They had decided that they will tell after lunch. But Ananya had a doubt and asked Kunti Bua,

"Bua...apko Nandh Baba ko bathane mein koi woh nhi na? Mera mathlab..sankoch toh nhi hai?"

(Bua...you don't have any that right to tell everything to Nandh Baba too? I mean....no hesitation right?)

Kunti Bua shook her head and said,
"Nhi Putri...mujhe Nandh Ji ko bhatha ne mein koi sankoch nhi hai..Tumhare Baba mere Bhratha saman hai..galthi meine ki hai..abh jab meine nirnay le hi liya hai..toh abh puri parivar ke samne bolungi..."

(No Putri....I don't have any hesitation to tell the truth to Nandh Ji...Your  Baba is like my brother...I have committed a mistake...now that I have decided to tell the truth....then it will happen in front of the entire family..)

Ananya nodded and smiled as she finally realised where she got a certain trait. She had the habit of oscillating and agonising when it came to deciding something but once she decided something,  nothing could push her to change her mind or distract her or break her to go back on her decision.

Her Kunti Bua was like that ....or rather she was a bit like her Bua in that matter. Must be something that her grandparents had passed it to her Father Vasudev and Bua.

Ananya then started helping her Bua in cooking lunch when Kunti Bua asked,

"Anya...tum Kaliyug mein kithne saal ki thi Putri? Meine suna tha ki wahan samay alag chal tha hai.."

(Anya..how old were you in Kaliyug Putri? I heard that time moves differently there ..)

Anya smiled and said,
"Haan Bua..samay alag chaltha hai..Kaliyug mein meri ayu 26 ki thi! Asal mein 1 Dwaparyug varsh = 2.6 Kaliyug varsh..Dwapar mein se mere gaye hue 9 saal hogaye the par Kaliyug mein 25 saal ji juki thi!"

(Yes Bua...time flows differently there...in Kaliyug my age was 26! Actually 1 Dwaparyug year = 2.6 Kaliyug year...it had been 9 years in Dwaparyug since I was taken but I had lived  25 years in Kaliyug!)

Kunti Bua looked shocked and asked,
"26? Tabh toh Kya tum Vivhith thi?"

(26? Then, were you married?)

Anya chuckled and said,
"Haan vivah kar lethi agar kalpanic kirdharo se vivah kar pathi toh Avishya kar thi!"

(Yeah I would have gotten married if it was possible to marry fictional characters!)

Kunti looked confused.

Anya smiled and said,
"Nhi Bua! Kaliyug bohoth alag hai! Aur jis saal meine dekha hai...woh toh..Aryavart ke sare log angrez ki rithi riwaz ko apnane lage the kafi cheezo mein...Sach toh yeh tha ki kuch gin chun ko chodkar...sab log prem ka arth hi bhool chuke the..bohot saraltha se apni prem ke saath chal, dhoka dhethe the...ek samay pe anek sthriyo ke saath sambhandh rakhthe the.."

(No Bua! Kaliyug is very different! And the year which I have seen...that is..all the people of Aryavart (India) were slowly adopted the cultural practices of Western in many areas...truth  be told with few exceptions..everyone seem to have forgotten the meaning of love...they cheat and betray their love very easily...they have relationships with multiple women at the same time...)

Kunti understood a little but she had few doubts,
"Angrez...? Anek sambandh?"

(Angrez...? Multiple relationships?)

Ananya sighed and explained everything to the best of her abilities. How there was no kingdoms in 21st century. How having poly-marriage was banned for multiple reasons, about divorce and everything. She even explained about democracy and government and gave a general idea of the geopolitics of the world.

Kunti nodded her head in understanding,
"Toh tumne vivah nhi ki kyun ki tumhe Prem nhi hua?"

(So you didn't marry because you didn't fall in love?)

Anya shook her head,
"Nhi Bua ....mujhe prem karni thi par kabhi hua nhi...toh meine apne Kaliyug ke mata pita ko bola tha ki voh mere liye var dundhe.. "

(No Bua...I wanted to fall in love...but it never happened..so I had asked my Kaliyug parents to look for a guy..)

Anya then explained few more intricacies about Kaliyug relationships and how it had changed in the recent years to people forgetting their emotions and taking everything for granted.

Kunti Bua nodded and said,
"Par ekk tharaf se bahuvivah na hona Acha hai..toh mathlab Tum iss yug mein kabhi uss vyakthi se shadhi nhi karogi na joh bahuvivah ko mantha ho?"

(But it's good in one way right that there is no polymarriages there..so it means in this yug, you would never marry a guy right who believes poly marriage?)

Anya looked at her Bua in surprise and shock. She never thought that, apart from her Brothers and her Kaliyug friends anyone could understand her so well.

Kunti Bua smiled and carecassed her cheeks,
"Mein sab samajh thi hu Putri.."

(I understand everything Putri..)

Anya smiled and nodded her head. Madhri ma finally came back saying that Nakul needed her for something.

However what Kunti Bua and Anya didn't realise was that another person had finished his duties very early had come back to the house early wanting to surprise and spend few extra minutes with Anya. But he stopped himself from revealing when he realised that Anya was telling "Nhi Bua! Kaliyug bohoth Alag hai..."

He finally revealed himself when he hugged Kunti Ma from behind.

Kunti Ma smiled,
"Arjun? Putr tum jaldi aagaye aaj ?"

(Arjun? Putr you are home early today?)

Arjun smiled and said,
"Haan Ma, woh sab kuch jaldi katham hogaya tha!"

(Yes Ma, everything got over quickly today..)

Anya was busily admiring their bond from a distance with a smile.
The Pandava theme from starplus Mahabharat was playing in her head, which unconsciously made her hum the tune.

Kunti then told Arjun to go and play with Anya since she might be getting bored. Arjun nodded enthusiastically and ran to Anya who was curiously looking at the Mother son duo.

-------

After rest of the family came back and had their lunch, Kunti Ma braced herself and announced that she wants to tell them something extremely important.

Everyone gave their complete attention to her and she lightly got nervous. Anya caught her Bua's eyes and gave a reassuring nod. Kunti took a deep breath,

"Aap sab ko gyath hai na ki jab mein baalpan mein thi thab meine Rishi Durvasa ki seva ki thi aur woh mere seva se prassn ho ke unhone mujhe ekk mantr diya tha..?"

(You all are aware right that when I was a child, then I had done service to Rishi Durvasa and him being happy with my service gave me a mantra..?)

Pandu Kakka nodded and stood up,
"Haan Kunti! Hum sab ko gyath hai iske baare mein...ussi mantr ke karan hi toh hum theeno ko putr bagya prapth hua! Parantu tum yeh abhi kyun puchh rahi ho?"

(Yes Kunti! We all are aware about this...it was because of this mantra that we three got the opportunity of having children! But why are you asking about this now?)

Kunti signed,
"Kyun ki meine aap sab ko puri baath nhi bathaya tha! Asal mein Rishi ne mujhe uss mantr ke baare mein puri jankari nhi diya tha! Bas inthna kaha ki: 'bhavishya mein jab tum vivahith hogi tabh yeh matr bol kar tum koi bhi devta ka darshan kar sakthi ho!' Baalpan ka agyantha ke karan mein unki baatha a pura arth samajh nhi saki! Unke jaane ke baadh mein bahar mere dasiyo ke saath khel rahi thi jab mujhe ichha hui ki mujhe Surya Bhagawan ka Darshan ho jaye...meine akeli ayi Aur meine woh matr pada, Surya Devta prakat hue..ekk nanhe shishu ke saath..."

(Because I didn't tell you all the entire chain of events that happened! Truth be told, Rishi didn't give me the complete information about that Mantra ! He just that : 'In future..when you get married, then if you recite this mantra, you can get the darshan of any devta as you wish!' Due to childish immaturity, I didn't understand the complete meaning of his words! After he left, I was playing outside with few servants when I got the sudden wish to get a darshan of Surya Bhagawan...I made sure I was alone and I recited that mantra, Surya Devta made an appearance in front of me with a newborn baby in his hands...)

Kunti had tears streaming from her eyes,

"Uske sharir mein sone ka kavach aur uske kaan mein sone ka kavach..aur surya ke baathi tesajvi tha...Surya Dev ne uss shishu ko mere hatho mein soupa aur kaha ki : 'yeh shishu ke andhar mera tap aur tejas hoga! Aur iska naam Karn hai!'...mein dar gayi thi..ki log kya kahenge...ki mere charithra par sawal uttega..ekk avivahith rajkukari ko putr hua hai...Mere Pitashree pe lanchan lagtha...koi bhi Mere vardhan ke vishay mein vishvas hi nhi karega..meine Mere Putr ko..ek tokree mein rakh kar Ganga nadhi mein baha diya tha..."

(He had a golden armour and a golden earing...and he looked as brilliant as the sun itself..Surya Dev passed that baby in my arms and said: 'this baby will have my fire and light! And His name will be Karn!'......I was terrified..that what will people say...they will question my character...an unmarried princess had a son...My Father will get a stain on his reputation as a King...on his upbringing..no one would believe about my boon...I..kept my son in a basket and flowed the basket in the Ganga river...)

Kunti broke down sobbing as she finally revealed everything.

With the exception of Anya, every single person was in complete shock and they looked wide eyed at Kunti. Pandu Kakka was the first one to react. He angrily shouted at his wife,

"Kunti! Yeh kya kiya hai tumne?"

(Kunti! What have you done?)

Yudhishthir in a shaking voice said,

" Jyesht ne kya paap kiya tha ki aap be aise kar diya? "

(What sin did Jyesht do that you did such a thing?)

Arjun shouted at her with tears flowing out of his eyes,
"Aap ko  patha bhi ki aap ne Jyesht ke saath kithna bada Paap kiya?"

(Are you even aware at the fact that just how big of a sin you have committed with Jyesht?)

Bheem emotionally asked,

"Jyesht ka janm kab hua tha? Abh woh kithne saal ke honge?"

(When was Jyesht born? Now how old would he be?)

Nakul asked,
"Woh teek toh honge na?"

(He would be fine right?)

Sahadev cried,
"Agar unhe kuch ho jatha tho? Aap ko patha hai kya ki woh abh kahan hai? Kya wo surakshith hai?"

(What if something had happened to him? Do you even know where he is right now? Is he safe?)

Pandu furiously said,
"Mujhe samajh nhi aa raha ki tumne iske baare mein pehele hi kyun nhi bathaya? Hum usse dundh kar apne saath le aathe! Kyun Kunti? Kyun?"

(What I don't understand is that why didn't you tell us this before? We could have found him and brought him with us! Why Kunti ? Why?)

Kunti completely broke down,
"Kyun ki mein dari hui thi Arya..ki yadhi Karn ke bare mein pehle batha thi toh kahi aap mujse krodhith hoke..mujh se nafrath na kar beite..."

(Because I was scared Arya...that if I told about Karn in the start and you start hating me in you anger..)

Pandu asked her emotionally,
"Kya ithne saalo mein tumne mujhe ithna hi samjha Kunti?"

(Did you only understand me this much after so many years Kunti?)

Kunti broke into sobs while shaking her head.

Madhri who had been crying continuously steadied herself and said,

"Iss samay Hume yeh sochna hoga ki humare Putr kidhar hai...usse dundh ke wapas lana hoga..Arya kuch socho!"

(At this time, we need to think where is our son...we need to find him and bring him with us...Arya think something!)

Kunti cried and said,
"Abhi woh 28 saal ka hoga.."

(He would 28 years old now..)

Pandu quickly got a scroll and ink out and started writing a letter,
"Mein Mahamahim ko gupt patr likh raha hu...unhe sab kuch batha ke mere Jyesht putr Karn ko dundh ne ke liye bol tha  hun.."

(I am writing a secret letter to Mahamahim...telling him everything, I will ask him to find my eldest son Karn..)

Nandh Baba looked around helplessly.

Ananya silently took out her flute which was made and gifted to her from her Kanha Bhaiya and started to play a calming and soothing tune that slowly calmed everyone down. It filled them with hope and strength.

Anya then slowly brought the tune to an end. Everyone was completely amazed. Nandh Baba smiled not looking surprised.

Bheem smiled a little and said,
"Tum bansuri bohoth badiya bajathi ho!"

(You have a great talent with the flute!)

Anya smiled a shook her head,
"Yeh toh kuch bhi nhi hai Jyesht Bhrata! Mere Kanha Bhaiya ke tarah koi bhi Bansuri nahi baja saktha! Haan ekk ke siwai...unhone hi toh mujhe seekaya hai!"

(This is nothing Jyesht Bhrata! No one can play the flute like my Kanha Bhaiya! Except one person..He only taught me how to play !)

Arjun asked curiously,
"Woh Ekk vyakthi kaun hai?"

(Who is that one person?)

Anya smiled brightly and said,
"Kishori Ji.."

Nandh Baba chuckled and shook his head. Two of his children had a weird habit of giving different names to Radha.

Rest of the family thanked Anya for the much needed relief in the form of her music and Pandu sent his letter to Mahamahim Bheeshm.

_______________________________________________________________________________

A/N:

Hope you all liked today's update!

Please comment your thoughts and what you like/dislike.

Your comments are my
motivation.

Jai Shree Krishna🙏
-Anu