KARNA THE EMPEROR OF HASTINAPUR CONTINUED EPISODE 18..

 

Episode 18

Woman’s Era (Stree Parva)

         After a lull in Kurukshetra, it was now time for the flesh-loving animals to move towards the battlefield singing, dancing at its best. This alarmed Bhima, Arjuna, Nakula, and Sahadeva talk to their bitter halves regarding their reservations about accepting Karna as the King as proposed by Duryodhana. They were told to hasten their decision in view of the prevailing precarious situation.

         Draupadi took the lead, collected all the grief-stricken women folk, and met Kunti. Kunti made her stand clear. She reminded that Karna was as much his son as the others and hence whatever she spoke may be construed as a bias. She preferred to remain away from the deliberations. She, however, agreed to honour the decision taken.

         Gandhari too kept away still frowning at Krishna for all the happenings. Poor Krishna sat playing his favourite flute under a barren tree. The Kauravi’s in large number followed Draupadi as a mark of respect to a woman whose modesty was disrespected. They all considered this as an opportune to consecrate the acts committed by their own men.

         Draupadi took all the grieving women onto the battlefield to conduct the crucial meeting amidst the corpse of the bravest of men in history. It is these corpses who should feel happy and satisfied that their fighting spirit did not go in vain. Each widow put tilak on the foreheads of men lying in silence, each mother for her children whose fortune was yet to blossom, each sister to her brother’s upon whose hands they had tied the Raakhees.

         They all silently prayed for a minute before the crucial meeting was held. The real Stree Parva (Woman’s era) had begun. Draupadi requested all to express their hidden feelings about the future course of action without any inhibition.

         Many upcoming women desired that the Pandava and Kaurava siblings be provided with a cordial atmosphere taking moral from what calamity befell. No more ill will and bloodshed they argued. “Enough was enough”, they cried.

         Bhanumati, the little mentioned wife of Duryodhana and the queen of Hastinapur threw in dice and surprised everyone. She argued, that it was high time for worthy women to take lead and create precedence. “Let there be a Queen to rule, henceforth for Hastinapur”, she wittingly suggested. An intimate friend of Karna, she always lost to him in the game of dice and eagerly waited for revenge.

         Supriya, the second wife of Karna but more so a close friend of Duryodhana’s wife Bhanumati supports her only to be silenced by Karna’s maiden wife Vrishali. The innumerable widowers of Duryodhana’s brothers start murmuring and twist their fists.

         Vrishali intervenes to remind Draupadi that the purpose of this meeting is to discuss only Duryodhana’s proposal of making Karna the King. Draupadi agrees and looks towards the Pandavi’s for their opinion.

To be continued in the next episode 19.....