The Gall of Gammon

Disclaimer: This story is my humble attempt to write a fanfiction of the epic Mahabharata. My intention is not to hurt anyone's sentiment.

Aum Namah Shivay!!

Major Jayant Roy, SM is a fictitious character. Any similarity with any living person is merely a coincidence.

Chapter 49

Varnavat, Dwapar Yuga

Yudhisthir POV

Fifteen days had been passed since we left Hastinapur and came to the village of Varnavat. Here, we built a hut for ourselves in the forest outside the village. Maharishi Veda Vyasa ordered us to do hard penance while living in forest. But we were facing a problem. Each and every day, lots and lots of men, women and children came to meet us. They stayed with us for the whole days. Somebody wanted to help us with our daily work. Women always bought home-cooked delicious food for us. Bheem was most delighted with this arrangement. He ate the half of our whole ration and the other five including Mata ate the other half. Sometimes, Kakashri Vidura and Kulguru Kripacharya came to meet us. One day, I also saw anuj Vikarna and anuj Yuyutsu came to our hut. We have received some shocking news from them. Angraaj Karna was also a student of Bhargava Parashurama, just like Pitamah and Dronacharya. Bhargava wanted a duel with anuj Duryodhana as Karna's Guru Dakshina. Anuj Duryodhana agreed to pay his friend's Guru Dakshina, and he, along with Angraaj, went on a journey towards the Mahendra hills.

I heaved a sigh and prayed for my anuj. I know that he is a brave and mighty warrior, but, he is not a match for the immortal avatar of Narayana. But still, some part of my mind knew that he was safe. I looked at the sky. The moon was very small. The next day was the new moon. Then I heard footsteps behind me. It was Sahdeva.

"Pranipat, Jyesth Bhrata.", He bowed his head to me.

"Ayushmaan Bhava, anuj." I blessed him.

"What are you doing here, Jyesth? It is midnight. You should go to sleep."

"I can't sleep today, anuj. A lot of things are troubling my mind today. I am afraid for your safety, anuj. I am afraid for all of you."

"Bhratashri, you are Yudhisthir. You are the Jyesth Pandava. You are the embodiment of Dharma himself. You mustn't lose your mind like that. If you lose your mind, then the four of us will lose our way. We can't lose our way in this crucial time. You know Jyesth, once Bhrata Duryodhana said to me that one mustn't lose his hope until his last breath."

My little brother's words literally cleared my mind. His each and every word was correct.

"I am the eldest. I must stay strong; else I can't save my mother and brothers from upcoming dangers. Thank you anuj, you clear up the doubts in my mind."

Sahdeva smiled and nodded.

"This is my Dharma, Jyesth. You know that very well."

I mockingly ruffled his hair, imitating Bhrata Duryodhana. Sahdeva blushed deep red.

"Jyesth Bhrata, you too!"

Then we both started laughing. This was the first time when I laughed this much harder. I was always managed to control my emotions, but my little brother's adorable smile was contagious. After a few moments of loud laughter, we were both at a verge of tears.

"Jyesth, can I ask you something?" Sahdeva asked me. I nodded affirmatively.

"Bhratashri, for the last fifteen days, we were living in this forest. But, are we really doing something fruitful here? Every single day, we were spending time with the people. Now, please do not misunderstand me, I love spending time with them. I respect their emotions towards us. We have the armour of their blessings on us, but aren't we disobeying the orders of Maharishi?"

"Yes, little brother, you are right. But what should we do in this situation?"

Sahdeva looked at the sky. I saw his face becoming hard. In a few moments, his face lost all childishness and became stone hard.

"Tomorrow night is the new moon. We will leave this place in midnight. We need to be in someplace where people can't find us. We may have to use disguise if we need. This is the only way in front of us."

I curiously looked at him. My youngest brother had a divine gift. He could sense the events of the future sometimes. If he thought that we could do something fruitful by going to some other place, then we must leave this place.

"But anuj, where will we go from here?" I asked him.

"We will go to south from here." He said in a determined voice. Then he took my permission and went to sleep. I was still sitting there then I didn't know when the cover of sleep engulfed me.

Next day morning, I discussed the plan with Mata and my brothers. They all agreed to move into another place. That same morning, Maharishi Veda Vyasa came to meet us. We welcomed him with proper respect. Matashri placed a deerskin on the floor, and the sage sat on it. He closed his eyes.

We were all silent for a moment. The sage himself broke it.

"So, today after midnight, you all will leave this place, right?"

We were not shocked, because we knew that Maharishi Vyasa was a powerful sage, who had done very hard penance. He was an omniscient sage. So, to learn our plan was not a hard task for him.

"Yes, Maharishi, please guide us to the right path.", I said to him with crossed hands.

Maharishi Vyasa smiled. His soft gaze fell on Sahdeva.

"Your anuj, Sahdeva already guided you to the right path. You will walk towards south from here, through the jungle. Then I assure you, that you will know when to stop and where to." His eyes moved from Sahdeva then fixed on Bheem for a moment.

"A big change is coming to all of you. Accept it with open arms. But all of you have to be careful. You will not disclose your original identities to anyone, unless you want to disrupt the main cause of you leaving Varnavat. Now, the most important work in front of you, you must be cautious from the one who called you half-Devta."

"Duryodhana? Do not worry, Maharishi!" Bheem's roaring laughter echoed in the hut, "If he tries to attack on us, me and Arjun are enough for him and that sutputra!"

I turned my head to scold my brother, when suddenly; my eyes fell on my mother's face. Her face had an expression of agony, though she masked it in a moment. But I did not miss the two drops of tear in her eyes.

"Rajkumar Bheem, do not underestimate your enemy. Though you have the blessings of Pavan Devta himself, and the nag amrita gave you the strength of ten thousand elephants, your opponent is not weak. His most powerful weapon is his intellect. He is more cunning than Shakuni, so much that he is manipulating him under his little fingers. But I fear that day when he reached at the peak. But do not worry; you are the followers of Dharma. Dharma itself protects his followers. But, being cautious is the first priority of all of you." Maharishi said in a calm voice, but his eyes flashed with anger.

"Maharishi, I am asking forgiveness on behalf of my anuj. He has a golden heart, though his mind is rash like wind. Please forgive him." I pleaded to him.

He smiled at me, and touched my head with his right hand. Bheem also came to him with bowed head and crossed hands. He blessed him too. Arjun, Nakul and Sahdeva also came to him and took his blessings.

The Maharishi spoke again, "Time and fate is the most powerful thing. Remember, Yudhisthir that one who tries to manipulate the fate, fate manipulates itself to be at that way it should have been. Sometimes, one who tries to clear the sins inside others, the sin can take refuge inside him."

The words went above my head. I looked at my brothers who had similar expressions, except Sahdeva, who had a knowing expression in his face. I knew in my mind that my little brother understood those words spoken by the Maharishi.

"Pardon me, Maharishi, but why our sons have to undergo such strains and hardships?" Mata spoke for the first time.

Maharishi Veda Vyasa smiled at her.

"Devi, you can increase the glow of gold only by heating it in fire. Your sons, I repeat, all of your sons are like pure gold, but they can only increase their glory by burning in the fire of hardships. I promise you, all of your sons will find unlimited glory. Their names will be immortal throughout the Yugas."

"Is it true?" Matashri said in a hopeful voice.

"Yes, Maharani Kunti. Though, the touch of mercury made the gold white, this time the mercury itself is trying to protect the gold. But still, as I said before, fate is more powerful in this universe."

The great sage was talking cryptically. I couldn't understand a lot of things said by him. But in my heart, I knew that Maharishi Veda Vyasa was a well wisher of us. We would obey his commands because those commands would help us.

"Maharishi, how many days we have to conceal our identity?" Arjun asked him.

"Do not worry Partha; I will guide all of you from time to time. But, about the end of your hiding let me tell you, that you will have the greatest friend, philosopher and guide in this universe. He will guide the chariot of your life, Maharathi Arjun! He will give the answers of all your questions."

Maharishi Vyasa blessed us and left the hut. Like every other day, people came to meet us. We spent the day with them, and got ready for the night.

In the midnight of the new moon, we left the hut in Varnavat and started walking through the forest. We were walking with the help of two torches, held by Nakul and Sahdeva. We constantly walked for two yojans, after that Matashri stood on the grass. She was tired, so were we.

We all sat down and took some rest. Then we again stood up to walk, but our bodies were protesting. Then anuj Bheem carried all of us on his back, and started running like the wind itself. I was not sure, but when he stopped, we have crossed at least fifty yojanas distance.

"Anuj, let us rest here for a while." I told him. We all lied down under a large banyan tree. I closed my eyes, and sleep took over my senses.

I didn't know how much time had been passed, when a loud, inhuman growl jolted me out of my sleep. I jumped up, and grabbed my spear. But when I looked the scene in front of me, I was shocked to my core.

So, this is chapter 49.

So, here is a chapter about the Pandavas. I hope that you all will enjoy it.

Please read, vote and comment.