The Story that took me along

Good stories engross you, captivate you, mesmerize you and teach you- but what would you call stories that take you along with them?

In the world of stories we meet our wildest fantasies and also confront our darkest fears.

It was a lazy winter afternoon. The perfect time to let yourself lose into a book, and what better than a book on the timeless tale of Mahabharat.

I had developed an interest into mythology only recently. I never had a taste for it before I let myself enter its magical and mystical world.

A world my brain would not let me believe in but my mind would not let me run away from. The day I started following this epic tale - possibilities suddenly became immense. I could finally find meaning in acts and emotions I had never connected to ever before.

 I had my qualms quenched,      about how could  Yudhishtir  gamble his wife (not that I do not condemn it or think it was justified) or about how it was justified for Draupadi to orchestrate the greatest war ever fought only to seek  personal revenge.

One happening though, I could not understand. Shortly after I had grown interest into The Mahabharat, I started intense research on it.                                                      I read books, I watched television shows and I raided the internet.

In this process I made the most shocking discovery one day, Duryodhan the epic villain found his place through the gates of heaven.

It shattered in a moment all my understanding of right and wrong, of dharma and adharma. 

How could a notorious villain like Duryodhan be already present in heaven when the Yudhishtir entered there? That too when the heroes of the epic(with the exception of Dharm Raj) had to briefly visit hell and pay for their sins ?

The answer was to come to me very soon, but not in a way I had thought.

Coming back to my lazy winter afternoon, I sat facing the sun with my book in one hand and mind lost in thought.

Downstairs mother cooked lentil curry. I could smell it- I absolutely love its aroma.

We all have our favourite characters in stories. I had mine too. Although I greatly appreciate Draupadi for her strength, Arjun for his skill and valor, there is one character I can't help but admire the most- The tragic hero,The ideal friend,The good son- Karn.

It was him I was thinking about when suddenly the sun became bigger and bigger and bigger till I saw nothing but the sun. It seemed to engulf me in its fiery breath but I somehow did not feel the heat. 

What was happening?

What sort of a dream was this? What fantasy?

I opened my eyes very slowly, they still hurt from that glare of the sun.As soon as I opened my eyes I saw the sun again. Slowly all my senses came back to me. I was standing on something which moved, I still did not regain my vision completely but I heard voices- shrieking human , neighing horses, elephants and the clinks of metals. I could smell the dust and I could feel the pain. A familiar ache came back to me.

I had a bow in my hand-glistening that bow was heavier than I thought.

Then I saw Duryodhan and asked my charioteer to steer towards him. He was surrounded by a group of men. I descended from my chariot .

He immediately  acknowledged my presence with a broad smile.

"You are my most trusted men. I want to thank you for your allegiance towards me. I want to thank you all for fighting this war with me.Even after pitamah deserted us and Guru Dron dies, you did not abandon me. I owe you all a lot.O Karn, I can not thank you enough for all you have done for me over the years. I can not thank you enough for being my closest aid and the commander of my army."   

He spoke passionately making direct eye contact with me. I could feel his emotion.

 He took off a beautiful gold chain from his neck and handed it to a soldier.

"Give this to Bhanumati, my dear wife."

He then politely asked his men to return to their duties, while we went on to discuss our war formation. He told me that he was worried about Bheem killing his brothers. He voiced his regret in being unable to protect them, that how Draupadi's humiliation was his deed and that his brothers were wrongfully being slaughtered by Bheem for that.

He asked me to postpone my challenge to Arjun and protect Dussasan for he feared it was only a matter of time before Bheem would unleash his fury on Dussasan and fulfill his vow and that of Draupadi.

I could not save Dussasan.

 When I reached him,  Draupadi had already soaked her hair in his blood.

That evening we burned Dussasan's corpse. I could see intense anger in Duryodhan's eyes. I could also see helplessness.

         That evening a brother asked me to avenge his younger brother's death.

The next day-The 17th day of the war  was the day I would finally have a duel with Arjun. I had vowed to kill him. I had promised it to my friend long before.So even when I learnt of my true lineage, I could not reverse my vow. I again made that same promise the day before. I no longer possessed the Shakti astra for I had already used it on Ghatotkach on Duryodhan's command. I knew my chances were weak- but I would give all I had to this battle.It was only Arjun I could kill.I had promised Kunti that she'll always be called the mother of five sons.I had also told her to keep this secret from my younger brothers. I knew that if the Pandavs came to know about the truth, they would all lay down their arms and I would have to give them to Duryodhan. They would lose the war and this I did not want. 

 So I headed to commit fratricide. I met my death instead. 

The terrible curse of my Guru inflicted itself upon me and Arjun's arrow struck my throat.

Everything went hazy. My end had come. Before my senses left me, I could hear my friend weep for me. When my brothers did not know the secret of my birth.They did not feel agony or remorse until they learnt the truth.

My eyes closed, the sun was setting. Its orange hues were soothing. It seemed to take me with its last rays. I bid farewell to the land of Kurukshetra.

I heard cries of Vrushali and Radha Ma. I heard Adhirath yell my name.I heard Duryodhan being told the truth of my existence.I heard him weep, I heard him sob. I heard him fighting for the right to conduct my funeral and being granted that by Krishna. After a long silence,I heard Bheem's mace come crushing at Duryodhan. I heard Duryodhan's cries, I heard his femur break. I heard his shrieks drenched with pain.He yelled in agony. Each of his sins, he paid for.

His sin of being pampered and spoilt since childhood, his sin of being a haughty man, his sin of envy, his greatest sin of shaming a woman in open court, a sin I - one of the most loved heroes of the epic- also share.

And then suddenly various voices are heard together. A variety of images are seen. None stand out for all are fused into each other.

I could feel that feeble page in my hand, A book resting on my thigh.I could smell the aroma of the lentil curry.

On that lazy winter afternoon, I sat facing the sun with my book in one hand and mind lost in thought.