Mahabharata Katha

1- Preperation

Jaishtha Trayodashi Tithi, Morning,
The royal palace of Indraprastha

In the King's private chamber:

King Yudhishthira raised his eyes from the scrolls he was busy with, as he sensed some pairs of little feet running around his chamber, and some other pairs of little eyes were peeping through the window.

Seeing him alert to their presence, the little ones ran away in hurried steps, but only two of them, unable to flee away so soon, hid themselves behind the throne. Yudhishthira spun round and found them. He smiled affectionately, shaking his head fondly at their mischief.

"Som, Abhi, you can come out now." He called, looking at the boys.

Slowly, the two brothers came out and stood in front of the King, slightly embarrassed in getting caught thus.

"What was going on from the morning, with all your brothers together?" Yudhishthira tenderly enquired.

"Nothing Jyeshtha Pitashree!" Abhimanyu replied sweetly, making his face purely innocent.

"We were just playing." Sutasom added.

"Playing? But isn't this time of morning scheduled for your study of Scriptures and then practicing weapons?" Though Yudhishthira tried to sound like a strict parent, his voice failed to hide affection. The boys did not mistake to sense that he was not really angry with them. Getting pampered, they looked up with wide smile.

"No study for today. No practice also." Sutasom cheerfully announced, "Pitashrees and Maas have declared holiday for us, for three days!"

"Three days!" Yudhishthira's eyebrows curved, "holiday for which occasion?" He tried to remember whether it was any punya tithi of performing a Puja or ritual.

"Because we are prepar..." Sutasom could not finish as Abhimanyu had pulled him back.

"Bhrata, don't!" He whispered at Sutasom with warning in his shining eyes.

"What are you two hiding from me?" The King asked, having no clue of what his little kids were into.

"Nothing Jyeshtha Pitashri, Bhrata was telling that..." Abhimanyu struggled searching for words as he did not want to lie to his beloved Jyeshtha Pita.

"Abhi! Som! where are you?" A sudden voice came to their rescue.

"Mata Subhadra is calling, Pitashri!" Sutasom naively said, "may we go?"

Yudhishthira nodded, still unable to understand what was happening around him. The two brothers fled away to join their other brothers soon.

***
Bhima's chamber

"Are you sure he does not remember?" Bhima looked at his three younger brothers.

"In which year does he remember this day, Bhrata?" Arjuna said, "from childhood to now, it's we only who remind and celebrate."

"And take advantage of his inability to remember his own birthday too, by arranging some surprise." Sahadeva added.

"Exactly. So what surprise we are going to give him this year, Deva?" Nakula turned to his twin.

"I don't think this year we are going to get even a single chance to surprise him, for our children have already taken complete responsibility to amuse their Jyeshtha Pita." Sahadeva replied, "and they are hardly going to share their plans with us."