"I thought I was not needed here anymore, that's why I was going." Arjun himself didn't know why he gave a justification.
The sound of pressing keys on the laptop faltered as Panchali raised her eyes at him.
"And why do you think you are not needed?" She asked in a straight voice.
The question in return was not what Arjun expected as his mouth parted open a little being taken aback.
A question that made his heart weirdly flutter.
Few seconds passed as they looked into each other's eyes without blinking.
Arjun slowly started, "Because I was never needed."
The words just flew out while Panchali for once didn't move her eyes.
Insecurity flashed in his orbs.
Her scrutinizing gaze bore into his soul as something within him didn't let him look anywhere but her.
She bent down the laptop and slowly got up, forwarding her legs to go towards him. Their eye contact still continuing.
Her right fingers traced the glass table as she took steps, her heels creating the only sound.
While, Arjun found her too intimidating. He gulped a lump that formed in his throat with each step she took towards him.
As Panchali stood infront of him, she slowly bent down a little, keeping both of her hands on the handles of the chair he was seated.
Caging him in the process.
Arjun felt his breath quiver as his heart thumped loudly. Beads of sweats formed on his forehead due to the close proximity they were having.
It was the first time Panchali was noticing him that close.
His chocolate brown orbs were so enchanting that one could get lost in that. But she also noticed how those eyes carried nervousness.
Panchali lowered her eyes to his pinkish dry lips which were parted open slightly.
And her that act increased the level of nervousness more in Arjun.
She decreased the distance slowly between their faces while the act made him close his eyes tightly as he felt like he forgot how to breathe.
Their breaths mingled and suddenly Arjun felt her breath on the left side of his face.
A shiver ran down his spine while goosebumps spread over his body. His heart went on beating crazily.
"You never know when you become someone's need. However you should be aware of where and to whom you belong."
Panchali whispered in his ears and turned her eyes at his face. Seconds passed with her looking at his face.
She moved back abruptly, "Drink water before you leave." and forwarded a glass of water towards him.
Her words made him open his eyes only to find her cold emotionless expression before she marched out of the room.
Arjun huffed out a long breath getting up from the chair. He wiped the sweat from his forehead.
His face heated up, leaving a crimson shade.
He grabbed the glass and drank the entire water in one go.
He breathed heavily as his mind replayed whatever happened. He shut his eyes, each and everything rushing back.
You never know when you become someone's need. However you should be aware of where and to whom you belong.
Her words echoed in his mind.
"What was that..." He muttered glancing at Panchali's chair.
Arjun then took a long breath before taking steps back and moving out of the room.
"God knows how you all feel scared of Panchali. Till now I have seen your cousins' getting afraid and being uncomfortable. Now you also joined them, Subhadra." Bhanumati commented, her voice carried confusion.
"She is so sweet. Why do you all act like this?" She added while the the four Pandavas and Subhadra felt a shock through their nerves.
Subhadra was actually telling what all happened after coming back.
"I agree with Bhabishree Bhanumati. Sakhi is indeed sweet. You all have just misunderstood her." Krishna being the most mischievous supported Bhanumati, who innocently nodded agreeing.
"Let it be, Bhrata Krishna. She's both of yours Sakhi and that's why you can say like that." Subhadra stated.
"I literally felt like my words got stuck inside my throat. I tried to speak but the dangerous aura and dominance she carried, had left me speechless. I was actually fumbling with my words." She added, remembering.
"Hai na!? Humare saath bhi yhi hota hai... I can understand you, Subhadra." Nakul mentioned, taking pity on her.
"Then why don't you all befriend her? Then you will understand Panchali is actually too sweet and caring?" Bhanumati suggested.
"Caring?" Nakul scoffed. "She is far from caring Bhabishree."
"Aae..." Bheem slapped Nakul's head, making him frown and wince.
"Stop badmouthing her." He scolded.
"But Nakul's right, Bhrata Bheem." Sahdev mentioned slowly, fearing he would too get a slap on his head.
"By the way Subhadra, Arjun went with you only, right!? Then why have you come alone?" Yudhisthir asked.
"Actually Jyest, I was so lost in my thoughts, I came out alone only. He must be somewhere else or who would want to be in that room." Subhadra replied.
Just then Arjun entered the chamber being completely lost, and gaining their attention.
They frowned looking at him except Krishna, as everyone went towards him.
"Arjun, what happened to you?" Yudhisthir asked, touching Phalgun's forearm. His voice carrying a lot of concern.
"Bhrata, why are you so red? And why are you sweating?" Sahdev asked while he was still lost.
Bheem touched Arjun's face, "Have you got fever? Why is your face so warm?"
They made him sit on the bed.
Nakul immediately brought a glass of water, "Bhrata, drink water first."
Arjun grabbed the glass and drank the water, while Nakul checked his pulses only to be surprised.
"Bhrata Arjun, why is your pulse rate so high? What happened to you? Are you okay?" Nakul asked getting concerned. He exchanged glances with his brothers to find the same concern.
"Arjun, please tell, what happened to you? You are not okay." Bheem asked but got no reply. He wiped Arjun's sweat with his Angvastra.
Subhadra shook Arjun's shoulder asking, "Where were you this long?"
"Parth, were you there with Sakhi?" Krishna suddenly asked deliberately. Till now none of them noticed the mischievous smirk he was having.
Arjun finally came out of his stupor and glanced at Kanha, only to find a teasing notorious smirk.
Manmohan's smirk again reminded him of Panchali.
"I-I am okay..." He stuttered a little but none of his brothers or Subhadra believed.
"Did she say anything?" Yudhisthir asked, after thinking a lot.
"Or has she done anything to you, Bhrata?" That was a casual question asked by Sahdev.
But Arjun started coughing loudly.
"Arjun, drink water." Bheem refilled the glass with water and passed it to him.
Yes, she did... But why? What was that? And what is happening to me? Why am I getting so affected?
"You all are impossible, Bhrata. Why would Panchali do anything? She is so sweet." Bhanumati defended her friend.
Her words made Arjun spit out the water while Subhadra amd Nakul who were standing just before Arjun, moved back immediately.
Yes, why not... She was extra sweet few moments back. He thought but couldn't say it loud.
However Krishna felt too hard to control his laughter. So, the best option to cover up was to cough a little which he did.
"Now you too, Bhrata Krishna." Subhadra commented.
"Uh, actually Parth and me are like one soul in two body, you see Bhadré. That's why this cough came from inside." He stated, biting the inside of his cheeks to stop himself from bursting out his laughter.
While his Parth was very well aware of the teasing smirk he was getting from him.
"I am okay, Jyest. My mind is just restless and I need some sleep. Please." Arjun assured Yudhisthir.
"But what about your lunch. It's almost time. You will fall sick, Arjun, if you don't have food on time." Bheem tried to explain.
"Bhrata, I am not having the appetite. You all go and have lunch. Let me take some rest, I'll be fine by evening." Arjun urged while they reluctantly agreed and left the chamber.
Phalgun sighed in relief. He laid back on the bed, keeping his head on the cushions.
As he closed his eyes, the scenes again rushed back to him.
This time his heart didn't race like previous times, while an unknown unfamiliar peace settled on it rather.
Because this time she didn't ask him to go out of her personal space, rather she approached him in a weirdly different way.
A way that maybe he didn't understand but it felt right, it felt good.
A smile broke on his face, a peaceful calm one with a mix of a little shyness.
His mind also calmed and soon he felt into a deep slumber. Her thoughts always staying inside his mind though.
The conch shells blew and bells ranged signifying the divine moment of Mangal Arti.
Hundreds of people gathered in the large area to seek blessings from Goddess Chandraghanta.
The priest started the Arti, carrying 108 diyas, revolving it infront of the Goddess.
The exotic smell of numbers of incense sticks with a mixture of sandalwood oil filled the entire area.
People bowed and seeked blessings for the well being of their loved ones.
"Yadav-shrest Vasudev, I would again request you to recite the story of Devi Chandraghanta to us like the previous days." Dhritarastra requested Krishna.
"It would be my pleasure, Maharaj." He obliged while the people sat over the ground.
The Royals no doubt took the first few rows and then the commoners.
Krishna sat beside the idol of his celestial sister and faced the people.
"Devi Chandraghanta, the third form of Shatkti. After Devi Sati's demise in her previous birth, Shakti reborned herself as the daughter of Himavat and Mainavati, the King and Queen of Himalayas." Krishna started reciting.
"Maharaj Himavat was also known as the King of Parvat due to which Devi Sati was then named as Parvati, the Princess of Parvat or Himalayas."
"Since her childhood, Devi Parvati had seen her parents worshipping Lord Shiva. Initially it was a mere infatuation and attraction that led the little Parvati to worship Bhagwan Shiva. She used to talk with His idol and recite everything to Him."
"But as she grew up, Parvati knew it was far from attraction that she felt. It was her love for Lord Shiva. It was her devotion for Him. And eventually she wanted to be the consort of Mahadev."
"Maharaj Himavat and Maharani Mainavati tried to stop her growing feelings for Dev-Adidev. But who has the power to control the heart in this universe?" Krishna snickered a little. There was a pin drop silence as everyone was eager to know the story more.
"It only beats for its love." He added.
"Till then Devi Parvati had resolved his mind that she marries, then it would be her love Shiva, or no one."
"She climbed the Kailash Parvat with lots of difficulty. Despite being the Princess of Himalayas, and being mastered in climbing mountains, she too faced hardship in climbing Kailash Parvat."
"And when she finally saw Mahadev, Devi was overjoyed. She called Him many times but got no answer in return. That's because Mahadev engaged Himself in meditation since thousands of years."
"Mata Parvati was also no less stubborn. She resolved herself and sat infront of Mahadev, starting her own meditation. She chanted His name until He comes out of his meditation."
"Hundreds of years passed. At last Mahadev had to break His meditation, only to find His Shakti infront of Him."
"Wedding bells rang as it was the union of the Supreme Couple, Shiv and Shakti. On the day of the marriage, Mahadev arrived as He was - with the most dreaded snakes like Vasuki and Takshak as His garlands, waist belt. His hair was matted, His whole body was covered with ash from cremation ground, looking imposing, fierce and intense. He arrived riding on a bull, unlike other grooms who rode on majestic horses on their marriage procession."
"Devi Mainavati who was eagerly awaiting to welcome her Son-in-law, was shocked to the core to see Mahadev's wedding procession. Ghosts and goblins surrounded Lord chanting 'Bham Bham Bhole'. Unable to digest the fact that her regal, tender daughter would now live among such beings, led the mother to loose her consciousness."
"Mata Parvati understood the plight of Devi Mainavati as a mother and to convince Bholenath to mellow down and present a pleasant form for her wedding, Devi Parvati Herself took a fierce form momentarily to match His intense form, with ten hands holding various forms of weapons and a bell shaped moon over her crown."
"This form of Devi is worshipped as Devi Chandraghanta. And this form mellowed down Lord Shiva's intense form and tamed her rowdy ganas."
"Assuming the ferocious and resplendent form of Devi Chandraghanta, Mata asked Mahadev to take on a benign form to which He promptly agreed. On her request, Lord Shiva shunned his terrifying form and let Lord Vishnu to adorn Him as the most charming bridegroom."
"Lord Shiva is known as Chandrasekhar or Sundareshwara in this form. While Devi Parvati adorned the half moon on her forehead, to show her love for Lord Shiva, who always has a half moon on his Jatas. Jai Mata Chandraghanta. Jai Bholenath."
Krishna ended with blowing the divine conch shell.
Everyone felt a peace settling in their heart hearing the story of the divine form of Devi Chandraghanta.
And soon the Prasad was distributed.
The cousins gathered again having the Prasad.
"You know the story well Vasudev." Bheem complimented while Krishna thanked.
"Yes obviously, who would know the greatest love story of a sister than his brother?" Balram commented, muttering in his brother's ears.
Krishna laughed a little. Indeed Balram was right.
"Bhrata, what is the moral then?" Subhadra asked.
"Moral is very simple, Bhadré. It's Love. Love doesn't bind anyone. It gives freedom. However it also makes one accept the other as they are." Krishna stated with a pleasant divine smiling.
"Honestly, we can't understand Bhrata. Explain it." Subhadra said after taking a look of confusion in the eyes of others.
"Okay as you all wish. When we love someone, we would want the person to be as they are. Just like Devi Parvati wanted Mahadev to be as He is. She loved Him in his fierce form as she would never want Him in any other form."
"Devi had then turned Herself like Mahadev. That's what love is, dedicating our everything to the one whom we love. And on Her request, Mahadev turned Himself in a benign form. Stability was well maintained between them because trust was what they had on each other. The same trust is the base of a relationship."
"And that's the what we learn from Devi Chandraghanta. Accepting our love just as they are and dedicating our everything to them." Krishna said for a reason.
He knew the Pandavas get the meaning but couldn't relate to their lives. But soon they could.
Love never existed in this world. It gives only pain. Panchali thought, writing the same in her diary over a small study table.
The room was dark and silent, the calm and cold wind from the balcony swayed her open hair.
Wearing a black gown with a cold shoulder, puffed long sleeves, Panchali penned down her thoughts, sitting on the ground.
Love is like a dark pit in which if people fall, they can never come out. It will eat them up slowly. It will destroy them.
Love is a slow poison which makes people die for other.
And Neha Malhotra did the same mistake of drinking the same poison.
She knew that she was wrong but still she fell for that monster which she shouldn't have.
She knew what she was doing but still she chose to do that. She used to say that her heart wanted him and that it was her true love.
Alas, only if she knew her destination was not him rather death.
A lone tear fell from her eyes over her diary. Neha was not bad, she was just stupid to fall in love with a monster.
25 YEARS AGO :-
New Delhi, India
Four years passed since Neha started her career in Meds in AIIMS Delhi. Till now, everyone was sure that she could never fall for anyone because she didn't show any interest in any guy since she joined the college.
All the focus she had was on her studies. She would top every semester with flying colours. In free time, her only passion was her playing Piano.
Little did her college mates know that Neha was in love with someone.
The same Neha who had no interest in any guy in her college, was in a one year relationship with a man ten years older than her.
Abhijeet Rathore helped her in every way since four years. He was there with her everytime she needed.
He could understand her in her silence if something bothered her.
Slowly and steadily, Abhijeet and Neha got closer to one another. They would go on dates, they would feed one another.
Days and months passed, it was Neha's birthday and Abhijeet surprised her with his visit in her rented apartment.
"Aap yaha?" Neha asked in surprise opening the door.
(You're here.)
"Kyu? Main nhi aa sakta tumse milne?" Abhijeet asked in return, with a fake hurt look.
(Why? Can't I come to meet you?)
"Aare nhi nhi... Humara woh matlab nhi tha. Itni raat ko aap yaha, hume laga kuch zaruri baat hai." Neha paused, "Didi aur ghar pe sb thik hai na!?"
(No no... I didn't meant that. You're here in this time, I thought something happened. Didi and everyone at home is okay, right?)
Abhijeet burst out laughing, "Pehle mujhe andar toh aane do, Neha."
(First let me come inside, Neha.)
"Oh... Ji aayiye." Neha realized and facepalmed, giving him space to come inside.
"Rest assured Neha, everyone is okay."
She breathed in relief.
Abhijeet suddenly pulled her by her waist towards him, "Wese main yaha tumhare liye aaya hu."
(By the way, I have came for you.)
Neha felt her heart skip a beat at their close proximity. She felt shy under his intimidating gaze.
He moved back and wished, "Happy Birthday dear."
Neha was surprised, he remembered her birthday and that fluttered her heart.
"Okay come here and sit." He took her and made her sit on the sofa and brought out the packet.
"What's this?" She asked.
He didn't reply and took out the chocolate cake, taking her off guard.
"Yeh sb ki kya zarurat thi? Aur cake toh kaafi mehga lagta hai, kharcha bhi aaya hai." Neha commented.
(What was the need for all this? Cake is also looking too expensive, it has cost high.)
"You don't have to think all that. I have some responsibility which I'll do no matter what. Now cut the cake." He stated.
Neha smiled before taking the knife in her hand. She blew off the candle and made a wish.
Then she placed the knife over the cake, cutting it in, making a small piece.
She took out the slice and feed him. Abhijeet too fed her.
"Neha.." He called, sitting on his kness over the ground.
"Ji-" She was interrupted by his actions.
"Will you marry me?" He proposed, shocking her to the core.
"But-"
"The moment I saw you for the first time, honestly I didn't feel anything. But when you came here in Delhi and since then, the time I spent with you, had made me fall for you." He paused.
"Each and every moment I fell thousand times for you. Your smile, your eyes, your lips, your words, in short you are always there in my mind. Not leaving me in my dreams also."
Abhijeet's proposal surprised her to no end.
"Yes, I dream about you. Tum na hoke bhi mere saath humesha rehti ho. Aur jab tum mere saath hoti ho, tab tumhare alawa aur koi nhi hota mere kheyal mein."
(You always stay with me even if you are not there. And when you are there with me, then no one else occupies my mind but you.)
"I love you, Neha. I love you so much. I will die without you. Please marry me. I want to spend the rest of my life with you." Abhijeet ended. He was slightly scared thinking if she refuse to marry him.
"Please tell something, Neha." He added, requesting.
"But, what about Didi? Aapki shadi ho chuki hai didi se. Aap aur hum kabhi bhi ek nhi ho sakte. Apke aur humare raste alag hai." She spoke, though her heart hurt saying the truth loud.
(You are married to didi. You and me can never be together. Our roads are different.)
Abhijeet sighed, keeping his hands over her palm, he said, "I know, Neha, I know. And I am equally feeling regret about that. My marriage with your didi is wrong, Neha. And only you can fix it in a right way."
"But how? How can you say that your marriage with Didi is wrong. She's happy with you." Neha tried to reason.
"Yes, she's happy now. But you know why?" He pasusd. "She's happy because she thinks our marriage will work but that won't happen ever because I love you, Neha."
He added again, "And I have some responsibility towards your Didi too. I want her to free herself from a relationship where she won't be happy. I want her to marry someone who can make her happy, who would love her to moon and back. Your Didi deserves someone better than me, Neha. I won't be able to keep her happy."
He continued, "Neha, if you marry me then three of our lives will be saved. I will give divorce to your Didi so that she can get married to someone she deserves. She is too good and caring, I am sure she'll be happy in her life after giving me a divorce."
Neha got up from the sofa and turned away from him. Her mind was not allowing her to give in to him but her heart was adamant to stay and spend rest of her life with him.
"Neha..." He called.
I want her to marry someone who can make her happy, who would love her to moon and back. Your Didi deserves someone better than me, Neha. I won't be able to keep her happy.
I love you, Neha. I love you so much. I will die without you. Please marry me.
Neha, if you marry me then three of our lives will be saved.
Abhijeet's words echoed in her ear.
She closed her eyes and took a long breath. A smile formed on her face.
"I am ready to marry you." She announced, and was engulfed in a hug by him.
"I knew you would agree. After all you also loved me like I do. So, would be Mrs. Neha Abhijeet Rathore, I have arranged everything for our wedding. Be ready by 10:00 AM today. I'll pick you up." Abhijeet said while she nodded smiling and again hugged him back.
Neha knew what she was doing. She also knew that it was wrong.
Wrong according to all the ethics and morals of the society.
She agreed to marry her sister's husband. She agreed to marry an already married man.
Eventually she agreed to break her sister's home to build her own.
Little did she know that her one decision could destroy too many lives.
Greetings Loveliest Readers,
The cliffhanger in the previous chapter didn't allow me to make you all wait for a long time.
So, I started writing this chapter just after I posted the previous one.
Tell me what you liked about it.
Panchali and Arjun?
Or, Devi Chandraghanta and Mahadev?
Or, Neha and Abhijeet?
The next chapter is also on the way... Till then bye...
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