SHORT STORIES

PARIKSHIT

Written by @vijyasangini

A 16 year old Parikshit was intently listening to the story of the Great Mahabharata War which took place between his pitamahs some years back.

"And...... And your father took his last breath" said Arjun.

Parikshit was numb when he heard this. He felt as if his world crashed right there.

FLASHBACK

10 years ago.....
"Mata, where is my father? When will I meet him?"
Uttara was shocked at his sudden question.
Tears started forming in her blue orbes.
She made him sit on her lap and said "Pari your father..... your father lives at a beautiful place when the right time comes we will also go there".
"Ok mata, I understood, I am going to play now bye!!!" Said parikshit and went away from there.
FLASHBACK ENDS

"Was my mother talking about heaven? Does my father live in heaven?"thought parikshit.

He came back to his senses and screamed "WHAT!!! MY PITASHREE WAS KILLED DECIETFULLY BY SEVEN WARRIORS SURROUNDING HIM!!!"
"Calm down Pari" said Arjun, shocked at his sudden outburst.
"HOW CAN I CALM DOWN PITAMAH? They.... they snatched my father from me" He whispered the last line softly.
Finally Uttara lost her temper and said "Pari!! Behave yourself. Your pitamah has also lost his son. That was our destiny and nobody van change it"
Parikshit quietly heard what his mother said. He could see tears pooling in his mother's beautiful eyes, but he knew that she was keeping herself strong for him.

"Sorry mata, sorry Pitamah" said Parikshit. "It's OK pitta, I also fumed up when I saw your father's dead body lying on the ground" said Arjun and sighed.

Parikshit looked down and a lone tear escaped his eyes. He quickly wiped it and said "Pitamah, you said that pitamah krishna is the incarnation of Narayan on the earth, then why couldn't he save my father?"

"He is a Narayan, but he cannot go against the rule of the nature putra. The thing that takes birth has to die one day. Now what has happened has happened. Nobody can change it now. Let me tell you what happened next"

Arjun told him whatever happened in the rest five days of Mahabharat War.
Parikshit face bloomed "So, the pandavas were the victors"

"Yes putra, but our happiness was short lived" said Arjun
"Why pitamah?" asked Parikshit.
Arjun narrated the 18th night of the mahabharat war.
Parikshit was shocked. "My tatshrees were also killed, and that to deceitfully?"
Arjun nodded his head sadly.

"What happened next?" Asked Parikshit.
"We went to fight Ashwaththama. He got to know that pandavas were alive and he had killed uppandavas instead of us. He rejoiced and mocked us saying that he has achieved a greater feat by killing uppandavas rather than us. But bhrata Bheem told him that you were being nurtured in Uttara's womb and you will be our future.
Ashwathama then invoked Bhramastra in order to kill you. He released the Bhramastra in the direction of your mother's womb and it successfully hit his target" said Arjun

"Mata....." whispered parikshit and hugged Uttara tightly.
Uttara hugged him back and tears started streaming down her face. Parikshit wiped her tears amd asked Arjun to continue.

Arjun said "Madhav saved you by nullifying the effect of Bhramastra and he cursed Ashwathama also"

"How dare he attempt to kill my mother" said Parikshit clenching his fists.
Arjun placed his hand on his shoulder and said "Then your jyesth pitamah was coronated and Dharma was established".

Parikshit was happy because Dharma was established but his sadness was much more than his happiness.
He was sad because many people had lost their lives and he had lost his father and uncles in the war