Chronicles of Karma

Destined Encounters

Third-Person POV

They say everything happens for a reason; every small part of an event occurs ideally in sync for us to be alive or even born here. Ever wonder what it would have been if your ancestors hadn't met the events they did for you to be here? Have you ever wondered if there is a time discrepancy, would the current event have vanished?

Have you ever wondered about the stories of legend and what would have happened if the characters hadn't performed the actions they meant to? Would the story end, or would it never become the legend it was?

It is the same with the event forming one of the most significant wars ever fought. Karma played its will, the one who caused the event.                                                                                                                        

Karma caused the 8 Vasus to take human form due to the sage Vashishta's curse. In Hinduism, the Vasus are the attendant deities of Indra and, later, Vishnu.

The same Karma that made King Shantanu of Hastinapur fall in love with the beautiful woman without knowing the truth of her identity and asking for her hand in marriage. 

The same Karma caused him to promise the woman not to question her identity or her actions in their marriage.

The same Karma that caused the beautiful marriage between Shantanu and the woman he fell in love with, which later turned into his nightmare for a long time.                                                                

The same Karma that caused the beautiful wife of the King to drown their seven newborns in the river Ganges as the King suffered in silence because of his promise not to question his wife's actions.

The same Karma that made him snap out of his silence and stop his wife from drowning their 8th newborn son, as he had enough of her cruelty only to reveal her real identity. She is the goddess Ganga, and the seven newborns she drowned are the seven Vasus who requested Ganga to be their mother on earth and throw them into the river as soon as they were born.

The same Karma that made their 8th child live because of the King breaking his promise, and his wife Ganga leaving him as she said with their son, only to return the child once he has learned the Vedas from Vasishta and is well-skilled in all forms of sciences and archery. His name is Devavratha.

The same Karma that made Devavratha go on to become the famous Bhisma. This caused a significant turn of events for the Kuru Vamsam (Kuru Clan).

Likewise, the same Karma brought two souls together to meet from different worlds, times, and everything.

If Shantanu hadn't stopped Ganga from drowning the 8th baby, then the course of events wouldn't have happened, or if he had prevented her from drowning the first baby itself, then the event would have been different. If the Eight Vasus hadn't received the curse from Vashishta, then the descendants of the Kuru Clan would have been different. Can you imagine Mahabharat not happening?

But everything played its part, and the possibility made two worlds meet, and two souls intertwine.

***

As the night covered the grounds with darkness, the birds rested in their nests for their well-earned sleep, and the outside started to quiet down; one heart beat faster than ever, the silence of one's mind killing them.

As Suyodhan lay down with his heaving chest after all day of working and helping the village people along with his brothers and friends, he sighed as he watched the moon and stars brighten the night sky.

His eyes wandered from one star to another. He often wondered what was out there, but today, wherever his eyes searched, he could find only one face: the face of innocence and purity that captured his heart. Her face, the one with no name, captured his soul, mind, and body.

He whimpered as he moved his arms; the sudden movement caused his slightly injured upper arm to hurt, resulting from building the huts all day. But the pain in his heart is more than the physical pain. He is scared that his heart feels that it could get something; he is scared to be loved.

All his life, he wanted to be loved by his mother, but every time he gets to wait, he waits for his turn. He didn't blame his mother because having 101 children has its hardship. But he often wondered what it is like to be a single child or with a reasonable number of siblings. He shook his head; he couldn't think of any other way than his brothers and sister. He is the firstborn and has to care for and protect his siblings. That is what he is taught and will do, no matter what. No matter how hard it will be, no matter how hard it is for him to get the love.

But this time, he is scared of something that he is not sure of yet; he shouldn't even be thinking like this as a prince, but he is scared that he will lose it, and to say that thought hurts him is an understatement.

He breathes out as he closes his eyes, hoping he will see hers in his dream. She did for his soul to relieve his ache, just like this morning.

***

Pain, that was what she felt; each time she tried to move her body, she couldn't; the voice she kept on hearing, the touch she was feeling made her ache at its loss, the darkness she was trying to escape, but yet never seemed to fade.

It's that voice guiding her, hoping she has reached the light. She is unsure where she is heading, but something in that voice wants to run towards it to find the owner.

'My love, yes, don't give up.' The soft yet firm voice made her run faster. The light was just at the corner; she could feel it.

That was where she saw him, the voice owner who called out to her. With tears swelling in her eyes as she stepped into the light, she saw him.

He stood there with his back facing her. Her eyes traced his strong arm, broad shoulder, and tall frame. Like silk, his raven hair flew dancing into the wind.

With small steps, she went near him; as she stood with a trembling figure, slowing down her breath, she heard his voice again.

'Finally, you are here, my love.' His whisper made her heart skip. She wanted to see his face. With trembling hands, she slowly and steadily touched his shoulder; the simple touch passed an electrifying current to her body, making her feel like she was in euphoria.

She could see his shoulder tensed, but he slowly relaxed and started to turn around. But just like that, she got pulled away.

'No! No, no!' Her shout got louder but yet quieter; just as her figure faded away in the distance, her struggle to run back made her cry.

***

Just like that, a loud gasp is let out by the sleeping beauty lying in the middle of the medic tent. The sound made the Middle Pandav Arjun, who conquered sleep, go beside her in a flash. Her eyelids fluttered as her chest heaved with breath, and Arjun quickly held her hand.

'Please wake up,' he whispered; as he said those words, her eyes opened up and caused him to gasp; the honey eyes looked straight at him as a single tear fell from the once sleeping beauty's eyes. 

His eyes traced her face, and just like that, she captured his heart, and he was not planning to get it back from her.

As Karma is, what may seem like a ridiculous act at one time will seem reasonable later on.

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