Kairavi

Chapter 33

"WHAT ARE YOU RAMBLING ABOUT VIDUR?!" Bhishm thundered, shaking with wrath. "What is this derision, Vidur? Have you lost it?" Dhritrashtra's piqued voice echoed through the court.

"Tatshree, jyeshth, do you see any other way out? Look at these brothers, are they supposed to be foes?"

"My head will be split into two pieces before Hastinapur is! Don't test my patience Mahamantri!" The son of Ganga flipped out on hearing his nephew’s solution to the brothers’ feud. He had protected the pious land of his ancestors for so long and now Vidur says it must be divided among his descendants?

Feeling the need for some fresh air, he stalked out of the scene towards the bailey, where the flag of his motherland fluttered proudly in the sky.

"Tatshree." "Go away Vidur, I don't want to see your face right now." 

"I beg your pardon, but Tatshree, think about the pandavs. And their wives. Will jyeshth's sons let them rule in peace?"

The warrior in ivory clothes kept staring ahead. "If you don't take a necessary decision, then Maharaj will ask Yudhishthir to give up his rights; and if he doesn't, then the kauravs will hoist an attack against Hastina-" 

"Then let them do so! Nobody can even scratch its surface as long as I'm alive." His voice boomed through the balcony.

"They won't stop until they win, or die. Would you be able to kill your grandsons?" Bhishm's face turned stolid at that statement. It was true that the hunger for power had starved the kauravs' conscience to death. They would even kill their family to get what they want.

"Remember bhabhishree's state when her son didn't return from the playground for thirteen days. 

Remember Duryodhan's tirade against the two wives of pandavs."

Vidur walked forward and took a place beside his uncle. Devavrat's mind was already replaying the scene at the court. He could hear Kunti's wails from the time when Bheem was declared dead.

"Remember how you felt after finding their burnt weapons in Varnavat." 

He squeezed his eyes shut when Vidur dug up his healing wounds.

"SHAKUNI!" His balled up fists landed on the banister, creating a crack in the structure.

“I will not allow the division, even if it means giving up the throne. Pitamah has spent his entire life, keeping all the states under Hastinapur threaded together.” Yudhishthir told everyone present in his room. "But jyeshth, Maharishi Dhaumya said you have to take up the post of Yuvraj. Would it be okay to defer his advice?" Arjun asked.

"We can't hurt pitamah for power Arjun. Who said we cannot serve the subjects without being office bearers?"

Just then, a small corp paraded inside his chamber, carrying chains and ropes. "What's going on?" Bheem inquired.

"Kshama Yuvraj, but Maharaj has ordered us to take you and your brothers captive." The chief replied. "Look at the temerity of this nayak, jyeshth!" 

"Calm down Bheem. If tatshree wants us to spend the rest of our lives in prison, then so be it."

The nayak put the chains around the pandavs’ hands and escorted them out like felons. But they had to face Kairavi and Draupadi before taking their husbands.