Vasudev and Pritha -Siblings who brought the Gods to the earth #Mahabharata

"Unsullied in honour, Undefeated in Battle"

"No Bhim!" The voice made Kunti look up. "Leave the kitten alone." She saw the three year old Yudhishtir instruct his brother. The younger toddler responded with an excited giggle, still pulling the tail of a helpless kitten. "Bhim..." The word had a sense of finality. Kunti chuckled at the effect it had on Bhim as he very reluctantly left the kitten which pranced away. She turned and saw Pandu observing the children with greater indulgence.

"It is time, Maharaj." She smiled sitting close by his side. "You desired a son who would rule and the son whose matchless strength would protect his brother. It is time we took them back to Hastina."

Pandu's forehead wrinkled. "Not yet, Kunti. Not this early." He knew the reason behind Kunti's sense of urgency. When the fateful curse left him with no option of a heir, he had left the throne to his elder brother Dhritarashtra. A decision he always had second thoughts about. Kunti, he knew was aware of his discomfort. 

"You heard that Queen Gandhari had children too." Kunti's brows fluttered. She could not bring herself to say what came next. "We must move before the son of Jyesht Dhritarashtra is considered the heir." A couple of years earlier, Kunti could not care less about who sat on the throne or who was pronounced the heir. Now, motherhood seemed to define its own order of priorities.

"I have sent a message to brother Vidur." Pandu smiled squeezing her wrist. "He shall do his best to put off announcing the heir till I shall tell him to go ahead. But before that..." He saw Kunti nod and stare at him. "Bhim's strength is a great source of hope, Kunti. But it is my fear that it is only his strength that defines him and not valour."

The nuanced difference between strength and valour was not lost on Kunti. She was about to say something when Pandu spoke again.

"I also heard from Vidur that the prince of Gandhar, Shakuni has more or less assumed a permanent residence at Hastina. I can't help but feel that it is to pressurise my brothers and uncle Bhishma to declare his nephew as the heir." After a bout of uncomfortable silence, he added. "All Gods forbid if there is an internal strife or worse, how much can these two boys face by themselves?"

Kunti's lips parted and then came together, almost to prevent the disturbing thoughts in her mind from turning into words. "Arya, you mean, would they be harmed?"

Pandu nodded gravely. "We shall return to Hastina, to ensure that our sons are given their due, Kunti. But not just when they are defenceless toddlers like this but after they are trained by the Rishis here, at least in the basic skills of survival."

 Kunti sighed and was about to rise when Pandu held her hand. "Yes, my King."

"Meanwhile, why can't we propitiate the King of Gods, Indra to grant us a son endowed with valour, resilience and undying perseverance. The warrior that any King would die to have in his retinue. A conqueror with a heart. The one who shall make my dream of uniting Bharatavarsha under a single rule possible."

"Your desire outgrows itself every time, Pandu!" Kunti chided. 

"This one time, love." Pandu pleaded. "The endeavor that I had started with the blessings of the Great Vyasa and Uncle Bhishma should not be in vain. Our sons should not only retrieve their hold upon Hastina, but should release the earth from the clutches of the likes of Jarasandha of Magadh."

The very mention of Jarasandha made Kunti's eyes turn crimson. But Pandu was too lost in summarising the danger that Jarasandha posed to notice the fire in her eyes. 

"That wicked fox has planted his own daughters as political pawns and empowered this upstart Kans at Mathura. Thanks to him. Hastina now has a rebellion growing right under her nose. And why am I telling you about that monster. You know the demon who killed your brother too well."

"My brother is alive!" Kunti thundered. "Helpless but alive, when I left Mathura." Her fingers dug into her upper garment. "Yes Pandu. I am surprised that you never asked about my life before I was adopted by Bhoja of Kunti Province."

"Kunti? Are you from Mathura?" Pandu looked like it was to still sink into him. 

"Pritha." Kunti spoke almost in a whisper. "That was my name, as the daughter of Shoorasena. And yes, because of that Jarasandha's fixing my wedding with Kans, I had to flee Mathura."

It was something that Kunti had waited for too long to unburden herself. 

"Who else knows this Kunti?" 

"Nobody at Hastina." She answered, trying to understand what worried Pandu. His hand continued to hold hers. Her birth details obviously were not a concern. "Does it bother you Pandu?"

Pandu shook his head. "It does not. It should not. Just that..." He sighed. "It would be disrespecting you and your families, both of them to let this come in the way of anything. But Shakuni would definitely point it out if the situation of choosing the heir arrives. Not to say our own sons..."

"Let him do so Pandu. When did the elders of Kuru empire start obsessing about...what do I call that, Birth class? Do remind them that you and your brothers too were conceived out of 'wedlock', weren't you?" Kunti wanted to say more but checked herself. To her relief, Pandu too did not seem offended. His concerns, she had to admit were real.

"Let me appraise Uncle Bhishma and Vidur. They should think of something." Pandu waved and looked up. "So, did you never try to know what happened to your brother and sisters?"

Kunti remained silent, mulling over the years that had passed. Vasudev would have got married too by now. Perhaps to Rohini. Perhaps to Devki too. They might have had children while she, Pritha was struggling to keep pace with what destiny dealt with her. She saw Pandu waiting for her response and shook her head. 

"I fled with Rishi Durvaas towards the province of Kunti, Pandu. He was the one who gave me this Mantra that could propitiate Gods. I could have tried to know about my brother when I was in Hastina, but then I was alone Pandu. And unsure." To her disappointment, Kunti realized that any details about her first born, now growing up in the household of Atirath, Pandu's former charioteer would only complicate things.

Pandu's shoulders slumped as he leaned against the wall. "Our children must not suffer this uncertainty Kunti. They need to grow strong. Strong enough to intimidate any evil force that might try to snatch what is due to them. One day, By the Gods, they should be strong enough to get this earth rid of Jarasandh."

Their conversation was interrupted with Yudhishtir calling out to Pandu. 

Kunti was left wondering about Jarasandha, about the complications that would face her children at Hastina. Another son of Pandu's wishes, would any day be an assurance. 

"King of Gods!" Her lips chanted. "I seek a son, undefeated in battle...."

Not long after, a resounding thunder struck the earth, A silvery orb engulfed Kunti into the familiar light. The incantation seemed to claim her body and Kunti felt herself pulled into the arms of the God she had called out to. Last thing she remembered before giving into the mystical swoon was here own prayer now strengthened with resolve

"A son undefeated in battle, unsullied in honour, a synonym of victory and an epitome of valour. A conqueror with heart...." 

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Sorry for the really delayed update! Hope you all enjoyed the genesis of Arjuna. It always felt unlikely that Pandu did nothing to secure the throne to his sons, those he begot with the grace of the Gods themselves! 

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