A Different Path

Discussion

And they weren't wrong. Karna remembered all those missed opportunities, those unsaid words, those careless insults that had deepened the chasm between Kauravas and Pandavas to the point of no return. It wasn't Draupadi's vastraharan that sparked off the battle, no the seeds of bitterness and hatred had taken their time to nurture in the hearts of the Kuru princes until it burnt with such intensity that death was preferred over reconciliation.

Hastinapura was crumbling from the after-effects of the war, as were the other kingdoms who had lost their kings, their armies, their wealth in a way that now felt futile and empty. Subjects openly cursed their rulers, who had jumped on the bandwagon for their personal glory and insatiable ambition, disregarding the lives of lakhs of soldiers who would ultimately pay the price for their selfish pursuits.

Perhaps the temptation to secure a place in history had made them forget their duty towards their subjects. Or maybe they had never really cared.

Things would still have been better if.........Pitamha Bheeshma had not succumbed to his injuries that were a gift from his favorite grandson. How had Arjuna shot one arrow after another, mercilessly, at the man who had held him so dear?  While the grandfather had always treated him with hostility and sometimes outright contempt, he had always been so tender, so caring with the Pandavas. Duryodhana may have been wrong about a number of things but he was right about this- the grandfather had always loved the Pandavas more, no matter what he said.

And yet they had killed him in such a despicable manner, shielding themselves with Sikhandi who they knew thirsted for Pitamha Bheeshma's blood. The patriarch's death had all but destroyed the spirit of Hastinapura leaving the kingdom bereft of the protection that they had all taken for granted. Now with him no more in the picture, rival kings could attack Hastinapura, without the paralyzing threat of facing Bheeshma's wrath. The state of the kingdom was like that of a fatherless child and no one would ever serve Hastinapura with the dedication that Pitamha Bheeshma had for so many decades. Now they were hopelessly outnumbered by kings who could finally drop their false geniality and fake assurances to attack, plunder and ravage the richest empire of Aryavarta.

How strange was all of this, he mused. Kings who had fought alongside the Pandavas and Kauravas respectively, had now joined forces to annihilate Hastinapura. Pandavas who had sworn to destroy all of the great men and warriors who were witnesses and therefore complicit in Draupadi's Vastraharan would now help those same men to ward off the forces of destruction that were trampling their way to Hastinapura. The world had shifted on its axis, and decades of alliances and enmity were changing and evolving , taking a different form as confusion between duty and desire gripped Aryavarta. If only Pitamha Bheeshma were still here.

"Krishna, have you considered that your arrival with me would raise a lot of questions? You could also become the target of the fury that is reserved for me. I am putting you in danger as well."

He knew that there were plenty of people who wanted him dead and now with Duryodhana no longer backing him, they were emboldened to go after the Sutaputra who had dared to share the same place as the most noble of all Kshatriyas. His blasphemous act of challenging and defeating scores of kings during his Digvijay conquest had not been forgotten, and now that he was bereft of his best friend's support they could openly proceed to spill his blood as an example to the rest of Sutas.

Krishna shook his head. "Do not worry about my safety. I am not as mighty a warrior as you or Parth, but I can look after myself."

Karna snorted, remembering how Krishna had killed King Sisupal of Chedi with his Sudarshan Chakra in the Pandavas' Rajasuya victory celebrations. Yeah, sure, he was a weakling. It wasn't like he could destroy all of them if he should wish to.

Krishna laughed reading his expression. Exasperated, Karna turned to him with a raised eyebrow. "Here I am worried sick about what will happen and you can't seem to stop laughing. I wonder, how did the Pandavas not go insane dealing with you!", Karna exclaimed.

Krishna laughed harder and patted his back. "They got used to it. As will you."

Get used to it? Why would he get used to it?

But Krishna continued laughing heartily and for a moment Karna was able to forget all the troubles that he would be dealing with very soon when he returned to Hastinapur.