The bustling noises of the day gradually faded away, replaced by the soft chirping of crickets and the gentle rustling of leaves in the evening breeze. As the sun dipped below the horizon, casting a warm golden hue over the royal grounds of Hastinapur, a sense of tranquility enveloped the kingdom.

Vidur, with his wise demeanor and steady gait, strode through the grounds, his nephews, the young Pandavas, trailing behind him. Yudhishthir walked beside Vidur, his eyes reflecting a mixture of respect and curiosity as they listened intently to their uncle's words. Vidur, with an arm around Yudhishthir, explained the significance of their kingdom, Hastinapur, recounting the lineage and history that shaped the land they walked upon.

"Tab se Maharaj Hastin ke naam se, yeh rajya Hastinapur kehlane laga." Vidur told, the Pandavas exchanged curious glances, taking their uncle's words.

Upon reaching the front of the majestic palace, Arjun's curious eyes settled on the grand statue of a warrior princess standing proudly at the center. Arjun's face lit up with intrigue as he asked, "Kakashree, kya aap inke baare mei hume bata sakte hai ?"

Vidur's gaze lingered on the statue, a bittersweet smile playing on his lips, as memories flooded his mind, "Rajkumari Rameshwari ki murti hai woh."

"Oh...." Arjun's eyes widened, "Mata ne inki kahani sunayi thi. Kintu mai ek baat kabhi samajh hi nahi paya."

"Kya ?" Vidur asked.

Arjun said, "Jab inhone humare saath yudh hi kiya tha, hume parajit kiya tha, tab inki murti humare mahal ke prangan mei kyu hai ?"

Vidur's gaze softened as he explained, "Kyuki mahaan wahi hai jo apne shatru ka bhi sammaan kare."

And those words resonated with Arjun as he muttered, "Pitashree bhi yahi kehte the.... Veerta shatru ko parast karne mei hai, apmaanit karne mei nahi hai...."

A hush falls over the group. Vidur's gaze softens, reminiscing about his late brother, his golden age of kingship, and his wisdom. The flickering torchlight casts shadows on their faces, highlighting the sorrow etched in their expressions.

Vidur breaks the silence, his voice filled with a mix of reverence and melancholy, "Bhratashree ke saath jo huya woh atyant dukhad tha. Kintu mujhe vishwas hai, yadi tum sab dharm ke path par agrasar raho, aur sushashan laao toh tumhare Pita Pandu prasann awashya honge."

"Sushashan ? Aur hum ?" Yudhishthir looked at his uncle with confusion glinting in his eyes.

Vidur frowned, "Kyu ? Rajniti mei ruchi nahi ?"

Bheem replied, "Aisa nahi hai Kakashree. Pitashree ne balyakaal se hum sabhi ko Rajniti ka gyaan diya hai. Kintu hum kaise sushashan laa sakte hai ?"

"Tatparya ?" Vidur asked.

Nakul said, "Sushashan toh woh lata hai jo Raja ho."

"Aur Raja toh Bhrata Duryodhan banenge." Sahadev said.

Vidur raised a brow, "Yeh kisne kaha ?"

Arjun said, "Woh swayam kehte rehte hai ki, ek din woh Kurusamrat banenge."

Vidur shook his head, "Jise kehna pade ki woh Raja hai, woh kabhi Raja nahi hota."

With a faint smile, he led the way towards the grand statue of Rameshwari, shimmering with the rays of the setting sun. As they neared the statue, a magnificent sword lay in a sheath, it was larger than any other they had seen, adorned with kumkum powder, an aura of reverence surrounding it.

"Hastinapur ki ek riti hai." Vidur said, "Jab ek se adhik yogya Rajkumar ho, toh Raja use ghoshit kiya jata hai jo iss talwaar ko utha sake."

Bheem, with a puzzled expression, questioned, "Kakashree, iss talwaar ko uthaane mei kaunsi badi baat hai ? Mana baaki talwaaro se yeh ati vishaal hai, kintu koi bhi balshaali ise utha sakta hai."

Vidur, with a quiet chuckle, said, "Yahi toh duvidha hai Bheem. Iss talwaar ko sharirik Bal se nahi uthaya jaa sakta. Keval dharm ke bal se uthaya jaa sakta hai. Jo dharmatmao mei shresht hoga, keval wahi iss talwaar ko utha sakta hai. Aur jo ise uthale, woh ek din samast prithvi par raaj karta hai."

As the Pandavas' eyes widened with awe, they stared at the magnificent sword and then at the imposing statue of the Rameshwari with newfound respect. Vidur joined his hands in front of the statue, offering a respectful bow and led the way up the stairs, the young princes following in silent contemplation.

Arjun's voice broke the silence, his curiosity evident as he asked, "Kya yeh satya hai ki jo iss talwar ko uthata hai woh chakravarti ban sakta hai ?"

Vidur nodded solemnly, "Ha. Swargiya Samrat Shantanu ne yeh talwaar kshan-bhar ke liye uthayi thi. Tumhare Pitashree Pandu ne bhi yeh talwaar uthaayi thi, kuch kshano ke liye, kintu uthayi awashya thi."

The Pandavas were astonished to learn that even their strong and revered father could hold the sword up only for some fleeting moments. Vidur continued to climb the stairs, his words echoing in the minds of the young princes.

Suddenly, the sound of chariots entering the courtyard interrupted their thoughts. They turned around to see an unfamiliar flag fluttering in the wind, confusion evident on their faces. However Vidur's expression darkened with a frown as recognized the flag of Gandhar.

"MAMASHREE !" The thundering sound of a hundred Kaurava cousins filled the air as they came rushing out of the palace, running past the Pandavas with urgency, and making their way towards the main chariot.

The Pandavas watched in bewilderment as the Kauravas surrounded a kingly man, who smiled warmly at them. He engaged in friendly conversation, giving special attention to Duryodhan, cupping his face affectionately and then patting Dushasana's head. The man's affectionate smile towards the Kauravas hinted at a close bond.

Duryodhan, with a smile playing on his lips, took the king's hands as he guided him towards the stairs, clearly eager to bring him into the palace. The king's gaze lingered on each of the Pandavas, his eyes sharp and calculating. He seemed to be sizing them up, assessing their worth and intentions. Duryodhan, standing beside him, wore a smug expression.

Vidur's expression remained inscrutable as he observed the exchange, his thoughts veiled behind a mask of contemplation. The five brothers stood their ground, their eyes filled with a mixture of curiosity and caution as the king approached near. The Kauravas came to a halt and stood facing the Pandavas, on the stairs. The king's smile turned sly, as the looked at sons of Pandu.

Vidur stepped forward, placing himself in front of the Pandavas, his hands joined in a gesture of respect, "Aapne apne aane ki suchna nahi di, Gandhar-raj." He said.

"Niyati, aapda, dukh.... Bata ke kaha aate hai Mahamantri ?" Shakuni smirked as he clasped his hands together.

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A/N

Oooooh now the misery begins for real 🌝

So when I was pondering over Mahabharat, I had this thought.... Why only Vidur saved the Pandavas from conspiracies ? Why not Bhishm or Kripacharya ? Why specifically it was Vidur who protected them always ?

And then it came to my mind suddenly that Pandavas were the ardent upholders of dharm, righteousness. And Vidur was Dharmdev..... DHARMO RAKSHATI RAKSHITAH, those who protect dharm are protected by it.
🙏✨