Hastinapura

"Worry not, Pitamaha!" Yudhishthira smiled to assure the white-robed old patron of Kuru household. "We will be back soon at your feet!"

Bhishma suppressed a sigh, and blessed his grandchildren half-heartedly. He was still unable to convince himself.

Why did it feel like they should not go to Varanavata at this time? Why did he see bad omens since morning? Bhishma's affectionate heart searched for an answer.

"May Tridevas protect you everywhere, child!" He managed to utter.

The other Pandavas and Kunti too touched Bhishma's feet with reverence. All the elders including king Dhritarashtra blessed Pandavas happily. Yudhishthira felt good to see Dhritarashtra smiling so affectionately at him.

How dearly he craved to get his Jyeshtha Pita's love, yet how rare it was in his fate!

The chariots were waiting outside the large royal gate. As Pandavas moved towards them, Vidura's low yet concerned voice gave Yudhishthira a pause.

"Be alert, Vatsa!"

Surprised, the Yuvaraj turned to his uncle. Alert for what?

And even more surprisingly, why did he change his language?

It was not Sanskrit which was their mother tongue. Vidura had spoken in Mlechcha language which was mainly used by Yavanas and non Aryas. It was such a language which was unknown to royals. But Yudhishthira knew this, because Vidura himself taught him this language after his coronation.

"Remember, son, there is such a weapon which is not made of iron, but it can be used to harm human bodies!" Vidura continued in same low tone and same Mlechcha language, "be careful from such weapon used by your enemies!"

Yudhishthira got alert. Vidura was definitely trying to tell him something through this riddle! He needed to listen carefully to his well-wisher uncle!

What was it to which Vidura was indicating to? Could it be fire?

***

Shivi

"What happened, sister?" Devika stopped seeing a villager woman begging at the street in front of Shiva temple. Her cloths were torn. Her face was pale in distress.

"Why are you in this condition?" She was concerned, "is everything fine in your family?"

"Rajkumari," she hesitated. How could a poor village housewife open up to the Princess of the land? Helplessly she bowed her head. Devika sensed her condition and wrapped her arms around her.

"Sister, pray, feel free to tell me! I promise I will do something!"

The concern and love in her voice was so genuine that the woman felt compelled to look up.

"Tell me, what happened?" Devika asked again.

"Rajkumari, our home..." She sobbed.

"Yes, what?"

"They have destroyed it!" She burst into tears.

"What!" Devika's jaws dropped. "Who did this and why?"

"I don't know, my Princess! I only saw the royal people came and ordered all of our locality to leave our homes! Our men have begged for their mercy but they didn't listen." Her voice chocked with tears. Devika took her in her arms.

"We have lost everything, Rajkumari!"

"Worry not, sister! I promise to give you justice!" Devika's determined voice declared. She knew she had to return home sooner to look into this matter.

***

Hastinapura

"Know that an animal can save itself from the fire of forest by residing in a hole!" Vidura continued, "if you remember this, your enemies won't be able to harm you!"

Fire of forest!

Yudhishthira held his breath.

"Sometimes, even living inside a hole is not enough to save lives! One must know the outlets to escape from there. If you know how to identify directions from stars, you will survive!"

Yudhishthira's brows evened. He got his answer. Vidura hinted him to escape through an underground passage. That definitely meant that the house they were going to reside in would be set on fire!

Vidura stared at his favourite nephew's face anxiously. Realizing the silent question in his eyes, the Yuvaraj calmly replied in Mlechcha language, "worry not, Kaka! I have understood!"

"Stay safe, Vatsa!" Vidura patted him.

Yudhishthira touched Vidura's feet.

"Dharma himself is with me, Kaka! As long as I have Dharma, I fear no one!" He nodded with a smile, assuring the Mahamantri.

Giving him blessings, a relived Vidura left for his abode. Yudhishthira went ahead to ride on his chariot.

The subjects blocked his way. They could tolerate anything but to see that their Yuvaraj was banished from Hastinapura so unfairly! It took Yudhishthira long to console and convince the agitated citizens.

But was it so easy to convince his own heart?

Yes, the fire of Varanavata would not hurt his body anymore. Uncle Vidura had saved him from that. But no one could save him from the severe burn that his heart would have to bear with! The same pain of betrayal from the cousins whom he still loved!

They offered hatred and envy again in return of his affection! For the third time!

And only he knew that this pain would be much more than a physical burning!

Forgiveness appears beautiful to the world. Only the forgiver knows how much it costs from inside, like a candle burns itself to spread light!

***

Shivi

"Pita!" Devika rushed into the king's chamber, "may I ask you the present condition of our treasury?"

Govasana got perplexed for a while.

"Why this question suddenly, Putri?"

"Because I need to know what happened suddenly that we need to uproot the slums!" The Princess was grave, "just a few months ago the tax was increased. Now is there any chance to earn more from the homeless villagers? How much they can pay you, while starving themselves?"

"Vatse, calm down! It's for your good only, child!" Govasana softly said.

"My good!" Devika snapped.

"Your wedding is going to take place soon! So many kings will be invited. Don't you think that Shivi must be decorated like the Heaven on earth, to celebrate her princess's marriage?"

"How can Shivi become the Heaven, Pita, if the subjects are unhappy?" She sighed, "how can your daughter be happy in her new home, with the curse of all these homeless people?"

"Putri, this is your..."

Govasana could not finish. The alarm bells of the nearest fort rang suddenly, making both of them shocked.

A chill ran down Devika's spine. There was only one possibility of this warning siren at this hour of night!

Shivi had been attacked!

____________________________________
Author's note: As many of you already know, my first book on Yudhishthira, "Rise of Dharma", has been published in Amazon Kindle. From now on, DharmaPriyaa will have some scenes taken from that book, like this chapter's Vidura's message scene. Since my book is legally copyrighted, copying anything from DharmaPriyaa from now on will lead you to serious legal problems. So kindly be careful about that.

I want to share the first two or three chapters of Rise of Dharma here as a separate book. Let me know how many of you want to read a sample of my published book. And again, nothing can be copied from those excerpts since it is copyrighted material.

Also, those who have not read Vyasa's MB, it is a true scene from Jatugriha parva unlike what was shown in Star plus.