"Jagadeesan." Maharani Mridulata addressed him coming inside the mantrana kaksh (meeting room).

"Your wife has birthed another girl." She informed him. Though her voice remained calm, her eyes conveyed her disappointment clearly.

"And this is surprising to you?" He asked with a smile, not removing his eyes from the makeshift map of Amvasthapuram.
"You didn't doubt that it was my child, did you?"

"Nivedita is a lost case! I shouldn't have waited so long. I should have searched for another girl sooner!" Maharani Mridulata ranted out in frustration.

Yuvraj Jagadeesan paused for a moment and then turned to his mother. He guided her to the seater and gestured her to take a seat while he sat on the floor facing her. He gently held her hands before saying,

"Mata, stop blaming Nivedita. You know she has no fault in this." Maharani Mridulata was going to say something, but he didn't let her.
"No matter how many times you get me married or to whom. I will never, ever have a son. Accept this."

Maharani Mridulata stared at him with wide eyes that reflected frustration and helplessness. What was happening? Why was Gods so cruel to her sons? She knew she was being stubborn. She knew Jagadeesan could never sire a son. It was not on Nivedita. It was her son whose fate deprived him.

Jagadeesan had made a mistake. Mistake of killing Rishi Garga's one and only son. It was an accident of course. A young Jagadeesan while practicing archery had accidentally served the lethal blow that killed the pious sage's beloved son. But it was fated only. The unfortunate boy had born only to die young. His horoscope predicted that.
However, Rishi Garga had refused to listen to any reasoning and the grief striken father had cursed him to never obtain a son who could pay homage to his departed soul after his death.

"Jis prakar, mere Putra ki hatya karke tumne mere moksh ka marg band kar diya hai,

Ussi prakar tumhare aatma ko bhi kabhi moksh ki prapti nehi hogi!

Jeevhanvar putra prem se banchit rahoge tum!

Tum kabhi kisi putra santan ko janm nehi de payoge, Kumar.

Yeh shrap hai mera!"

("The way you shut the door to my salvation by killing my son,

Just like that your soul will never attain salvation either.

You'll remain deprived from the love of a son for your whole life!

You'll never be able to sire any male child, young man!

This is my curse to you!"

The words of Rishi Garga still rang in Jagadeesan's ears. He had been served his punishment for killing an innocent boy and now he was repenting for the crime. No one knew about his curse except for his mother. Jagadeesan had known beforehand that there would be no heir born to him. But unaware of the fact, Maharani Mridulata had made a fuss about it and wanted to get him married again. It was when her distaste for Nivedita had crossed it's limit that Jagadeesan had opened his mouth and told her the truth. Maharani Mridulata had been in denial since then. She could not accept that her carefully constricted plan was on the verge of collapsing.

"Why? Why did you hid this from me?" She had asked in shock. "Why did you not say anything?"

Jagadeesan had not answered her that day, but she saw the answer clearly in his eyes. If she had known, she would have moved on to Somesh and made him the crown prince of Amvasthapuram instead of Jagadeesan. And his eldest, in his way, had taken retribution for stopping Jayaditya's coronation!

Since then Maharani Mridulata had palliated towards Nivedita, knowing not to anger Jagadeesan. He might not show it, but if someone hurt his loved ones, they better be ready to pay the price. Besides if her own mother-in-law, Rajmata Vilasvati knew of this, it wouldn't end well. But she still couldn't let go of the hope that there had to be a way for Jagadeesan to sire a son. That's why she had searched the entire Aryavarth for an answer. And she had found it in Silachettr.

The Rajkumari of Silachettr, Viswa was blessed by Goddess Kamakhya that she would give birth to not one or two, but a total of hundred sons!
Maharani Mridulata thought her to be the solution to Jagadeesan's curse. But her own son ruined her plan! Kashyap snatched that solution while getting exiled himself.

One thing had turned in favor of her though. After losing his son and wife, Jayaditya had given up. He now, no longer wished the throne or kingdom. And it couldn't be given to him anymore as he refused to marry again and had vowed to remain always faithful to his first and only wife. Maharani Mridulata wondered who it was that had removed the thorn from her side by asking for Rudraditya as the donation. Whoever it was, she had removed the biggest obstacle of her path. Otherwise, she had no doubt that Jagadeesan would have declared that child his heir only.

Now the hope was Somesh and Yamini. With Jayaditya out of the way, Jagadeesan would have no choice but to accept their future son as his heir and the next candidate for the throne of Amvasthapuram.

***

Someplace unknown...

In a place surrounded by trees and flowerbeds, a woman was softly singing to a little boy. Though the beautiful woman looked young and carried an aura of positive energy, her wise eyes spoke of her years of knowledge.

As the boy fell asleep, she gently put him on a cradle. Looking at the innocent child, a smile came to her lips automatically. She caressed his head a little and then straightened. Her eyes went to the far sky where her father was dispersing his energy in full strength. She folded her hands and prayed for his guidance.

"Tapti?" Suryadev (the Sun God) called his daughter, appearing in front of her.

The woman was the daughter of Suryadev and Devi Chayya, Devi Tapti. Though she had one more identity.

She was the mother of Maharaj Vriddhakshatra's firstborn, Rajkumar Jayaditya.

"Prarnipat Pitashree." Devi Tapti greeted him.

"What happened, Putri? Why have you summoned me suddenly?" Suryadev asked, glancing at the sleeping boy.

"You know everything, Pitashree. Nothing is hidden from you." Devi Tapti said and remembered the events that had taken place just sometime before.

After getting the donation from Rajkumar Jayaditya, the old woman carried a pitifully crying little Rajkumar to someplace far from Amvasthapuram and prying eyes. She stared at the boy gleefully as quickly her old form started to change and she took the form of a Rakshasi.

"Shhhhh. Don't cry boy. Your suffering is going to end soon." She laughed a little before adding, "What a fool you have gotten as a father! He didn't even suspect me! Now, no one can come in my way. My powers will increase to new heights as I raise you as my servant!"

The Rakshasi went ahead and reached the place where she practiced Tantra and summoned negative energies. She kept the boy in a circle made with blood and human skulls. Here, the loud crying of the boy attracted the attention of Devi Tapti who was at that time immersed in tapasya (penance). She opened her eyes in confusion as she heard the cry of a little boy and sensed the presence of her father, Suryadev himself. As she searched for the source of the sound and energy, she reached the place where the Rakshasi was engaged in worshipping.

"What are you doing here?" The shrill voice of the Rakshasi reached her ears.

"Vishti. What are you doing with that child?" Devi Tapti asked.

"Leave right now, Suryaputri! Don't you dare create hurdles in my worshipping!" Rakshasi Vishti said instead.

"Who is that child, Vishti? And what do you plan to do with him?" Devi Tapti asked again with a little frown.

"That's none of your business! Leave!"

As Devi Tapti felt restless, she closed her eyes to see the truth of the child with the help of her yogic powers. Her eyes opened with a hint of anger in them as she realized this little child was her grandson and her own son, Jayaditya had donated the child to this Rakshasi who had nothing but malice in her mind.

"Give him to me!" Vishti screamed as in the blink of an eye Devi Tapti took the child in her arms.

"Never. I will not let you be successful in your evil intentions!" Devi Tapti said before destroying the place and attacking the Rakshasi.

Vishti, upon understanding she wouldn't be able to overpower Devi Tapti right now, escaped from there.

"This boy, my grandson, Rudraditya, is not only the blood of Vajravansh, but he carries the blood of Suryavansh too. In our dynasty, it has happened for the first time that a child has been deprived from your pious rays at the time of his birth. But still I can sense your strong aura inside him. Why is that?" Devi Tapti asked in confusion. Even Jayaditya did not have this aura in him.

"This boy is very special, Tapti. He has taken birth on that particular time when I was engaged in battle with Raggyi Asura. During the fight, a part of my energy had fallen on earth. And coincidentally that energy had found homage inside Rudrani's womb. That's why you're sensing my energy in him. And that's why Vishti wanted to enslave him too." Suryadev replied.

"What should I do now, Pitashree? I cannot return him to his parents. I am afraid, his life will be in danger there. You know why I had to abandon Jayaditya. I cannot keep Rudraditya with me either." Devi Tapti said in concern.

"This boy is destined to lead a hard life. He will have to earn whatever he wants in life. It'll never be handed to him easily." Suryadev said sensing an unforeseen future ahead.
"Let his destiny take it's course. Hand him to Devi Shubra. She'll make sure that he reaches his destination safely."

Devi Tapti nodded with a heavy heart. She thought him to be unfortunate like his father too. Jayaditya however had his father to take care of him, but Rudra wasn't even going to have that. She put him in a basket and reached the bank of river Shubra. She felt uncertain again and looked upwards at Suryadev one more time.

"Tapti, don't be afraid. He'll be safe, be assured." Suryadev said, appearing before her again.

"But, I don't feel assured, Pitashree." Devi Tapti expressed her distress.

"Don't worry for him. My blessings will always be with him. Furthermore, I give him the divine Kavach (armor) and Kundal (earrings) of mine which are indestructible and will always protect him." Suryadev said and blessed little Rudra.

Devi Tapti's worries shifted a little as she saw the divine Kavach and Kundal of Suryadev appearing on Rudra's body. She then prayed to Devi Shubra and flowed a sleeping Rudraditya to the waters of the river.

***

So, how was it?

Itna sannata kyu hai bhai?!