Bloodlines (On hold)

Unsought Beginnings

Bhoja
3322

The two principal dynasties of that time were the Yadavas who later broke up to many kingdoms with the most important being Dwarka and the Purus who founded the kingdom of Hastinapur, the largest in Aryavarta. While the Yadavas descended from Yadu, one of the sons of Yayati by his first wife Devayani, the Purus descended from Puru, one of the sons of Yayati by his second wife, Sharmishtha.

Shurasena was one of the great kings in the Yadava dynasty. He fathered two children Pritha and Vasudeva. Shurasena’s aunt had a son named Kuntibhoja who did not have any children. Shurasena had, therefore, promised his aunt that he would allow Kuntibhoja to adopt his first child. Pritha being the first born, was given away to Kuntibhoja right after her birth, which is why she also came to be known as Kunti. King Kuntibhoja took great care of his adopted daughter and pampered her with all kinds of comforts that a king can provide to his daughter. Several Brahmins and Rishis would visit King Kuntibhoja’s palace and they would be taken good care of by the king and his daughter Kunti.

One day the aawe-inspiring king of Kalinga, a blue blooded warrior and a passionate lover if stories of bards be believed visited the palace of Kuntibhoja. He stayed there for almost a year. During his stay Kunti was given the responsibility of attending to his needs. Kunti served the Maharaj with great reverence without caring for her own comfort. Serving the mercurial Maharaj included attending to his eccentricities which included his vanishing acts and returning to the palace at odd hours. Then there was the question of performance of elaborate austerities and other rituals for which the host had to make arrangements and be careful not to annoy the temperamental king. The king was ever on a short fuse and given to pronouncing curses at the slightest provocation  – propensities that made the task of attending on him a proposition dicey enough to keep any host on tenterhooks! The added problem was that he never gave advance notice of his movement in and out of Kuntibhoja’s palace. In this context and much to his astonishment, he always found Kunti rising to the occasion and ready to serve him at any odd time of day or night.

As usual it happened love bloomed between the warrior and the fawning princess.

One morning Maharaj of Kalinga called Kunti to his chambers and said, "Dear Rajkumari, by now you must be aware that I am leaving your palace tomorrow." With folded hands Kunti replied in the affirmative. The king continued, "Still whatever happened between us shall never be known to anyone." At these words Kunti blushed and replied, "Maharishi, I am privileged and honoured. It was my duty and part of my samskara to serve an honoured guest of your status. Maharishi Durvasa was highly impressed with these words of the princess. He replied, “Dear Rajkumari, as a token of my appreciation, I am leaving my soil of my house. One day, you may come to me and I will help you in any way I can."

It was but natural that Kunti spent a sleepless night on account of excitement that her work of the last one year had reached a satisfactory culmination. Early next morning, as she was busy making final arrangements for the king's ceremonial departure.

Meanwhile Dhatri, the principal maid and confident of the princess was waiting anxiously outside the chambers of Maharaj for Kunti to emerge, which she finally did and both friends went to Kunti's private quarters, chatting about the last one year spent in the service of Maharaj. Dhatri was very curious to know as to what transpired between the Maharishi and Kunti before the former left for his onward journey but could not muster enough courage to ask the only question which was occupying her thoughts at the moment. It did not take long for Kunti to see that Dhatri was mostly inattentive and seemed to carry some load on her mind. She said, "Dhatri what is the matter with you? Your thoughts seem to wander all over the place except this room. Are you alright? Should I call the royal physician? The whole world knows that you are my best friend and confidant. God knows that I have always looked towards you more as a sister than as chief Dasi."Dhatri replied with tears in her eyes, “Rajkumariji, had what you said just now been true, you would not have hidden from me that the fact you both were lovers." Kunti laughed loudly when she realised what was troubling Dhatri to cause her present inattentive behaviour, which Kunti was not accustomed to. After a hearty laugh she pulled Dhatri to her side and said: "I will tell you all what happened in that closed room. But first you have to give me your solemn word that nothing of what I am going to tell you will go outside this room. In other words, this is a secret which you shall reveal to none under any circumstances."