SWEETHEART DRAUPADI (INNOCENCE OF THE FLAME)

95

DRAUPADI WAS JUST PEACEFULLY SITTING OUTSIDE THE SUN AS BHEEM AND ARJUN WERE IN THEIR PENANCE AND THE REST WENT TO FILL WATER AND PADMAVATI AND VISHAKHA WERE TRYING TO FEED PRADYUMNA. PADMAVATI WAS CARRYING AND STOLLING PRADYUMNA WHILE VISHAKHA WAS TRYING TO FEED HIM BY TELLING HIM A STORY.

BHEEM SUCCESSFULLY PLEASED HANUMAN AND GOT TO KNOW THE SECRET OF STRENGHT, BOTH PHYSICAL AND MENTAL FROM HANUMAN. ARJUN WAS NOW ANSWERING MAHADEV WHO WAS DISGUISED AS A HUNTER.

DRAUPADI WAS JUST CARESSING HER BABY BUMP WHILE GOING INSIDE THE HUT. SHE FELT SOME UNEASINESS AND SLIGHT PAIN IN HER STOMACH AND BACK BUT JUST IGNORED IT. SHE WAS WALKING TOWARDS THE HUT BUT THE DISTANCE FELT LONGER AS HER PAINS GOT EVEN MORE SHARPER AND STRONG.

"AHHH!" A PAINFUL SCREAM ESCAPED FROM DRAUPADI'S MOUTH GAINING PADMAVATI AND VISHAKHA ATTENTION. THEY ALL RUSHED TOWARDS THE HUT TO SEE DRAUPADI  ON THE GROUND SUPPORTING HERSELF ON THE TABLE WHILE HOLDING HER STOMACH.

"VISHAKHA!!!" DRAUPADI SAID AND VISHAKA QUICKLY PICKED HER UP AND LED HER TO THE THE LABOUR ROOM. AS ARJUN WAS ANSWERING THE QUESTIONS HE FELT UNUSUAL HAPPINESS YET PAIN.

"WHAT HAPPENED?" THE HUNTER ASKED. "NOTHING.. IT FEELS LIKE SOMETHING IS GOING TO HAPPEN. I AM FEELING HAPPY YET PAIN." ARJUN SAID. "SO TELL ME WHAT IS THE GREATEST RESPONSIBILITY IN LOVE." MAHADEV IN THE DISGUISE OF HUNTER ASKED.

"LOVE AND RESPONSIBILITY ARE TOTALLY DIFFERENT, THEY DON'T TOGETHER AND ARE NEVER SUPPOSED TO." ARJUN ANSWERED. "HOW IS THAT SO?" THE HUNTER ASKED. 

"RESPONSIBILITY MEANS SOMETHING YOU OWE TOWARDS SOMETHING WITH OR WITHOUT HAVING A RESULT. RESPONSIBILITY IS SOMETHING YOU CAN ALWAYS WITHDRAW YOURSELF FROM, CHANGE IT OR HANDOVER IT TO OTHER." ARJUN SAID.

"AND WHAT'S LOVE THEN?" THE HUNTER ASKED.

"TO LOVE OR CARE IS NOT RESPONSIBILITY. IT IS TO BE FELT FROM WITHIN. LOVE IS WHEN YOU CHOOSE TO BE AT YOUR BEST WHEN THE OTHER PERSON IS NOT AT THEIR BEST. LOVE IS WHEN WHAT YOU WANT IS NEVER IMPORTANT. BUT WHAT THE OTHER PERSON NEEDS AND WANTS IS ALWAYS PARAMOUNT." ARJUN SAID.

"ARE YOU PLEASED WITH YOUR ANSWER?'"THE HUNTER ASKED. "YES I AM." ARJUN SAID PROUDLY AS HE JUST THOUGHT ABOUT HIS AND DRAUPADI'S MOMENTS AND DRAUPADI'S SMILE, GIGGLES, CHUCKLES AND LAUGHTER AND THEIR UPCOMING BABY.

"THEN AS YOU WISH. I TOO AM PLEASED WITH YOUR ANSWER ARJUN." MAHADEV SAID COMING IN HIS TRUE FORM. "PRANAM PRABHU!" ARJUN SAID JOINING HIS HANDS. "KALYAN HO!" MAHADEV SAID AND GAVE HIM THE PASHUPATRASTRA.

"OH LORD I HAVE A GENIUNE BLESSING TO ASK. THOUGH I HAVE ALWAYED PRAYED FOR THAT WISH IN THE TEMPLES I WOULD LIKE TO PRAY TO YOU ABOUT IT." ARJUN SAID. "GO AHEAD." MAHADEV SAID THOUGH HE KNEW WHAT HE WAS ABOUT TO SAY. "JUST KEEP MY WIFE AND MY UPCOMING CHILDREN AND MY FAMILY ALWAYS SAFE AND HAPPY." ARJUN SAID. "TATHASTU." MAHADEV SAID. "NOW YOU SHOULD GO FAST. AND WHEN I SAY FAST VERY FAST!" MAHADEV SAID SMILING AT HIM.

ARJUN WAS CONFUSED BUT STARTED TO RUN TOWRADS THEIR HUT IN FULL SPEED AS MAHADEV SAID. AS HE REACHED CLOSER TO THE HUT HE HEARD SCREAMS.. THE SCREAMS OF HIS DRAUPADI.

HE THEN SAW THE REST TOO RETURNING IN A HURRY. THEY ALL RAN TOWARDS THE HUT AND MET PADMAVATI. "WHAT HAPPENED PADMAVATI?" BHEEM ASKED. "SAMRAGINI HAS WENT IN EARLY LABOR." PADMAVATI SAID. "WHAT? SHE IS JUST IN HER EARLY EIGHT MONTH!" NAKUL SAID. "SAMRAT I HAVE TOO ASSIST VISHAKHA PLEASE TAKE CARE OF LITTLE PRINCE." VISHAKHA SAID AND KARN QUICKLY TOOK PRADYUMNA IN HIS ARMS AND PADMAVATI RUSHED INSIDE.