Story Unfolds:
Several days later: At the Royal tent of Kaurava:
One man was standing tall calmly in his tent. He was waiting eagerly for the arrival of his two sons. His second son Vrish or Vrishasen was going to join him at any moment. His young son Bana or Banasen had joined the Kaurava army today. He had hoped to fight against his hero. His uncle Bhim. The father had received a news of the bravery of his son. At the battlefield. He was not aloud to be indulged into the war. As Mahamahim Bhism was still alive. He was heart broken for that as he wanted to prove his own excellence. Yet as a father he was so very proud. On his Bana. The young Boy was fighting with none other than Mahabali Bheemsen whom the entire world was afraid of.
He looked at the left clothes of his son and caressed it lovingly. With his both hands. He was recalling the day when he saved the young toddler from two bullies. And today he was fighting for his father!!! Alone!!! As a Father he was proud of him!!! Karna you are too good as a father surely!!! Unless you don't get such a wonderful son!!!
He remembered when Banasen came to him to get his blessings. He was too distressed. He was never vocal to his demands but as a father he was not a bit willing to let him go. His young son had astonished him by saying this with utmost pride
"Pitashree hame bijay yeah birgati ki aswirbad dijiye. (Father, kindly give me a Boon that wither I win and make you proud or die in battlefield.)"
He could not stop himself to be proud of his son. Yet he cried for the boy. He looked to the sky and murmured softly
"Jao Putra. Apne Pitah ko garbit karke lautna. (Go my son. Make your father proud of yourself.)"
The boy went away with a smile. He stood there lifelessly. Waiting for his arrival. To hug him tightly. To kiss his forehead lovingly. To be proud of his young son. His this waiting seemed endless to himself!!!
All of a sudden a Guard rushed to his tent room and bowed deeply. "Kumar Banasen..." His voice trembled slightly to end the sentence.
Karna opened his eyes wide in shock. His brain was scolding himself till he sent Bana to the battlefield. He did not want to hear more!!! Within a second he ran out of his room and bolted to the battlefield madly. He had sensed a disaster!!!
Karna (hero of our story)
"Maharajah!!!" His guards called for him in vain.
He did not look back. He was not a King now, just a father who had to reach to Bana at any cost. He just had to!!!!
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30 days ago: At Mathura:
Vrishasen or Vrish was going to reach to him from the Gurukul of Mathura directly. His mentor Dau Lord Balram did not want him to take part of this battle yet he ignored his warning. He wanted to join with his father. To make his dad proud. Of himself.
"Vrish, is pralayankari yudhha main kuch bhi ho sakta hain. Tumhara pran bhi ja sakta hain. Tum ek balak matra ho. Tumne abhi jiban dekha hi nahin. Mat jao, Putra. (Vrishasen, in this kind of boost thristy war anything can happen with anyone. None know of it's ultimate results. You are just a boy. You don't enjoy your life yet. Don't go to take part of it, my son.)" His mentor or guru and future father-in-law Lord Balram cautioned him gently.
Lord Balram (elder brother of Lord Krishna Vasudev)
He ignored his Guru's warning. He was the hero of his siblings. He was their Savior since childhood when he had embraced them all. He took them as his own. They accepted him as the eldest or Jyeshta without questioning. He could not back away when his all of siblings had joined in the war. Even Chitrasen whose marriage was fixed with Chandakana, the pretty daughter of Surath, the childhood best friend and charioteer of Karna. He promised his mothers, Padma and Supriya, to come back soon from the war and to marry Chanda (Nick name of Chanda Kana) that he never got the chance. He was killed by his uncle. Chandra never married in her life and she had remained as widow of Chitra for the rest of her life.
Chandrankana (Widow of Chitra)
Vrish knew everything about the love story of Chandra and Chitra. As a good and loving elder sibling he supported them both. Even when Chitra could sacrifice his upcoming engagement with 16 yrs old beautiful Chandra, he could surely do that happily. There was none behind him. He had no such fiance waiting eagerly for his arrival. He loved Devi Laxmana yet she was at that time married with Shamb. Alas!!! This boy did not know that one pretty girl was waiting for him too!!! She was the dearest daughter of Dau. Devi Vatsyala. His would be wife.
He came forward and touched the feet of his mentor with utmost love and respect. He uttered slowly and carefully this sentences
"Gurudev, apne hame larna sikhya. Ham abhari hain. Parantu hamare sarb pratham Guru hamare Pitashree hain. Ham kyse bhul jaye ki woh na hote toh ham is prithivi main nahin hote. Wonhone hame chalna sikhaya. Hamara har mang pura kiya. Aur aj jab unhe hamara abasykta hain Ham piche kyse hath sakte hain?!! Ham to Mahrathi Karna putra hain. Ham toh mar skate hain parantu yudhha se palayan kadapi nahin kar sakte hain. (My dear teacher, you took me under your wings and let me learn from you. I am eternally grateful to you. But I can't forget that my fist mentor was my own father. Without him I can't even come in the earth. He was the person who taught me how to walk and ran so that nowadays I am able to fight against all. I am in debt of him. He needs me. I can't leave him alone. At this moment. I am the son of Surya Dev's Son benovolent and greatest warrior Karna. I can die happily but can't ran out of the battlefield. I just can't.)"
The boy's honesty and sincerity had touched the soft heart of Dau. He took him in his arms and blessed him with pride "Chiranjeevi Vab. Prithivi apko is yudhha ke uparant apki nam se hi pehchane. (Be praiseworthy. After this war the world will never forget your name. Ever.)" And it happened too. At the war like his cousin Avimanyu he showed so much excellence that none could be able to forget his name. Ever. Vrishasen donated his young life but became immortal. Like his other dear siblings. Chitra. Bana. Satya. Shatru. Dip. Sushen and Prasen.
Crown Prince of Anga Vrishasen
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1 day before: At the Royal tent of the Pandava:
Another handsome man was looking at the plan intently. He was not a bit worried about the presence of his own grandfather Mahamahim Bhism. His motto of life was the murder of his arch enemy Karna. Yes you all had guessed it right. He was none but the fierce warrior of the Pandava side, Kumar Arjuna himself.
Prince Arjuna making Plan of Karna murder
"Kya dekh rahe ho Parth?!! (What are you looking for, Parth?!!)"
He heard the voice of his best friend Lord Krishna and lifted his head to him happily. They hugged each other and laughed merrily. They loved to spent time in each others company. Since their early childhood.
Then Arjuna answered him calmly "Us Sut Putra ko marne ki yojna bana raha hoon, Keshav!!! (I am planning to slain Karna!!)"
Lord Krishna looked at his face in painful eyes. He saw the future when this Arjuna had to repent every single day for the same Karna!!!!
Arjuna did not look at his best friend and glared hard in his own mind. He hated Karna. For challenging himself. At the archery Competition arena. For insulting his Draupadi. At her Cheer Haran occasion. For cursing her at her Swayambar. For snatching away his sister Uruvi. For almost everything that he did not explain to himself!!! He loved to hate Karna even if he had deep respect to him too!!! It happened in the case of a younger sibling who was always judged for the existence of his eldest one!!!! It was a form of a sibling rivalry between them!!!! They loved to hate each other and hated to love each other too!!!
Lord Krishna in silence looked at the direction of his best friend who was now clutching his fist angrily. He was recalling his oath to cut off the head or Karna.
"Woh Karna ka shish hain Parth!!! Itni saralta se nahin kategi!!! (That is the head of Karna!!! It can't be chopped off so easily!!)" He answered his best friend calmly.
Arjuna looked at him angrily. He had faith on his best friend. If he knew it then it had to be true. But he wanted to end Karna by hook or by crook. God he did not how much he had to repent later for his arrogance!!!!
"Aise toh Pitamah Bhism wos Sut ko yudhha main uttar ne ki agya nahin denge. Toh hame bhay kis baat ke?!! (By the way grandfather Bhism will never grant him to fight in his army. Under himself. Then why we are so afraid of him?!!)" His middle brother Bheem snorted aloud in disdain. He hated Karna for his low caste origin!!!
Lord Krishna looked at him in awe. He knew that Mahamhim had to die within some days. Unless they would lose the battle. And then none could be able to stop Karna to take part in it. Duryodhan would ensure the entry of Karna in his army. To make his win sanguine.
"Pitamah ki badh ki yojna ban chuki hain. Unki mrityu ab samay pe chod dijiye. (We have already planned how to kill grandfather Bhism. It depends on time now.)" He came near Bheem and patted his left shoulder assuredly to add this "Karna ke badh ka yojna toh banana padega. Kyunki ap mane yah na bhi mane Maharathi Karna hi Kaurava paksh ke antim mohre hain. Unki gir na anibarjya hain. Hamare jit ke liye. (But you accept it or not the fall of Karna is essential for our own desired victory. He is the end dice in the hands of Kaurava. He is the last wall of their side.)" Lord Krishna had told him calmly. He looked very much determined as if he had a master plan to slain Karna.
Lord Krishna Vasudev
"Upay kya hain (what is the way of it), Keshav?!!!" Arjuna asked him in deep shock. He understood that his cousin had a plan.
"Karna ke kavach utar na hoga. (We have to get rid of his armor.)" He had replied proudly.
"Kavach?!!! Par woh toh usne Dev Raj Indra ko dan kar diya hain na?!! (His armor?!! But he had already donated it to Indra Dev?!!!)" Bheem asked him in surprised fashion. The story of the donation of Karna's kavach became popular in his life time. Even Bheem had a knowledge of it.
"Main toh uski Sarir ki kavach ki baat nahin kar raha hoon, majhle bhaiya, main uski atma ka kavach ke baat kar raha hoon. (I am not talking about the physical armor of him. But middle brother I am talking about the armor of his soul.)" Lord Krishna had smiled mysteriously while telling this. He by the way was hinting at the death of Karna's armor. Supriya!!!
"Atma ka kavach!!! (Armor of soul?!!)" Arjuna looked genuinely surprised. He never heard of it. What the hell was his cousin talking about?!!!
Parth, main tumhe ek kahani sunata hoon. Bahat barsh purv ham dono ek rakshas ke ant karne ke liye Dharm putro Nara and Narayan ke rup me janam liye the. Rakshas Sahashra Kavach jis ke pass 1000 kaavach tha use marne ke liye hame 1000 barsh tapasya karna aur 1000 barsh yudhha karna padta. Tab jake uske ek kavach ka binash hota. Jab tum ladte hame yag karna padta. Jab ham yudhha kar te tum tap karte. (Let me narrate a story to you, Parth. Several ages ago we both have to take birth as the sons of Dharma Raj. In the name of Nara and Narayan. We had to kill a demon who had been granted a special boon by Surya Dev. He mediated for 1000 yes and he was entitled as Sahshra Kavach as he had 1000 armors to protect himself. He had been granted a boon where the killer had to fight with him for thousand years and to meditate for another thousand years. When you fight with him, I had to penetrate. When I had to fight, you have to do the same.)" He ended the story abruptly and turned his head to see the interest in the face of his dear cousins.
Arjuna brewed his eyebrows together in question mode. He had no memory of his previous birth.
Lord Krishna smiled in mind. This boy did not know that he had so much similarity with the man whom he was planning to kill!!! Arjuna, among all other siblings of Karna, was similar to his nature. Both brothers loved to do the same thing like twisting their own nose, tilting the head to left to hide his embarrassment and brewing his own eyebrow in indecision.
He with a sigh continued his story "Us rakshas ke pass ek sati stri thi. Jis ki karan woh marne ke uparant bhi ek antim kavach leke janam lene main samrth huwa tha. Uski kavach uske stri hi hain jisne hamse prathna ki thi ki woh unke sath jana chahti hain. (He had a loyal wife for whose sake he had been granted the boon to take his rebirth along with his last armor. She had taken a blessing from me that she wanted to go with him. As his armor. So she is his armor.)"
Arjuna made another face. He failed to correlate the story of Sahashra Kavach with Karna!!!! He did not know the truth!!!
Lord Krishna came forward and then touched his tensed shoulders with his both hands and answered his query politely "Karna hi Sahashra Kavach hain. Jiski kavach uski Sati stri hain. Use marne ke liye hame ek ek karke unki 8 putro ke hatya karna hoga. Ek mata apni santano ke mrityu sahan nahin kar payegi. Uski antim samay main hi ham karna badh kar sakte hain. (Karna was Sahashra Kavach in his previous life. His armor is his dear wife. We have to hurt her first. By killing her 8 sons. One after another. As a mother she can't cope up with the pain and will lose her desire to live. When she will be in her death bed then only we can slain Karna.)"
"Yeah anitik hain, Madhav!!! (This is illegal, Madhav!!!)"
The room became silent all suddenly by hearing the scream of a lady. It was an angry outburst from a person who loved to see he dead body of Karna most!!!
Theree men in the room lifted their eyes to the the red favce of a lady who yelled in pain. Just now. She was none but the main cause of this epic war of Mahabharata. Yagyaseni Draupadi!!!
Devi Draupadi
She had came near her Sakha Lord Krishna and folded her palms in deep respect to utter this kind of sentences by making all taken aback
"Aise anarth mat kijiye, Keshav. Main bhi ek ma hoon. Putra shok kya hota hain woh keval ek mata janti hain aur koi nahin. (Don't do that, Keshav. I am a mother too. I can feel the pain of another monster. Only a mother can realize the pain of loosing her sons.)"
" Aur koi upay nahin hain, Sakhi!!! Karna ko marne ke liye uski Patni ki marna abasyak hain. Aur uski balak putro ke bhi. (There is no other way. For killing Karna we have to kill his wife and his 8 sons.)" Lord Krishna answered her query painfully. He had felt sorry for the family members of his eldest sibling Karna.
"Pad woh balak nirdosh hain!!! Unke Mata bhi!!!! (But those boys are truly innocent!!! And their mother too!!!)" She shouted in pain. For no reason Her heart ached tremendously. She was feeling the agony of Supriya in her own heart. She wanted to kill Karna yes but not his children or his legacy as she too respected that man who self-made himself!!!
Lord Krishna did not gave her any answer. As he had none. He just came near her and patted her head slowly. In assurance. However she was not a bit assured. Her eyes were moister in tears. She could not be able to show her this tears to anyone. Not to Uruvi or Padmavati.
"In nirdosh balako ke rakt se ranjit rajya leke kiya hoga, Madhav?!!! (What will I gain to have the kingdom drenched in the blood of innocent boys, Madhava?!!!)"
With a jolt they all looked at the dark silhouette of a man standing before them. Tall yet lifeless. He had heard everything. He was none other than the eldest Kaunteya Yudhhisthir.
"Bhrata Yudhhirthir, yeah dhram yudhha hain!!! (This is the war of justice against injustice.)" His cousin Lord Krishna tried to convince him.
He looked pensive and replied to him firmly "Apne ek parivar ki binash ki yojna bana diya. Kyse?!! Log toh ap ko Bhagwan kehte hain na?!!! (You have made a plan to demolish a family. But how can you?!! Don't people worship you as a God?!!)" Then he added with a soft sigh "Agar ap ke apni 8 Putro ke shab apke samne hota toh ap kya yeah keh pate Madhava ki yeah Dharma yudhha tha!!! (If you have to see the dead bodies of your own 8 sons can you console yourself by saying it is a war of justice against injustice?!!!)"
Dhrama Raj Yudhhisthir
His eyes were glowing in tears yet his attitude was calm and collected. But his question was killing everyone. As none had the answer. All lowered their own head. Draupadi cried aloud in pain.
An angry outburst of his biggest devotee rang in the eardrum of Lord Krishna
"Sabdhan Keshav. Yeah hi apki bhi niyati hogi. (Beware. It will be your own destiny too. The same way you are planning to kill another persons 8 sons, one days your 8 sons have to die prematurely. In the same way.)"
Devi Uruvi
Lord Krishna looked at the direction of the voice and answered his devotee philosophically
"Hame sajjya hain, Priya Uruvi!!! (I am ready for your curse, my dearest Uruvi.)"
Devi Rukshmini
"Mat kijiye (don't do that) Govind!!!!" He heard the lament of his wife Devi Rukshmini. But he had nothing to say now. He had to kill Karna as it was destined even before their birth. He had to be killed by Nara and Narayan even in this birth!!!! It was all part of cruel fate!!! Even being a God he had no right to alter it!!!
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Now when the planning of Karna and Supriya murder has been decided let's see what is in their fate. What is now going to happen to Banasen?!! What will be the reaction of Supriya to know that it is a plan of none other than Lord Krishna himself? Will she forgive him or curse him like her dear baby sister Uruvi? Stay tuned for the more updates. Enjoy.
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