Kairavi

Chapter 79

Chandraputri stared out of the doorway for some time. She saw the eldest Madreya disappear into the woods, as she pondered over her dilemma.
The longer she kept it hidden from everyone, the harder it would be to do the revelation later.
Moreover, Dhananjay also needed to know that Arush was now his and Subhadra's son.

"Let's get it done and dusted." She muttered nervously.

Arni came outside the hermitage and paced up and down before it.
She mentally practiced her speech while waiting for her husband to return.

"But, is it appropriate?" The images of her dream flashed before her eyes. How valiantly Arush was fighting, his sword looking like Nandak itself in Lord Vishnu's hands.
But the person he was combating against, was not an enemy.

It was his mother.

What was her subconscious trying to imply?
Did she take the correct step by abandoning him and Subhadra? She did not even ask her once.
But Kairavi did not doubt her motherhood.
Her heart was large enough to accommodate the love for all children of Bharatvarsh.

And even if it was the wrong decision, wouldn't Krishna advise against it?

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"Ek mata ka hriday bohot chanchal hota hai.
Chahe wo pashu ki mata ho, ya manushya ki. Koi antar nahi.

Antar jeevan laata hai.

Paristhitiyan ek stree ke bheetar Devaki ko janm deti hai;
Aur wahi, uske andar Kaikeyi ko bhi nirmit kar deti hai.

Kintu,

Kya apne putra ke bhavishya ka vichaar karna Kaikeyi ka apraadh tha?

Nahi na?

Sampoorn Ramayan me Bharat ki mata ka koi dosh nahi tha,
Dosh Maharaj Dashrath ki patni ka tha.

Ye, ki Maharani hone ke pashchyat bhi unhone keval apne putra ka vichaar kiya.
Praja ka nahi.

Maharani Gandhari ki bhi kuch aisi hi avastha hai.
Unka apraadh unka taamsik prem hai. Jisne Duryodhan ko uchit aur anuchit me bhed karna hi nahi sikhaya.

Tumhara nirnay tumhari bhool thi, ya balidaan;
ye samay nishchit karega, Krishna nahi.

Lekin ek mata ka mann tumse kya kehna chah raha hai,
Yeh to tum hi nischit karogi, sakhi."

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Kairavi kept staring at the space ahead of her, mind tossing and flipping to come to a decision.
"Hey Madhav, marg dikhao.." She begged.

"What are you doing outside?" Came Nakul's voice from behind her.
She was so into her thoughts that she didn't hear the grass crumbling beneath his feet when he approached her.

"We haven't cleared this area yet. There can be snakes or scorpions crawling around." He nudged her into the hut, but her feet were firmly planted on the ground.
Scorpions and Snakes didn't scare her. Her husbands' faith did.

"I have something to tell you." She started. "At midnight?"

"Yes. Atonement doesn't tread in accordance with time, Arya."
"Why are you talking like that? Should I be worried?" His tranquility was jumping up and down way before he asked the question.

"I'm afraid, yes." Her tone was stern, but not domineering.
Even as a punisher, her compassionate heart did not let its forgiveness trickle away.

Taking a deep breath, she stared at Nakul's curious orbs. "Arush is in Dwarka right now. With Govind and Subhadra jiji."

"Right.." He dragged. "Before leaving for Kamyak, I asked Keshav to not tell him that he is our son."

Silence.

The numb son of Madri took a few moments to register what his wife was saying.
He seemed pretty unfazed after having the bomb dropped on him, or that's what Arni thought.

"Why?" He spoke with the same poker expression.

"We don't know if we will come out of the exile alive.
How would he feel, if all three of us die?" She inquired, voice somber and consoling.

"Like an orphan." He replied. "But haven't you made him an orphan already?" Kairavi shook her head quickly.
"He shall live as jiji's son if we don't return. Arush will not have a father, but at least he will have a mother."

"Tumhare Govind ne hi bola tha na,
Satya ka svabhav hai prakat hona." She saw tears welling up in his eyes.

"Kis prakar tumne uske jeevan ka aadhar ek mithya pe sthapit kar diya?

Kaisa pratit hoga usse ye jaankar,
ki sanaath hote hue bhi wo anaath raha?"

Kairavi kept mum.
Every decision had its perks and perils, and at that time, she did not think about the demerits of what she was doing to her child.
She just thought as a mother then. Without putting herself in his shoes, she took the decision.

'Kaha tha na, sakhi? Mai bohot swarthi hu.' She heard Kanha's voice in her brain.

"Parenthood isn't defined by blood.
It is substantiated by the virtues and morals they develop in their children. By their integrity, by their love and trust!" She argued, ignoring her sakha's taunt.
"Oh, then why did you lose your mind seeing Karenumati and Vijaya's children?!" Nakul shot back.

"What do you think? It was very thrilling for me to forsake him?" She retaliated, voice becoming louder in every sentence.
The clamour woke everyone inside the hut up.
They sat up and searched for the source.

Grabbing their weapons, the four pandavs came outside along with Draupadi.

"Kairavi? Nakul? What's going on?" She asked worriedly.
Nakul was towering Chandreya dangerously when the rest of the family joined to witness their fight.

"Kairavi doesn't want Arush to know that we are his real parents.
She asked Vasudev to tell him that he is bhrata Arjun's son." Sahadev's low voice did the job of filling them up.
Parshati's heart palpitated at the information.

She turned her attention back to the couple and found Nakul glaring at her.

"Look at bhabhishree! She has two kids as well!
She didn't give them up to someone else to prove her motherhood!" He yelled.

Kairavi gasped at his accusation. "You think I did that to prove something?" A drop of sorrow rolled down her cheek.
"Your bhabhishree's children are adolescents! They can understand this situation and be mature about it!

What will Madhav and pitamah tell your son when he asks who his family is?

His parents? Who will perhaps never return from their exile?
His brother, who was killed in the womb?
Or his hundred uncles, who are after their lives?

KIS SATYA PE USKA JEEVAN AADHARIT KARTI MAI!?" She screamed like a maniac while bawling hard.

"Dwarika ke atirikt kise apna parivaar maanta woh?"