Shatru Sesham: Sequel of Baahubali ✔️

Chapter Fourteen

"Parithraanaaya Sadhunaam
Vinaashaayacha Dushkruthaam
Dharma Samstaapanaardhaaya
Sambhavaami Yuge Yuge!"

To save the righteous
To destroy the evil people
To reinstate order
I take birth from time to time!
-
-
-

"Where do our heroes and warriors come from? Perhaps you might say they come from another league or world altogether. I would say that they emerge from our midst. There is a hero and warrior in each one of us. We never know what our true potential is until the time for that comes. We are all ordinary until one transfiguring, extraordinary moment happens. When a warrior falls, another is reborn in the forge of time and need!"
-
-
-
In a village in Mahishmati,
All the remaining men of that village sat cowering in heavy chains and shackles around their hands, legs and necks. The rest were either maimed for life or dead. All the women and children stood huddled in one corner. Not a squeak or gasp escaped from anybody's mouth. They were all too scared to draw attention towards themselves by making any noise.

A scene which they would not have imagined in the wildest of their dreams was happening right in front of their eyes. The Kalakeyas were drawing lots for their houses and lands to decide which house and land would belong to whom. That procedure had concluded and they took a step towards the new houses and lands that were to be theirs from now onwards when one or two voices among the shackled men protested, "That is my house!"....."Those are my lands!"......."Get out!"

But this resistance instantly died out the next minute. The voices that had expressed the slightest sign of resistance were instantly snuffed out. A deathly silence succeeded this. Nobody expressed the least bit of resistance or doubts.

A mother turned to her son and said, "Sneak away from here when nobody is looking. There is nothing left for you here in Mahishmati. All of us are collectively paying for what we did to Mahendra Baahubali and his family. We drove out our own savior and now we are left with the demons. If you remain here, you too will be no better than a slave. Run.....Mrithyunjay ....Run......Don't ever come back here."

Mrithyunjay did not want to go. He caught hold of the hem of his mother's saree. She pushed him away, "Don't be a fool! Listen to what your mother is telling!" Sobs interspersed her words.

As he turned to run, Mrithyunjay spoke, "I will go now because you asked me to........'Janani Janma Bhumischa Swargadhapi Gariyasi'......Even if they are kings, they have to come for the sake of their mother or motherland countless number of times. No sacrifice is too big for one's mother or motherland. No achievement is too small for one's mother or motherland. The only feet to which one should owe one's allegiance is one's own mother and motherland.......These were your own words. How can I forget them?.......I, Mrithyunjay Varma, son of Senapathi Bhairava Varma and Katyayani swear on my mother and motherland that I will return one day for my mother and motherland.....strong like the mountains....swift like the wind.....and all-consuming like the fire....I will sweep away everything in my path......or else....I am not a true Kshatriya!"
-
-
-
Near the outskirts of the forest of Kardalivan.
Twenty-four hours had elapsed since Mruthyunjay left his mother and ancestral village behind. He found that he was not the only one who was running away. He came across many fugitives just like him. There was a mass exodus from Mahishmati, both men and women, high and low, strong and weak, people from the east and the west, the north and the south.

It seemed as though villages, towns and cities of the mighty kingdom were bereft of people while the woods, forests and wilderness were teeming with them. The very foundations of the proud kingdom were totally uprooted. Several of these runaways were soldiers who had been serving in the army of the erstwhile king, Mahendra Baahubali.