Mahabharata

10. Return of Maharaj Pandu

Duryodhan was spoiled a lot as a child. After all, he was born after a pregnancy of eighteen months and he was supposed to be the heir of Hastinapur, considering the fact that Pandu's children would still live in exile and they won't get the chance to return to Hastinapur. Satyavati adorned Duryodhan too, ignoring the way how Dhirtarashtra's extreme love for Duryodhan was letting him take decisions which would lead to the sadness of the subjects.

One day, Duryodhan was roaming around Hastinapur when he saw a fish stall. Of course if was of the fishermen of the Matsya mahajanapad. Matsya mahajanapad is the only mahajanapad who works with catching the fish and selling them. Because of Satyavati, they have an important place in Hastinapur but this shouldn't be how it should. They should leave Hastinapur. They don't belong here.

With that thinking, Duryodhan suddenly puts his palm where the fisherman was about to cut the fish but he stopped midway, seeing his palm on time but Duryodhan didn't want him to stop. Duryodhan takes the knife from him and cuts his own arm, yelling loudly, "This person here tried to attack me. Help me."

The soldiers nearby quickly take the fisherman to the palace and Shakuni looks at Duryodhan. Shakuni actually used to limp because every time he used to see Gandhari crying, he would stab his thigh with a knife. He had sworn that he will end the Kuru race because of the number of times Gandhari cried and in Duryodhan, he saw that opportunity, that chance to end the race of Dhirtarashtra.

He limped towards Dhirtarashtra and told him the news with some unneeded spice. Dhirtarashtra became angry and announced, "The people from the Matsya mahajanapad will go back to their home. They are not allowed to trade here anymore."

Satyavati got worried when she heard this. She stood up and interrupted, "But Duryodhan's wound is not that serious. I have seen it."

Dhirtarashtra roars in response, "I am the king. Don't tell me what you can see because I can't see but I know one thing, one scratch on my son and the whole race of the person will be gone. Feel happy that I am letting him go."

Satyavati feels shocked and taken aback. She had thought that Dhirtarashtra's life would only get better if he becomes the king because she was of the opinion that he wouldn't be able to be anything else if he is not the king but her plan backfired. She closed her eyes and remembered Bhishma's oath, Amba's curse, Vichitraveer's dwarf Ambalika and Ambika denying to go through with the procedure of getting babies through mantras and the way she always told Dhirtarashtra that he will become king, insulting Vidur and Bhishma on many occasions and much more. She was greedy all along. She was the reason of many people's sadness in Hastinapur. Greed was always good for one's own self till the others are not harmed but she had harmed an entire mahajanapad because of her.

After the court, she approaches Vidur and joins her hands, pleading, "I am sorry Vidur. I am the reason why Dhirtarashtra has taken so many wrong decisions because of Duryodhan but I never realised that. You were right. He can't see the sadness of his subjects. He is not only blind, his love towards Duryodhan is more blind than him. Let's go to the forest and get Pandu back. Hastinapur needs him."

They both set off to the forest. They knew where Pandu and his family lived because they were connected by many informants. When they reached around the spot, they saw smoke arising. They both started running towards the smoke to see Kunti and five boys crying. Satyavati looked at her with questioning eyes and asked, "What happened here?"

Kunti answered, "Aarya (I just now remembered how wives used to call their husbands. Sorry for forgetting this term all along. Aarya means someone respected) died due to the curse."

Satyavati loses her balance and almost falls with the news. Vidur and Bheem somehow handle her from falling. She turns to Vidur and announces, "The five sons of Pandu will do back to Hastinapur as the image of Pandu. Yudhisthir is the next king. Take them and Kunti to Hastinapur. I am embracing asceticism for the rest of my life. Tell Bhishma that this is my order. Let Dhirtarashtra rule Hastinapur till Yudhisthir is coronated as the king."

With that, she leaves while crying. Her heart was in pain. She thought that Pandu could save Hastinapur and restore the happiness of the subjects but he was dead. Fate was really playing a cruel game with her...

granger_leena sorry, the book is not over yet.