Kripa looked over the training fields sharply before turning towards the youngest recruit among them, Adhiratha's firstborn. After do maheene since Adhiratha's second son was given a death sentence for the crime of hearing sacred scriptures no suta, here his lips curled, has right to learn... The firstborn has been sent to the army.

Usually, Kripa or Bheesma would have refused. The boy is only one and ten varsh old and sutas are usually recruited into the army at six and ten varsh old. However, Adhiratha came to them with folded hands begging for his son's inclusion into the army.

"Please Gurudev..." He begged on his knees. "Vasu was not himself after Shon's death. He stopped talking to anyone and started skipping meals. He lost his smile and is melancholic most of the day. He is losing himself day after day and I fear if he goes on this way he'll die." He sobbed. "Before Shon's death, Vasu wished to learn art of war. He was born with natural armour because we prayed for a child. Last week he flayed himself to take it off. We would have lost him too if Padmavathi, his friend, hadn't gone searching for him. I don't know what he will do next. Please take him in so his mind will be occupied by something other than the death of his brother."

Unable to deny the faithful charioteer's plea, they acquiesced asking him to bring the child to them.

One look at the boy made Kripa understand why Adhiratha and his wife feared for their son's life. Both he and Bhisma were shocked at the emptiness staring back at them in the form of the child. His face was vacant as he noticed their presence and he simply stared at them. It was like someone had sucked the life out of him and he was void of emotions, feelings, and all that made life worth living. He was pale and gaunt with hollowed cheeks and a thin body. Nudged by his father, he bowed at their feet.

"Pranaam Mahamahima Bhisma. Pranaam Guru Kripa." He spoke with a surprisingly strong voice. "My name is Vasusena but except for mata and pita everyone calls me Radheya."

"Today we will go over the basics and see how well you can fight unarmed. Mala Yudh is basic which every warrior has to learn if they ever were to lose a weapon. Have you ever learned how to do so?" Kripa spoke after a few moments.

"No Guru Kripa." The boy replied softly.

"Very well. We will see how you fare against older recruits. Mala Yudh Bhoomi is over there." Kripa ordered. "Vinda come over here."

A lean bronze-skinned man walked towards them and bowed to the Guru. "Vinda this is Vasusena, Adhiratha's firstborn son. Spar with him so I may gauge his capabilities."

"Ready, begin!"

Vinda began to circle Vasu and performed a few mock lunges to throw the boy off and lose his balance. The boy looked dull and lifeless as he was before and didn't even bother to react to his taunts. When he realized that Vasu wasn't going to fall for his tricks, the man came in and threw a few punches that while fast would still allow a beginner to dodge and evade.

What any of the people around didn't count on was Vasu grabbing the outstretched appendage and pulling with all his might. The older student was caught off guard by the move and the man soon found himself launched out of the ring and a great deal away from the group. The act was unexpected but not dangerous or life-threatening as the man flipped and righted himself in the air before he landed in a crouch.

That was beyond what any of them had anticipated from a beginner. But jarring is the change in the face of the child. Gone was his apathy replaced by focus and sheer determination. Kripa then sent for other warriors to test the child but the boy fought like a bull. None of the older students have lasted long against him. Vasu was not skilled like others but despite how many punches that were thrown against him he bore without crying out loud and once any opponent made a mistake of getting into his grasp or staying still for any moment of time, they were thrown outside the ring like a rag doll.

'Parameshwar... if he is this strong now...' Kripa thought at that time. 'when he is malnourished and small. What will he be when he grows up.'

When the lessons started, the boy proved himself that he wasn't just only brawn. Not a single thing has to be repeated twice. All the techniques taught to him were mastered by the next day. The boy practised and practised not stopping for food, water or sleep till he managed to perform it to perfection.

Within theen maheen, there was nothing left for him to learn in the basics of Mala Yudh. It takes an average trainee eighteen months to two years to learn, and usually, they are five to six years older. And in the final bouts, the boy trounced each and every one of the soldiers sent against him. He fought back to back from Sūryōday to Sūryāstam without a break and the boy didn't even break a sweat. To challenge the boy, the next day Kripa sent groups of three at once on the second day, five men at once on the third day and ten men at once on the fourth day and only then did the boy begin to breathe heavily. The boy was adept at the end of three months that no soldiers dared to fight him in hand-to-hand combat. Kripa has a strange suspicion that Vasu was holding back but the decisive defeat of the soldiers at the hand of the boy made him hold his suspicions.

'What a shame that the boy is a suta.' Kripa thought sometimes. 'That mind, strength and skill were wasted on this lowly suta. This skill should have belonged to a Kshatriya. What a waste.'

"The child was progressing at an impressive rate, Kripa." The Protector of Hasthinapur stated to his brother. "theen maheene mein unhonne apanee shiksha pooree kee. Now we are to teach him how to wield arms. Wonder which weapon will he choose?"

"There is something unnatural about the child, Pitamah Devavrata." Kripa frowned. "The child is unworthy to shine the boots of Kshatriyas but I do not doubt that in pure physical prowess, he would overwhelm any of them. We may teach Kshatriyas the advanced techniques which we will never teach a suta but even then I think they will fall before him unless they have knowledge of the Celestial weapons. He seems like an aberration sent by the spirit of asuras to decline our faith in dharma."

"Aberration or not... he is a child now. Maybe we will appoint him to be a bodyguard for Yudhistara or any children Gandhari will give birth to after he completes his training." Bheesma spoke kindly. "I have a feeling that if he was given our education and training he would one day maybe be my equal." That is a lofty praise and coming from Gangaputr. Bheesma does not give praise easily and is never the person to give praise to the undeserving. "He wants to learn sword next, it seems. Odd I thought that he would pick up the bow first."

"Let's see if his prowess goes beyond Mala Yudh, Pitamah."

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It has been eleven years since she came to Hasthinapura, after her husband and her sister-wife willingly entered Vanavaas. In the Vanavaas she learnt about her husband's curse. While hunting in a forest (looking from a distance, Pandu saw a couple of deer in the process of coitus and shot arrows at them. He later discovered that it was the sage Kindama and his wife who were making love in the form of deer. The dying sage placed a curse on Pandu, for not only had he killed them in the midst of lovemaking, but he was not remorseful for his actions either. King Pandu argued with Sage Kindama by misquoting Sage Agastya's ruling on the right of Kshatriyas' to hunt. Sage Kindama then cursed Pandu that were he to approach his wives with the intent of making love, he would die.

He could not have children from his wives as he was supposed to treat them as relatives due to the curse by sage Kindama. A remorseful Pandu renounced the kingdom and went into exile with Kunti and Madri. He met some sages and asked them away for heaven and salvation. They said, that without children, one can never aspire to heaven.

Pandu told her that he didn't want his impotency to be spread as rumours. He stated that by Niyoga he would gain sons through his wives and planned to adopt them as his own during the Vanavaas. He ashamedly told them that he wanted sons of his own but he would be killed if he touched them with the intention of making love. On hearing his anguish Kunti told him her story.

Sage Durvasa, who is known for irascible nature, was also known for granting boons to those who pleased him, particularly when he had been served well as an honoured guest. When Kunti was a young girl, Durvasa visited Kuntibhoja one day and sought his hospitality. The king entrusted the sage to his daughter's care and tasked Kunti with the responsibility of entertaining the sage and meeting all his needs during his stay. Kunti patiently put up with Durvasa's temper and his unreasonable requests (such as demanding food at odd hours of the night) and served the sage with great dedication. Eventually, the sage is gratified. Before departing, he rewarded Kunti by teaching her the Atharvaveda mantras, which enable a woman to invoke any god of her choice to beget children by them.

On hearing her story Pandu was elated. He then requested her to beget children from the Gods. Then Kunti used the boon granted to her by Sage Durvasa to bear three sons-Yudhishthira by Yama Dharmaraja - The God of Justice; Bhima by Vayu - The God of wind, and Arjuna by Indra - The King of Svarga (Heaven). She also invoked Ashwinis for Madri at her behest and Madri gave birth to twin sons, Nakula and Sahadeva.

All five children are beautiful and each of them is blessed by gods with unique abilities. Yudhisththira was born with the knowledge of the Vedas and Dharma. Bhima was so strong that on the day of his birth, he broke a hill with bare fists. Arjuna has complete control over his senses and even as a child he showed the makings of a great warrior. Nakula and Sahadeva are gorgeous and both are knowledgeable.

However, in their tenth year of Vanvaas, Pandu forgot his curse and engaged in sexual intercourse with Madri despite her pleas. Due to this act, his curse was fulfilled and he died. Attributing her husband's death to herself and swept by remorse, Madri committed suicide after placing Nakula and Sahadeva in her care.

Now bearing the bodies of her husband and her sister, Kunti returned to Hasthinapura with five children. Pitamah Bheeshma was unconsolable on seeing the dead body of his nephew and for the first time, she saw his breakdown. Gandhari embraced her kindly and requested her servants to prepare the funeral rights for Pandu and Madri.

"Ayushmaan Bhava..." Gandhari blessed them when they bowed at her feet to take her blessings. "Gods above have blessed this Kuru vansh with one hundred and five heirs. Prince Yudhisththira go with Pitamah Bheeshma and complete the funeral rites." Turning to Kunti she spoke. "We recently gained the services of Guru Drona who accepted to teach the children of Kuru vansh. Pitamah Bheeshma, Lord Vidur, Guru Kripa and I wish all our children to be taught under him. They might be cousins by blood but they will be Guru Bhratas. Will you consent to this Pritha?"

Before Kunti could speak there was a strangled scream from her third-born son and he fell down to the ground unconscious. A few moments later a guard came bearing the news that Suyodhana fell down in the playground with epilepsy. Both mothers felt a chill pass through their hearts at the news. Is someone targeting the Princes of Kurus?

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Suyodhana woke up with a strangled scream looking into the worried eyes of Sushasana. Looking into the worried eyes of Sushasana... his brother who was so brutally killed by Bhima that even a rakshasa would repulsed. Both his hands were uprooted, his chest torn apart and his blood drunk by that rakshasa. Blood that was used to wash the hair of Paanchali to fulfil her not tying her hair until they are not washed by Dushasana's blood. Sushasana, who died just a day before Karna was looking at him with worried eyes.

'Is this an illusion?' he thought frantically. 'Is this my version of hell?'

"Bhrata Suyodhana has risen from his sleep," Sushasana yelled. In a few moments, his room was filled within a few moments. All his brothers looked at him in apprehension. He remembered each and every one of their deaths at the hands of that monster he called his cousin. He remembered performing the funeral rites of Karna. He remembered his willingness to walk to his death tomorrow to die at Bheem's hands. Vasudev will not allow him to live. By any means necessary he will make sure Duryodhana will die tomorrow.

The faces of his dead brothers were almost too much for him before he realised that they were young. Too young and at the very most eight years of age. He then looked at his hands and saw he too was in the body of a child.

'Is this his punishment? Is he supposed to watch his brothers die one by one again? What the hell is happening?' he thought.

Unknown to him the third Pandava too woke up in a similar situation.



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The anguish of his mother was the last thing he saw before he woke up in a child's body. Did she think he would die at the hands of that sycophantic iconoclast? That a Kshatriya like him will fall before the bootlicker who sold his dharma for gold and kingdom? Did someone lie to her about the outcome of the clash between him and Angaraj?

Whatever it might be, he was ready to console his mother and show her that he was still alive and Dharma won that day. But the moment he got down from the chariot, he blacked out and woke up in his child's body.

Why this happened he has no idea. Maybe they killed that adharmi with adharma. Say what you want about Vasusena, he was an excellent warrior and pious man. Even with all the privileges his birth has granted him, he was barely able to kill that bull of a man. Maybe fate has given him a second chance to butcher the man without sullying his honour. Now he could be an even better warrior than before. Angaraj... no he is no longer the Angaraj, Vasusena would be sixteen years old now. He would join training with Pandavas and Kauravas under Guru Kripa and Guru Drona. He would be later trained by Guru Parashuram after deceiving the divine sage.

He smiled cruelly to himself. Maybe if he broke Vasusena's pride by being an unbeatable warrior during their training maybe he would never dare to challenge him. The first time around, despite being seven years his junior, Arjuna was able to match him. But now with him having several years of experience under his belt... Vasusena would be nothing but a bug under his foot.