Chapter 8
The royal court was filled with subjects, the entire court was divide into two halves, unofficially.
People siding with Pandavas were on left, while ones siding with Kauravas, which was no one except but their own brothers, were on right.
Dhritrashtr sat on the majestic throne, beside him stood Sanjay. Guru Dron, Vidur and Bhism sitting beside him, looking over at the royal court proceedings.
For hours now, accusations and reasons were given, but no conclusion had been drawn yet. The situation was just growing more confusing if anything but.
"Maharaj! If this wedding is accepted, than it will have bad repercussions on our society. Women are already suppressed, men would now force them to be shared like a piece of cloth." Stated a subject, voicing out the concerns that many had in their heart.
"But Maharaj, the situations in which the great sons of Pandu had married the princess of Panchaal, were not favorable. Their case is unique, as in their case, and their situation alone that was the only way out." Relaid another subject.
"How can you say that? They could have just not married her at all. None of them. The situation would have resolved." Pointed out someone from the crowd.
"But Mahamahim, a woman left on the day of her swayamvar by her betrothed, we all know what happens to her. No man ever marries her, and our society? It won't let her live." Objected another one.
"And now you think it will let her live? With all the names that the princess is referred too, you think the people will let her survive?" Growled back the first one.
"At least now she has the Pandav brothers to protect her. And the presence of the mighty five warriors, who has the guts to humiliate the wife of the great pandavas?" The second man replied arrogantly, a smirk on his face, as he gazed around the court in challenge.
A silence fell over the room, as the pandavas though sat passively, gazed around challenging every last of them to dare and defy the statement.
To dare and speak something against their wife, they may not be sure as to how to go ahead with their relationship with them, but they had promised to guard her honor.
"The question is not the honor or disrespect of a woman. But the question is whether the step taken by the sons of Pandu, was righteous or not?" Reminded Vidur.
"In the court of Hastinapur no woman had ever been humiliated, and we are not about to start now. So kindly refrain from getting Panchaal Kumari involved." He continued on.
"The court will be taking a rest for next few hours, and we'll meet in next three hours." Dhritrashtr stated, his head was pulsing from all the words that had been fired around the court.
He had held his silence all the while, so it didn't seem like he was not happy on their arrival. And was plotting to get them all thrown out of Hastinapur.
He awaited his brother in law, who had been out with Duryodhan, for hunting. In few hours they'll be here, and than the proceedings will begin in true sense.
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Bhism walked out at the banks of river Ganga, his mind was in chaos. He really didn't know what to make of this situation.
His long white angvastr, with silver beaded work sat proudly on his muscled chest, matching white and silver dhoti he wore. Various other silver ornament sat proudly.
"What is worse for a child than their parent figure loosing faith in them? And doubting them?" He heard a curious feminine voice, his brows frowed, as he marched ahead, in the distant he saw the princess of Panchaal, sat with one of her hand maids talking to them.
He didn't mean to evasdrop, but than again he was curious by her statement.
"What do you mean Rajkumari?" Asked the maid, a confused frowned marred on her face. As though voicing the confusion that Bhism experienced.
The princess smiled softly at her, "think about it Dhara, I was just trying to understand another puzzle that I have come across." Revealed the young princess.
"I mean I have just lived two months on this earth, but one thing that I have understood is that what parents nuture their children with is the path they follow. For instance Mahamahim Bhism, and mata Kunti, Pitashree Pandu, mata Madri, have nutured my aryas to always follow the path of righteousness. And no matter what happens, that they should never leave the path of righteousness, no matter who is against them." Stated Panchaali.
Bhism unconsciously nodded, for a moment letting himself belief that she is talking to him.
"And I have also learned from my aryas, that Mahamahim Bhism always said that no matter who is against them, if they are following the path of righteousness, they will always have support of Ganga Putr Bhism." She stated it as a matter of fact.
Bhism nodded again, though she couldn't see him, and neither knew that he was there.
"I have also heard that Mahamahim Bhism, can make out from the faces that who is a righteous man, and who isn't." She stated,
"Yes Rajkumari, that is all true. Our Mahamahim Bhism always follows righteousness and has a good judgment of people's character." The maid stated smiling, a sense of pride ringing through her voice.
"That is what is confusing." Panchaali grumbled, making the maid and Bhism frown.
"What about it is so confusing?" The maid questioned. Not understanding the meaning of the princess' question.
"That even after nurturing his own grandsons with nothing but the sense of following the path of righteousness, even after being the witness of their growing years, seeing them follow the path of righteousness unlike anything.
Even after having a good sense of character judgment, Mahamahim Bhism can't understand whether his own grandkids have followed the path of righteousness?" Panchaali's question hit like a cold slap on Bhism's face.
"The men who left this luxurious life, and chose the life of living as commoners, hiding away in the forest, letting the world think that they are dead, just to follow their mother's words.
They would abandon righteousness? And marry me?
All this years of hardships that they had faced just to keep up the name of Kuruvansh, that the sons of Kuruvansh always followed righteousness?
So no one could ever question Mahamahim Bhism and Mata Kunti's nurturing, you think they will abandon righteousness just to marry a woman?
The bond of the five brothers that holds so much love and faith, they would risk that bond and let it fall the prey of jealousy and risk it getting broken, over what a woman?
Even after nearly killing Arya Bheem by poison they gave their cousins forgiveness, because that was the right thing to do. They will abandon the path of righteousness for a woman?
In my short days of marrying them, I have just talked to twice. But even then when I do, I can hear the pride of righteousness in their voice, the shine of honesty in their eyes.
Than why can't Mahamahim Bhism? Or are emotions not allowing him to see them?
Mata Kunti, who had made her entire life a path of thorns to follow the path of righteousness, how did for a moment Mahamahim Bhism think that she will support her sons if they were doing something unjust?
My bond to my aryas is as righteous as any other husband and wife, if it is not than I Yagseni Draupadi, the daughter of Drupad call upon to lord Suryadev to burn me to ashes right this instant." Her voice rang with a valor and honesty, that for a moment had Bhism and the maid frozen.
They awaited, as she stood facing the sun, her hands joined, and her face a mask of calmness. Not one wrinkle of doubt on her face.
The princess of Panchaal, held the glow of truth, the glow of honesty. That only a few possessed.
A smile bloomed on Bhism's face, as he watched her open the dark orbs. "Questioning me would have been a correct decision on their part. They don't know me, and my intentions but, questioning their own blood that they have nutured with their honesty, justice, valor and bravery, is like questioning themselves.
If asked the right question, truth always surfaces. All needs is a right perspective, a clear and open mind, and tinge of common sense." Her words reverberated through the place, the strength in her words was something that he had never heard before.
He watched as she turned and smiled at the maid, and for a moment her eyes raised clashing with his.
Shock thrummed through him, but her face was calm. There was no surprise or shock on her face.
She joined her hands, bowed her head, turned and left, with a very flustered maid, who truly looked shocked at his appearance.
Bhism watched the daughter of Panchaal walk away, pride and respect for the woman surfaced in his heart.
As a daughter in law, she kept her words, stayed in her limits, asked the right questions very respectfully and left. A sign of wisdom that not many possessed.
Beauty and brains, were enemies of each other he had heard. But now, as he watched the Kulvadhu walk away he knew, that God had graced Hastinapur with not only with the most beautiful bride, but also a very clever one.
Her approach was amazing, he admired her way. Had she reached out, asked a moment to talk to him, he would probably had refused to talk to her.
Or listened and interpreted only what he wanted to. Also, the fact that the grandson's wife according to the culture never really talks to the elder men of the house freely, until it's absolutely necessary, it is considered disrespectful.
The girl had followed all her duties, as a daughter in law, she had prevented him from taking a wrong action. Following the rituals and cultures of the family.
Protected her husbands, as a wife would. Cleared the name of Kunti, as daughter in law should.
Supported truth, as a wise queen should, and most of all, gave him a way to resolve this matter without further damage to the family's name. And crush also the possible fights that he knew once Duryodhan stepped in would arise.
As a daughter in law, she built a way to keep this family in peace and united. He smiled. His heart at peace, if this was the path that the gods had chosen, that his grandsons would share a wife.
That he was glad that Draupadi was the chosen bride.
Sarvagun Sampan Sulaxami.
"You seem very happy today son." The serene voice of goddess Ganga had Bhism turning around. "Pranipat mata." He joined his hands, bowed his head as he turned to his mother, who smiled.
"Be blessed son." She grinned proudly, at her son. "Yes mata, I am very happy today. My five grandsons have found the perfect bride. The queen that Hastinapur had awaited all along has finally stepped in.
The daughter that I had awaited, who would make this family one once again, is here." Bhism said, his voice laced with emotions, a teary smile on his face. Ganga nodded, a serene grin playing on her lips. . .
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