Mahabharat - The Changed Fate

Chapter 3 : The Guru Dakshina and Missing Cows

This chapter is dedicated to @SriShay 

Thank you @SriShay for giving me suggestion for this chapter !!!

Location : Mahendragiri Parvat

Karna stood before his revered teachers—Parashuram, Mahadev, Brahma, Saraswati, Vishnu, Parvati, and many others who had imparted their divine knowledge to him. Their faces radiated a mixture of pride and expectation. Karna had undergone years of intense training, mastering not just weapons but the spiritual and philosophical wisdom that had forged him into a perfect warrior.

"Putra Karna," spoke Mahadev, his deep voice reverberating through the sacred halls of Mahendragiri Parvat, "you have completed your training from all of us. Today, we wish to give you a gift that befits your strength and wisdom. But before that, you must fulfill your duty to us by offering Guru Dakshina."

Karna, ever the devoted student, bowed low, his eyes filled with humility and respect. "Giving you Guru Dakshina is not just my duty but my honor, Gurudev. Command me, and I shall fulfill your wish."

A brief silence followed, and then Mahadev's stern yet compassionate voice broke through, "We want you to defeat Jarasandh, the tyrant of Magadh. He has brought great suffering to his people, and his rule must end. We ask you to free them and take over his throne."

Karna's eyes lit up with determination. He had heard tales of Jarasandh's cruelty—the people of Magadh lived in fear, bound by the oppressive chains of a king who cared nothing for them. "I will go right away, Mahadev!" Karna declared, without hesitation.

With the blessings of his teachers, Karna set out for Magadh. The sun shone high in the sky as he mounted his chariot, Vijaya bow in hand, his heart brimming with the desire to bring justice to the land.

Magadh, a once-great kingdom, had fallen into darkness under Jarasandh's rule. Its streets, once bustling with life, were now eerily silent, haunted by the fear of the tyrant king. The people hid in their homes, whispers of rebellion crushed beneath Jarasandh's iron fist. His cruelty was infamous—innocents were slaughtered for defiance, and wealth was hoarded while the people starved.

Karna's arrival in Magadh did not go unnoticed. The people peeked out from their homes, hope flickering in their eyes as they saw a lone warrior, resplendent in golden armor, stride towards the palace. His aura radiated power, and his footsteps seemed to shake the earth.

Jarasandh sat upon his throne, his eyes narrowing as Karna entered the grand hall. "Who dares challenge the King of Magadh?" he bellowed, his voice echoing through the vast chamber.

"I am Karna, son of Surya, and today your reign of terror ends!" Karna's voice was calm, yet it carried a weight that silenced the entire hall.

A fierce battle ensued. Jarasandh, known for his immense strength, fought with a fury that had felled many warriors before Karna. But Karna, wielding the Vijaya bow, was no ordinary fighter. With every strike, he moved with the precision of a god, his arrows glowing with divine energy.

The fight raged for hours, but Jarasandh, despite his prowess, was no match for Karna's divine strength and skills. In a final, decisive moment, Karna's arrow pierced Jarasandh's heart, and the tyrant king fell to the ground, his reign of terror ending with him.

The people of Magadh, freed from their long nightmare, rushed out into the streets, cheering for their new savior. Karna, ever humble, did not bask in the glory. Instead, he ordered the rebuilding of the city, ensuring that the wealth stolen by Jarasandh was returned to the people.