I enter the courtroom; the king is yet to arrive. I look at Arjuna and smile. He smiles back and wiggles his head. Vajra is sitting next to Parikshit. The two princes representing the future generations sit with glory reflecting through their faces.
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I nod at Bhima, and he wriggles his head in return. Nakul and Sahadeva bow down before me, and I respond to their greet- ings. I pass through the seats of queen Draupadi and Subhadra extending my regards for them. They both join their hands in return while I sit at my chair. I look around. There are many empty seats in the hall. Seems, Yudhishthira hasn’t invited everyone for today’s meeting. Arjuna’s announcement is for limited people.
The guards announce the entry of the king, and we all rise in respect. Yudhishthira, aChakravartin Samrat, sits on the throne of Hastinapur and we too place ourselves on our respective seats after the customary greetings. Yudhishthira looks at Arjuna and says, “Arjuna! My dear brother. Share your thoughts and views, as you asked, this meeting is for closed a group only. So, feel free and speak.”
The suspense within me grows. But I am equally jubilant as Yudhishthira has invited me too for the news, which is sup- posed to be shared in a confined group first. Everyone looks at Arjuna while he stands and speaks, “O King! I bow down to you. Nature turned evil on the denizens of Dwarka. And the leader of the Vrishni clan also couldn’t survive from the wrath. I have seen the devastation with my naked eyes. The burning pyres, blood and slaughtered bodies; it was no less than what hap- pened in the battle of Kurukshetra. Few aged men, few ladies, and this young boy survived. I promised the people of Dwarka that I would take care of them, and I announced Vajra as their new leader.” Everyone is listening to him patiently. I am trying to understand what Arjuna would say next. Vajra may be too young to handle this responsibility, but the citizens of Dwarka need a ray of hope and Vajra, the heir of Krishna is that hope. A small ray of light is enough to destroy the darkness.
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Arjuna continues, “The city which was developed by Krishna and Balarama is flooded and submerged in the ocean. No sign of life is left in the once flourishing land. Thus, I asked the sur- vivors to come with me. I thought I would be their protector in absence of Krishna, but little did I know that the strength of Gandiva also is now vanished. On the way back to Hastinapur, we were attacked by a group of bandits, and to my utter dismay, I couldn’t retaliate. They took away all the wealth with us and killed a few men who countered their attack. I was aghast when my Gandiva couldn’t target any of them. I was petrified to see that the arrows which killed innumerable soldiers and warriors in my life couldn’t even touch those pirates who were looting the ornaments of women in front of my eyes. I stood there like a piece of deadwood, unable to move and unable to retaliate. I realized my time was also over, with Krishna leaving the world.”
Everyone looks bemused! In all these years, with all the expansion of Hastinapur, nobody realized that the glory of Pandavas would end one day. The stars lose their shine, every rise has a corresponding fall, and every success perishes. The glory of Pandavas outshined throughout the years, but this episode of Arjuna’s failure could be a realization that their end is near, maybe mine too. I look at Arjuna. The grudge of not being able to protect the acolytes of Krishna made him devastated and embarrassed. Perhaps, that is the reason he performed a month of prayers, to reflect within. Arjuna stands with folded hands looking at the king for his reaction.
Yudhishthira exhales a heavy breath, looks at everyone sitting in the meeting hall, and speaks, “Arjuna! Krishna was the torchbearer of truthfulness, ethics, morals and values; and the attack of bandits was a sign of a change of era. Krishna walking away from this planet is an event which stirred our
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realization too. The moment has arrived to introspect and realize that the time for our retirement is near too. O Arjuna! We all are shocked, listening to what you shared. But share what you wanted to announce.”
“With all respect for the honour of Hastinapur, I propose to coronate Vajra as the king of Indraprastha.”, says Arjuna. “All the people of Dwarka should follow him and settle in the city which is currently governed by us. That would be our best tribute to Krishna.”, he concludes.
Bhima, Nakul, and Sahadeva accept the proposal with a loud cheer. Parikshit joins the support wagon with Draupadi and Subhadra. Yudhishthira looks at me. I too nod my head affirming my support for Arjuna. But somewhere deep inside my heart, I know this is favouritism. Arjuna is returning the favours and gifting the throne to Krishna’s heir. It might haunt humankind for generations to come. The throne of this kingdom has always honoured the sons of this soil. But our ancestors had to prove their might before owning the crown. Son of the king wasn’t always the direct heir if not proved worthy. One such greed of a father to install his son on the throne resulted in gruesome bloodshed whose stains have still not dried from the walls of this palace. And here Arjuna proposes to install a young boy as a lord of Indraprastha without even evaluating his skills. Will this not result in another conflict? Monarchs decide the fate of denizens, that remains the ultimate truth. What if Vajra didn’t have born in the lineage of Krishna, what if he was born to a maid like me? Would Arjuna have proposed his coronation today? How easy it is for Vajra to gain the trust of a king which took decades for me to achieve. Why is the truth of my birth haunting me today? Why am I not pleased with the decisions of Pandavas, for whom I betrayed my brothers?
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“Do I have any say? I am the son of a maid with no accep- tance from my brothers. My father didn’t want me to be the ruler. I gained respect and trust of Yudhishthira, but it’s not enough that I alter any decision taken by these five brothers. Parikshit admires me, but his admiration will not be enough for me to persuade any decisions. Arjuna decided Vajra as king of Indraprastha. The throne of Hastinapur will go to Parikshit. There is no other heir; there is no competitor. The citizens yet don’t have the rights to select their ruler. Seems, my hidden desires conflict with my patience.”, I think within.
Yudhishthira calls off the meeting, and I am left with mixed emotions, deep thoughts of losing, which I assumed mine. I can sense the happiness of cheering mothers, Draupadi and Subhadra. Bhima and Yudhishthira pat Arjuna for taking a firm decision. Nakul and Sahadeva bow down before their elders before taking leave. I walk towards the exit when Yudhishthira calls, “Yuyutsu…” I stop and turn back listening to my name.
“Yes, my lord!” I reply.
He asks his brothers to leave the courtroom. The guards too are asked to empty the main hall. I see everyone walking away post command of the king. I stand in the middle of the central hall with many eyes glancing at me while going away. I felt stranded. “Did I do anything unadvisable?”, I whisper when Yudhishthira calls again, “Yuyutsu… please be seated. I have something to talk to you about.” I follow him and place myself on my designated seat. He climbs the stairs meant to reach the throne of Hastinapur and sits on the throne.
He says, “You don’t seem excited listening to Arjuna’s pro- posal.”, with his usual smile.
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“No! My Lord. I am in favour of his decision and yours too.”, I reply astonishingly.
“But I haven’t made any decision yet. I just nodded to what Arjuna was saying.”, he continues.
I am perplexed. What is Yudhishthira trying to say? I know he will never turn down Arjuna’s decision. This throne owes a lot to Arjuna. Unable to fight with bandits is only one single failure of Arjuna in his lifespan. He is the wielder of Gandiva, blessed by Rudra, an ardent disciple of Drona, and the favourite of Krishna. His words are final. I try to speak, listening to Yudhishthira’s answer, but my bewildered mind is not allowing me. As much I know him, even his brothers don’t. I have witnessed many shades of the king, which the world doesn’t know, including the conflict between Arjuna and him.
Beholding the confused me, Yudhishthira says, “Yuyutsu! I have decided to retire. Many times, in the past, I decided, but
the burden of this throne kept me going. But with Krishna leaving this planet and Arjuna’s bow not following his commands, I’m unsure of my presence and necessity on this throne. I feel that these are signals for me too. With the strengths of my broth- ers, this capital has flourished like never before. And under your supervision, Parikshit too has grown. He is now a skilled warrior with knowledge of various scriptures and art forms. I have decided to hand over the throne to him and retire to the woods for my final journey towards the horizon.” I still look at him with no sign of amazement. There is nothing new in his words. I anticipated this throne would go to Parikshit. I knew I could not be a fitment as the heir to this throne, but I want to listen more from him.
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“Why suddenly this decision? O King,” I asked bemusedly. “If you are deciding to walk into the woods, your brothers will follow you too. And Draupadi will follow her husbands. What will happen to Subhadra? What will happen to me?” I speak while the dichotomy of my thoughts continues hitting my mind. If nothing is left for me, why would I stay back? I too should follow them. I did the best I could do for this kingdom.
“Shall I follow you too?” I ask. “No…”, he immediately replies.
“Why sire? Nothing is left for me now. I did what was expected of me. Now I have nothing to offer.”, I reply.
“Yuyutsu… tell me with utmost truth. The truth which only you know for years. Why did you switch the side on the first day of the battle?”, he asks.
“Yudhishthira! I believe the time has come for me to speak. Speak nothing else but the truth.”, I address him with his name, probably the first time in life. He looks at me and smiles.
“I, son of a maid and a king, always felt dejected with the behaviour of Duryodhana against me. Albeit I was no threat to his aspirations, but he never treated me as his brother. I was born as a hope for my father because there was no sign of birth from the boon of mother Gandhari. But still, I was always ignored. I was given equal opportunities but never given equal treatment. Those were the days of childhood when Duryodhana’s envy for you all was growing, and I decided if I am getting no favourites from Kauravas, why not to follow the other set of brothers. I always knew the hatred
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between the two groups would result in devastation. And the throne will go to only one heir, the one deserving or not, but the one who would survive the conflict. I always wanted to be with the throne. I lived with no expectations, no obligations, but I knew what I wanted. Continuing the legacy of my sire became my only goal. I switched sides because if I would have favoured them, my death was certain. I favoured you with the chance of fifty per cent survival. And the risk I took, paid off. I stand in front of you today. Today, I am the most trusted person surrounding Parikshit. Today, I am the only one who knows the strengths and weaknesses of the future monarch. Today, I am the one who is closest to this throne. I was with the throne when you were in exile. When you were busy building Indraprastha, when Shakuni and his evil deeds were ruining the roots of this throne, and when uncle Vidura and grandsire Bhishma tried to protect it, I was with the throne of Hastinapur. I was, I am, and I will always be the sole protector of this throne. No matter who sits on it, but I have dedicated my life for it.”, I reply with utmost confidence. The burden of truth inside me flows out in the form of never expressed emo- tions. I feel content. I feel relaxed and relieved. I know I have said nothing but the truth.
“This is all, O Brother! I have the deepest respect for you and your decisions. But I longed for the betterment of this throne. I vowed to protect this throne and be with this throne till my last breath. Our lives unfold every moment, but the decisions we take, determine the situations we face. One decision of mine long ago kept me alive till date. People who cared for me always wanted me to be seated on this throne. But they failed to understand that a son of a maid can’t outgrow to become a king. The time for such a huge change hasn’t arrived yet. A man struggles to reach the zenith, but once he reaches the epitome,
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he always wants his progeny to continue, and not the son of a maid. Isn’t it? O Lord,” I look at Yudhishthira with firmness.
“You speak the truth. The longing for the betterment of sons, keeps the desire burning within us all. You have created your future by your deeds, but that won’t change the truth. Parikshit is next heir of this throne”, he speaks.
“So, when are you announcing the coronation of Parikshit?” I ask.
“It’s more important to know why I am announcing Parikshit to be the next king of Hastinapur. Don’t you think?” he says.
“I desire to know it.”, I reply.
“Yuyutsu! We are standing at the edge of the changing era. The aeon we lived, we fought for justice and truth. My broth- ers supported me unbiasedly. My sires blessed me even after knowing some of my faults. But the epoch is changing. I don’t want the second battle of Kurukshetra for the throne of Hastinapur. Therefore, it becomes my prime responsibility to announce the ruler. If we would have got our share peace- fully; if uncle Dhritarashtra would have accepted us equally, if Duryodhana would have won over his stubbornness, if grandsire Bhishma looked beyond the throne; and if we would have left the thought of revenge, the battle wouldn’t have happened. But would we have lived peacefully? No! Because there was never a clear direction on who would rule this throne. Duryodhana or I. There is always a conflict between what we want and what we get.”, he tries to silence my inquisitiveness.
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“Arjuna has decided Vajra as the next ruler of Indraprastha, and it’s my turn now to handover the throne to Parikshit indis- putably. The announcement is necessary to avoid any friction in the future.”, he continues.
“You have dedicated your life to this throne. Your faith- fulness and sacrifices are unquestionable. And you deserve to be with this throne. Yuyutsu! My brother, I will not allow you to come with me. You belong to Hastinapur. The throne of Hastinapur doesn’t need a king; it needs a protector. You are that protector. You are that guardian who will protect the throne from prying eyes, and you are that leader who will pave the path for future kings. Yuyutsu! I announce you the protector of this throne, the NEW BHISHMA of Hastinapur.”, he concludes.
Tears roll down my cheeks. Finally, after so much dedication and perseverance of so many years, after waiting patiently, after losing my dear ones, after countless impediments, there is someone who acknowledges my strengths. He rises from his seat and comes closer to me. He pats on my shoulder. I stand up and bow down to him. He embraces me and says, “You may not need the throne, but the throne needs you. Never let my faith go down.”
Delays may make humans impatient but those who strive, rise. When spirit rises with commitment; when commands follow the wishes, and when aspirations become persistent, even Gods obey the mortals. “The ruler doesn’t necessarily have to sit on the throne.”, a smile comes to my face. I achieved what I aspired. I am more than just a king; I am the protector of the throne.
“This world will never remember me. This feat of mine will remain hidden. The future generation will never know me as the Kaurava who survived the odds and led to the glory.”, I express my confusions.
“Yuyutsu! The coming generations may not remember you. Your struggles may take thousands of years to get acknowl- edged. But your life will inspire those born in rags but aspires to rule. Your aspirations will motivate those who want to reach the zenith.”, he replies.
I look at him while wiping my tears and speak, “Will the world accept me? Am I a winner?”
“This world is full of people belonging to two categories – Those who believe everything they read and those who read everything they believe.”, he replies and walks away. I stare at him, trying to decipher his words.
The colours of wanting something are brighter than shades of having it.
To be continued…
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
A journey is incomplete without the fellow travelers
hen the idea of retelling Mahabh
arata was conceived, I started hunting for characters who could be the protagonist of my story. The entire epic is full of hundreds of such protagonists who can weave the story. There is no single character in the story who comes out without grey shade. All have desires, few hidden, few revealed. I read and re-read the story several times to find three characters who would be the centre of this new version of the story. The characters who may not be leading in the main story but are present in the entire saga. Krishna, Arjuna, Bhima, Duryodhana, Karna, Bhishma, Drona, Gandhari, Kunti, Draupadi, and Subhadra, I stumbled upon many shades but couldn’t stop on one name who would lead this new story. But my search continued. And in that hunt, I first dis- covered Abhimanyu. A young and innocent sixteen-year- old boy who took the burden of leading his sires towards their dreams. That boy who was always shadowed under the umbrella of Krishna and Arjuna became the hero of the first story – Chakravyuh: Through the Eyes of the Young
Yuyutsu - Rise of the last Kaurava Page 25