shared laughter and unspoken bonds that now seemed like distant dreams. As he traced the constellations with his weary eyes, a deep sense of loss enveloped him, longing for the comforting presence of those who had made him the way he was.

Lost in his thoughts, Pandu sat there for hours, the night embracing him like a comforting shroud. As he reflected on the past, a pang of sadness washed over him, but he knew he couldn't dwell on what was lost. Instead, he focused on the present, reminding himself of the happiness he now had with his five sons in the peaceful surroundings of Shatashringa hills.

As a gentle breeze whispered through the night, Pandu rose with a heavy heart, leaving the comforting embrace of nostalgia behind. Crossing the threshold of his humble abode, he entered the dimly lit interior to find his five sons slumbering soundly, their innocent faces bathed in moonlight. Madri, exhausted from her day's work, rests beside them, her gentle breathing a lullaby in the quiet room. 

Only Kunti was awake, as she tenderly stroked the hair of Nakul and Sahadev, who lay close to her. Her eyes met Pandu's as he approached, and a soft smile graced her lips. With a soft smile, Pandu makes his way to the small shrine in the corner of the room, where the small clay idol of Aryabharti stands. He bows his head in reverence. With a final glance at his family, Pandu extinguished the flickering lamp, enveloping the room in a cloak of darkness and settling in that corner.

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A/N

*Coughs* Maharaj Hastinapur se acchi jagah hi hai yeh- *coughs*