Beyond Times

Chapter 56 - My Friend, my brother

Krishna stood at the window of his guest chamber in Hastinapur, watching the silvery rays of the moon reflecting on the little ripples of the Ganga. He turned his head slightly toward the door as if he were expecting someone to walk through it. Just then, Bhishma's personal attendant stepped in.

-"Pranam Vasudev, Mahamahim Bhishma is seeking your permission to enter."

-"Please tell him, he shouldn't embarrass me by asking for my approval. In fact, I was waiting for him to ask for me in his chamber."

The attendant gazed inquisitively at Krishna, but the royal servant knew better than to ask questions. He bowed to him and departed to convey Krishna's message to his lord. 

A few minutes later came the Grandsire of the Kurus, Mahamahim Bhishma. His eyes roamed to every corner of the room without making any contact with the brown orbs that were noticing him very carefully. 

-"Ahem", Bhishma cleared his throat, his mind forcing the corner of his lips to stretch, "I hope your stay at Hastinapur is comfortable so far, Vasudev."

Krishna returned a polite smile. He brought his palms together and replied, "Pranam Mahamahim, the Kurus are renowned throughout Aryavarth for their hospitality. My stay in Hastinapur is beyond comfortable."

Bhishma forced a smile that didn't quite reach his eyes. His troubled gaze wandered out of the window. 

This time Krishna took the initiative to break the awkward silence, "I still don't know the reason for your arrival in my chamber. It's not just asking about my well-being, is it?"

-"I came here with a proposal, Vasudev..."

--

"Tatshree..."

Since the sabha ended earlier that day Bhishma had been sitting inside the royal strategy room of Hastinapur alone, with his chin resting upon his palm. Startled by the voice he turned towards the source of it.

Vidur walked in and sat in front of Bhishma. He asked, "Why do you look so troubled Tatshree?"

-"You know very well the reason for my worries, Vidur. I know the Pandavas have married the daughter of Drupad in the presence of Vasudev and Ved Vyas but I couldn't accept it in my heart, no matter how much I try. I don't know if I will be able to accept her as the queen of Hastinapur."

Vidur sighed, "Tatshree, we are all toys in the hands of circumstances, we do not have any other option but to accept. It does not matter if our heart is there or not."

The pleading look in the eyes of the person who is the backbone of the Kurus shattered Vidur's heart. Bhishma asked in a broken tone, "Vidur, you are the most intelligent and knowledgeable person in this Kingdom. Can you not find a solution for this unusual situation?"

Vidur looked at his feet. His eyebrows knitted together as he said slowly, "I can think of two, but I don't know if you are going to like it or not."

Bhishma's face shone with hope, "Tell me Vidur, What solution have you come up with?"

-"Tatshree, Panchal Kanya is shared among the five Pandava brothers, she is not the only consort of Yudhisthira. According to the rules, the chief consort of the king is the one who becomes the queen of the state. As Drupad Kanya is their common wife, Arjun was the one who married her first then the rest of the brothers did. If Yudhisthira agrees to make the next woman he marries his chief consort and not the princess of Panchal then that woman shall be the one to share the throne with Yudhisthira, not Panchal Kumari"