ᴄʜᴏɪᴄᴇꜱ | Republished ✓

9. Surya Dev and Revelations

Instincts are always right. Your mind may wrong but never your instincts.

"Putra! (Son!) " A voice full of love spoke. Karna and Advika's eyes flew open.

Karna looked at the person standing in front of him in awe. Advika's eyes widened and she looked at the radiant god in front of them.

Surya dev was a huge man, around 6 feet tall. He wore red and white styled clothes with gold ornaments. He had fair skin and aristocratic features which shown with brilliance. His mere radiance makes it difficult to look at him, if he had not toned the radiance down. His gold mukut and the red stone embed in it shown brightly. His aura was that of a supreme warrior.

In his hands was a huge gold axe, embed with orange stone. The weapon as deadly as it was beautiful. Karna folded his hands and bowed his head. Advika also followed him a bit clumsily. She was still awed by him.

"Pranipat dev! " Both the children spoke together.

Suryadev smiled, amused at his son and his friend's behaviour. He blessed them wholeheartedly.

"Kalyan ho! (Be blessed!) "

He looked at the children properly. His son. Surya dev smiled.

How good it is to say that word again? To see the small baby grown into a whole of nine years. He was so angry when Kunti had flown the baby in a basket on the river Ganges. But he understood her reluctance and situation as well. Kunti was nothing but a child herself when she gave birth. Still, he had hoped she would give him to someone close to her where she could keep an eye on him or give him to an ashram or she would tell the truth and keep her son with her, fight the society if she must. But she had not done so. She had given him away. He had also seen her struggling to sleep and missing her son so much from that day onward. So yes, he understood her well. But that did not stop him from hoping, from praying to the tridev, to the Supreme Lord, that his mortal son get a good and stable home.

He was glad he got a stable home and was friends with the girl whom Niyati chose. Advika watched Surya dev look at both Karna and herself. He seemed to be observing both of them.

Karna was fidgeting and was clutching the kalash with both hands. Advika smirked before taking the kalash from his hands. He glared at her. She smiled sweetly at him, wanting to stuck her tongue out, but could not...A dev was standing in front of her after all. Surya dev watched the by-play between his son and the girl and chuckled at her antics. Karna blushed at behaving immaturely in front of a Dev. While Advika also did the same and kept the kalash at the side quietly.

Surya dev spoke " Prashna hai na tumhare putra? Maun kyu ho? (You have questions, right son? Why are you silent then?) Ask!" Karna looked at Advika once, who gave an encouraging nod. He asked hesitantly, " I have a Kavach and Kundals which have motifs of the Sun on them. Do you have anything to do with it?"

Surya Dev's eyes sparkled. He replied " Yes, I gave them as a blessing to you when you were born."

"Why would you do that? Why did you call me 'putra'? Do you know anything about them?" Karna asked.

"Shant putra! (Be calm son) If you ask so many questions all at once, how will I answer? " Karna nodded. He took a deep breath and looked at Surya dev.

Surya dev began " You were born with your Kavach and Kundala. I called you putra, because you are my son. I am your father. I cannot tell you about your mother though."

"Why not? " Karna immediately questioned. He will digest the fact he is a dev putra later. Surya dev smiled sadly before saying " Your mother is a virtuous lady. She served a sage and got a boon. The boon allowed her to have a child from the God she evoked. She was barely eighteen when she got that boon. In her curiosity, she evoked me by using the boon. You were born as a blessing to her. But you know your society, my child. What they would have said if an unmarried women had a child? They would have slandered her and her lineage, questioned her character and her purity! Afraid your mother gave you up. She did not have the courage to face the consequence of her actions. But I know she has been regretting the decision and wanting to meet you from the day onward. I cannot name your mother my son. She will tell you herself if she wants, and when you get to meet her. The only thing I can tell you she was a princess and is now a queen."