Story Unfolds :
At the river shore of Ganges:
"Mujhe wonse bartlap karna hoga. Phir se. Sambhabta antim bar. (I have to talk to her. Again. Perhaps for the last time.)"
One man stood tall while declaring it aloud. He wanted to confront her for a last time. His Devi!!! His wife!!! He had suffered enough for her sacrifice and devotion!!! He was never a man who cut his ties with anyone on the random emotional basis. He had to take the responsibility of his wife's this decision too.
He looked calmly at the girl looking worriedly at him. A small smile had appeared on his handsome face. He was smiling in himself!!! On his own fate!!
"Par Swami!! (But my husband!!)" The girl wanted to resonate with him in the fear that he was angry when he lifted his right hand to signal her to stop. She obliged yet bit her lips in indecision. She after their only fight had never fought with him. Nor had confronted his ideas. Like today. This day was an exception. She knew that something was going to happen now that even the could not be able to stop to occur. Her lotus eyes were glowing in tears instantly. Would she be able to save the marital bond of her baby sister or not she did not know that valuable answer.
Devi Vrushali Padmavati
He came near her and touched her shoulders gently. Then he assured her "Agar hampe tanik bhi Biswas hain to jan lijiye ki Ham wahi karenge joh apki bhagini ki ichha hogi. (If you left a faith on me, then trust me, I will do according to the wish of your sister.)"
She looked at him in grateful eyes. He smiled at her. Lifeless smile. He knew the answer. He knew her decision. She had abandoned the baby as well as his father altogether. She was sure to sacrifice her marital bliss for her Uru!!! Her Uruvi!!! Just like Padma was determined to sacrifice hers for the sake of her Supriya!!!!
Then he faded away from the scene. With confident strides. He just had to be sure. That was all!!!
She fell down on the floor of the wet river shore. Clutching the baby in her arms. It seemed quite unaffected by whatever going on around him. It was seen still playing with it's limbs and suck it's own thumb of the right palm while giggling merrily. What an irony indeed!!! It was smiling while she was crying!!! The cruel destiny had been playing with their fate again!!!
..............................
At the small house near Hastinapur:
Five boys were playing happily at the kitchen garden. Three of them were seen to clap their hands happily. While the youngest two were running after them. They were playing hide and seek. By putting blindfold.
Bana was Chor or the person who had to run after others. Chitra put the cloth over his eyes so that he could not look at anybody. The boy made a disgusted face. He hated to run after others!!!
"Pakd Hamko. (Catch us.)" Another three years old toddler told cheerfully to him. By clapping his palms. He was grateful that he was saved this time unless most of the time he had to be the "Chor"!!!
Prasen (9th Karna Son)
Satyasen (2nd Supriya Son)
"Hush!!" Satya put his index finger on his lips to signal him to stop talking. Bana was a clever boy!! From his tone he would guess perfectly where he was now hiding!!! That toddler had the uncanny ability!!!!
Prasen made a disappointed face. He wanted to tease his brother Bana. But he himself had knew perfectly that his Satya bhaiya was correct!! So he had stopped talking abruptly!!!
"Main ayun?!! (May I come now?!!)" Bana asked his other brothers while caressing his blindfold with both of his palms.
"Ruk ja!!! (Wait!!)" Chitra came near him and by putting his hands on his both shoulders swinged him around. With great force. So that he could lost the direction sense!!! It was common practice in hide and seek game!!!
Bana made a crying face. He had already anticipated the place where Prasen was hiding!!! At his left!! Just behind a big pillar!! Even from the voice he guessed that Satya was now hiding at the right side of Prasen. At a big oak tree trunk. But now it seemed impossible for him to tell where they were as he was truly clueless about the direction now!!! His this power to guess the position and direction sense was appreciated by all at the war of Mahabharata. Till he had died in the hands of his dear uncle Bheem!!! He even wounded Bheem brutally!!!
Chitrasen (1st Son of Supriya)
"Ab aja!! (Now come to us!!)" Chitra now left his shoulders and made an unnecessary of foots. Then threw his shoes at the right while he ran to the left. It was in his plan. He knew the capability of his toddler brother!!!
Bana had heard the light footsteps of Chitra. He made a satisfied face. He knew all the tricks of his brother. He wanted to misguide him in vain. He must be hiding behind the fence of the kitchen garden. His favorite place where he loved to eat in the hands of their mother Supriya who was now at her bedroom. To take rest.
Bana spread his both hands and asked again "Main ayu?!! (Main I come this time?!!)" He did not get any answer of Sushen who was a clever boy and had not made a slight noise. This boy even knew the tricks to hold on his breath for sometime that helped him in the war of Mahabharata. He even taught it to his dear youngest sibling Vrishi or newly born Vrishaketu who would use the same tricks at the time of his last war against Babrubahan. The son of Arjuna!!!
"Hmm!!" Chitra had made a noise by bending his upper body at the right side. He knew that Bana would guess his position!!!
Bana came forward and tried to go to every direction. Like a blind man. He heard a soft chuckle!!! Of Chitra!!! And a cheerful clapping and dancing feet of Prasen!!! He nodded his head slowly in satisfaction. His trick was becoming successful!!! They thought he lost the sense of direction!!! But in reality he knew where they all were hiding now!! Except Sushen!!! The most fierce competitor of himself!!! It was not easy task to discover the secret hideout of Sushen as he loved to change his hiding place randomly!!!
All of a sudden he heard a heavy and confident footsteps behind himself. He opened his eyes wide in shock. He did not expect the man here. But he was truly happy. He could tell who he was!!!
The toddler one had ran to the man in great speed and hugged his legs while cheering aloud "Pakd liya. Baba ko pakd liya!!! (Catch him. I catch father now.)"
Banasen (Another son of Supriya)
The man was taken aback by seeing the happiness of the boy. He slowly opened his blinfold and looked at him in soft eyes. Then he asked him in soft voice "Apko kyse pata, Putra, ki yeah ham hain?!! (How can you identify me, my son?!!)"
The boy smiled brightly. He knew the footsteps of his father Karna quite well!!!
From nowhere Prasen ran to him and hugged him tightly. From the back and answered philosophically "Baba Bana bhaiya ko sab ki paddhani gyat hain. (Father, you know that brother Bana was Knowelagable enough to distinguish each of our footsteps.)" by pouting his lips cutely.
He drove both of these boys to himself and made them sit on his each lap. The boys happily do that. Bana sat on the left and Prasen at right. Then they both laughed together. They were so happy to see their father again!!! They did not meet with their father when he entered the house previously. All of them were in their grandparent's home at that time.
He looked at those boys one after one. Prasen was playing with his pearl necklace. That toddler loved each and everything of his father's!!! He even tried to get hold of his sword too!!
"Prasen, yeah bachho ki khelne ki ashtra nahin. (Prasen, this arm is not for the child's play.)" He warned him aptly.
Prasen made a face. He wanted to be fierce fighter like his father!!! He put his flustered face in his father's chest. To hide his frustration. His father had kissed on his forehead lovingly. He was seen smiling now!!! He loved to draw his father's attention!!! Like all small toddlers!!!
Banasen was now seen looking at his father innocently. His eyes were too calm and dreamy. It seemed as if he was seeing his God!! His father was like his God!!!
Karna looked at him too and kissed on his left cheek. His extremly fair cheek hot crimson red in humiliation. What did his father thought of himself?!!! A little toddler!!! Huh!!!
Sushen (8th Son of Supriya)
Sushen had suddenly remembered to relax and release his breath. He had forgotten to do so by seeing his father unexpectedly here.
He came forward and told his father Karna in merry mood "Pitashree Bana ap ke bare main sada bartalap karta hain. Parantu apke samksh ake sada lajiit hota hain. (Father you know that Bana loves to talk about you all the times. But he always become bashful in your presence.)"
Karna looked at him in shock. What was talking about?!! Bana showed just a snack to him while Sushen pulled out his tongue to mock his toddler brother.
Satya relaxed a bit. He had knew it his young heart that some problem was going on in between his parents!!! But this wise Boy did not mention a word about it. To offend his siblings!!
He came forward and touched his feet with devotion. Karna blessed him. He looked at his father's face in grateful eyes. He knew that his father was his Aradhya or deity!!!
Chitra had came near and hugged his father. He also loved to be near his father. Like his other siblings. But he did not show his desire to his father!!!
Karna hugged him tightly. He knew the real identity of Chitra since he first laid his eyes on his face. When this boy had lifted his arrow to him he identified his arrogance. He was an exact replica of himself!!! The young Basusen!!! But today his suspicion was proved to be true!!! He knew that Chitra was his own Boy too!! It was not a case that he loved him more than Satya, Sushen, Prasen or Bana due to being his biological son but it was a natural instinct of a father who was dying to be introduced properly with his son!!! This man loved all of his sons equally.
He closed his eyelids slowly and tried to capture the moment in his heart. Forever!!! Then he looked at Satya and asked him about his mother. The boy calmly lifted his index finger and showed the way to her small private bedroom chamber.
He got up and hurriedly went to the room. He knew the way to go there.
....................
At a small room of the same house:
A girl was lying limply on her bed. She was too weak to get up. She heard a most familiar footsteps that echoed in the silent house. She sighed hard. She knew that he would come back again.
Devi Sutantuka Supriya
The footsteps stopped at the door front. As if the man was hesitating to cross the threshold. He had recalled his vow not to enter her room till she called for. This was not a man to enter into anyone's room unwantedly. He was made of some different material than usual men!!!
He cleared his throat and asked her from there "Apne putra ko kisi aur ko samarpan karne se purb apne hame bataya kyun nahin?!! (Before giving away your son to someone else, be it to his elder Mother, can't you need to ask for my permission?!! At least you can tell me!!)" He was anxious for her side of the story.
No answer. She was silent. She closed her eyelashes tightly. She did not want to see at his face. Unless she would not be able to control herself!!!
He took the signal wrongly. He was now enraged over her. He thought she did not want to see his face. Both of them were fighting with their own inner demons!!!!
"Kya apne yeah ucit nahin samjhi?!! Kya Ham apke itne paraye hain?!! (Don't you think it justified?!! A bit!! Do I am not a near and dear ones of yours now?!!)" He asked again. In choked voice.
No answer. She bit her lips yet did not answer his queries. She knew that his heart was bleeding profusely. So also hers. But she had to maintain her silence. Unless he would not hate her hard.
"Kya Ham aj apke koin bhi nahin rah gaye, Devi?!! Kya ap aj kal Hamse itni ghrinna karti hain ki hamara Putra ko bhi apne pass rakhne ki yogyo nahin samjhti?!! (Do I am not a loved one of yours nowadays?!! Do you hate me so much that letting my son near you is unbearable for you?!!)" He asked her anxiously. He could not believe that she had not love him anymore. He just could not think that within four months their souls were detached from each other so much!!!
No answer. Nor she stirred up or had lifted her right hand from her eyes. If she did so, he would see that she was crying inconsolably. Her cheeks were flooded with tears. "God!! Why he has so to come?!! Why?!!" She was now thinking this in her mind.
"Toh aj Ham apke koi nahin rah gaye? Apne hamara Chitrasen ko hamse dur rakha. Ham sahan kar liye. Parantu ab aur nahin. Ap Ham sahan nahin kar sakte. Hamare sahan sakti jawab de gaye hain. Ap chahti hain ki hamari samandh samapt ho jain, toh apki khatir ham yeah bhi sahan kar lenge. Aj se ap aur Ham alag Ho gaye. Jyse akash aur nadi nahin mil sakte, ham bhi nahin mil sakte. Jyse bhakt aur Bhagwan kadapi nahin mil sakte, ham dono bhi ab kadapi nahin mil sakte. (Then my assumption is correct. I am not a bit dear of yours now. You have suppressed the truth regarding the identity of Chitrasen. You detach a son from his father. I maintained my own silence. I forgave you. As I never think that you can do that to me. You stop me to enter your room. I obliged. But that is more than enough. You refute my newly born son too. I can't be able to forgive you this time. If you want us to be separated from each other then be it. Now onwards I will never come back to you. I promise. You have broken out relationship. Just like sky and river can't be able to meet up, we can't meet together. Just like a god and his best devotee can't be able to unite, we can't be united in our lifetime.)" By telling this he went away. Without looking back. No!!! Karna!!! For the first time you are very wrong in your assumptions!!! Supriya loves you most!!! So she refutes you for your sake!!! So that Baishali's last wish can be fulfilled!!! To be united with you!!!
She lifted her eyes. And tried to get up. She saw his disaapering silhouette once more. She tried to stop him yet no sound came out of her dried up throat. It seemed as if her voice had been choked up. He came back yet she had to sent him away!! She knew it perfectly in her heart that he would not come back again to her!!! Till his end!!! At the epic blood thirsty war of Mahabharata!!! A God and his biggest devotee had to be separated in this most brutal way!!! Forever!!!
She ran behind him by calling him aloud. He did not look back at her. She fell down on the same threshold where he stopped his feet. She had touched the dust there in her head in love as if she was touching his feet. Then She, in despair, had smacked her head several times and banged on the threshold. So very hard that blood started to pour down instantly. She lose her consciousness once more. Supriya!!! What are you really?!!! A Goddess or a mere mortal human being like us?!!!
Before loosing her senses from far a worried sweet voice of a young girl rang in her eardrum repeatedly
"Yeah apne kya kar diya, Jiji?!! Mere liye apna sarwasa nichawar kar diya. Yeah Rin apki Uru marke nahin chuka sakti. (What have you done, my dear sister?!! You give away Your Own marriage for my sake!! Your Uruvi can't be able to fulfil the debt. In her entire life.)"
Devi Basavi Uruvi
"Meri Supriya Mayan hain, Uru!!! (My Supriya is a great soul herself, Uruvi. Really a great soul.)" She heard the reply of her elder sister Padma in her eardrum repeatedly.
Supriya looked up at the direction of thecsky fanatically and yelled in pain the answer simultaneously -
"Main Mahan nahin banna chahti. Main Mahabharata main Apna nam amar banna nahin chahti. Main nahin chahti koi mujhe smaran bhi rakhe. Mere aradhya mujhe bhul Gaye. Main ek akhyat stri hi rahna chanti hoon. (I have never wanted to be as a great soul. Neither a great wife, nor a great mother. I don't want that anyone have any knowledge about me. In the story of Mahabharata. I want to remain as an unknown Karna wife. My God has forgotten me. I don't even desire to be immortal now.)" Her voice sounded like a heartfelt lament. Then darkness rolled over her eyes. She fell down on the floor. Loosing her consciousness.
¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤
Now when Karna and Supriya gets separate from each other what will Padma do to unite them again? She answers are in next chapters.
************************************