Chapter 6
Rajkumari Viswa bent forward to uplift the haystack, but stopped feeling a sharp pain on her abdomen.
"Viswa? What are you doing?" Rajkumar Kashyap came to her hurriedly. He helped her in sitting on a slab that laid nearby.
"How many times have I forbidden you to not do these works? Why don't you listen to me?"
"Arya, calm down. I am fine." Viswa said smiling at his concern. "You unnecessarily take so much tension for me."
"Unnecessarily? You're pregnant, Manohara. Your only job is to rest." He said shaking his head at her silliness.
For the past three years, Rajkumar Kashyap and Rajkumari Viswa had been living in Maharishi Atharvan's ashram. Away from the luxuries and opulence of the palace, they had embraced the simple life of austerities. Leaving all the tension and restlessness behind, they had created a little heaven of their own here. Though they lived in a small hut made of haystack, it was home to them. There were no das or dasis to obey their every command. Rajkumar Kashyap worked hard to meet the basic needs. And Rajkumari Viswa did the house chores all by herself. But both of them did it happily. At the end of the day, they were together. What else mattered!
After making sure Manohara was fine, Rajkumar Kashyap lifted the stacks and guided her back to their hut slowly. As they neared, they saw some people standing close to their house. A familiar face standing in royal attire caught Viswa's attention.
"Bhrata Sumedh!" Rajkumari Viswa gasped in surprise as she saw her elder brother.
The crown prince of Silachettr, Yuvraj Sumedh observed his sister in surprise. He was seeing her for the first time after she left with Rajkumar Kashyap. Her idiocy had surprised him. When he had told her that he would make everything right, her marriage would happen with Rajkumar Kashyap only, what was the need to elope with him? Out of anger, he had not tried to find her even after knowing that Rajkumar Kashyap had gotten exiled. But he couldn't remain angry at his beloved sister for longer. The state in which she was living, pained him. The princess who once remained neat and tidy all the time, who loved to get all dolled up and never had to do any work, stood before him in faded clothes and bare face devoid of any adornment.
"Bhrata, you've really come to meet me?" Rajkumari Viswa asked emotionally. Yuvraj Sumedh blinked a few times to stop the tears from falling and nodded at his sister with a smile on lips.
Rajkumar Kashyap stood behind watching them. He was a little ashamed to face his brother-in-law. Though he was content in his life, Viswa deserved a lot more. And this was nothing near what he had promised her before. Sumedh's eyes fell on him after he had hugged his sister. He watched him from head to toe and back again.
"Prarnipat, Yuvraj Sumedh." Kashyap greeted him.
"Prarnipat, Rajkumar." Yuvraj Sumedh greeted him back.
"I'm not one anymore." Kashyap said with a smile.
"I can see that." Yuvraj Sumedh commented glancing at his hands, he added,
"You roam around with haystacks instead of swords now."
Kashyap turned his eyes elsewhere in embarrassment. Viswa sensed the awkwardness between the two of them and to reduce it offered Sumedh to come inside the hut.
"Arya? There's no water. Will you please go and fetch some?" She asked sweetly to Kashyap giving him the empty earthen vessel.
"Of course!" Kashyap was only relieved to get away from his brother-in-law.
As Viswa entered the hut behind her brother, she found him observing it closely with a frown.
"How is Pitashree and Mata? Do they remember me? And how is Bhabishree?" She asked partially to distract him. But she really did miss her family.
"They're fine. They remember you a lot too." He replied turning his eyes to her again.
"Yeh kya haal bana liya hai tumne aapna, Viswa?
(What have you done to yourself, Viswa?)"
"Maine toh kebal aapna swarg dhund liya hai, bhratashree.
(I have only found my heaven, bhratashree.)" Rajkumari Viswa replied with a genuine smile.
"Yeh hai tumhara swarg?
(Is this your heaven?)" Yuvraj Sumedh asked waving his hand at the hut.
"Swarg wo nehi jaha baivhab ho. Swarg to woh jaha santosh ho. Aur main santust hu bhratashree.
(Heaven is not there where luxuries are. Heaven is there where there's satisfaction. And I am satisfied, bhratashree.)"
Rajkumari Viswa replied. Her smile did not lessen, only increased. Yuvraj Sumedh stared at her for sometime before nodding.
"Come with me to Silachettr. At least for the birth of your child." He said, not wanting her to suffer here during her labor.
"Arya won't come. And I will not leave his side." She replied shaking her head. Sumedh didn't persuade her knowing she was right. Kashyap was an honorable man. His self respect wouldn't allow him to go to Silachettr and enjoy the hospitality of his in-laws after he got exiled from his own kingdom.
"You've grown up so much."
***
"Rajkumari stop! Rajkumari!"
The dasi chasing Rajkumari Nilasi halted at her place realizing the little princess has entered the dinning hall where all the Rajkumars and Maharaj Vriddhakshatra were. They were having breakfast as the queens were serving them. Rajkumari Nilasi came inside running and froze in her place as she saw all the occupants of the room staring at her. Yuvrani Nivedita's eyes widened slightly finding her youngest there.
Here, little Rajkumari finding all the gazes of the males of her family fixed on her got scared. Even though they were her family, she was not accustomed to their presence, much less their attention. Not noticing her mother, she ran to the only familiar one and hid behind him.
Now, everyone was looking at Jagadeesan who looked a little bit surprised himself. He thought something and gently pulled his daughter from behind to his lap. Rajkumari Nilasi glanced at everyone once before hiding her face on her father's chest. The sight warmed Maharaj Vriddhakshatra's heart as he smiled slightly before he resumed eating silently. His sons except Jagadeesan followed his example and focused on eating.
Jagadeesan however, sat awkwardly with his daughter. Nivedita rushed to him to take her. She called Nilasi gently to draw her attention. Little Nilasi though wasn't in any mood to leave her father. As she tried again and cooed her to leave him, Nilasi sported a cute pout ready to cry at any moment. Jagadeesan stopped Nivedita then and said it was fine. He resumed eating with Nilasi on his lap only as Nivedita watched them nervously. Her youngest daughter was the most mischievous one among the four and rarely listened to anything her mother said.
As Jagadeesan kept eating, he noticed Nilasi peaking at him and the food occasionally. He offered a morsel of food to her silently which she ate smiling at him. Jagadeesan's lips twisted watching her cute expressions. As he kept feeding her, she got comfortable and sat on his lap like it was her throne . The onlookers were openly smiling at the scene. It was a very unlikely and unimaginable view for them. Though Jagadeesan had three more daughters, they didn't dare to be so carefree or playful at their father's presence. Even his brothers didn't dare be so comfortable with him.
A short laugh escaped Maharaj Vriddhakshatra as he saw his son awkwardly taking the morsel of food Nilasi offered him with her little hands. Even Maharani Mridulata and Jayaditya smiled too watching their little exchange. Nivedita's heart leaped with joy as her eyes remained glued to the father daughter duo. She smiled wholeheartedly after so many years.
Seemed like someone was finally able to melt the ice of Yuvraj Jagadeesan's heart after all.
***
"Prarnipat, Pitashree."
Rajkumar Jayaditya greeted his father coming inside the chamber. Maharaj Vriddhakshatra nodded and gestured for him to sit down on the seater facing him. Jayaditya did so and wondered why he had summoned him suddenly.
"How have you been, Jay?" Maharaj Vriddhakshatra asked gently surprising him. He couldn't remember when was the last time he had been called that by his father. As for how was he? Well, he still breathed.
"You called for me suddenly?" He asked instead.
"Why? Can't I call you to have a chat?" Maharaj asked in reply smiling sadly. He understood that Jayaditya was feeling uncomfortable as he was no longer used to the presence of his father rather expected to see the Maharaj of Amvasthapuram only.
"I can talk to Maharaj Baladhar, you know." He said as Jayaditya remained silent.
He knew. One word from Maharaj Vriddhakshatra would be enough if Telinga Naresh wanted to avoid war. But that would be forcing Rudrani to return. And if Jayaditya wanted to force her, he could himself bring her back without any aid. After all, who could stand in the way of the disciple of Mahaguru Agnitejas.
Nonetheless, Jayaditya didn't want that. He acknowledged that he had made a mistake. He had separated a son from his mother. If he couldn't return her what he had snatched, he had no right to ask her to return either. The past years, he had spent searching. He had searched for his son everywhere he could. From what he heard his brother-in-law, Haridutt was also searching for Rudraditya. They had almost searched the entire Aryavarth. But there was no sign of him. It was like that woman had completely vanished with his son. There were some days when he felt absolute despair gripping his heart thinking weither his son was alright or not. But he shook those dark thoughts away from his mind soon after. He had to be alright. He had to!
"What is the point of talking to him when I have no answer to give to his daughter?" Jayaditya replied realising his father was waiting for him to say something.
"It wasn't really your fault, Putra. You were bound to honor your promise." Maharaj Vriddhakshatra said soothingly.
"He has a mother who actually wanted to raise him, Pitashree. I had no right to deprive them." Jayaditya said with a scornful smile.
Maharaj Vriddhakshatra understood, it was his own mother's reluctance to raise him which he found ironic.
"Sometimes, for greater good, we need to sacrifice our own
happiness. Desperate situations demand desperate measures." He said looking out the window of the room. It was high time his son knew the truth.
"This is the story of that time when Suryadev came to his full power. His energy was increasing to it's full potential. And earth was suffering from its effects. Drought was affecting the ecosystem and agriculture. Nothing escaped its clutches. Humans, animals, birds, plants, everything was withering and dying.
To save Bhudevi (earth) from Suryadev's dire energy, a girl was born at his own abode. His daughter, Devi Tapti was created to cool him down. Hence, it was required for her to take on part of his heat. But even for Tapti, the energy of Suryadev was too much to bear. To absorb the excess heat of Suryadev she came down on earth and got engaged in penance. As the source of Suryadev's energy is goddess Tara, she started worshipping her. Engaging in practicing tantra vidya and yoga. Thus, by the blessing of the goddess, she was able to bring balance between Bhudevi and Suryadev.
Since that time the excess heat of Suryadev gets absorbed by Tapti and she balances herself through Yoganidra (psychic sleep). She has been trying to convert into a river for a long time with no result. On one such a time when she was engaged in meditation, I met her."
Maharaj Vriddhakshatra stopped and looked at his son who stared at him questioningly with surprise.
"Yes. What you're thinking is true. Your mother is no other, but Suryaputri, Tapti." He confirmed his son's thoughts.
"She did not abandon you, Putra. She left you because when she absorbs the heat of Suryadev, no human can stand that energy and gets burned. And the other time, she had to remain engaged in Yoganidra for an uncertain period of time. It has been like that for ages until she heard my pleas and gave me the time of one year."
Maharaj Vriddhakshatra stopped again as his chest constricted at the thought of the woman who had stolen his heart and never returned it.
"I thought I would tell you about her after you're grown up enough to understand her cause. I know I should have told you about her earlier. But years passed by and I just never got to it." He explained with a sigh and met Jayaditya's eyes.
"I never got to tell you this, but your mother loved you no less, Putra."
***
Jagadeesan is pronounced as
J--ga--dii---shan
How was the revelation?
And our hundred Kaushavas are on the way...
Don't worry Devaputras will arrive soon too!
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