At a stormy evening,
The empress of Aryavarta was sitting before the idol of Narayana and it seems she was the most helpless woman today. Like other women, she was also praying for her husband's safety. The lines of tension was visible in her forehead.
"Oh Lord! The divine Lord, I know my husband's life is your grace and today I am praying for your grace again. Please don't let anything happen to my husband"- The auspicious Madravati prayed.
Madravati was praying to Lord and every minute was equal to hour for her.
"Why that astrologer is still not coming out?"- Madravati frowned looking at the door.
She continued praying and suddenly a strong wind came from outside blowing off all the candles and lamps. Madravati covered the indistinguishable lamp with her hands but it seems not only the palace but her destiny also became full of darkness.
"Swami!"- she whispered.
Madravati: Hey Narayana! Why I am feeling something inauspicious is going to happen! Please don't let my thoughts come tru....
She couldn't complete her words and his loud shout came to her ear making her shiver and more anxious. She ran towards the king's chamber but it seems she was too late.
The whole chamber was dark and it was more quiet than needed.
"Swami"- she called but no answer came.
"Swami! I know you are playing with me. Please answer. Where are you swami?" - she again called but no one replied.
"But wait, where is that astrologer? She doesn't saw anyone coming outside."- she thought.
Madravati called her maids and they came with lamps. Madravati went inside and she was shocked. His dead body was laid over the floor. She was shocked to the hell and on the verge of fainting. Maids held her.
She sat beside his body and hold his hands. His hands were cold and he was not breathing.
"Swami! Get up, swami! You can't leave me like this."- she cried shaking his hands but where he was going to hear her today.
Hearing Madravati's cry, her all sons came there and saw their mother crying hugging their father's dead body.
"The one who killed my father and orphaned the whole aryavart, he is a unrighteous person for sure. I will punish him for his deeds and will destroy his whole lineage."- the eldest son of Parikshit told angrily.
"Takshaka! But how did he come inside? Does it mean that astrologer..?"- she whispered.
"I know swami did a mistake by doing that but did he deserve this kind of punishment? And that brahman didn't curse Parikshit only but the whole aryavart because he passed his whole life thinking of it's welfare only but destiny planned this kind of death for this righteous king?"- she thought.
"I am not going to leave that takshaka. He have to be punished for his deeds." - Crown prince Janmejaya told fisting his hands.
Madravati looked at his son who was burning in the fire of revenge but where her focus was in this things now. She was looking at his dead body and she could hear the elders. They were saying that her husband's last rites should be started now and hearing this, she felt someone is talking about her last rites only.
Some women came and filled her head with vermilion for the last time and wiped it with the toe of left feet.
The sweet versed and cheerful empress of Hastinapura was so shocked that she had no words left today. She was just looking at his dead body. Maybe, her age was now over 45 but her heart was still in that year of her life when she used to be a maiden and she met with him for the first time.
