After such an emotionally heavy afternoon, the family relaxed just chatting around. The crowed were subdued not their usual self.
Anya decided to bring some sort of normalcy. She had all the Pandavas in a circle with the elders in the middle. She said she wanted to play a game. She explained that she will give various hypothetical situations and each of them need to tell a solution or what they would do starting from Yudhishthir. The elders will be the judge of it.

Everyone agreed and looked forward for it since it was a mentally stimulating game.

Ananya started off with few simple situations which was perfectly answered in various combination by the brothers.

Then Anya asked,
"Agar koi sut jathi ka 6 varsh ka balak mantra slok bohot saraltha se bol pa raha hai..aur isse dekhar kuch brahmin bohoth krodith hothe hai..aur woh uss chotte bache ke muh mein pigale hua sonna daal na chahathe hai dandh ke roop mein..kya woh sahi hai?"

(If some small 6 year old boy belonging to Sut caste can say mantra slok with great ease...and seeing this, some brahmins are extremely angry..and they want to punish that small kid by pouring molten gold in his mouth..is that right?)

Anya specifically asked this situation. While this 'tale' of Shon shown in the Surya Putra Karn show was completely fictional and according to the scriptures, Shon was killed by Arjun in the Kurukshetra war not as a child..She wanted to see what they will do.

Arjun frowned and asked,
"Isme galath kya hai? Agar uss bache ko slok saraltha se aatha hai...toh woh achi bath hai na? Jyesht agar Brahmino ne iss ke karan uss balak ko ithna kator dandh diya...Aur yeh apradh bhi toh nhi hai..toh kya woh ek Brahmin hoke..adharm nhi kar rahe ?"

(What is wrong in this? If that kid can easily recite sloks...then it's a good thing right? Jyesht if those Brahmins punished that kid with such cruelty for this reason...and this is not a crime either..aren't they committing adharm inspite of being a Brahmin?)

Arjun asked looking at Bheem and Yudhishthir. While the twins nodded their heads agreeing with Arjun looking shocked at such an imaginary situation.

Bheem angrily said,
"Yeh sab toh Sach mein nhi ho raha hai...isliye mein chupp hoon...agar yeh mere samne hotha toh mein unn Brahmano ke haath pair thodd deta!"

(These things are not happening in real..that's why I am quite..if this was happening in front of me then I would break those Brahmans hands and legs!)

Yudhishthir nodded and said,

"Humare Vedo ke anusaar ekk vyathi ke karm se uska varn nischith kiya jatha hai..arthath- ekk Sut ka putr ...uske karm ke karan ek Brahmin ban saktha hai...iss halath mein keval Un Brahmano ki dosh aur adharm dikh thi hai...uska dandh...unhe avarn bana ya unhe Shudhra bana saktha hai..."

(According to our vedas, a person's karm decides his varna...meaning- a Sut's son...with his Karm can become a Brahmin...in this situation only those Brahmins are at fault and are adharmis..the punishment for this can vary from being demoted to Shudhra or be casted out of the varna system( avarn)..)

Anya nodded her head satisfied with the answer and Pandu smiled proudly.

Anya took a deep breath and came to one of the important events.

"Mano...ki aap sab ke jaise..5 bhai hai..woh Van mein rahe the hai..unki Matha ke sath..aur woh Brahmin parivar hai...ek din unn Pancho mein se ekk ne kisi Rajkumari ka Swayamvar jeeth liya aur unki mangethar ke saath unke Maa se milane lekar aye hue the...jis kshan woh unki kuti ke paas padhare the...unki Ma Pooja mein vyasth thi...unki aanke bandh thi aur unke Putro ko sirf unka Peet dikh raha tha..5 mein sabse chotte ne bola...'Ma...dekho daan mein kya mila hai' aur unki Ma ..bina dekhe...bina samjhe yeh bol diya..'Jo bhi mila hai..5 mein bant do..' aur un Pancho Bhaiyo ne...uss Rajkumari se vivah kar li...kya yeh uchith hai...?"

(OK...Imagine...there were 5 brothers like you all..who all lived in the forest with their Mother...and they are a Brahmin family...one day...one of the 5 brothers had won the Swayamvar of a Princess and he was on his way to introduce his fiance to his Mother...when they had come near their hut...at that instant their Mother was busy with her pooja..her back was facing her sons..the Youngest of the 5 said- 'Ma look what we got in the form of Daan...' and their Mother without opening her eyes or even understanding her surroundings said- ' whatever you got...share it among yourself equally..' and those 5 brothers married that Princess...is this right?)

As Anya was explaining her situation to the group, Kunti felt a chill down her spine and felt disturbed. She shuddered and resolved to herself that she would never commit the mistake of speaking anything without looking which the Mother of the story had made, unknowingly changing the fate there itself with her single resolve.

Arjun looked at Anya horrified.

"Ananye tum yeh sab...sochthi kaisi ho?"

(Ananye how do you think...of all these?)

Anya shrugged in response. Arjun looked at her unique way of responding.

All the 4 of the brothers looked at Yudhishthir. They were absolutely out of their depth with this situation.

After few moments of deep thinking, Yudhishthir responded.

"Iss sthithi mein yeh uchith hoga Anya..kyunki Apne Matha Pitha ke aadesho ka palan karna hi ek putr ka dharm hai..."

(In this situation..this is the right choice Anya..because it is the dharm of a Son to follow the orders of the parents ..)

Before Anya could do her counter argument, Pandu interrupted her by standing up looking visibly upset and disappointed with Yudhishthir.

"Bilkul galath ! Putr Yudhishthir...Putr Dharm nibana avishyak hai parantu yeh baath samjho ki Matha Pitha bhi Manushya hai...woh har samay sahi nhi ho sakthe...unse bhi bhool ho sakthi hai..agyaantha karn hi sahi...iss sthithi mein..uss Matha ne agyaan mein woh aadesh diya tha..unhe patha nhi tha ki unka putr Kanyadaan ki baath kar raha tha...unhe laga ki unhe koi vastr yaa bhojan mila hai...kuch samay aise bhi aa sakthe hai jab shayad tumhara Putr dharm aur pati dharm dono sankat mein ho...toh uss vipadha mein..tumhe soch samajh kar nirnay lena hoga...dhyan rahe...tumhari Patni uska sab kuch chodd kar tumhare saath aathi hai..toh vivah hone ka baadh tumhare Pati dharm pehle aatha hai..Putr dharm nhi..kabhi kabhi paristhithiyo ko dekhar ...hame samajhdhari se nirnay lena chahiye...ki konse dharm ka thyag kar sakthe hai ...aur konse dharm ka palan..tum sabh yeh baath ko samjho..."

(Absolutely wrong! Putr Yudhishthir..it important to follow Putr Dharm but please understand the fact that even Parents are humans...they can't be right always...they can also make mistakes...due to ignorance...in this situation, that Mother had given that order in pure ignorance...she didn't know that her son meant kanyadaan...she thought he was talking about some cloth or food..there might come times when you have to choose between you Putr dharm and you husband dharm...in that case, you have to make the decision after analysing everything very carefully..always remember...you wife leaves everything behind and comes with you...so after marriage, your Pati/husband dharm comes first...not your Putr dharm...sometimes it is absolutely necessary to understand the surrounding and the bigger picture and then decide which dharm can be sacrificed and which needs to be followed..all of you please understand this!)

All the boys nodded their heads in understanding while Anya felt proud and admired her uncle's sense of justice and wisdom. She realised just how early the brothers lost their father. They had missed out on maybe important lessons from him.

Anya presented the next situation.

"Socho unhi 5 Bhaiyo ke ek kutil adharmi mama hai aur unke Taushree ke bache jo unka vinash chahthe hai....abhi socho...unhone milkar...ekk dyuth sabha ka ayogen kiya tha aur un Pancho Bhaiyo aur unki Patni ko nimanthran diya...shanthi prastav ke roop mein...is samay unn 5 Bhaiyo ka ekk chotte sa  rajya tha un pancho Bhaiyo mein jo Jyesht tha, woh hi uss rajya ka Raja tha...un adharmio ka bada rajya tha...unka nimanthran sweekar kar ke yeh sabh udhar gaye...un adharmio ne dyuth ka niyam aise rakha ki Bado ke aadesho ka palan karna aniwarya tha..un Pancho ka Jyesht ko dyuth mein badi dilchasvi thi..toh unhone unke bhaiyo ke ore se khel ne ka nirnay liya..khel shuru hone se pehele Un Pancho ki pathni Jo Rani bhi thi..unhe Stree o ke Kaksh mein bhej diya gaya..pehele Jyesht jeethe the.. jiske karan unka aathmavishvas adhik hua..phir un adharmio ne asli khel khela...asal mein jo paasa woh khel mein prayog kar rahe the woh unke Mama ke pitha ke haddiyo ka bana tha ...artharth woh paasa mayavi tha..Jo sirf aur sirf unke Mama ke vichar anusar gir tha tha...par inke Jyesht ko yeh sathya nhi patha tha..dheere dheere Jyesht ne apna rajya khoya...apni sari dhan sampathi ko kho diya..fir un adharmio ne aisa chal racha...unhone ne kaha ki Jyesht ke paas unke 4 bhaiyo ke upar bhi toh adhikar hai...unko dao pe lagane ko bola gaye..agar woh jeethe tho woh abhi that Jo bhi khoye the...woh sab unhe wapas mil jayega...varna unko 4 daas mil jayenge..aur Jyesht ne maan liya...aur unke 4 bhaiyo ko bhi kho diye...woh 4 Jo Rajkumar the..woh daas ban ke rahe gaye woh 4 bhai moun rahe

..phir baath ayi unn Pancho ki pathni ki...unhe bhi dao par lagaya gaya..aur kho diya..unn dushto ne ek stree ko..ek naari ko uske Kesh pakad sabha thak gasit laye...ek naari ka...ek kulvadhu ka vastra haran karne ki koshis kiya gaya...aur har ekk vidhvaan vyakthi moun rahe...kuch nhi Bola...unske 5 pati krodh ke agni mein jal rahe the par unhe bhi moun rahana pada kyun ki woh das the...ek dusht ne uski saree kichna chalu kiya...us Rani ne...uss Devi ne Narayan se Prathna ki uski raksha karne ke liye...aur Bhagawan ko bachana pada..unhone uske vastra haran hone se bacha li...aap sab ko kya lagtha hai? Abhi Pandu Kakka ne hum sab ho ekh bohoth mahathvapurn shiksha diya...aap ko kya lagtha hai...? Is mein kya Jyesht uchith the? Kaun galath tha?"

(Imagine those 5 had an adharmi and a cruel uncle and their Taushree(Elder brother of their father) had kids who only wanted their destruction...now think...all of them got together and arranged a dyuth (gambling) sabha and invited those 5 brothers and their wife for a peaceful meet...around this time...those 5 brothers had a small kingdom under them...the eldest/Jyesht among the brothers was the King....those adharmis had a bigger kingdom...accepting their invitation..they all went there..those adharmis had kept the rules of the dyuth such that it was absolutely necessary to follow the orders of the elders....the Jyesht brother had a bit of passion for playing dyuth...so he decided to play on behalf of his brothers..
Before the game started, the wife of the 5 brothers who was also the Rani...she was sent to the ladies room...in the beginning Jyesht Brother was winning..due to which his confidence increased...then those adharmis started playing their real game..truth was that the dice which was being used..it was made out of the bones of their Mama's father...as in that dice was magical...it only listened to the thoughts of their Mama...but the Jyesht Brother was not aware about this...slowly the Jyesht brother lost his kingdom...he lost all his wealth and property...then those adharmis made a horrid strategy..they said Jyesht had rights on his 4 brothers as well..he could bet them..if he won, he would get everything that he lost..and if he lost, they would gain 4 servants and Jyesht agreed and kept his 4 brothers on stake..and lost them as well..those 4 who were Princes..were reduced to servants...but the 4 of them kept quite...then the talk came on their wife who was also a Rani...she was put on stake...and lost as well...those wicked cousins dragged a woman...a female by her hair all the way from her room to the sabha...a woman..the daughter in law of their royal clan...they tried to remove her clothes...and every single person in the Sabha..every wise...warrior person was quite...no one said anything..her 5 husband who were burning in the fire of their anger also had to stay quite because they were reduced to servants...an evil started pulling her saree..to disrobe her...that Queen...that Devi prayed to Narayan asking him to protect her...and Bhagawan had to intervene to save her..he stopped her from getting disrobed...what do you all think? Now Pandu Kakka taught all of us an important lesson...what do you all think? Was the Jyesht  Brother right? Who was wrong?)

Everyone had tears streaming down their face. They looked pale and sick just to imagine the scene that Anya so vividly painted in their heads. Anya had changed few minor things. She always felt the most affected whenever she saw or read Draupadi's cheer haran. Because after everything, nothing changed in Kaliyug. It only got worse. No woman was safe. No child was safe. Not even in their own damn house! She hated to traumatise them like this but she thought tough luck. She had to be do it! If anyone can drive something into their heads then it's probably their father.

Yudhishthir said in a shaking voice,
"Jyesht bhai galath tha! Usse koi adhikar nahi ban tha ki woh apne bhaiyo ko...apni patni ko sampathi samaj kar dao pe laga de..woh koi vastr thodi hai...woh manushya hai..aur baath hothi hai unn charo bhaiyo ki...toh unhe iske liye man na nhi chahiye tha...unhe kudh nirnay lena chahiye tha...chahe uske liye  une apne Jyesht ke virudh hi kyun na jana pade..."

(The Jyesht brother was wrong! He had no right to stake his brothers and wife as if they were property...they are not some clothes...they are humans..when it comes to the 4 brothers..they shouldn't have agreed in the first place to be put on stake...even if they had to go against their older brother for it!)

He then looked at his younger brothers and said,
"Tum sab mujhe aaj ekk vachan do! Bhavishya mein..yadhi kisi karan vashti mera budhi brasht ho jathi hai...aur mein tum sab ko aise ek kary ke liye tum sab ko vivash karu...toh tum mein se koi bhi meri baath nhi manoge...chahe kuch bhi hojaye...chahe mein kuch bhi bolu...Jo galath hai woh hai! Tum charo agar mere virudh hi kyun na kada hona pade...tum mera virodh karoge..kyun ki tum 4 alag vyakthi ho! Vachan do  mujhe!"

(I want all of you to promise me something today! If in future...for some reason if my mind gets corrupted or I'm not thinking properly..and I'm trying to force you all to agree for something like this..then not a single of you should listen to me...no matter what..no matter what I say...if something is wrong then its wrong! Even if  the 4 of you have to stand against me...you will oppose me...because you 4 are at the end of the day 4 different individuals! Promise me!)

The four brothers promised their older brother.

Pandu then said,
"Baath wahan pe khatham nhi hothi hai....uss sabha mein har koi vyakthi jisne yeh gorr pap hone diya...woh sabh ke sabh adharmi hai! "

(It doesn't end there...every person in that sabha who allowed such a horrid sin to happen..they were all adharmis!)

Pandu then had his sons promise him two things. First- to never play dyuth. Second- if a big sin and adharm is happening in front of their eyes, they need to stop it! Even if they have to sacrifice some personal oath or dharm for it.

He then thanked Anya for introducing such a game and playing it. Since it gave him an opportunity to teach and observe the reasoning skills of his children.

Anya nodded and smiled.

The adults dispersed while the twins suggested they play hide and seek. The Pandavas and Anya started playing hide and seek after that.

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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