Mahabharat

Intolerance

Debabrata, the great son of Raja Shantanu was back. It enlightened the mood of the whole Hastinapur kingdom and everybody rejoiced, celebrated and accepted his return with great pomp and grandeur. Everyone was happy except Rani Satyavati...
From the first day of his arrival, Debabrata showed great respect and love for his step mother but she was not pleased at all. Shantanu did not fail to notice her unusual behaviour and one day he asked her," I'm having a strange feeling that you are not at all pleased on the arrival of Debabrata. May I know why?"
Satyavati looked at him with bloody eyes and said," I knew my husband to be wise and expected that he would favour that wife who have always supported him, not the one who went away with her newborn child, leaving him alone." Shantanu was perplexed and said, " I don't understand you." Satyavati screamed," How will you! I was a fool to expect justice."
Shantanu was unaware of the situation and in order to calm the furious woman he said, " What can I do for you? I will do anything. I promise."
This act probably calmed Satyavati down. She looked at his husband tearfully and said," l want my son Vichitravirya to be the next king. Can you do that for me?"
There was silence... complete silence...
" Impossible." The silence was broken by Shantanu's faint whisper. "Ask for anything... anything but not that. I have sacrificed many things to make Debabrata a worthy ruler... Please ask for anything else but not that... Please..."
Satyavati gave a maniacal laugh and said, " Oh no no I'm sorry. I shouldn't have asked you that... I should have known that you were too unworthy to keep your promise. But one thing is final." She turned around and said," I want Vichitravirya to be the next king and if it does not happen, I will stab myself to death... decision is yours..." And with that, Satyavati left the room leaving his husband sad and confused.
Shantanu went to bed that night with his head buzzing with emotions... He couldn't ask his son to sacrifice the throne. He deserved it too much. And on the other hand he couldn't let Satyavati die...
The thing unknown to him was that the depressing conversation between him and Satyavati was overheard by his son, Debabrata...