A Different Path

Invitation

"But.....shouldn't elder brother Duryodhana and Queen Bhanumathi perform the puja?" Nakul asked as Draupadi removed the silk covering and gasped at the luxurious garments and heavy jewelry studded with every gem known to mankind.

"My mother has gone to visit my great grandmother in Kalinga and my father will not be attending the puja."

"What about Dushashan and his wife?" Bhima questioned.

"Grandfather feels that since Maharaj Yudhisthira is the eldest, he should be the one who sits in the puja."

Arjuna couldn't believe his ears and from the looks of it neither could the rest of them. Their Uncle Dhritrashtra who had always sidelined Yudhisthira in his blind love for Duryodhana now wanted him to perform the puja that he kept in honour of his chosen deity, Lord Shiva? The King who had unjustly offered them the dense jungle of Khandavprastha and kept the glorious, sophisticated city of Hastinapura for his own sons? Who had silently let Duryodhana and his other children degrade them and their wife in the worst way possible, even though he could have stopped it with one word?

"Could you let him know that we are very satisfied and humbled by this gesture and that we will perform the puja as per his wishes?" Yudhisthira breathed and Arjuna sensed the disbelief in his voice. It was obvious that Yudhisthira was equally confused, and was thinking along the same lines just as he was a few moments ago.

Lakshman nodded at him and was about to take their leave when Krishna sprung from his seat and called out to him.

"Lakshman wait, what's the hurry, my child?

Duryodhana's son promptly turned back and folded his hands. "Forgive me, Dwarkadhish. Is there something I can do for you? "

"Yes, son. There are some important matters I have to discuss with my special guest before the puja begins."

Arjuna shared a glance with Sahadeva, both remembering what Krishna had said regarding Karna yesterday.

"By special guest are you referring to Uncle Vasusena?" Lakshman asked, and Arjuna noticed the concealed emotion in Lakshman's voice. And why not, Karna and Duryodhana had spent the better part of their lives in each other's company so naturally, their families too would be close to each other. But still it hurt him that Lakshman had addressed Karna, who was not even family, as his uncle, but not Yudhisthira.

Perhaps Lakshman disliked them just as much as his father did, but was only pretending to be civil for the time being. This pretense of courtesy was quite surprising and even though Arjuna barely knew Lakshman, it astonished him that he was taking such care to ensure that their stay was comfortable. He had heard the servants talking about it, late at night, that Lakshman had personally supervised the entire process, from placing their favorite reads in the common library to instructing the cooks about each of the Pandavas' eating habits. He had even installed a small medicinal cabinet for them, and when asked, the servant replied that Lakshman had done it for Mata Kunti, who he knew suffered from backaches whenever she undertook a long, arduous journey.