The smoke of anguish still lingered in the chamber where Arjun held Draupadi. Slowly, the storm of her sobs ebbed. His arms, his words, his presence steadied her broken heart. At last, she allowed him to lead her out.
The door opened, and Subhadra rushed forward like a child to her mother, throwing herself into Draupadi’s embrace. Her tears drenched Draupadi’s shoulder.
“Jiji!!”
Draupadi’s trembling arms wrapped around her, and for the first time since the sabha, her eyes softened.
Yudhishthir stepped forward. His face was pale, his heart heavy as stone. He bent his head and said hoarsely—
“Draupadi… tum yatharth keh rahi thi... tumne sadev mujhe apne Jyesth Bharata ke roop main dekha hai...aur isiliye mera dharm tha tumhara rakshan karna.. parantu maine tumhe bina kisi adhikaar je dyut ke daav pe laga diya!”
Before anyone could stop him, he extended his palms towards the burning agnikund kept in the chamber. The flames licked his hands, searing his skin.
“Yeh mera dand hai Panchali...! Mujhe kshma kar do!”
Draupadi gasped, rushing forward. She seized his arms and wrenched them away from the fire, tears spilling afresh.
“Nahi Jyesthshree! Main aapko kshma karti hu... aapko apne hath jalane ki koi aavyasakta nahi hai!”
Yudhishthir shook his head bitterly.
“Tum bhale hi mujhe kshma kar do Draupadi par mujhe bhi svayam ko kshma karna hoga! Jis haathon ne tumhe daav pe lagane ke liye paase feke thai.. unhe jaalakar hi mera prayashchit hoga!”
Her voice, though breaking, held steel.
“Nahi Jyesth, jo kuch bhi mere saath hua vo meri niyati thi.. aur maine apni niyati ka sweekar kiya hai! Aapko svayam ko dand dene ki koi aavysakta nahi hai!”
Arjun, who had been silent, slowly undid the knot of his dhoti. From it, he drew forth the tiny gemstones of Draupadi’s chudamani, which he had once tied away when she throwed her chudamani. His voice quivered, but his eyes blazed.
“Panchali, yeh tumhare chudamani ke patthar.. jo svayam Madhav ne humare vivah ke samay bhet swaroop tumhare chudamani main laga kar diye thai! Tumne uchit kaha tha Krishnaa... isse apne chudamani maim dharan mat karna.. aur naahi apne yeh kesh baandhna... jisse ki mujhe pratipal yeh smaran hota rahe hi ki mere jeevan ka lakshya kya hai!!”
Draupadi’s spine straightened. She placed her palm upon her disheveled hair and lifted her chin.
“Yadi aisi baat hai... to phir mera bhi yeh ek pran sunn lijiye Aarya...!! Jab tak main Dushassan ki chaati ke rakt se apne kesh nahi dholeti.. tab tak main apne kesh nahi baandhugi!!”
The hall reverberated with the oath.
Bheem’s great hands clenched, his eyes red with wrath.
“Tumharayeh pran aavashya purn hoga Panchali! Isse svayam main; tumhara Bharata Bheem, purn karega!! Main svayam uss Dushassan ki chaati cheer kar uska rakt laaunga.. aur Arjun svayam ussi rakt se tumhare yeh kesh dhoega!!”
Arjun’s voice rang next, low and lethal.
“Aavashya aisa hoga Bharata Bheem!! Main svayam Draupadi ke kesh dhounga... vo bhi uss Dushassan ki chaati ke rakt se jo aap lekar aayege!!”
At that moment, Kunti entered. The mother of the Pandavas, her heart torn between pride and grief, gathered Draupadi into her embrace. Tears stained her cheeks.
“Putri…!! Draupadi.. putri!! Mujhe kshma kar do... ki mere Jyesth Putra Yudhisthir.. jisse tumne sadev Jyesth Bharata maana hai usne hi tumhe daav pe laga diya!! Aur tumhara yeh Pati.. mera Phalgun.. uski aur se bhi main tumse kshma maangti hu Putri.. kyu ki vo tumhara Pati hokar bhi tumhara rakshan na kar saka... aur bass apne Jyesth Bharata ke dharm main bandh kar reh gaya!!”
Draupadi broke again, her face buried against Kunti’s chest, but said nothing.
---
The next dawn arrived heavy with farewell. The Pandavas, Draupadi, Devika, and Valandhara prepared for exile. The palace echoed with wails of parting.
Draupadi knelt before Subhadra, her hand cupping her sister-in-law’s face.
“Subhadra... vachan do apni Jiji ko ki tum meri santano ko kabhi meri anupasthiti ka anubhav nahi hone dogi! Aur haan.. mere Abhimanyu ka acche se dhyaan rakhna..aur svayam ka bhi!!”
Little Abhimanyu, only five, rushed forward and hugged her legs. His soft voice, trembling yet resolute, touched every heart.
“Jyeshth Mata... main Shrutkarma, Pragya aur Pragati teeno ka rakshan karunga.. aur yeh mera vachan hai aapko!!”
Draupadi bent and kissed his forehead, her tears mingling with his hair.
“Main jaanti hu Putra!! Ek aur vachan do Putra...! Tum apne Pitashree ke bhaati acche se dhanurvidhya sikhoge..aur sadev svyam ka dhyaan rakhoge... aur apni Jyesth Mata ko smaran karte rehna Abhi!!”
He nodded fiercely.
One-year-old Shrutkarma clung to Arjun’s chest, wailing, refusing to let go. Arjun’s arms tightened around his son, his lips trembling against the child’s hair. With his other hand, he lifted his twin daughters, six-month-old Pragati and Pragya, holding all three close to his heart.
His eyes blurred.
“Mujhe kshma karna Karma, Pragati, Pragya!! Main tumloko ka baalpan nahi dekhpaaunga.. kadachi meri niyati main tum loko ke saath tumhare baalpan ka aanand lena likha hi nahi hai!! Parantu main yeh bhi jaanta hu ki tum loko ke Bharata Abhimanyu sadev tumhara kavach bankar rahega!!”
With infinite pain, he placed them in Subhadra’s arms. Abhimanyu proudly held Shrutkarma’s hand, as though already becoming the elder brother he had promised to be.
Karenumati and Vijaya wept as they embraced Nakul and Sahadev one last time, sending them away to the forest, while they returned to their maternal kingdoms with their children. Devika’s two sons were sent to Sivi; Valandhara’s son to Kashi.
At last, after bowing at Kunti’s feet, the Pandavas and their wives turned from Indraprastha, their eyes set on the forests that awaited them.
Kunti watched them go, her heart breaking, yet her resolve steeled. She turned back towards Hastinapur as she decided to live at Vidur’s home for 13 yrs!
Do like this chapter... and next chapter would be posted soon!!
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STRINGS OF DESTINY (PART 2)
Historical Fiction(This is 2nd part of story with continuation from the first part)If you are an ArDi lover than this story is must read for you.This story is not according to real mahabharat but a fiction. The most underrated love story of Draupadi and Arjun is desc...
