Mysterious Time Traveler in Dwapara Yuga

Chapter 18: The Anticipation of Princess Irawathi

In Guru Drona Ashram:

The news about Asariri even reached the Gurukul. Dronacharya's wife, Kripi, expressed her desire to visit the Kuntala Kingdom the following year. Hearing this, Ashwatthama asked, "Mata, why do we need to go to the Kuntala Kingdom?" Kripi replied, "I don't know why, but my heart yearns to catch a single glimpse of the child of Tridevi who will be born into the Royal family of Kuntala." Guru Drona, overhearing, said, "I am sure we will see her when she grows up, but seeing her as a newborn is less likely. If it's in our fate, we will meet her."

The Kauravas and Pandavas were lost in their own thoughts. Youngest of the Pandavas, Nakul, unable to hide his curiosity, asked his elder brother, Yudhishthira, "Why is everyone talking about the birth of the Kuntala Princess, and why does our Gurumata want to see her?" Yudhishthira replied, "Everyone wants to see her because she is said to embody Power, Knowledge, and Prosperity." Nakul, looking confused, said, "Bhrata, I can't imagine a person with all these qualities." Yudhishthira, with a calm demeanor, said, "For now, our focus should be on our education (vidhya) from our Guru."

As time passed, many things changed, but one thing remained constant: the anticipation of Princess Irawathi's birth. Not only the people of Kuntala but the entire Aryavat awaited her arrival. Finally, the awaited day came on Varalakshmi Vrat morning at 04:35 am. The birth of the Princess on this auspicious day filled the people of Kuntala with joy. Over the year, river water flow increased, boosting agricultural production, and the kingdom prospered with wealth and happiness. Stories about the Princess bringing fortune to the kingdom became major gossip across Aryavat.

Though time seemed to fly, for baby Ira, it moved at a snail's pace. Three months old, she spent most of her time with her three brothers-Elder brother (jyesth) Makaraksha, Second Elder brother (bhrata) Padmaksha, and younger brother (bhrata) Chandran-who resembled her brothers from her past life: Manoj, Yasshva, and Adil. This made her miss them dearly. She enjoyed spending time with her brothers, knowing they would soon attend Gurukul. According to the maids, they conspired to spend as much time with her as possible before the princes left.

Determined to create lasting memories, Ira always smiled at her brothers, trying to grab their hands and react in ways that delighted them. She didn't want them to forget her and wanted to leave them with good memories. Little did she know, gossip about her intelligence and charm spread, with people claiming she reacted in the most interesting manner and smiled in a way that made everyone want to give her anything she desired.

"Ira's Cunning Plan"

It had been three months since her brothers left for Gurukul and six months since she was born. Now, she could form small words but still couldn't make full sentences as her tongue refused to cooperate with her mind. Bored out of her mind, all she did was eat, play, and sleep. The maids always gossiped about various things to her, sometimes telling stories about Krishna slaying demons. These stories became her bedtime tales, sparking her interest. She enjoyed tales like Putana Rakshasi, who transformed into a beautiful maiden to try to kill Krishna when he was a baby and others like Shakatasura, Trinavarta, Vatasura, Baksura, and Aghasura.

But Ira also wanted to learn about the economic, political, and social life of the people in Kuntala Kingdom. Knowing that these discussions happened in the Raj Sabha, she formulated a plan, unsure if it would work. The next day, after her maids dressed her in fine clothes and jewels and gave her some mashed potatoes and boiled vegetables to eat, Ira began to cry as if she wanted to see her father, saying "papa" and reaching out with her tiny hands.

Her father, Maharaja Chandrahasa, spent most of his time in the Raj Sabha, dealing with the kingdom's affairs. Though he visited Ira every night, she was usually asleep by then. Knowing this, Ira made her first move in her plan. The maids, taken aback by her sudden tears, didn't know what to do as she had always been a smiling Princess, even as a week-old baby. They hurried to get Maharani Vishaya and Empress Consort Champakamalini, who were coming to the dining room after their prayers. Hearing that Princess Ira was crying and calling for her father, they rushed to her side.

Seeing Ira struggling to breathe through her tears, Maharani Vishaya quickly took her in her arms and walked towards the Raj Sabha. Ira tried to memorize the path. At the entrance, the soldier, flustered by seeing the ever-smiling Princess crying her heart out, forgot to announce their entrance. The Royal Court was in full session when they heard a child's cry. Everyone was shocked, having never seen their Princess cry. When Maharani Vishaya entered with Ira, their minds went blank.

Maharaja Chandrahasa, seeing his sweet baby Princess crying, felt his heart panic and then anger, wondering who had made his Princess cry. Ira's tear-stained cheeks and red nose made a great impact in the Royal Court. The soldiers, seeing their Princess in distress, began sharpening their weapons, ready for war if needed, wanting to know who had made their Princess cry. All eyes turned to Maharani Vishaya for answers. Understanding their concern, she explained that the Princess wanted her father. On cue, Ira reached out to Maharaja Chandrahasa, and as soon as he took her in his arms, her crying ceased to hiccups as she clutched his angavastram.

Seeing this, the Royal Court concluded that Maharaja, busy with state affairs, didn't have much time to spend with his daughter. They realized the Princess missed him so much that the peace-loving Princess had thrown a tantrum by crying. Unanimously, they decided that Princess Irawathi would be allowed in the Court during Royal Proceedings. Ira's plan was a super-duper hit. By leveraging her cuteness, her father himself began bringing her to daily proceedings in the Royal Sabha, allowing her to learn about the current affairs of the Kuntala Kingdom.