The royal chariot is moving forward in the dense forest to reach Hasthinapur quickly.
As they relaxed on the comfortable chariot seats, Angaraj Karn and his wife Vrushali were absorbed in watching the breathtaking scenery of towering tree groves and colorful flower gardens that made their ride magical!
The abundance of fruit-bearing trees hugged by creepers that flourished in the near vicinity, along with the numerous mango orchard amidst the lush bushes and plants, captivated their attention.
"Why did Maharaj Duryodhan suddenly invite you, Swami Nadh? What particular reason was behind this royal summons?"
“Yadav Krishna's tomorrow visit as a messenger with a peace proposal is significant for us . Their cruel fate saved them from all sorts of natural and man-made calamities in all these thirteen years! Now they returned safely and were asking for their kingdom back. However, how could we comply with their demands? In the dice game, they lost their rights over their kingdom. They are now claiming it unethically. It goes against royal tradition and we cosider it as immoral. My friend Duryodhan wants me to be with him while meeting Krishna to discuss the so-called peace proposal."
After giving him a long, thoughtful glance, Vrushali said,
"All the learned men revered Sri Krishna as a divinity, a celestial being that supported the Pandavas. . Maharani Draupadi's insult was... "
Karna interrupted her with a stern voice. "She is an ordinary maid now, not a queen! King Duryodhan won the dice game in which her husband had staked her. When my friend visited Maya Sabha Mandap, she made fun of him. Due to my lower caste, she declined to marry me and asked me not to participate in her Swayamvar. She deserved this punishment."
With a sigh, Vrushali ruefully nodded her head. She's regarded as a wise woman with immense fortitude and compassion.
She was concerned about an impending war and the possible annihilation of humanity. She saw the regal haughtiness and arrogance on his face at that moment. That made her shudder a bit with fear.
When Karna noticed her quiver, he thought that the cool breeze from the nearby river was the culprit.
They continued their journey as the breeze used twigs and leaves to tune dulcimers.
Karna lost himself in his thoughts as the chariot moved closer to the towering palaces of Hasthinapur. Vrushali wanted to meet Maharani Bhanumati to share her fears with her.
~~~~~~~~~~~~
Everyone in the royal palace looked at Karna's wife with awe as they entered the palace together.
Karna looked at his wife with a proud smile while observing a few maidens chanting his wife's name!
Bhanumati rushed to the door to welcome them. After greeting each other, they took their seats in the inner chamber.
Bhanumati informed them that prior to Sri Krishna's crucial peace negotiations the next day, Mahamantri Vidur called Duryodhan to share a few words with him. He will be back anytime now, she said.
She instructed maids to bring some sweet beverages, such as juices made from different fruits and berries mixed with honey.
"Oh! There's a war going on here between the future king and princess!" Karna was excited.
She noticed Karna looking at Princess Lakshmana and Prince Lakshman Kumar, who were busy playing war games with wooden toys arranged on the sandalwood board.
"Bhai Laxman, it is impossible to win in any war! The war game takes place in a circle that starts and ends with a single purpose: death. The burden of the loss will fall on future generations. But for kings as the prime players, all those victories are an important part of their dynasty's histories," Princess said.
"In other words, would you like to say that quitting war is the best course of action, Rajkumari? No, that is not in my blood. I want to fight hard to win... only to win!" Prince Lakshaman Kumar answered. Though there are still some traces of his childlike speech, it reflects his valor.
Karna's face lit up with pride as he noticed a red streak in Raj Kumar's eyes. He eventually started talking with kids about military strategies.
Meanwhile, Vrushali accepted Bhanumati's invitation to see Raj Mata Gandhari; for that, they headed to Gandhari's quarters together.
While strolling through the royal palace's hallways, Bhanumati asked Vrushali what Karna was thinking about Krishna's efforts to mediate between the rival cousins. Vrushali remained still for a while, and then she leaned against the wall for support to disclose her husband's hatred and contempt towards the Pandavas and Draupadi.
Bhanumati shared her fears with Vrushali, which she couldn't share with anyone in the palace!
" Vrushali, by insulting Maharani Draupadi, the Kuru Vansh committed a serious sin. For that, we have to endure the consequences. The only thing that can prevent that fury from erupting is to give back their kingdom. However, as you know, Aryaputra Duryodhan opposed ceding their land. Indeed, he made a valid point, but to what extent is it appropriate to jeopardize the lives of others for your pride, along with those of your family, relatives, and kingdom? Sri Krishna, I fear, is siding with Dharmaj and his brothers. It is impossible to win over them as long as he is supporting them. I'm concerned about the welfare of our families."
They walked in the direction of Gandhari's quarters, chatting about their children and their heroic actions.
When Vrushali met Gandhari, the elderly matriarch wanted to spend some time with her. Bhanumati left her there and returned to her chambers.
Karna sitting in front of the war game table alone, looking intently into the well-laid board in front of him.
A maid informed Bhanumati that the princess went for a stroll in the flower garden near the lotus pond with a few maidens, while the prince went out to learn archery from Guruputra Ashwasthama.
She sat there, observing Karna's moves on the board.
All of a sudden, she grinned and gave Karna a disapproving tilt of her head when she saw him move the army chief and the cavalry in two different directions on the game board.
He noticed her smile and questioned her with a surprise, "Do you think I made the wrong move on the game board, Maharani?"
She sat down on the opposite side of the board and started playing with him. Both players lost a few elephants; their armies surrounded the other player's kings, but their tactical maneuvers helped them escape. Then Karna's infantry moved forward to corner Bhanumati's king after a few moments of hesitation and planning!
Bhanumathi lost herself in her thoughts while fighting to keep her king alive. Bhanumati is a very good player in various war games. In the past, Duryodhan mentioned it to Karna.
When Karna realized that he was in a winning position, he was elated.
All of a sudden, Bhanumati noticed Duryodhan swaggering into the hall; she hurried to greet him at the door at that precise moment. Karna assumed that she was going to quit the game in the middle, knowing she was going to lose. He quickly grabbed her anchal, the ornamental end of her sari, to stop her from going away. For that impact, the pearl beads were dispersed on the floor when he pulled it. For that sudden act, he noticed shock and dismay in her eyes, and Karna remained numb! He was momentarily paralyzed, and at that point he realized his unpardonable mistake: "What a sinner I am!" He wanted to bury his face in his own grave instead of facing his friend.
She is the queen of Duryodhan, who is not only his friend but also a strong sovereign in the Aryavarth. Touching her and ripping her anchal is an unforgivable offense.
"Maharani, is it good enough to collect all the beads from the floor, or do you want me to re-needle those to your anchal now?" Duryodhan questioned his wife as he calmly stepped forward and began collecting the beads from the sparkling floor.
She gave him a beaming smile, took the beads from his hands, and calmly proceeded towards her private chambers.
Unable to raise his head to meet his friend's gaze, Karna stood there, looking like a sinner with a contrite expression on his face.
"Karna, my dear friend, I know you very well. You are an important part of my soul.Whether it's a game or an actual battle, you are an excellent warrior with an addiction to winning." Duryodhan pulled Karna towards him, hugged him and said,
"I respect you as much as I value my pride," he said, adding, " more than that, I have immense faith in my wife; she will never misunderstand you. She knows our bond. Anyone can observe how fiercely the game is being played on the war game board. Maintain your cool, my dear friend."
The maids brought another tray of honey-mixed grape juice for them. They started talking about the upcoming Krishna's visit, what they needed to do to safeguard themselves from the elders' tame advice, and how to keep things under control without giving a small piece of land to the Pandavas.
If God descends as a mediator, then all the kings and warriors prostrate themselves before him .
However, a few haughty fighters desired conflict and violence! God made the effort, but humans made a different decision.
Time stands as a witness to chronicle all the great conflicts and their aftermaths.
**********
The End
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