Another Chance for Lives

Family is Not Always Blood

KARNA

Words struggles to get out of my mouth. I just stand there looking at Duryodhaan. To my surprise, he comes forward and hugs me, "I always wished that you were my brother, and today I get to know that you are. I must be the luckiest man ever."
An question I searched for my whole life was answered today, but I am happier for Duryodhaan's reaction. "I also just got to know, mitra." I say

"I know. God really did me a favor today. I was coming back and met a sage who offered me this prasad. There were many people but he offered me, usually sages don't like me and he asked me to share it with someone I care, so I rushed here. And don't call me mitra anymore. You are the heir to Hastinapur. You are my brother." People say Duryodhaan is lucky to have me, but it's wrong. I am lucky to have him. He was there when I was a sut-putra, Radheya. And he is here now when I am a Suryaputra, Kunteya. He is my all-weather friend.

I tell him the truth, "I am no heir to Hastinapur. Hastinapur is yours. And I don't need any brother when I have you. You will always be my friend. I don't intend to be a part of their family. Let's get out of here."

"No." He says. "You have told me a thousand of times how you wish you knew who your real family was. And today you got it. They are waiting for you. I am not going to ruin it by taking you away from here. We are staying here. You are spending time with your family."

"Bhanu just gave birth a month ago. You need to be in Hastinapur."

"There are a lot of people to take care of Bhanu. She's really moody after giving birth anyway, it's better I stay away. And knowing it's your right to the throne, I can't sit there anyway. I will stick by your side until you accept me as your family."

"You are my family. Who else do I have?"

"You need to accept me as your brother, not friend. I have committed a lot of sins. I tried to killed my cousins, your brothers, Please let me correct it."

He argued a lot, cried a lot. "Oh, the things I might have done if I didn't know this." He says.

As we talk, I see someone standing near the door. I knew who it was. Duryodhaan also noticed and went to her. "Choti maa, why are you standing here?" He brings her in and sat her down.

"You talk with choti maa." Duryodhaan tries to leave.

Not wanting to talk with Rajmata Kunti, I stop Duryodhaan.
"Don't leave, I have nothing to talk to her."

Duryodhaan calms me down. "I will be here, you talk to choti maa." He stands in a corner. I wanted him to stand right beside me, in case I fall, in case I cry.

"Pranam, rajmata. What can I do for you?" I ask rajmata Kunti.

"I am here to beg you of something." She says.

"I know. Anyone who comes to me is to ask for something only."

She doesn't say anything.

"You might not know how to ask since you were born in a royal family, wed in a royal family. So give me order." I say.

"I have no right to give you any order. I am just here.. " She doesn't finish her sentence.

Duryodhaan tries to walk out off the room.

I stop him, "Don't go, mitra. Rajmata of Indraprasth is here with a sut-putra alone. If her brave sons gets to know about this, they will ask me why I held her hostage. Or does Rajmata feel uncomfortable talking with a sut-putra in front of people?"

She speaks up. "I told Krishna to tell you. Because I didn't have the strength to do so. He told me Duryodhaan was here, and I came because I am not afraid of anything today. I am just afraid that you won't accept me, son."

"Don't call me 'son'. I am Radheya. That selfless women did everything my mother was supposed to do for me. Even today when I am sad, I run to her." I shout.

"I am also your mother." She cries.

"You kept watching when your sons insulted me. If you are really my mother, how come you didn't stop them? How come you didn't ask them to not talk to their Jyesth bhrata like that? In Draupadi's swayamvar.." I didn't want to bring this up. My word trails, but I must have been really hurt, I say it anyway. "In Draupadi's swayamvar, Arjun stopped me and said he has the right to participate first because his father was a king. And I couldn't do anything. My whole life, no matter how much I tried, being a sut-putra always was a wedge to my goal. You surely knew about it. How come you didn't ask him to apologies to me for insulting me again and again if you are my mother? How come you just stood there, witnessed everything and did nothing if you are my mother?"

She cries more, and when she does, I also wanted to.

"You were my son, you always will be. Yes, I came here to ask for something. I came to beg for forgiveness and to accept me and your brothers. I am going to tell your brothers also, but you are my first son. So I came to tell you first." She says. Wiping her tears off, courageously.

"Please don't. I only have one mother. Your sons are Parth, your sons are Kunteya. But I am Radheya. How can I be your first born?" I look at her, not believing that Rajmata Kunti of Indraprasth is telling me I am her son.

"I was a coward back then. I didn't have a choice, I thought. I had no power. We never have a choice, son. I was afraid that my father would be shamed because of me. I was adopted by him and treated as a real daughter just like your Radha maa did, I could not become an embarrassment to him. But today, I have the strength. My sons have a kingdom. And I am aware that I can loss all of it the moment they decide to abandon me. Back then, I was scared of it. Today I am not. I am ready to risk everything. My sons need to know about each other. They should not fight against each other." She starts sobbing harder.

I remember what Draupadi had said about not having a choice, about carrying family reputation. "But a mother is different. A mother is never scared of anything. You were not scared of anything for your sons, for Madri's sons. How come it was different for me?" I ask, really wanting to know.

"Please forgive me, Karn." She says. "Please let this mother of yours show her motherhood to you. Your brothers didn't know because I didn't tell. Please forgive us for once." She cries, and cries until she got out of breath. Duryodhaan comes and consoles her.

No matter how strong and tough I want to be, it doesn't always works, especially when my mother is crying in front of me. I wanted to go to her and tell her to stop crying, that I will take all her worries away. But I don't, I just cry silently.

She gets up and hugs me, her tears dropping on my shoulder, burning the spot.

"I can't forgive you now." I say. "I need time. I need time to forgive your sons also, except Yudhisthir. And don't tell them of this yet. Tell them after some days."

"Take your time son. But please stay here, don't leave this old mother of yours. Please stay."

"Choti maa, you should go back. I will make sure he stays, I know what I did to you and my cousins was unforgiven but I will try to repay you for forgiving me." Duryodhaan takes her away.

I sit there, trying to process, so much had happen in one day. But no matter how much I try, I maybe able to forgive my brothers, but her, it will be hard to forgive her.

Duryodhaan comes back and sits down next to me.

"Did you cry?" I ask.

"Not in hell." He says, still clearly crying. And he hugs me tight. "I cannot imagine your pain. I wish I could do something. I wish I could go back and make your childhood easier." He says.

!!!

Guys, in the last chapter Krishna's dialogue, 'Arjun will be your charioteer and..." was taken from B.R. Chopra's Mahabharat.

And while writing this chapter I made it this way because this is how I know of Karna and Duryodhaan. Karna could never be rude to Kunti when she came to him near the war to side with Pandavs and Duryodhaan said, "I would not have fought for Kingdom if Karna was the jyesth and the heir to throne."  And from what I know Duryodhaan really loved Karna even though at first he just wanted him for defeating Pandavs.

So don't be mad that Karna is not angry enough.