Karna was pacing back and forth, his restlessness increasing by each passing second. Something wrong has happened in Hastinapoor, he could feel it. Vrushali was upset seeing Karna like this, he was never so anxious. Subhadra also came to check on Karna, he looked like he would faint anytime soon if he continues being so restless.
Suddenly a figure came to their peripheral vision, the turned their heads and were shocked to see Draupadi in such a bloody and bruised condition. The expression behind her eyes were unreadable, almost hollow and empty. The usual fire in her eyes was replaced by water. Subhadra ran towards her and hugged her, Draupadi kept a hand on her head and then broke the hug. She went to her room and locked herself in. Karna and Vrushali were so shocked that they froze on the spot.
They all looked at each other and ran towards Draupadi’s room and started knocking it.
“DRAUPADI DARWAZA KHOLO, DRAUPADI!” Karna said knocking at the door.
“PANCHALI, KYA HUA HUME BATAYIYE, DARWAZA KHOLIYE.” Vrushali said knocking.
“LAGTA HAI DARWAZA TODNA PADEGA.” Subhadra said, Karna tried to break the door but it didn’t budge. He again tried kicking it but nothing happened.
“YEH DARWAZA KHUL NAHI RAHA.” Karna said confused and worried.
“WOH DARWAZA AB HUM MAI SE KISI SE BHI NAHI KHULEGA.” A voice said from behind, Karna, Vrushali and Subhadra turned around and found Amarsri standing their with no expression on her face.
“ACCHA HUA AAP AAGAYI, AAP TOH SAB JAANTI HAI, AISA KYA HUA WAHA ?” Karna asked impatiently.
“KYA AAP SUN PAYENGE ?” Amarsri asked. Karna nodded.
“BAHAR CHALIYE.” Amarsri said they all followed her to the court.
“AB BATAYIYE NA, HASTINAPOOR MAI AISA KYA HUA ?” Vrushali asked worried.
“HASTINAPOOR KI USS SABHA MAI, ITIHAS KA SABSE BADA ADHARM HUA HAI...” Amarsri narrated the whole tale to them, Subhadra and Vrushali gasped whereas Karna was in shock. His own brothers placed the bet on their wife. Suddenly Pandavas with worried expression came to the court.
“PANCHALI KAHA HAI ? THIK TOH HAI ?” Yuddhistir asked, they all snapped their heads towards him angrily. Karna stomped up to them and stood in front of Yuddhistir.
“PANCHALI KAHA HAI JYESHT ?” Yuddhistir asked again, but instead of receiving answers he received a well deserved tight slap on the face by Karna.
“TUMNE APNE BHAIYO AUR APNI PATNI KO DYUT MAI DAAV PAR LAGA DIYA !? AUR TUM SAB !? JAB TUMHARI PATNI KE SAATH AISA VYAVHAAR HUA TUM SAB KEVAL ROTE RAHE ?! DHITKAAR HAI TUMHARI VEERTA PAR, DHITKAR HAI TUMHARE SAMARTHYA PAR JO EK STREE KE SAMMAAN KI RAKSHA NAHI KAR PAYI !!.” Karna yelled and scolded the Pandavas, who just kept sobbing.
“DRAUPADI NE KHUD KO APNE KAMRE MAI BAND KAR DIYA AUR WOH DARWAZA AB HUM NAHI KHOL SAKTE.” Amarsri said.
“TOH KAUN KHOL SAKTA HAI ?” Arjun asked.
“WAHI JISNE AAJ USKA RAKSHAN KIYA THA AAJ.” Amarsri said and pointed at the door, they all glanced their and saw an angry and disappointed Krishna coming towards them.
“PRANIPAT MADHAV.” Arjun said but Krishna raised his hands stopping him from speaking further.
“MAI TUMHARA PRANIPAT SWIKAR NAHI KAR SAKTA RAJKUMAR ARJUN, JAB TAK PANCHALI AAPKO KSHAMA NAHI KAR DETI TAB TAK MAI BHI AAPKO KSHAMA NAHI KARUNGA.” Krishna said. The Pandavas lowered their head in shame.
“AMARSRI, KAHA HAI MERI SAKHI ?” He asked.
“DRAUPADI NE APNE AAP KO APNE KAKSH MAI BAND KAR DIYA HAI, AB WOH DWAR KEVAL AAP HI KHOL SAKTE HAI.” Amarsri said sadly.
“USNE TOH APNE HRIDAYE KE DARWAZE HI BAND KARDIYE HAI, PUTRI.” Krishna says sadly. He went towards Draupadi’s room.
“HUM TOH DHARM KE MAARG PE CHAL RAHE THE, PATA NAHI YEH KAISE HOGAYA ?” Yuddhistir said.
“AAPNE TOH DHARM KA SATYA NAHI JANA BADE BHAIYA, MAINE AAPKO KAHA THA BAHUMAT SE KOI BHI CHEEZ DHARM SIDH NAHI HOTI. AAP MAI SE KOI USKI SAHAYATA KE LIYE UTHE KYU NAHI ?” Amarsri asked.
“HUM DHARM SE BANDHE HUYE THE.” Yuddhistir said, Amarsri gave him a ‘are you serious’ look.
“AISA KOI DHARM NAHI JO SHURVEER YODHAO KO NAPUNSAK BANA DE. DHARM TOH BANDHAN SE MUKTI DETA HAI, DHARM KABHI KISI KO BANDHTA NAHI, KABHI KISI KO VIVASH NAHI KARTA.” Amarsri said, Yuddhistir lowered his gaze.
“AAPKO KYA LAGA BADE BHAIYA ? CHUP BAITH KE AAP DHARM KA PALAN KAR RAHE THE ?” Amarsri said, Yuddhistir started sobbing. Amarsri gave an empty chuckle.
“DHARMRAJ NE SABSE BADA ADHARM KIYA, KYUKI DHARMRAJ KO DHARM AUR ADHARM KA BICH KA ANTAR HI PATA NAHI CHALTA.” Amarsri said passive aggressively.
Soon Draupadi came and forgave the her husbands. The Pandavas and Draupadi with Karna left for their 13 years of exile. Amarsri asked Vrushali to stay in Avanti with Vrishsena but she denied saying she will live with Adirath and Radha maa. Subhadra will be living in Dwarika as she was pregnant and might give birth anytime during the next month. Krishna asked Arjun and Karna to get Pashupatastra from Mahadev, Bheem to get the knowledge of strength from Hanuman ji, Nakul and Sehdev to pray to Ashwini kumaras for the knowledge of medicine and Yuddhistir and Draupadi to serve sages and earn Punya.
Krishna, Subhadra and Amarsri also started leaving but this time Amarsri didn’t sit with Krishna on his Rath. She took her own Swarnarath and started her journey to Dwarika. Krishna too didn’t stop her knowing she needed some time to herself.
When Amarsri reached Dwarika she greeted no one and locked herself in her room. She cursed herself for not being able helping Draupadi, she cursed the entire existence for being so misogynistic. Tears started falling from her eyes remembering Draupadi’s pain and humiliation and her helplessness in that situation.
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HARIHARESHWARI 1 : DHARMSTHAPNA
Historical Fiction'Sivasya hridayam vishnur-vishnoscha hridayam sivah' Vishnu is the heart of Shiva and likewise Shiva is the heart of Vishnu'. Harihar, the combined form of Hari that is Narayan and Har that is Mahadev represents the concept of oneness of all existen...
