Takshak was enraged. All his plans to take revenge on the Pandavas and Kuru family was failed. 

Takshak, 'How am I supposed to destroy those Kurus. There must be some way to do that.

On the other hand, Shukracharya decided, 'Though Bhayankarasur insulted me but I am their Guru, I have to do something to protect them'

He decided to visit Himalayas and start a penance to protect Asura. But first, he needed to meet Karna.

Mahakal Temple,

The entire Kuru family especially the royal ladies and the common villagers were shocked due to the sudden attack of the demons. For the last many years the demons did not dare to attack Hastinapur, but now they directly attack the royal family. Adhirath was also shaken by the attack, so Karna told him, 'Baba you return with the other villagers in the bull cart, I will take Mahamahim in his chariot.' Bheesm also asked him to go home and take some rest, Karna would take him to the palace. So Karna took Bheesm in his chariot and started his journey to Hastinapur Palace. 

Bheesm, 'Karna can you please take me to the bank of the river.'

Karna took the chariot to the river. Bheesm stepped down and sat at the bank of the river.

Bheesm, 'Karna, whenever I feel restless, I come here to sit. I feel at peace. Whatever happened today shook me to the core. I still cannot believe that the Asurs attacked us. If you did not come on time, then we all died.' Then suddenly he held Karna's hand said 'Karna please forgive me, I was wrong. I always believed in cast discrimination, I forbade the lower caste people to learn weaponry, even I humiliated you but it was you who always protects my family. You are the blessing of Lord Shiva but Karna you yourself are not safe. I know that Shakuni will definitely try something to force you to join him.'

Karna, 'Don't worry Mahamahim, I am happy that you realized your mistakes. I hope from now on every child will have the chance to pursue their dream irrespective of their caste.'   

Bheesm, 'You always think about others but Karna please, stay safe. I know no one will defeat you at the front-to-front fight but those poisonous snakes like Shakuni will always stab you at your back. He will definitely try to harm your family or close ones to force you to join him.'

Karna, 'Mahamahim, if you know Shakuni's nature, then why are you allowing him to stay near Duryadhana?'

Bheesm, 'Once I promised Shakuni's father that I will allow his son to stay near his nephew, but I had no idea that he will poison Duryadhana against his own cousins. And now it's too late. He influenced Dhritarashtra and he always listened to him. I am the Mahamahim only for the namesake, actually, I am nothing but Dhritarashtra and his sons' slave, nothing else.'

Karna felt very bad for the elderly person. He sat beside him and said, 'Don't worry Mahamahim, everything will be alright.'

Bheesm, 'Karna I don't want war between the cousins. I love all of them. I cannot choose between them. Only you can do anything.'

Karna, 'Mahamahim, I myself tried to stop the enmity but both of them are responsible for the rivalry. No one is perfect here. But okay let see what we can do. Now come, it's getting late, you must be tired.'

Bheesm, 'Karna, can you please tell me your truth? I know Shri Krishna is none other than Narayan himself but who are you?

Karna, 'I am not a Dev whom you know, I am just Narayan's devotee who is trying to protect his family and country.'

Bheesm emotionally hugged Karna and said, 'Thank you for being with us.'

Karna took Bheesm to the palace.

The next day Bheesm and Drona raised the security of Hastinapur. They also sent messages to the neighborhood kingdoms to alert them. Kings of some kingdoms also came to their court to discuss security matters.

Once the king of Kashi, Koshol and Mahismati came to Hastinapur. From their spies, they came to know that Karna a Charioteer's son killed the demons. They also heard about some of Karna's other endeavors. After their meeting in the Royal court of Hastinapur King of Kashi asked to meet Adhirath in private.

King of Kashi, 'So you are Adhirath, Karan's father?'

Adhirath humbly said, 'Yes your majesty.'

King of Kashi, 'Look Adhirath, I know about your son. He is a great warrior. The royals of Hastinapur will never understand his value but I can. So ask your son to come to Kashi. In fact, you all can come with your family. I will make him my commander in chief.'

Adhirath, 'But Your Majesty, in Kashi, lower caste people are not allowed archery.'

King of Kashi, 'Oh come on, we already changed the law. Now we will pay Karna handsomely and you all can live a luxurious life. Think about it. Here the royals will never acknowledge Karna's true talent. I know what the Yuvraj did to him. In Kashi, he will be respected.'

Adhirath, 'Sir, I don't want to leave my country and ancestral house, but I will talk to Karna about it. If he agrees then he is free to go.'

King of Kashi, 'But I know that in Hastinapur there is a law that the father of the household has the ultimate right on their children. The Sutas can even sell their children to rich people. So if you order your son, he has to follow that. So ask your son to join me. I will pay you with such an amount that you and your next 7 generations can live lavishly.'

Adhirath (angrily), 'Sir, my son is my pride, not a property or possession which I can sell. I don't believe in such stupid laws and from next time don't even think about giving such proposal to me. We are poor but we respect every relationship. Pranipat.'

Saying that he left the chamber.

King of Koshol and Pragjyotish also met Adhirath privately and gave him the same offer but Adhirath angrily rejected their proposal.  

Returning home he called Karna and said, 'Karna, please stop this fight for the royalties and showing off your skill. I know you just tried to help others but this is gaining many unwanted attentions. Today the kings are offering me money so that I can force you to join them. Karna I don't want anybody to use your talent. You are the gift of God. So stop everything and promise me that you are not going to fight with anyone.'

Karna was shocked. He prayed, 'Hey Prabhu Narayan, what am I supposed to do now.'

Karna, 'Pitashri if you order me I cannot disobey. But this order of yours is against the order of my birth father Lord Suryadev himself. Father you know it is my mission to stop the adharmis and if I did not raise my weapon then everything will be destroyed.'

  Adhirath, 'I know my son that you are the son of Lord Surya and Devi Sangya. But you are my son too and I am scared. Those wretched kings are trying to snatch you away from me.'

Karna smiled, 'Pitashri I am not going anywhere, you and Radhama are my world. You and Radhama are the same to me as Pita Suryadev and Mata Sangya.'

Krishna smiled sadly, 'Adhirath the biggest test of your life is coming. Be prepared.'

Next morning,

Karna finished his Suryanamaskar and looked at his father, 'Pitashre, I have a feeling that a big storm is coming, something bad is going to happen. Please keep my family and Avni safe. Whatever happens to me please don't let them suffer.'

Then he turned and saw Guru Shukracharya was standing behind him. Karna bowed and touched his feet, 'Gurudev, I am honored that you came here. Please come to my house and give me a chance to serve you.'

Guru Shukracharya though a guru of asuras but he loved Karna as he was very respectful to him. 

Guru Shukracharya, 'No my son not now.  I am going to do penance for my Asur disciples. But Karna I want to meet you as you are the one who is going to defeat them. But I just want you to promise me not to attack Asurlok without provocation.'

Karna, 'Prabhu I already promised you I will not fight or kill any Asur without provocation unless they attack me or my family and country. But Gurudev if you are going for penance and I need to contact you, to use the Sanjeevani mantra, then what will happen? I cannot use it without your consent.'

Guru Shukracharya, 'Okay I permit you to use it on your blood relatives or your immediate family without my permission.'

Then he left.

In Indraprastha

Takshak was waiting for his turn to attack Pandavas. He knew that he could not do anything directly but at least he could harm them secretly. He disguised himself and went to the marketplace of Indraprastha and came to know that the Pandavas along with their wives were going to a nearby forest for a picnic. 

Takshak, 'That's my chance. Let see how the Pandavas can protect themselves now?'

Takshak disguised himself as the royal cook (he kidnapped the cook before) and went with the Pandavas to the forest. 

In Dwarka, Krishna was tensed about the upcoming danger on the Pandavas.

The Pandavas were very happy. After such a long time they were enjoying themselves with their family. Kunti was happy looking at her entire family but in her heart, she had a void. Her eldest son, was not present. She wanted to tell everyone about him but was scared. What if her sons started hating her?

Takshak knew if he bit those brothers then others would take the help of snake charmers to call the snakes and forced them to remove the venom from their body. So he decided to mix the venom in their food so by eating them all would die and no one could save them. Takshak knew Bheem was immuned to common poisons. So he used the deadliest poison of 'Naaglok', the 'Kaalkut vish'. In the entire universe, only Mahadev or Amarsanjeevani mantra could nullify the effect. Takshak knew that Guru Shukracharya went to Himalaya for penance and moreover he would never save the devputras. So no one was there to protect the Pandavas. 

Takshak prepared some tasty sweets and took them to the Pandavas and the ladies. All the ladies were busy enjoying the singing and dancing and the brothers were playing dice. Takshak offered them the sweets.

The brothers took some sweets and ate.  The ladies also being busy said that they would eat later. 

Takshak (thinking), 'Okay at least I gave the poisonous sweets to the brothers. When the Pandavas will die their widows will be devastated and their cries will give me immense pleasure. Ha...Ha..'. Then he vanished from there.

Shri Krishna ran his chariot as first as possible to Indraprastha, He reached the forest and what he saw broke his heart. All the Pandavas were lying on the ground withering in pain, their bodies were turned blue because of the poison. All the ladies were crying bitterly. Kunti was fainted seeing her sons' condition.

Subhadra saw her brother and ran towards her, 'Bhrata please help us. Only you can save them....please do something.'

Krishna ordered the guards to take the Pandavas to the palace. The Royal vyad came and checked them. Then he said, 'From their conditions, it seemed like that it is the effect of Kaallut vish. I am sorry rajmata but no one can nullify its effect except Asurguru Shukracharay and Mahadev. We only have time till tomorrow sunrise. After that, all of them will die.'

Hearing that both Draupadi and Subhadra started crying. Krishna went to Kunti's room who knelt lifelessly on the floor and Priyamvada tried to console her. She cried and asked Krishan, 'Kanha why is this happening to me?'

Krishna (sadly), 'Bua we have to suffer for our sins. Remember what you did. The curses you have.'

Flashback 1

Kunti 12 years old princess ordered the guard to whip a young servant to whip mercilessly as he was late to bring mangoes for her. His mother cried and begged Kunti, 'Princess please forgive my son. We are sorry... Please punish me but not my son.'

The servant was fainted due to blood loss. The mother cried and asked for mercy.

Kunti, 'get out of my sight, you lowly servants. if I see you or your son again I will skin you alive.'

The mother took her son and left but before leaving said, 'Kunti today you have the curse of a mother. You hate us servants right.....But one day your sons will turn into slaves. You have to see your sons humiliated but cannot do anything and then you will understand the pain of a mother .'

Flashback 2

A mother stood in the court of Indraprastha with the lifeless body of a young boy.

The mother, 'Maharaj, I want justice. Those Brahmins burned my son's mouth with hot oil as he read the Veda. Please, Maharaj, you shall punish them for murdering my son.'

Yudhishthir, 'My lady, I understand your pain. I can give you money to compensate for your son's life but I cannot punish the Brahmins. According to the law, your son committed a grave mistake by reading Veda which is prohibited for Shudras. And we cannot give death sentence or any extreme punishment to Brahmins. But I cannot let you go empty-handed so you can take any amount you want from the royal treasury.'

The mother, 'Rajmata, please tell your son that a son's life cannot be compensated by wealth. I want justice for my son.'

But Kunti remained silent.

The mother cried, 'Rajmata what happened today is your fault as you failed to give your son the lesson of humanity. Okay, today a Shudra mother curses you. One day you will see your sons feeling the same pain that my son endured but you cannot do anything. Let's see if the curse of a lower caste mother can harm you higher class people or not.'

Flashbacks ended

Kunti (sobbed), 'Krishna I am a sinner. But please don't punish my sons. You are the avatar. Please save them. I beg you.'

Krishna, 'Bua as vaidyaji said, only Mahadev or Guru Shukracharay can save your son.'

Suddenly Kunti remembered the conversation between Bheesm and Karna,

 "I heard that only sanjeevani mantra can heal the effect of Btahmmastra.'

Karna, 'You are right Mahamahim, I used that mantra."

Kunti shouted, 'Karna.'

Krishna, 'What Buaji?'

Kunti, 'Karna, he knew Sanjeevani Mantra. He used that before to heal Mata Ganga. He is a student of Guru Shukracharya. Please Krishna, ask him to come.'

Krishna smiling sadly, 'No Bua he will not come. Why will he? Your sons humiliated him and you always remained silent. He helped all of you but still, Pandavas taunted him based on his caste. Why will he use his knowledge to save someone who said bad things about his family?'

Kunti, 'Krishna, I will apologize to him. But please he won't deny you. He respects you more than anything. Please bring him.'

Krishna, 'No Bua he will not come. He told me that if you need his help, you yourself have to ask him.'

Priyamvada, 'That Suta has such an audacity. Rajmata order your soldiers to imprison him and bring him here.'

Krishna angrily, 'Lady Priyamvada, if you love the Pandavas then please at least for now leave your baseless hatred for him aside. He is the best worrior of Aryavart and also a citizen of Hastinapur. You cannot imprison him.'  

Kunti asked Krishna to take him to Karna. 

Kunti in mind, 'I will do anything to protect my sons.'

Next- Kunti talked to Karna

Note- Hi all I am typing the other story and also this story. But I will be a little busy as my best friend is going to have surgery on 17th and we are arranging everything from pre-op testing to all other stuff. So I will be a little irregular. Please forgive me for the delay.