Dream - A Karna SI

25. PROPOSAL

After the Khandav van dah.

7 years after Draupadi's swyamvara

Karn – 28 years

Yudhisthir – 25 years

Bhima & Duryodhan – 24 years

Arjun – 23 years

Nakul & Sahadev – 21 years

Abhimanyu – 1 years

(Indraprastha)

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The Pandavas, Krishna, and Karn sat in the grand meeting hall of Indraprastha, their expressions somber as they deliberated over the monumental task before them. Rishi Narad had earlier advised Yudhishthira to perform the Rajsuya Yajnya, a sacred ritual that would cement his status as the emperor of Aryavarta. But the path to such glory was fraught with peril.

Krishna, took up the thread of the conversation, his voice calm yet resolute. "The Rajsuya Yajnya is indeed a noble enterprise, Maharaj Yudhishthir. You are the most eligible ruler in all of Aryavarta, and performing this yajnya will usher in a new era of peace and Dharma. With the whole of Aryavarta united under a single king, trade will flourish, knowledge will flow freely, and prosperity will touch every corner of the land."

Krishna's words filled the room with a sense of purpose, but his tone grew darker as he continued. "But there is an obstacle the size of a mountain standing in our way: Jarasandh, the tyrant king of Magadh."

A tense silence fell over the room as Krishna spoke the name. Even the bravest of warriors had learned to fear the might of Jarasandh, whose cruelty was matched only by his power.

"Jarasandh is as cruel as he is powerful," Krishna explained, his voice filled with a gravity that made even Bhima's fists clench. "He is virtually unchallenged in the eastern territories of Aryavarta. Kings like Shishupal, Eklavya, Bhishmak, and Rukmi are under his command, willing to do his bidding without question. He is the mortal enemy of the Yadavas. Mathura once lay under his control through his son-in-law, Kansa, until Balram and I killed Kansa and his cohorts, ending his reign of terror."

Krishna's eyes flashed with the memory of those battles, but his voice remained steady as he continued. "Enraged by our defiance, Jarasandh launched relentless attacks on Mathura. During his last assault, we had no choice but to abandon Mathura and flee to Dwarika, for defeating his army was beyond our means. Karn here provided the crucial rearguard action, slaying Dimbhaka, who had a boon that no mortal weapon could affect him. It was Karn's valor that allowed the Yadavas enough time to escape. At the same time, I took down Kalyavan, another formidable foe."

Karn listened quietly, remembering the ferocity of that battle, the sweat and blood that had soaked the earth as he fought to protect his people. But he said nothing, only nodding as Krishna recounted the tale.

"Denied his prey, Jarasandh, in his rage, burned Mathura to ashes," Krishna continued, his voice growing more somber. "And now, he has re-established an ironclad grip over the Purvapath, the eastern territories along the course of the Ganga. He is currently planning a Rajmedha, a grotesque yagna where he intends to sacrifice one hundred Kshatriya kings to elevate himself as the ultimate emperor. He has already captured ninety-nine kings and needs only one more to complete the ritual."

Krishna paused, letting the weight of his words settle over the gathering. "If Jarasandh performs this yagna, a hundred kings will die at once, and your Rajsuya Yajna will never succeed. Moreover, Jarasandh will never acknowledge you as emperor, Yudhishthira. Your army, as formidable as it is, is not yet strong enough to challenge him on the battlefield."