Mysterious Time Traveler in Dwapara Yuga

Chapter 15: The Banquet of Brotherhood: The Unseen Bonds of Hastinapur

In Hastinapur:Three years had passed since King Pandu left his kingdom to his brother, Dhritarashtra, after being cursed by Sage Kindama. The palace was in chaos as the queen had been pregnant for two years without delivering. Anxiety gripped everyone, especially her childhood friend and chief maid, who was also pregnant. Her husband's displeasure with her prolonged pregnancy led her to strike her stomach in frustration, triggering delivery pains. To everyone's shock, the queen gave birth to a hard mass of flesh, not a child.In an Unknown forest: Pandu, saddened by the news that the throne would remain vacant, shared his woes with Kunti. She revealed the boon from Sage Durvasa, enabling her to call upon any god to bear a child. Though she wished to disclose Karna's birth, she couldn't. Overjoyed, Pandu hastily sought auspicious timings for the birth, instructing Kunti to invoke Yama, the God of Justice. Thus, Yudhishthira, the eldest Kuru child, was born, and the news was sent to Hastinapur.Meanwhile, in Hastinapur: Sage Veda Vyasa intervened, explaining that Gandhari's mass of flesh, granted by the gods, held the potential for a hundred children. He directed the palace to separate the mass into a hundred pieces and place them in butter-filled containers to nurture them into children. Gandhari, shedding tears of joy, decided to stay with her children until their birth. As this unfolded, a servant arrived with news of Kunti's boon and the birth of Yudhishthira. Shakuni, harbouring a desire for his sister's son to be king, sowed seeds of insecurity in Dhritarashtra's mind, suggesting that Yudhishthira's claim to the throne would overshadow his own son's rights.In due time: Pandu's other children were born-Bheema from Vayu, Arjun from Indra, and Nakul and Sahadev from the Ashwini Kumaras. Yudhishthira, Bheema, and Arjuna were Kunti's children, while Nakul and Sahadev were Madri's, conceived with Kunti's help. Bheema and Duryodhana were born on the same day. Dushasana and other Kauravas were older than Arjuna, Nakul, and Sahadev. At eight years old, Yudhishthira lost his father and stepmother, Madri, prompting their return to Hastinapur to live with their family.On the first day of their arrival at the palace, due to Shakuni's provocation, the Kauravas didn't like the Pandavas at all. To improve their relationship, their Pitamah Bhishma, challenged them to eat without bending their arms. All the children tried but couldn't solve the problem until the eldest, Yudhishthira, found the solution by feeding Duryodhana, who sat next to him. Bhishma hoped this exercise would bond them, but Shakuni's damage was already done.The Pandavas kept feeding the nearby Kauravas as ordered by their jyesth, but the Kauravas refused to feed them due to their enmity and lack of supervision, as only the dasis were present. Unbeknownst to them, their sister Dushala witnessed the scene. She had been playing when they arrived and was eager to meet her new brothers. Seeing her own brothers leaving their cousins hungry, she discreetly left and asked a servant to bring food for seven to her room after the princes finished their dinner.That night, the Pandavas, feeling unwelcome and hungry, couldn't sleep. They decided to visit their mother's chamber for solace. When they entered, Kunti was preparing to sleep. She smiled and asked how they were feeling, if they liked their room, and if they ate well, knowing Bhima would eat a lot. Bheema began to complain, but Yudhishthira stopped him. Sensing something was wrong, Kunti asked again. Arjuna, understanding the situation, lied to avoid worrying their mother, saying Bhima was shy and didn't eat much. They all laughed as they teased Bhima. Suddenly, a girl's voice called them liars, and they turned to see the Princess of the Kuru Dynasty.The Pandavas recognized her by her attire and remembered being told they had 101 brothers and one sister. They hadn't met their sister yet, and their hearts raced, fearing she would complain to their mother. Bheema's protectiveness flared. Seeing it was Dushala, Kunti smiled and invited her in, asking what they lied about. Dushala, smiling, took her blessings and turned to her brothers, taking blessings from all except Nakul and Sahadev, who were younger than her. This shocked the brothers, who had expected a fight. Yudhishthira blessed her calmly, while Bheema was flustered. Arjuna, realizing their sister was not like her brothers, blessed her too. Nakul and Sahadev bent to take her blessings, but she stopped them and pinched their cheeks.Seeing them bond, Kunti's worries vanished. Dushala, noticing her brothers' heads on their mother's lap, felt a longing she had never experienced and placed her head on Kunti's lap, feeling joy. She then remembered why she was there and, in a sorrowful tone, said her brothers lied to her. The Pandavas was confused as they looked at each other. Sensing something was wrong, Kunti asked Dushala what they did. Dushala, mischievously, asked Kunti to allow her to punish her brothers. Kunti, understanding, agreed. Dushala explained that they had promised to eat with her but ate with their brothers instead, so she wanted them to eat with her again. Before Kunti could ask further, a servant arrived with a message from Bhishma, asking Kunti to come discuss something important. Kunti instructed Bheema to eat fully with Dushala and help his brothers if needed, and then left.Dushala beamed and instructed the dasis to bring food and guard the door. The Pandavas, flabbergasted, realized they hadn't eaten anything and wondered why they were being told to eat again. As food was placed in the center, their sister looked at them expectantly. They sat down, and Yudhishthira began distributing the food. Dushala, feeling their gaze, turned to feed Bheema, reminding them of Pitamah's challenge to eat without bending their arms. She asked why they weren't eating, teasing that their hands must be paining. Touched by their sister's gesture, the Pandavas felt a sense of warmth and belonging. Arjuna, seeing Bheema hesitate, joked about wanting the food, but Bheema quickly ate it. Yudhishthira then fed Dushala, who happily ate.As they bonded over the meal, the Pandavas and Dushala shared stories about their lives. Dushala, who had never ventured outside, listened eagerly. Eventually, she fell asleep on Yudhishthira's lap, a five-and-a-half-year-old child needing her rest.