HARIHARESHWARI 14 : CHANDRA CHAYAYAM SINGHASANAM

CHAPTER 62

The grand hall was filled with the sound of clinking glasses and joyous laughter as the feast to celebrate another victory of Yuvraj Dilip.

The ministers, dressed in their finest garments, surrounded him, raising their goblets in his honor and singing his praises. Their voices swelled in unison as they recounted the valiant deeds of the crown prince and the bravery with which he vanquished the last bits of bandits.

"Yuvraj, aapke parakram se Avanti Bharatvarsh ke sabse shaktishaali rajyo ki ganana mei agaya hai."

"Praja aapke shaurya aur Maharaj Jayasen ke dharmparayanta ki hi prashansa karte thak nahi rahi."

Dilip stood with a modest smile on his face, his eyes shining with the satisfaction of a job well done. He listened to the ministers' words of praise with humility, acknowledging their admiration with a slight nod of his head.

"Sahastrabahu Arjun ke kul ka abhimaan hai aap, Dilipsen."

"Kyu nahi honge ?" Jayasen's voice boomed, as he came towards their direction holding a chalice of wine.

Seeing the king in front of them, they all bowed. He raised his hand, gesturing them all to rise. With a proud smile on his face, Jayasen patted the back of his younger brother who had finally put an end to the centuries old nuisance of the pesky bandits.

"Humare Swargiya Pitashree jaante the ki yeh Haiheyavansh ke Surya honge. Iss liye toh Yuvraj ka naam Dilip hai." Jayasen said.

"Sadho ! Sadho !"

"Ek samaye par Aryavart mei keval Vrishni Yadavo ki prashansa hoti thi. Ab Haiheyavanshi Yadavo ka danka bajta hai !"

Dilip shook his head, "Kulo mei bhed na kare, mantrivar. Hum sabhi Yadav hi toh hai, chaahe Haiheya ho, Vrishni ho, Andhak ho, ya Kunti athwa Bhoj."

"Yuvraj ke vichaar bhi ucch hai." The ministers praised.

But as the attention and praise continued to be heaped upon Dilip, his two young nephews, Vinda and Anuvinda, stood at a distance with their faces contorted with jealousy. They exchanged glances, their eyes filled with resentment as they observed the scene before them.

As the feast continued, the boys couldn't shake the feeling of being overshadowed by their uncle. They couldn't help but feel a sense of bitterness as they watched him revel in his glory.

"Yadi aise hi Chachashree ki prashansa hoti rahi, toh awashya Avanti ke bhaavi Maharaj yahi banenge." Vinda said.

Anuvinda shook his head, "Hum yeh nahi hone de sakte."

Both of them exchanged a knowing glance, before swiftly sprinting towards Dilip. 

"Chachashree !" The boys firmly grasped one of his hands each, trying to tug him away.

"Kya huya vats ?" Dilip asked with a smile.

Vinda said, "Chaliye na humare saath !"

"Kaha ?" Dilip asked, raising an amused brow.

"Chaliye toh sahi !" Anuvinda whined.

"Accha thik hai." Dilip chuckled, and then looked at the ministers and Jayasen, saying "Aagya de."

Vinda and Anuvinda took him outside the hall, their little fingers curling around his big ones, as they led him through the corridors, to a quiet place.

"Ab bataoge bhi ki mujhe yaha kyu laaye ho ?" Dilip asked.

The boys let go of his hand and turned to him, with a serious expression, they said, "Hume aapse kuch baat karni hai."

Dilip smilingly knelt down at their level, keeping his hands on their shoulders, "Kya baat hai ?"

"Hume bhaye lagta hai." Vinda said.

Dilip raised a brow, "Kisse ?"

"Aap se." Anuvinda said.

Dilip was taken aback, confusion clouding his features, He struggled to comprehend their words. He had always been kind to his nephews, or so he had thought. He had never done anything to intentionally make them fear him.

"Kyu ? Maine kya kiya ?" He asked

Vinda folded his arms and said, "Aap humare bhavishya ko dukh aur shok ke mahasagar mei daal rahe hai."

"Aap Yuvraj hai, sabhi mantri aapko Avanti ke bhaavi Maharaj ke roop mei dekhna chaahte hai. Yeh toh humare saath anyaaye huya na. Kyuki Raja ke putra toh hum hai." Anuvinda said.

The crown-prince's brow furrowed in disbelief as he struggled to comprehend their words.

"Parantu jab tum dono bade ho jaaoge, toh Yuvraj ka pad bhi toh tumhara hi hoga na." Dilip said caressing their heads.

Vinda shook his head, "Aap Maharaj banne se keval ek pag dur hai. Yaha tak pahuch kaun apni satta chhodta hai ? Hume toh nischaye apne adhikaro se vanchit kar diya jaayega."

"Aur jab aap Maharaj honge, toh ek samaye par hum aapke anyatha aapke putro ke pratidwandi ho jaayenge. Aisi sthiti mei hume ya toh desh-nikala de diya jaayega, ya fir parlok bhej diya jaayega." Anuvinda added.

Dilip's frown deepened as he struggled to make sense of their accusations. He felt a growing sense of unease in the pit of his stomach.

"Aisa kyu hoga ? Kya tum dono mere putra-samaan nahi ho ?" He said.

"Putra samaan hai, parantu putra toh nahi hai na." Vinda said bluntly.

And that was a bard straight through Dilip's heart. The weight of the situation slowly began to crush him, and he felt a lump form in his throat as he struggled to hold back his emotions.

Anuvinda said, "Aapke baad Avanti par shaashan karenge aapke putra. Hum toh keval daas ban ke reh jaayenge. Pehle aapke, fir aapke putro ke. Aur aise hi, humare putra-pautra bhi daasta ki Agni mei bali de diye jaayenge. Iss hi baat ka bhaye hume lagta hai, hum jab bhi aapko dekhte hai."

"Aap kehte hai ki aap hume apne putra jaisa samajhte hai, yadi yeh satya hai toh kyu humare jeevan ko andhkaar se bharna chaahte hai ?" Vinda asked.

Dilip felt a surge of hurt and disbelief wash over him. He had always tried to be a good uncle, and it pained him to think that his nephews, whom he loved immensely like his own sons, saw him in such a negative light.

"Oh." Nothing more could leave his lips, as tears seemed to blur his vision. As the weight of the situation settled over him, the Dilip felt a sense of hopelessness creep into his heart.

The hurt he felt was overwhelming. It was as if a deep chasm had opened up between him and his nephews, one that he didn't know how to bridge. The disbelief lingered in his mind, questioning why they would see him in such a negative light.

A nervous chuckle escaped his lips, as he tried hard to smile for them, "Mujhe toh pata hi nahi tha ki tum dono apne chacha ke baare mei aisa sochte ho."

Dilip's gaze shifted around, trying to hold back the tears as the thoughts raced back to the countless memories they had shared together – the laughter, the adventures, and the bond they had built over the years. How could all of that be forgotten or overshadowed by the greed of throne ?

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A/N

Emotional Blackmail 🌝
Btw maine parso double update diya tha, aur bahuto ko notification nahi aya.... So if you haven't read Ch-60 💀
Cause jo myth usme bust huya hai-🤣