Saga Of The Timeless (A Mahabharata Story)

77.Panchkosha: Threads of Forgotten Stories -2

When your life is a relentless storm of hardships, suffering, and pain that seems never-ending, you begin to question everything around you. Who else could be responsible for this unbearable weight you carry? Why is there no explanation, no reason behind the torment you're enduring? In desperation, you look to the higher powers, searching for someone, anyone, to blame for the misery that has become your reality.

I was no different. I cursed the gods, blamed everyone around me for the misfortune that had crushed me. My heart was consumed with fury and confusion. I sought answers, I demanded justice. But then, after hearing the truth... something shifted within me.

I realized, buried deep in my pain, that I deserved it. I deserved every single bit of it.

The torment, the suffering—it wasn't a curse placed on me by some malevolent force. It was the price I had to pay for the darkness I had sown in my past. Every sin, every misstep, every wrong choice—it had all led me to this point. This was the consequence of my actions, the punishment I had earned.

The weight of this realization hit me like a tidal wave, crashing into me with a force that left me breathless. The guilt, raw and suffocating, tore through me. There was no one to blame but myself. And in that moment, I understood the true meaning of suffering. It wasn't something done to me—it was something I carried because of the choices I made.

I sat there in silence, wrestling with the weight of Rishi's words, trying to absorb them, trying to come to terms with the truth. And then, like a flood, the blame crashed down upon me. Of course, it was me—who else could it be?

Suddenly, everything—the misfortunes, the failures, the tragedies—seemed to make sense. They weren't random. They were my doing. I had brought this upon myself.

Confronting the reality that everything had spiraled out of control because of my own decisions, I felt my existence unravel, leaving me with nothing but an endless series of questions. Every failure, every loss, was a cruel reminder of my mistakes. I had no defense, no excuse. Because I deserved it.

A sharp voice pierced the fog of my thoughts. "You shouldn't blame yourself, Putri. Whatever happened, happened for a reason," Rishi Dadhichi's words were steady, but there was an urgency in his tone that resonated deeply within me. "You cannot dwell on the past. What matters is what is to come."

Tears flooded my eyes as I joined my hands in a prayer, falling to his feet. My sobs wracked my body, and I couldn't hold them back.

"Do not justify my mistakes, Rishi," I cried, my voice trembling with the weight of my guilt. "I am to blame—who else could it be?"

"Putri," Rishi said softly, his hand gently caressing my hair, "each cycle, a person is reborn. Sure they are born of their past—shaped by their deeds, both good and bad, but with each rebirth, the person is different. Even though they carry the same essence, their soul is changed by the lessons they have learned. That is why, even when events repeat, the person is never the same. Especially for those who travel through the timeline."

I slowly looked up at him, my mind swirling in confusion.

"I don't understand, Rishi," I whispered, my voice heavy with uncertainty.

Rishi smiled gently, his eyes filled with patience. "Each rebirth is different, Putri. Every person is born with a new personality, shaped by their choices and the lessons they carry from their past. The events may repeat, but the person—especially those who walk through the timeline with awareness—is never the same. They evolve."

The realization slowly began to take root within me. Perhaps my suffering wasn't the end of me, but the beginning—a chance to rewrite my future, to break free from the chains of my past.