Two days later Magadha border,
King Dhritarashtra almost rushed to meet the new Magadharaj. When the mutilated body of their commander Kirtimaan reached HP palace, most of the women including Kunti fainted seeing the condition. The ever calm and composed Mantri Vidur screamed, 'How could someone be so cruel?'. The biggest shock was the letter attached to the body which described the man's crime and the reason behind such treatment. The messenger calmly said Maharaj Dhritarashtra the message of Maharaj Karna. Hearing that Dhritarashtra did not want to hear anything. He had to save his sons. For that, if he had to give up everything, he was ready. Somehow Vidur and Kripacharya controlled him and asked him to be steady. The enemy was in a better position now, so they had to be careful while dealing with him. In the meantime Shakuni was thinking, 'Who is this man? What will be his demands? Will he ask HP...no...the man seems intelligent. He must know that the citizens of HP will never accept him as king, so then what will he ask? Whatever, I don't think that will be good for the Kurus. I want to see Bheesm in such horrible condition but now my nephews are also in danger.' He asked Dhritarashtra to let him accompany him and the ministers. Dhritarashtra had no problem as Shakuni was a political genius.
Both the parties were sitting on a camp near Magadha border. As per instruction King Dhritarashtra only brought a small group consisting of Vidur, Kripacharya and Shakuni.He could not bring any soldiers. Now they were sitting in the camp surrounded by Magadha army. Though the ministers of Magadha present there showed proper hospitability and provide them refreshments but they could not forget that they were in the middle of enemies. Then the announcer announced the entry of Magadha king Karna, Dwarkadhish Shree Krishna, Kulguru Viswamitra and other ministers.
Karna and his party entered regally and took the seat opposite to Maharaj Dhritarashtra. Then Karna asked, 'Maharaj Dhritarashtra, welcome, hope you like my hospitability.'
Dhritarashtra, 'Yes, thank you Magadhraj.'
Vidur looked at the young king properly. He had an idea that this cruel king might had an appearance like the Asurs, like tall, bulky, huge with ugly face. But there in front of him was a young man of mid twenties. He was tall, sharp and his handsome face could put the Gandharvas into shame. He was emitting a radiance and his posture was befitting a king, unlike an uncouth suta they had thought. But the thing that was disturbing him was his eyes. They were burning like a forest fire. Then the king said, 'So Maharaj, I am sorry to disappoint you. You thought that I might look like a Rakshas or Asur with a wild attitude but the truth is something else. Please don't try to deny it, Maharaj. It's written in all your faces. You think that as Jarasandh is dead, it will be easy to capture Magadha as what an illiterate Suta will do? But you are wrong Maharaj. Magadha is and will never bow to you. They still not forget how you denied your help to save them from the cruel Jarasandh and their men.'
Vidur, 'Same for you Maharaj. The subjects of HP will also not accept you as their king.'
Karna, 'Who told you that I am interested in ruling over HP. If I want I will just march there and kill all of you by now. But I am a peace-loving person (Krishna almost chocked) so no I am not going to demand HP.'
Vidur almost prepared that this man was going to demand KUru throne. So he already had a back up plan to plant some loyal person in the capitol and palace who would instigate the subjects against this king and would also assassinate him. The entire rebellion and civil war would be blamed and then he would again put someone from Kuru family on the throne. It would take time but it was his plan. But this man was not asking for HP throne. Shakuni smiled a little. Yes he was right. This man was indeed intelligent.
Dhritarashtra, 'Then what do you want Maharaj? We lost the war, so now we are under Magadha.'
Karna, 'Yes you are, but I am not interested in your kingdom now. But I want something to compensate the loss that you have created for my kingdom.'
Shakuni, 'And what is that Maharaj?'
Karna looked at the ministers and they had some exchanges in silence. Then he said, 'First, I want Anga.'
Kripacharya, 'What Anga, but why?'
Shakuni (in mind), 'Why is he asking for Anga, it is a barren land. What is his intention?'
Vishnugupt snapped, 'You are not in a position to ask us, why are we asking for it and what we are going to ask next.'
The HP royals understood the powerplay Magadha was showing. Behind their polite facade all of them were ready to reap them apart.
Dhritarashtra, 'Okay I agree.'
Kripacharya, 'But maharaj, Anga belongs to Mahamahim Bheesm. It was a gift from his late father Maharaj Shantanu. We cannot give our land of ancestors to anyone.'
Karna, 'Oh I am glad to see your devotion towards your ancestors. That is why maybe you did not do any development there, to show respect?'
All Magadha ministers and warriors except Karna, Vishnugupt and Hiranyadhanush snickered. Even Shakuni hid his smile. That boy was a savage!
Eklavya, 'Bheesm is our POW and moreover, he is a slave of HP. So I don't think his opinion matters much here.'
Dhritarashtra, 'I agree.'
Karna, 'I also demand half of the royal treasury of HP. Don't look so shocked Mantri Vidur. I already know what you have in the treasury. I have the full estimate. So I need it within next seven days. Otherwise, for each day's delay I send one body of your beloved princes to your capitol.'
Dhrirashtra, 'No you can't.'
Karna, 'Yes, I can and I will. Don't try my patience, Maharaj. You have no idea how cruel I can be if I want to.'
Dhritarashtra (tiredly), 'Okay I agree.'
Shakuni understood that the king and ministers of Magadha were more dangerous than he thought. With the royal treasury half gone, Magadha almost crippled HP. Without money, they could not attack Magadha again, at least for the next few years.
Karna, 'And my last condition is I want the pride of HP to be present in Magadha.'
Vidur, 'Pride of HP....meaning?'
Karna, 'I want Rajkumari Dusshala to be sent to Magadha.'
All the men from Hastinapur screamed, 'NO.'
Dhritarashtra, 'How dare you to insult our daughter? I will kill you.'
Karna, 'Don't even think that Maharaj. Otherwise there will be no one left to light the funeral pyre of your sons and beloved Tatshri. And you feel so angry when I demanded your daughter. Do you have any idea how maharaj Shaubal felt when your Tatshri demanded his daughter for such a blind like you? How did the king of Kashi felt when he abducted his daughters' from Swyamver? Now you are feeling bad for your daughter's reputation...what about the self-respect of all those poor, shudra, tribal women whom you buy and sell as slaves? Your daughter's honor is an honor and others are nothing? I want Rakumari Dusshala to be present here within the next seven days and that's final.'
Vidur, 'Maharaj, can we talk to our Maharaj in private please?'
Karna nodded and everyone left the tent except HP royals.
Outside everyone except the few who knew Karna were shocked. They thought that their Maharaj respected women but today he demanded a girl....that's weird. Only Krishna, Vishnugupt and Hiranyadhanush knew the actual motive behind his demand.
Inside the tent,
Dhritarashtra, 'No I am not going to do this?'
Vidur, 'Maharaj, calm down. We have to think of something to protect our princes. They are our future.'
Kripacharya, 'Maharaj, in many times the women in royal families are used to make treaties or sent as war prizes. To protect our warriors now we don't have any choices.'
Dhritarashtra almost sobbed but he knew his ministers were right. Shakuni was also sad but he knew it was all the cycle of Karma that was hitting them today.
At last Dhritarashtra agreed to all the demands. Karna also warned them about the consequences if they tried to do anything funny.
Seven days later,
The seven days were like hell for the citizens of Hastinapur and their king, queen and others. Dusshalla cried a lot but at last she hardened her heart and said, 'I am ready to fulfill his demands mother.' Gandhari's condition was worst. She knew in Royal families girls were married off as a political tool but here the king demanded the princess as a trophy not as a bride. What if he used her daughter as a bed-slave and did not marry her, what if he tortured her? Oh God this man was a beast, worse than Asuras. But she could not do anything. And Kunti was also not giving her any mental support. She was busy in waiting for her sons. Sometimes Gandhari thought how cruel her life was? She did not get any happiness or peace after her marriage. What was her fault? Why fate was so cruel to her.
On the other hand, Magadha was celebrating but some people were worried. Like Eklavya, Vishvanu, Gajraj. Why did Maharaj demand a woman? Was it just to humiliate the Kurus or he was also a lustful man. But the elderly ministers, Shri Krishna, Lord Parashurama and Viswamitra seemed fine with the decision. Eklavya's was very sad. Once when he went to Guru Drona's Ashram he saw kid Dusshala there who came to meet her brothers. She was the most beautiful girl he had ever seen in his life. Now she had to stay here as a political prisoner, a slave. Oh God! But hiss father warned him not to say anything against Maharaj.
On the fateful day many carts reached Magadha capital with Half the treasures of HP. A beautiful palanquin also came where princess Dusshala sat. She secretly carried some poisons. Once his brothers and others were freed, she would commit suicide before even let that wretched Magadhraj touch her.
The carts were sent to the treasury to keep all the belongings there. Then Dusshala came out of her palanquin. All prisoners were also brought in front of the palace. The guards removed their chains and they were given fresh clothes to wear. All Citizens also gathered near the palace and hailed for their king.
Then Karna said, 'My beloved citizens, today is the day of celebrations. Today we showed the entire Aryavart the power of Magadha. Now I want to announce few important things.
First, we are returning Mathura to Dwarkadhish Shri Krishna. We have an alliance that in the future both the kingdoms will help each other in need.
Second, we are going to use the money from HP for the betterment of our people. Free education, free health system and basic weapon training will be given to all. Also who lost their lives in was or get injured we will give them or their families full pensions. Houses will be built from the expenses of the royal treasury.'
Everyone cheered.
'Third, the three allied kingdoms of HP who attacked us also broke their treaty with HP and accepted our superiority. They will send us tributes every year.
And last but not the least, my friend and one of the greatest warrior of Aryavart, Eklavya is going to get married today with none other than princess Dusshala. From now on the pride of Hastinapur will be the Kulvadu of Magadha.'
Everyone was so shocked that they could not say something for a while. Eklavya was most surprised. So Maharaj planned this from the beginning. He looked at his father and Hiranyadhanush was smiling. That means his father also knew. Everyone started cheering. They also congratulated Eklavya. Duasshala was stunned. She thought that the cruel Maharaj of Magadha might treat her like a slave but here he was fixing her marriage. But wait, Eklavya was a Nishad, so was it some way to humiliate her family by marrying her off with a tribal. But at least it was better than a life of a slave.
The kuru prisoners were shocked, angered and dejected. Their beloved Dusshala had to marry a low born. The most dejected one was Aswatthama, he loved Dusshala. He wanted to ask for her hands after this Magadha war but alas, everything was going downhill. Drona was also disappointed. He planned to marry Dusshala to Aswatthama and get a good amount of dowry. Thus his son's would get a good position among the kings. But this wretched Suta destroyed everything.
The kuru boys was angry. No they would not allow it. Duryodhana screamed, 'No I will not allow it. My sister is not going to marry like this.'
Vishnugupt, 'Prince, your father himself agreed to this agreement. In fact it is our Maharaj's greatness that he is giving your sister the honor of being a Kulvadu. Otherwise, your family just send her to be a war slave.'
Bheem, 'That low born rascal will be our sister's husband? You adharmi, bastard suta, how dare you?'
Everyone looked at him with murderous glare. Visvanu screamed, 'Maharaj, just give me order. I will give him a befitting punishment.'
Karna (calmly), 'So rajkumar, you think you are superior. Okay I will give you a chance. I have heard that you have strength of 100 elephants. So come to the arena and wrestle. If you win, I will let your sister go along with the treasury.'
Bheem was happy as he was the strongest man of Aryavart. Yamini was also present there. She asked Krishna, "Kanha, why did he challenge Bheem?'
Krishna, 'Dear sister, Bheem's false pride about himself is going to break today.'
Both Karn and Bheem came to the arena. The Kuru princes along with Kauravas also cheered for Bheem today for the first time. But Karna was more skillful and agile. He used his speed and skills and easily overpowered Bheem. He threw him on the ground and said, 'Now Bheesm, your grandson insulted a king. So what is the punishment of insulting the king in HP?'
Bheesm sadly said, 'For first time offence 50 lashes on the back.'
Karna, 'It seems like you failed to give your grandsons a proper lesson, don't worry today I will help you to teach your grandson some manners. Come here and whip your grandson. We are going to count.'
Bheesm, 'No please, I can't.'
Karna, 'Why not? don't tell you did not punish someone for any offense or for breaking the rules of your kingdom.'
Arjun, 'Dwarkadhish, why are you silent? Please stop this injustice.'
Krishna, 'No one can stop the cycle of karma dear. The Karmafall data is writing everything and every action has an opposite reaction. Gangaputra used the same law on many citizens so today he has to apply it on his own kin.'
Yudhistir, 'Please my brother is young. He made a mistake.'
Karna, 'Breaking the law of a kingdom is not a mistake, it is a sin, a crime. And crimes can never go unpunished..right Bheesm?'
Bheesm suddenly remembered something. That incident he forgot a long time back. He was very strict in implementing the laws once. But after an incident, he became a little lenient. Two Suta boys wanted to learn Shastra and weapons. He whipped both of them but still they tried to learn Veda. So due to the demand of the brahmins he and Dhritarashtra gave a death sentence to one of the boys. Their father..what was his name?....That day the man also begged saying his son was a kid but he replied the same thing, 'Breaking the law of a kingdom is not a mistake, it is a sin, a crime. And crimes can never go unpunished,' Today after so many years someone reminded him of that incident.
Karna ordered, 'What happened to the ardent follower of laws? Feeling sad when it is coming for your own kin? Now start whipping or if I start, then it will not good for him.'
Bheesm took the whip in a shaking hand and started hitting Bheem. He did not want to hit forcibly but Karna ordered him to apply more force, to do it in the same way that he did for his subjects. After 50 lashes Bheem became unconscious. Karna ordered the doctors to treat him and then said, 'Now you useless Prisoners, get lost from my country.' Then he ordered the guard to take the prisoners to the border and release them. He also ordered to start the preparation of the marriage ceremony.