Story Unfolds :
At a secluded dark small room of Anga: The next day:
One beautiful girl was looking at the rising Sun placidly. She had decided to fight for the lives of her near and dear ones. Her husband and her sons. As a wife and as a mother. She was not a bit interested to go through the lavish lifestyle when the possibility of a war was looming over the horizon. She was determined too. Like her other sisters. Padma and Uruvi. Padma was preparing to visit Hastinapur to talk with elders like Bhism, Drona, Vidur, Kunti, Dhritashtra and Gandhari. She wanted to talk with Satyabati and her two daugerinlaws Devi Ambalika and Ambika, mothers of Dhritashtra and Pandu but the news of their deaths had reached to her and she with her heavy heart had to change the plan. Of meeting them. Uruvi, Her adored baby sister, took the liberty to talk to both Pandava and Kaurava. So that she could patch up between them. In secret. None of their responsibilities were easy to do but they had to. For saving their clan. She, Devi of Karna, took the impossible responsibly to go to meet with his Gurudev and mentor Bhagwan Parashuram. She had to talk to him and ask him the way to save his life. At any cost. She was even too determined to go to the God's for him. She wanted to beg his life. As a wife it was as her duty. To try to save his life. And she was happy to perform it. Yes she was the heroine of our story Devi Supriya herself. Karna's Devi!!! His Goddess!!! So she took the impossible task on her hands!!! She had to prove herself apt for the title "Devi"!!!!
Devi Supriya (2nd wife of Karna)
A small sigh escaped her lips. She was so happy yesterday!!! To unite with him!!! Yet she had to leave him alone again!!! He would be hurt!!! He would he enraged!!! He would hate her for this decision!!! But she had no way left!!! To save his life!! That day of the Cheer Haran (stripping) of Draupadi Karna donated his life foolishly by a single utternece!!! Beshya or filthy girl with five husbands!!!! A most foolish move mby him!!!! He was not even a little bit guilty for what was going on with Krishna!!! Yet he chose to perish with his friend Duryodhan!!! He had chosen to die with him!! She as his loyal and devoted wife had to take the responsibility of his foolishness!!! She knew the anger of Arjuna would not let Karna go in the upcoming epic war of Mahabharata where he would be ready to cut off his enemy's head!!! In his own hands!!! She had to save him at any cost!!! As a wife she had to!!! A wife was not who lives with her dear husband at his good time only but one who could take responsibility of his all mistakes, guilts and sins!!!! She as a Karna Sangini was ready to jump in the fire with him!!! In literal sense!!! Alas!! She did not know that she had to do that in the near future!!! But I sincerely think that Supriya would not mind it a bit!!! She was his biggest devotee!!! His Meera!!! His Devi!!! She was his heart beat!!! Whenever his heart beat would stop to beat Supriya would happily take her last breath!!! With him!!!
She went near a table and put down her ornaments. One by one. First she put down her anklets whose sweet tune was so dear to his ears. Then she put down her kamarbandh that made a sweet sound whenever she walked. Then her necklaces that he loved to play with. Then her earrings gifted by her beloved Jiji Padma that suited her oval face best. Then she put down her gold bracelets and bangles that was gifted by him. Even the one pair of brecelet whose another pair she had donated to the royal doctor for giving her the good news about pregnancy of her baby sister Uruvi. She looked very simple yet sweet. Without any trace of jewels. On herself.
Then she came forward to dressing table and had touched her forehead. Adorned with her own Chuda Mani or Crown (symbol of marriage). A soft sigh escaped her mouth. Her dear Jiji wanted to give her the Crown gifted by Mata Gandhari. At the time of her own muh Dikhai. But Supriya refused to take it. She politely pointed out to her Jiji that it would be dishonor to take gift of another person. In reality she was ready to share her husband yet she had always felt bad to be the barrier in Karna-Padma love story. She had snatched her husband yet she did not want to snatch her Crown or Chuda Mani. When Padma could nor be able to convince Supriya to take the Crown she made a crown for her baby sister. Matching her own. Simple and elegant. A golden One. With a big Ruby in the middle. Matching with his Crown!!! Depicting his love for him!!! A simple one!! Just like her Su!!! It was fantastic to look at!!! And favorite of Supriya!!!
With heavy heart she put down her Crown. And touched it with love. She recalled the day of their marriage. He was so angry on her that he never looked at her direction. While putting the Crown. Yet she was staring hard at his face. In reality she gawking at him. A small smile appeared in her lips. As a young girl she was too naive yet not so naive to underestimate his hatred to herself. She overlooked his anger and like a devotee took everything he gave her. Sadness. Aloofness. Agony. Pain. Suffering. Indifference. Guilt. And then their hearts gradully started to understand each other's feelings. Attraction. Devotion. Love. Happiness. Togetherness. Belonhiness. She had to leave him twice before yet her heart belonged to him. She thought of him. She prayed for his safety. She felt so incomplete without him. As a wife. And also as a devotee. She was now complete with him. Her existence was with him. Without him she was just a void!!! Nothing!!!!
Padma putting Crown on Supriya
With a sigh she touched it for the last time and then hurriedly changed her clothes. To the simple Saree. Then she noticed her lamp. She took it with her and touched it on her forehead. With devotion. She would take it to herself. She would not leave it alone now. Like before when she left him. At the rime of the birth of Vrishaketu.
Then she looked at the room. When she saw his old Chappals or shoes, she sat down and touched it on her head lovingly. She loved to pay tribute to his everything. Be it his Vijay bow. Or his shoes. She was in love with him. His evetyhing. After that she got up and went out of the room. She knew where to go now.
...............................
At the River shore of Ganges:
"Mate, prakat ho. Hame darshan do. Hey Patito dharini Gange, is abhagi dukhiyari ki sahayata karo. (Mother, come to me. Show me your face. O Mother Ganges, the destroyer of sin, kindly come to this helpless poor girl. Please.)"
Supriya was seen to stand on her one feet. Inside the deep water. Of river Ganges. By uplifting her both hands on her head. In prayer mode. She was here for several hours yet she did not meet with Devi Ganga. She knew that at least Devi Ganga knew the way. To the Asharam of Bhagwan Parashuram as she knew every secret of this earth. She could ask about the roads from two dear persons. Her husband Karna and her sister Uruvi. But she did not want to alarm him. Unless he would not let her to go. And she needed time to sent letter to her Uru but in her heart she that a single minute was invaluable now. She could not loose it.
She did not know that her baby sister Uruvi was recalling her too. In her heart.
Devi Uruvi (3rd wife of Karna)
She flinched uncomfortably. Her right leg bent on the left one felt numb. As she did not move it for hours. She was praying hard. By closing her eyes. Too tightly. Yet she did not try to exchange her legs. She had no choice left.
All of a sudden a big crocodile was seen to come to her direction. It was so big that in just one stoke of it's tail water passed away rapidly. It's teeth was white and shone in the brightest sunlight. Of the morning.
She sensed the tremble in the water. She even felt the presence of a big animal. Yet she did not open her eyes nor she stirred up a little bit.
"Mate, darshan do. (Mother, come to me please.)" She screamed aloud. By breaking the silence of the morning. She was determined to save his life. For it she was ready to donate herself.
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At Kailash: At the same time:
One beautiful lady was sitting upright in worried face. She was seeing it in her very own eyes. Her own motherly heart ached tremendously. For her daughter Supriya. She was mother of all earthlings. She was Jagat Mata. Mata Parvati herself.
Mata Parvati (Wife of Mahadev)
Another man was sitting beside her. In the happy face. He was seeing it too by his own eyes. Yet he did not seem a little bit worried or petriefied for her safety. As if he knew that it was just a mere test of his daughter.
She looked at him worriedly and then asked him "Ap aise kyse musgura rahe ho, Mahadev!!! (How can you smile like this, Mahadev!!!)"
The man lifted his eyes to her and all of a sudden he looked very scared to her. He lifted his hands to save him and uttered "Prasid Devi. Mahakali ki rudra abatar mat ban jana. (Be cool, my goddess. Now now. Don't you dare to transform into the angry form of Mahakali.)"
She twisted her nose in rage. She was not a fool. She knew that her husband would like to prank with her. He was now mocking her. She make a face of disappointment and sat grumpily. She could not believe how could he try to mock her at the nick of the moment.
He pressed his lips together and then smiled brightly. By lifting his eyes to her face. He this time answered her truthfully "Yeah Putri Supriya ki ek pariksha hain. Uski patibratya ko. (It is just a test of daughter Supriya. The test of her loyalty to her husband.)"
Lord Shiva (Mahadev)
"Padantu iska kya prayojan tha?!! Uski toh jiban hi ek pariksha hain. (But what is the necessity of it?!! Her whole life is full of tests.)" She asked him in surprise. She was dissatisfied.
"Abasyakta tha. Satya main hi. Kailash ane ki anumati sabhi manushya ko nahin milta. Ram ko mila tha. Supriya ko milega. Sarir ki sath ane ke liye use parikhsa dena hi hoga. (It is necessary. All people can't come to Kailash with their bodies. Ram or Parashuram can do it. Supriya can. So she has to prove herself worthy.)" He replied her and then looked at the floor.
She nodded her pretty head slowly. As she knew that now he would not tell anyone anything. He was not a person who wanted to tell everything. So she had to wait for the next.
........................
At the Royal chamber of Supriya:
One man was now standing lifelessly before her ornaments. With moister eyes. He could not believe that his Devi had left him again. All alone. He was so happy yesterday and today she was again gone. He could not bear the pain anymore. His heart was bleeding profusely. She left him twice. And she today left him thrice. Why God?!! Just why?!!
He took her Chuda Mani and clutched it to his heart tightly. Then he softly whispered a single word
"Devi!!!"
He was remembering her badly!!!!
The voice of his deity rang in his own eardrum suddenly -
"Bhabi Supriya devtao se apke pran bhiksha mangne gayi hain. Ap dhanya ho, bade Bhaiya. Aisi patni devtao ko bhi nahin milti!!! (My sister-in-law Supriya went to beg for your life to the Gods. You must be very proud of yourself, big brother. This type of wife even God's can't get.)"
He looked to the sky and murmured softly again "Ham jante hain, Madhav. Ham jaante hain. (I know that, Lord Krishna. I know.)"
His vision blurred. His voice choked up with emotions. He could not talk anymore. He closed his eyelids. Pearl like tear drops emerged from his doe shaped eyes and rolled down his pink cheeks. None was there to stop them now!!!! His Devi was long gone!!!!
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At the same river bank:
The crocodile came near her and then opened his teeth. To get hold of her soft meat of her left leg. Deep inside the water. She did not flinched a bit. Sweats were seen forming on her own head yet she did not a bit loose her calmness of mind.
Mata Paravati closed her eyes tightly. She could not see the scene.
All of a sudden from nowhere another breathtakingly beautiful lady was seen to appear. From the water drops. She wore a white and blue Saree with silver ornaments. But she had a soft divine smile on her face and most expressive eyes. She lifted her right palm to herself and within a second the crocodile dissapered. Before even hurting Supriya.
Devi Ganga (mother of Bhism)
The crocodile disappeared and in the next second transformed into another beautiful lady. She was Ban Devi or the goddess of Jungle.
Ban Devi (Goddess of Jungle)
She nodded her head in recognition. To Devi Ganga who reciprocated her. By a curt nod and a smile. She was, in reality, given the responsibility to save Supriya from animals of her own jungle for a while and to take her test. Lord Shiva had a desire to test the devotion of Supriya towards Karna. She completed her duty and nested it over Devi Ganga now. Then she folded her palms to her and dissapered into thin air. She had nothing to do here.
Mata Ganga had looked at Supriya in pride. This girl!!! Her life was in great danger yet she neither had seen stop enchanting her Mantra nor looked to the animal. She was impressed by her sincerity!!! Very much!!! She was apt to be the wife of Karna!!! Her eldest gandson!!!
Supriya, on the other hand, was ready to be beaten by the animal. She did not look at it yet it's heavy breathing had proved that it must be either a hippo or crocodile. Now hippos did not try to attack humans. It must be a crocodile. You can see yourself that she was not a foolish girl as she was thought by all. As a warrior Princess she had ample knowledge about the animals. She greeted her own teeth to bear the pain. Of crocodile bite. She knew it would hurt her most. Yet she was not ready to stop her prayer. As a devoted wife of Karna she could not do that. But when she did not sense a bite she was taken aback. She did not know what to do now. She seemed so puzzled. At that time she had heard a sweet voice in her ears.
"Ankhen kholo, Putri. (Open your own eyes, my dear daughter.)"
She opened her eyes at the same time. Her brain was telling her that some person had stopped the animal. From biting her. She must be her Ally. Then she saw a beautiful lady smiling at her divinely.
"Ap kyon ho Mate?!! (Who are you, my Mother?!!)" She asked in shock.
Devi Ganga tilted her head to the face of Supriya in surprised fashion. She recalled her husband Karna's query when she sent him back to Supriya.
"Ap Kyon ho, Mate?!!"
He also asked the same question that she was repeating to her. Her face got soften in an instance. This husband-wife duo were just like each other. They could make anyone feel related to them in no time!!!
"Main Ganga hoon, Putri. (I am the same person to whom you are now worshipping. I am Ganga.)" She had
replied her query softly.
Supriya opened her black eyes wide in surprise. Then she ran to Ganga and clunged to her feet. She was so happy to see her. Face to face. She was dying to meet Mata Ganga.
Devi Ganga caressed her hair with love and adoration. She loved this girl and her devotion. She heard so much about Mahasati Supriya yet she was a simple down to earth person. She fell in love with her grand-daughterinlaw. Simple yet Mahasati Supriya who had been trying to change the time circle for the sake of her husband Karna.
Devi Ganga smiled brightly and kissed her forehead softly while telling this "Ham jante hain ap kya chahte ho. Wo keval Parashuram dikha sakta hain. Putra Karna ke Jiban mere haton pe nahin hain. Mahadev aur Devi Parvati ki haton main hain. Parantu uske liye tumhe Kailash Jana hoga. Aur wahan ke rasta tumhe Parashuram dikha sakta hain. (I know what you want from me. But I can't give you the life of son Karna. Only Lord Shiva and his wife Mother Parvati can. And only one man can show you the road to Kailash. Parashuram.)"
Supriya told her readily "Hame waha pouchne ki marg baitayi, Mate. (Tell me the road, mother.)"
Ganga looked at her direction softly. She expected this reaction. With a sigh she added "Rasta kathin hain. Ap ko bahat barsh lag sakte hain. (Roads are very bad. It can take ages.)"
She replied calmly "Apni swami ke liye Supriya kuch bhi kar sakti hain. (For her husband Karna this Supriya can do anything.)"
Mata Ganga seemed impressed by her reply. She showed her the roads. She did not now want to repeat the same mistake. That she did in the case of Amba. She knew that a woman could do anything. If she was determined to do so.
Supriya understood the road and then smiled at her brightly. Then she had folded her palms to Ganga in respect and asked her the permission "Agya dijiye, Mata. (Permit me, mother.)"
Ganga lifted her right hand and then blessed her wholeheartedly
"Bijayi vab (Be successful)."
Supriya touched her feet for the last time and without looking back left to the ashram of Bhagwan Parashuram. Hidden in the lap of Himalaya. In a secret scared place.
Devi Ganga stood there proud while looking at the dissapearing silhouette of Supriya and murmured softly
"Jao Mahasati Supriya. Tumhare jay ho. Brinda ki uprant, Behula ki uprant na tum jysi koi ayi thi aur na ayegi. Tum Mahabharata main amar ho jaogi. Apne Dan ke liye. (Go. You are really according to your title. You are really the greatest among the loyalest wives of India. Go to the dreadful and long way of your life, o loyal wife of Karna. There was none like you after Brinda, wife of Shankachur or Sati Behula, wife of Lakshinder. And nor anyone will be like you. Ever. You will be immortal in Mahabharata. For your loyalty and devotion to Karna.)"
Then with smile on lips and tears on her eyes she too dissolved into the drop of her water. She had completed her mission. To send Supriya. To Guru Bhagwan Parashuram. So that she got the chance to go to Kailash. To beg for the life of her husband Karna!!!!
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Will Supriya meet with Parashuram? Will Gurudev tell her the road to Kailash? Will he give her the reason of cursing Karna, his one of the best disciple? Stay tuned for more. Enjoy.
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••Happy Shiv Ratri to all friends and their family••
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