HARIHARESHWARI 16 - विशृंखलित राजवंशाः

CHAPTER 48

Yudhishthir was seated beside his father Pandu inside their humble thatched hut. He watches intently as his father, with hands joined and eyes closed, performs a devoted worship of the clay idol representing the queen of kings, Akhand Maharani. His gaze shifts to the clay idol, its features lovingly crafted by the skilled hands of Pandu. The goddess, her serene expression bathed in the warm glow of the lamp, seems to radiate a sense of power and grace.

As Pandu opened his eyes, the flicker of the oil lamp danced in the dimly lit room, casting shadows on his weathered face. He then gazed at his 16 year old son, looking at him with curiosity.

"Man mei koi prashn ?" Pandu asked.

Yudhishthir nodded, and asked, "Aap sadev Akhand Maharani ki pooja kyu karte hai ? Kya maangte hai inse ?"

Pandu chuckled, "Yahi toh baat hai putra, inke saamne vyakti apne swarth ka kuch maang hi nahi sakta. Inse keval jag kalyaan ke liye sushaashan maanga jaa sakta hai."

"Toh aap itna lamba inke saamne kyu baithte hai ?" Yudhishthir asked.

Pandu smilingly said, "Inke samaksh baith ke, Rajdharm ka swadhyaye karta hu. Maine apne gurujano se jo bhi sikha hai, inke saamne baith unn par chintan karta hu. Jab mai Chakravarti tha, tab bahut se kathin nirnaye maine inke samaksh baith, chintan karne ke baad liye hai."

"Inke samaksh baithna kya nirnaye lene ki shakti deta hai ?" Yudhishthir asked.

Pandu said, "Inke samaksh baithne se vyakti ek shashak ke samaan sochta hai, na ki kisi putra, bhrata, pita ya mitra ke drishti se. Vyakti ko sadev ek Maharaj ki tarah hi sochna chaahiye, bhale woh kisi Rajya ka Raja ho ya keval swayam ka."

"Arthat vyakti ko sabhi drishtikon ko samajhna chahiye. Aur sabhi ke hit mei sochna chahiye." Yudhishthir said and looked back at the idol before him, that seemed to radiate with the ancient wisdom of queens and kings long gone, whispering secrets of governance that transcended mere power.

"JYESHT !" Arjun bursts in excitedly, his eyes sparkling with enthusiasm his cheeks flushed with energy from running.

Yudhishthir and Pandu got startled, and looked at the 14 year old boy, full of life and energy.

"Oh..." Arjun chuckled nervously, "Kshama Pitashree, mujhe pata nahi tha ki aap bhi yahi hai..."

Pandu chuckled, "Ab kya huya Krishna ?"

"Hum sab uttari disha mei khelne jaa rahe the, mai Jyesht ko lene hetu waha se aya. Bhrata ke bina anand hi nahi aa raha tha." He said.

Yudhishthir shook his head, and then looked at Pandu, "Mai jaayu Pitashree ?"

"Awashya." Pandu smiled.

Yudhishthir rises from his place beside his father and follows Arjun out of the hut, a sense of duty momentarily giving way to the carefree joy of youth. The early morning sun casting a warm glow on their faces. As they made their way towards the northern direction of Shatashringa, they saw how the remnants of winter were fading, making way for the vibrant colors of spring to flourish around them.

The sounds of nature envelop them, with birds chirping melodiously and the rustling of leaves in the gentle breeze. As they draw closer to the gathering spot where their brothers await, a sudden and piercing scream pierces the tranquil morning.

"Yeh toh... Sahadev !" Yudhishthir and Arjun exchange a worried glance before breaking into a sprint towards the source of the sound. Their hearts race with fear as they navigate through the thick foliage.

The brothers' swift strides kicked up dust as they reached the scene where Sahadev lay on the ground, his face contorted in pain. Bheem and Nakul were tending to him, inspecting his injured arm as blood trickled down. The fallen branch lay innocently nearby, a clear indicator that the younger Madreya had fallen down from the tree beside them, not too high.

Yudhishthir swiftly knelt beside Sahadev, his eyes filled with concern as he assessed the injury. It was a relief that the fall from the tree hadn't been too severe, but Sahadev was clearly in pain. Without hesitation, he gently lifted his younger brother into his arms, a look of worry etched on his face.

"Sab ghar chalo." Yudhishthir said with a sense of urgency, he knew their mothers would tend to the wound better.

He carried Sahadev in his arms, his face a mix of concern and determination, the rest of the brothers fall in line behind them, their worry palpable in the air. Arjun walked right behind Yudhishthir, his expression a mix of relief and readiness to do whatever was necessary. Bheem and Nakul followed closely, their faces etched with anxiety but also a sense of reassurance that Yudhishthir had everything under control.

Sahadev grips Yudhishthir tightly, his face contorted in pain as blood trickles down his arm. Yudhishthir's strides were steady and purposeful, his eyes focused on the path ahead.

"Bas pahuch hi gaye, vats." Yudhishthir said with a soothing voice.

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A/N

Bade bhaiya to the rescue ✨