In this fresh retelling of the Mahabharata, Draupadi is bound by destiny to Arjun alone, their love a powerful force amidst a world unraveling in chaos and adharma.
As the whispers of war grow louder and betrayal strikes from within, their bond is...
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As the fire intensified and the crackling of burning wood filled the air, Nakul's voice cut through the tension. "How will we escape?" he asked, urgency lacing his words. "If we go through the main exit, Purochan might see us, and we don't even have our weapons!"
The group fell silent, the gravity of their situation sinking in. Without their weapons and with the palace ablaze, their options seemed dire. Each of them racked their minds for a solution, knowing that any mistake could be fatal.
Then, Arjun's eyes lit up with sudden inspiration. A story that Krishna had once told him came rushing back. "I remember something," Arjun began, his voice steady despite the chaos around them. "Madhav once narrated a tale of Saraswati river who passed earth by flowing through underground. We can do the same."
Sahadev quickly grasped the idea, adding, "If we dig towards the east, we might reach the dense part of the forest. The trees will hide us, and we can escape without being seen."
Yudhishthira, nodded in agreement. "Let's start digging," he said, his voice carrying the weight of leadership.
With no time to waste, the five brothers-Yudhishthira, Bhima, Arjun, Nakul, and Sahadev-set to work. They found makeshift tools, broke apart furniture, and used their bare hands to start digging. The fire's heat pressed in on them, but their determination was unyielding. They dug with urgency, each shove of dirt bringing them closer to safety.
Kunti, Devika, Draupadi, and Valandhara stood by, their hearts pounding as they watched their husbands and sons labor tirelessly. The flames roared around them, but the brothers didn't waver. They knew that their lives depended on the speed and precision of their work.
After what felt like an eternity, they finally succeeded in creating a tunnel just wide enough for everyone to crawl through. The tunnel led towards the east, into the thick, dark forest that offered their only hope of survival. Without hesitation, the women were guided into the tunnel, their expressions a mix of fear and hope.
Once the women had safely passed through, Arjun and Bhima were the last to enter. They carefully closed the tunnel's entrance behind them, covering it with mud and debris to ensure that no one would discover their escape route. The palace, now a blazing inferno, was left behind as they crawled through the narrow passageway.
Emerging on the other side, they found themselves in the cool, dense forest. The air was filled with the sounds of night-chirping insects, rustling leaves, and the distant calls of nocturnal animals. The darkness of the forest enveloped them, a welcome relief after the blinding brightness of the fire.
As they ventured deeper into the forest, they came across a small, weathered hut. Desperate for shelter and supplies, they approached it cautiously. Sahadev knocked on the door, and after a moment, it creaked open to reveal an elderly couple. The man was blind, and his wife, though aged, greeted them with a warm, kind smile.
