Shaivyaa : Sword Of Justice ✓

Within Darkness

Dwaraka

Numb. Empty. Lost.

Devika could not name which one she felt. Maybe it was all three together.

Those words sank into her, stiffing all emotions. As if she did not even know how to react, as if she was not yet fully realizing what Subhadra had said.

"Didi?" Scared to see this condition, Subhadra called her several times, only to receive silence in response. Devika sat like a stone-made sculpture of herself. She saw nothing, she heard nothing. As if all five senses had deserted her.

This cannot happen! Cried her inner being.

God cannot be so cruel to me! What sin I have committed?

Subhadra must be wrong!

Those fleeting thoughts came and go but Devika could not even move. As if all her energies had also lost along with Yudhishthira! She wondered how on earth was this possible that she was still breathing but he was not! How could she be still alive if this was true?

Lord YamaDharmaraja! You have to answer my question!

Determination flashed in her doe eyes as she managed to rise to her feet. Either she would find out whether this was true or would give up her own life too.

"Devi Didi!" Subhadra threw her arms around Devika, hoping to bring her back to senses.

"Pray, do not be like this!" She pleaded. She had never seen Devika in this form!

That touch of love and empathy worked like an immediate medicine. Devika's hands moved to caress Subhadra.

"I am going to temple, Subhi!" Devika softly uttered, as if she was speaking to herself, "I need my answer!"

She hugged Subhadra back and left the room.

***

Varanavata

"Come back, Yuvaraj! You cannot leave us thus!"

The ambiance of Varanavata was heavy with the mourning of subjects. Fire had died down. But the fumes were still there, reminding everyone of the huge conflagration.

"Come back, mighty Vrikodara! Come back, Rajkumar Arjuna! Kumar Nakula! Kumar Sahadeva! Why are you not responding? Who would protect us from evils now?"

The subjects kept crying uncontrollably. It took Krishna and Satyaki long to console them.

"How did the palace catch fire?" Satyaki asked them when they were a bit pacified, "did any night lamp fell off or..."

"No! This is not an accident, Yadava Senapati! This is clear murder!" One of them said, his eyes expressing fury.

"Murder!" Satyaki's eyebrows met while Krishna let out a sigh.

"Without a doubt! This house is made of lac which spreads fire faster! Why would someone build a palace with such material without an intention of murder?"

"Ssssh! Do not say these things loudly!" Another man warned, keeping finger on his lips.

"We all know who have done this to kill the Pandavas!" Another angry voice remarked, "We shall not stay here anymore! This Kuru kingdom has no place for justice and Dharma!"

"Correct, brother!" Another one supported, "I too shall leave with my family! The blind king who cannot protect his own nephews, what expectation do we have from him?"

Satyaki was overwhelmed to see their love for Pandavas. Now he was able to realize what they had done for the common people, and why Krishna praised them so much. But their suspicion on the fire left him thinking.

"Sakha?" He looked at Krishna.

"Let us get inside now!" Krishna said.

***

Dwaraka

"Do you hear me, God of death?"

The firm voice of Princess of Shivi echoed from the walls of Dharma Deva's shrine. The idol stood quiet, staring at her.

Devika did not know what she would do to awaken the Lord. All she knew was that it was not anymore possible for her to return empty-handed from here. It was either his life or her own death. She had no third option to choose.

Since childhood she had heard the tales of Devi Savitri who once brought her love back from the grip of Lord Dharma. Remembering that saga provided her a surge of power and hope. Why could not she do the same thing then? Why would the Lord not revive his own son and his family?

"Either you have to answer me, or I would die at your feet!"

Devika sat down in prayapoveshana, with a determined sankalpa not to move from here until the God listened to her prayer.

***

Varanavata

Satyaki's hand moved to a piece of ash. He observed it for long, trying to realize whether it was a bone fragment or piece of broken pillar.

"Sakha, did you see any weapon here?" He heard Krishna.

Satyaki shook his head. "Not yet."

"Don't you find it strange?" Krishna asked again, "five valiant warriors died in midnight fire but their weapons are missing!"

"What do you mean, Govinda?" Satyaki narrowed his eyes.

"Nothing is clear from this pile of ashes, Satyaki!" Krishna sighed, shaking His head. "We need to think of another way."

"Which way?"

"Let us go to Hastinapura!" Krishna's eyes sparkled, "maybe we shall get our answer there!"

"Please!" Satyaki retorted, "if the people of Varanavata are suspecting it right, then it is them only who caused this to Pandavas! Do you think they are waiting for you to explain anything?"

"Not them. My cousins still have some well-wishers there. I want to meet them once." Krishna said, "come, let's go!"

They moved forward. But even before they could come out of the burnt palace, a black dog suddenly blocked their path and kept barking.

Krishna's eyebrows met. There was not even an ant inside this abode of death. All creatures had deserted this place much before. Where did this dog come from out of sudden?

"What is it doing he..." An annoyed Satyaki could not complete his sentence. Krishna had stopped him by raising His hand. His expression had changed to see the dog's unusual activity.

The dog seemed to be trying to draw their attention to a particular place. It restlessly began to dig through the ashes with its sharp claws. Satyaki saw Krishna standing rooted at his place, watching the dog intently.

"Govinda?" Satyaki shook his arm.

Krishna did not reply. He just silently pointed to the dog with a finger. His face had signs of excitement. Following His gaze, Satyaki also looked. The dog had removed the ashes completely by then. The answer they both were searching for was now in front of them.

Opening of a tunnel that was covered with ashes so far!

Krishna bent down immediately and looked inside the tunnel. The depth was clearly understandable even from here.

"Satyaki!" Krishna gasped as He rose.

"They. Are. Alive!"
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Meaning of Sanskrit terms:

Prayapoveshana: sitting with a vow of not to eat or drink till death unless the prayer is fulfilled.

Sankalpa: A decision taken mainly on some religious purpose.

YamaDharmaraja: God of death