Mahabharat - The Changed Fate

Chapter 45: Kunti's Guilt Over Karna

Hey Guys !

I have been updating a lot of chapters since the last three days, but what's wrong with you silent readers ?

Are you people so heartless that you don't even want to vote ?

You can't even press a small button ?

What's wrong with you ?

Sorry if I offended you, but I can't help but asking this question to you ?

Please vote and comment atleast now !

It is a request from my side !

And, lots of love my dear loyal readers.

And, please do respond to the next author's note !

It is highly important guys !

The grand festivities of Uruvi's swayamvara continued into the evening. The joyous laughter, the sound of drums, and the clinking of goblets filled the air of the royal court of Panchal. Everyone gathered to celebrate the marriage of Arjuna, the heroic prince of the Pandavas, to Uruvi, the exquisite princess of Panchal. However, amidst the festivities, one person stood silently in the shadows, burdened with a heavy heart—Kunti.

Though she smiled and engaged in conversations with the royal guests, her mind was far from the celebrations. Each passing moment only deepened the guilt gnawing at her soul. As the mother of Arjuna, she was expected to be brimming with pride and joy. But her happiness was tinged with a secret pain—Karna, the man who had not participated in the swayamvara, was her eldest son, not the prince of Ayodhya as everyone believed. He was the firstborn Pandava, the rightful heir to Hastinapur's throne, and yet, he stood alone, unrecognized, unloved by his true family.

Kunti had carried this secret for far too long, and each day the weight of it crushed her a little more.

The Burden of the Past

Kunti's thoughts drifted back to the past, to the fateful day when she had abandoned her newborn son. As a young princess, she had been blessed with a boon from Sage Durvasa—the ability to invoke any god and have a child by them. But in her innocence, she had called upon Surya, the Sun God, too soon. The child that came into her arms was beautiful, radiant with the glory of the sun, but she was unwed, a young maiden with no support or protection. Fearful of the consequences, she had made the heart-wrenching decision to place the child in a basket and set him adrift on the river.

Tears welled in her eyes as she recalled that moment. She had watched the basket float away, not knowing where it would end or what fate awaited her child. She had told herself it was for the best—that he would be found and cared for by someone who could give him the life she could not. But in her heart, she had never stopped thinking about him.

That child had grown up to be Karna, a warrior of unparalleled strength, a man of honor, and a loyal friend to Duryodhana. 

As she looked across the hall, she spotted Karna standing with Duryodhana and the Kauravas, his face calm but distant. He had not competed in the swayamvara, having taken the vow of Ek Patni Vrath to remain loyal to Avika. 

The Guilt Over Her Silence

Kunti's heart ached as she watched her sons—Arjuna, the victorious hero; Yudhishthira, the wise leader; Bhima, the mighty warrior—and yet her eyes were constantly drawn back to Karna. He was her firstborn, her flesh and blood, and yet he stood apart, isolated from the family that should have been his. The knowledge that she could end his suffering with just a few words weighed heavily on her. But the fear of the consequences held her back.