With a letter in his hand, a boy could be spotted standing alone in the gardens of the palace of Hastinapur. He was gazing at the sky, with eyes which were still misty from the truth he had come to know today. His thoughts were again and again drifting to the horrific injuries he had seen on the lifeless body of his father, who in the words of the citizens fought multiple armies consisting of both humans and asurs, for the protection of his family and kingdom.

Soon, his attention got diverted to the footsteps which were approaching him. Shifting his gaze from the sky filled with clouds, his eyes landed on his younger brother, whom he had instructed to bring a bird for carrying a message to Bhramnagri. Taking the bird from his younger brother, Lakshman tied a letter to its leg, and then flew it with a hope that it would reach its intended destination quickly. After which both Durmsen and Lakshman stayed silent and just baked into the comfort that the other’s presence provided them.

WITH KUNTI,

Kunti arrived at the border of Brahamnagri, she and Priyamada then left their chariot there. Kunti covered herself and entered the kingdom. They both entered the kingdom because as of the moment they need its help along with the King because Duryodhana has become that powerful. He now almost had the entire Aryavart only Brahamnagri was a place where they didn't have any alliance or connection with so she desperately wanted their help. Otherwise she would have prayed for its doom but this thing could be managed later. If she could convince Karna then Yudhishthir would be samrat, because Kauravas especially Duryodhana have done a kind of Digvijaya but however powerful they may be Krishna has clearly told that Karna was best warrior of dwapar yug. It was boin he got from brahmadev himself. It's her assurance because the power Duryodhana holds and depicted now was unheard of and she knows for sure none of her children could face him together let alone separately no matter how much they boast about it. It was not that she doubted the valor of her five sons but just mention of Duryodhana sent chills in her spine thinking of them facing him so Karna is her last hope as Dwarka would be neutral in any case. She knows Krishna prefers Karna while Duryodhana was the best student of Balram. In these 13 years she heard and knew about boon, might and practice of Duryodhana and each one was equally terrifying. She knows the care, respect and love Hastinapur has for him only through interference of Karna, could Yudhishthir have a foothold there even if Duryodhana was dethroned otherwise rebellion could start. He sleeps evaded her for 13 years thinking about it. She wanted her legitimate eldest to be Samrat so she could be Rajmata of the entire Aaryavrat. But these unfortunate things have happened but not all is lost. She could achieve her desired post if she could convince Karna, which wasn't a hard task according to her.

Both the ladies entered the kingdom and were offered water, there they too saw the vessels containing gold, jewelry and what not. The shock and surprise they felt was amazing but the string continued as they entered the kingdom. The clothes of citizens, their jewelry spoke volumes of the prosperity of Brahamnagri. The maid and childhood friend of Kunti, Priyamada gas also lived a luxurious life before dyut but even then she didn't have qualities of jewelry, gem embedded in them, soft silk clothes that common citizens wear here. The happy and jovious, cheerful and fulfilling atmosphere spoke volume of qualities of the king but greed has blocked the eyes of two women. The sun had already risen and was at noon now so they missed the opportunity for dawn Pooja but dusk was there and it was their opportunity. Kunti knew what she had to do and how? She knew only at surya pooja did she finally get a time where she could gaid audience with Karna and time which she needed for her theraticals.

She was escorted to dharamshala which is for guests at Brahamnagri, where she tried to mingle with ladies to get some gossip, she got to know about Karna as King, about his family etc. She could easily deduce prosperity here and was jealous and angry that Suta woman was Rajmata here because she was claiming her son as her's. How could an illiterate and low born woman could enjoy the privilege of being Rajmata of such a kingdom, she envied the respect, love and care she commanded from not only citizens but Karna's too. She bristles with anger every time she hears praise of Radha and Karna to be addressed as Radhey. The citizens were tight lipped; they didn't share what King wanted to keep secrets from strangers that came to the kingdom.

Soon the time for which Kunti was desperately waiting came, she was ready to go to bank of river Ganga where Karna does his evening prayer, from citizens she got to know that he does tapasya for one prahar in evening because in morning he has to give daan so only very few people that too occasionally went there for alms only if they are in dire need. For Kunti nothing could be better than this, she went there a prahar before sunrise, she could use all the opportunity that god seemingly gave her. Her joy knew no bounds because she was getting assistance from universes it seems. She could pretend to be a pitiful, weak, victim in front of Karna. She thought she would be first to see Karna after his Pooja and will get his desired alms.

She went there preparing everything, she told Priyamada to wait for her, she reached. But harsh Sun rays were falling there, it seems sun god was unhappy because he was aware of thinking of Kunti, Kunti being poised, delicate Rajmata former princess and Maharani of course was unable to handle the harsh rays but there was nothing there to give her shelter from such sunlight. The Selfish woman did what she was doing her whole life taking advantage of others. She immediately came behind Karna and hid there for shelter. Of course with his height and stature he was perfect for sheltering her according to her and it was his good fortune to serve his birth mother according to her. She stayed in his shelter for one third of prahar as she came after two third of it. She just sat there.

Karna who has finished his prayers did final ritual to fold his hands to his ist dev and celestial father, being son of him he was immune to his sunrays that's why he couldn't feel the increase of temperature there and he was in tapasya otherwise he would have felt emotions his father was conveying through his rays. He turned around to see a woman was there who was covering her entire body, he could see she was an elderly woman. He knew why people came to him at this moment so,

Karna : Devi, what is it that you desire please tell me if possible i would help you?

Kunti was elated hearing this, she knew Karna was a man who followed through his words. She thought she has to take things slowly now because she knows haste could ruin everything. She first has to make her illegitimate child believe she came gere for him and nothing else otherwise everything would go down the drain.

Kunti : I am here to tell you something, will you listen to me?

Karna immediately knew who the woman was, of course he recognised the voice of this woman. He can make a guess oh no he could be sure why she came to him. But in his heart he was glad that the thing she asked was to just hear her out, nothing else or because of his words some bad things could have happened so he decided to stay silent but nodded his head.

Kunti, who got the response she was looking for, started her play. First she showed she was struggling then she made her voice heavy to start her story.

Kunti : A woman has to bear the pressure of society since her birth, i hope you knew this Maharaj. There was once a princess who in her childhood came to another kingdom because her birth father shipped her there to be Princess of that kingdom. There her new family accepted her but their expectations of her were very harsh. Once that Princess was told to serve a sage who is known for his anger. That princess did everything from her power to please such sage. With the grace of almighty she was successful and the sage was very happy with her. He gave her a powerful boon but that young and naive Princess in her eagerness used her boon which created a situation that could ruin the reputation of not just the Princess but her father's too. So with a heavy and sad heart that unfortunate Princess, she had to give away the boon.

Here the waterworks were already doing a phenomenal job, it was flowing through the eyes of Kunti and the woman had expressions of extreme guilt, remorse, longing, helplessness etc on her face. But Karna has an expressionless face, he could very well deduce the part missing and hidden “mysteriously”. Yes he knew it was the story of his birth. Oh! How well the crafted story was, if he didn't know the truth of what the woman was after. Yes, a naive and young princess who was able to please sage durvasa. She thinks Everyone is a fool and would flow in her fake emotions if nativity is a way to please such sage then everyone would have achieved that. Also no such thing like father's reputation was the reason he was discarded it was for selfishness of this woman otherwise she could have accepted it. The previous king and her own husband were the results of niyog so it would never have questions for his acceptance there if she dared to speak truth but no this woman always has looked for herself only. He just stood there and stayed silent but a part of him was dying with each word she was saying because even now she was going round and round instead of going straight at it. He knew she was not here for him but for a time when agyatvas would end in a few days.

Kunti saw the silence of Karna as his confusion, she knew next what she said was the key so she has to use the opportunity and make optimum use of it. She removed her veil, went towards Karna and cupped his cheeks.

Kunti : That sage was Durvasa rishi, he came to kuntibhoja where my father sent me to be princess. I am that princess and you are that boon. Yes Karna you are not Sutputra but suryaputra. Suryanarayana itself is your father. You are not Radhey but kaunteya. I have given you birth. Forgive me my son, in my eagerness I called upon Suryanarayana in my maiden days. I know it was my mistake, I couldn't keep you so I begged Suryanarayana, upon my begging he bestowed you with kavacha and kundala only after that with heavy heart I had to let you go in Water if river Ganga while praying devi ganga to take care of you. But I was sure of your safety because of kavach and the promise of Suryanarayana that he would look after you.

Putra, I knew about you being my son in previous Brahamnagri visit that time i was unconscious and after that the fear of society stopped me but after the incident of dyut Sabha, I wanted to come to you, to tell you the truth, to apologise, to embrace you, pamper you, to say i am sorry. I know I couldn't accept you infront if society because they will call you names but in privacy I could give you the love of mother that you deserve Putra. I wanted to be with you and make up for the time I lost but I was sentenced to home prisonment by Kauravas in Hastinapur. I, a weak woman, a widow who has no power to oppose them has to accept that. I came here now not because I never wanted but because I was unable to do so. Putra you don't know I came here by taking advantage of the war in Hastinapur. I want to accept you, my son. Now we will be together, you, me and your brother will get what Duryodhana has snatched from us. Putra you have built Brahamnagri with your hard work it's your Dharma to be here so we will let Yudhishthir rule Hastinapur. Please help your brothers to get their rights, yudhishthir has right on Hastinapur as he is known as the eldest Pandu Putra and eldest in Kuruvansh of his generation. I know you and your brothers have some misunderstandings but we could work through it. You are their elder brother, it's your Dharma to forgive their mistakes and help them. Please Putra do your Dharma and help them. It will be a good karma to remove bad omen Duryodhana from the pious throne of Hastinapur.

Kunti was ranting at this point but she didn't forget to show how pitiful she was? How society was reasoned, how Kauravas were evil who always harmed their brothers, how they always snatched the rights of their brothers etc. Karna was just listening, of course an intelligent person like him could dissect the information and filter it but truth hurts and that was exactly how he was hurt. Kunti was trying her best to present a show worthy of her reveal but Karna was doing his part according to her. She hoped he could say something especially in her favor but all he did was to stay silent. After all the drama, Kunti was expecting him to say something now at least but to his surprise he just turned around and left. He has promised to listen so he just did that despite how much that hurted him. His behaviour confused and angered Kunti but she consoled herself that he must be shocked, she just has to continue her drama a few more times and then he would melt like others. She overestimated her intelligence and underestimated others but can't blame her because she has a successful record. But she was angry too because she wanted Karna to accept her immediately and in that way she would enjoy the privilege to n Brahamnagri as the Rajmata one who actually deserve such position not some illiterate low born but that day wasn't far not only that she would make brahamnagri vessel of Hastinapur. She has all things planned after all her illegitimate should serve his legitimate. She would let go of their bitter relationship and use her tears to mend the situation i.e. tame Karna to do bidding she wishes. Never has she thought about the possibility of failure because she never failed before. Thinking of everything she smirked and started formulating plans for upcoming days.

On one side, where Kunti was thinking about what to do in the coming days for bringing Karna to her side, Gandhari on the other hand, who was returning after her pooja in the Mahadev temple based near the Ganga ghat, stumbled upon the conversation between Karna and Kunti. She was stunned, and was not able to believe that someone whom she regarded as her sister, could do such a heinous deed, and that too against her own eldest. She, with anger walked towards Kunti, who when turned around to leave, suddenly came face to face with Gandhari.

Seeing Gandhari here surprised Kunti, and what surprised her even more was the dress she was wearing. Instead of being dressed like a royal, she was rather dressed like a Sanyasi, seeing which Kunti deduced tht Gandhari was here for seclusion and solitude, and mostly for devoting herself to her Idol, as Bhramnagri has the biggest temple of Mahadev. But noticing anger on her face, she knew that Gandhari had heard her secret, and which made her scared, as she had not planned for this. She only wanted Karna to know about this, and that too because she wanted to use him for her other sons.

Kunti : Jiji …. You here…. How? Why?

Ghandhari : Kunti!!!!!! How could you do this Kunti? How could you abandon the blessings of Suryanarayana. How could a mother flow her child in waves of Ganga. Even asur, pishach etc don't do this kind of brutal crime to their kin.

Kunti : Jiji, it isn't like that. I was forced to do something like that. You know me jiji if the situation wasn't so dire and consequences wouldn't have resulted in the degradation in reputation of my father and kingdom. I would have never done that.

Ghandhari : Whatever the reason be Kunti, that new born was no fault. It was your fault but Karna has to bear punishment for that. How could you Kunti? Didn't your hand tremble or conscience scream at you when you were doing this. How could a woman do this to her first born? How could you live with yourself after what you did to your first child? You could have given him for adoption to an unmarried couple or given him to any ashram.

Kunti was getting fed up with this, Ghandhari was not Maharani now she left her position so she doesn't need to please this blindfolded woman. Who is she to ask questions from her, but she had to do something she suddenly remembered another woman who brimmed with kindness and acceptance that was her co wife mother of Nakul and Sahdev, late princess of madra, Maadri. She was well aware that her husband Pandu forced himself upon her and because of the curse he died but she used that opportunity to blame and guilt trip her and slowly plant the seed of jumping to pyre into her. After that she became the sole mother of five Devputra, two of whom she raised to always follow her three legitimate children. Sahdev showed some behaviour of rebellion but years of brainwashing stopped him from doing something against his brothers. Now she changed her expression from being guilty to bank where ws plans began forming in her mind.

Kunti (angrily) : You have no right to preach about being a mother to me? You are saying like you are not to be blamed for abandonment.

Ghandhari : What are you saying Kunti, I fought tooth and nail to anyone and everyone to let my first born son live so that he could live how could you even say that?

Kunti (sarcastically) : If just giving birth was enough to be a good mother then I too am a good mother because I too gave birth to my son. I atleast became mother to my other five children but you? You were not a mother to your children. Duryodhana is one who gave love of parents to Kauravas not you.

Gandhari grapsed hearing Kunti, she can clearly see that Kunti wasn't one who she regarded as sister, who was soft spoken but this was a royal selfish woman.

Gandhari : Kunti you….

Kunti (arrogantly) : Yes, me. What have you thought like always you will say and i will listen but you forget you have left your position while I still have that. With what right you dare to scream at me. “Mother” you want to talk about being a good mother. What kind of mother were you who ignored her children throughout their life like a trophy wife you were a trophy mother too and what sad is you yourself became that. Do you even know how Duryodhana and other Kauravas felt throughout their childhood, they were ignored by everyone, even their parents who were always busy in duties of king and queen. Just because you fought for him doesn't mean you are a good mother. I may have made a mistake with Karna but I was mother to the rest of my children but could you say so, “Maharani Gandhari”. No, it was Duryodhana who raised his brothers and sister. So don't come to me telling how to be a mother when you are not one yourself for even one of your 100 sons. Did you know how in childhood Duryodhana looked longingly towards us because I used to spend time with my children, poor him who didn't even have that. Everyone has called him names since his childhood but does his parents care, nope. Even a small wound scratched regularly could lead to life taking disease so think how he must have felt all his childhood but did you console him once about it. No “Maharani” you were busy. Because of your lack of upbringing your sons behave like animals with my daughter in law. You talk about abandonment so tell me 13 years ago what it is that you did. You abandoned him, he drew himself in sorrow, misery etc but you weren't there but that's not surprising because you were never there for him or your other sons. Even now when he is probably on his deathbed you are not with him, do him a favour and drown yourself in the water of bhagirathi here, at least in that way your sins could be reduced, especially of a failed mother and wife. You want to talk about being a mother . Do you even know how your children look? I bet in these 13 years you even forgot their footsteps by which you used to recall them.

Saying that Kunti turned to leave but was actually waiting from a distance to see what would happen now. As expected face of Ghandhari saw guilt, sorrows, depression, lifelessness and like someone who lost will to live but she would see till the end. Ghandhari who was a victim of such bashing of Kunti was in a self-deprecating state. Her words were like someone shot an arrow at her and now she was on a bed of arrows. She did introspection and found that Kunti saud was harsh but she couldn't refute even a word as harsh it sounds but there was truth in that. She stood there like a statue frozen on her tracks. Seeing her alone, maids came there and took her towards the palace. Kunti saw that but thought it was a group of Ghandhari taking her towards their ashram or residence. She knew her job was done and she had broken Gandhari emotionally.

In the palace of Brahamnagri,

Lakhmana, who received the letter from her brother, broke down after reading the content. The contents of the letter were so heartbreaking and I didn't know what to do or think. She fanatically started to run in the chamber of her mother as she wasn't sure or knew what to do. She reached the gates of chamber.