“Tell Prince Uttara to get the chariot ready. We are all set. Maharaja should command him to steer the chariot as per my instruction. We will take care of the rest.” Arjuna’s face brightened with the thought of seeing his favourite Gandiva bow after a year.
We came to the palace of the Viratas. I performed Aukshan for my five husbands, all ready to go to war, in front of Maharani Sudeshnadevi, Princess Uttaraa and other royal ladies. Bidding farewell to us, under the leadership of Arjuna, the brigade of the chariots of the Viratas marched forward to protect the cows. The mammoth Virata army followed them. Throughout that day of Vijayadashami I kept moving about restlessly while remembering only Krishna! I was imploring to him in my heart, “You have protected the honour of the Pandavas till today. Protect it today also. Let my invincible archer Arjuna be successful in the mission.”
I did not eat anything throughout the day, nor did I drink any water. The woodpecker of my mind constantly kept pecking at the huge tree of the circumstances saying, ‘Today my husbands are exposing themselves from the incognito life. Fortunately, they have got a chance to show themselves on the battlefield. Let them be successful in the mission of protecting the cows of the Viratas. Krishna, if you give them anything other than that, I will never see your face and accept incognito life one more time – for the rest of my life!’
The dusk of Vijayadashami descended over Viratanagar. Flocks of birds that had gone to Mount Arbuda to feed themselves were returning to the city. Then at first the indistinct mooing of hundreds of cows was heard from a faraway distance. I became alert. Followed by that, I heard the acclaim of Maharaja Virata. My face brightened. I pricked my ears. Now I could clearly hear only one victorious slogan – ‘Hail invincible archer Arjuna. Well done Partha – protector of the cows. Master of the Gandiva bow, Dhananjaya – victory to him! Victory!’ My face brightened with the brilliance of millions of lights.
My triumphant husbands had returned after a sweeping victory over the Kauravas. They had freed the cows of the Viratas with valour suitable to the Kshatriyas. It was a small compensation to the Viratas who gave us invaluable support by offering us shelter for one year. My five husbands came to visit me with radiant, victorious faces. The account they gave was thrilling. It was hopeful for the future.
The Kaurava army comprising thousands of horse riders had reached the inclines of Mount Arbuda and chased the cattle of the Viratas. They had come to surround the cattle and abduct it, steal it. Who all were there? Grandsire Bhishma, the son of Ganga, a lifetime celibate, who had acquired the Prasvapa astra from Bhagvan Parashurama, aacharya Drona and Kripa who had taught archery to the Kauravas and Pandavas, Ashwatthama who had acquired the Brahmastra from his father, world conqueror Karna – the king of Anga, his brother Shona, many Kaurava brothers and brothers of Shakuni. And who was leading them? It was Duryodhana who had showed his bare thigh to me in an assembly full of people and Shakuni who played the deceptive gambling game by making dice fraudulently!
My husbands had reached the Shami tree where the weapons were kept, in the chariots of the Viratas. Bhimsena bowed down to the tree first, then climbed onto the tree and brought down all the weapons one after the other. All weapons were charged again with mantras. Then everyone offered flowers and paid obeisance to the weapons, and took hold of their own weapon. Now the change on their faces was noticeable. Their faces displayed complete fearlessness. Their eyes became radiant like the sun. Physically they were five armed warriors, but their hearts were united in a powerful fist in which Goddess Ida resided. Unanimously they hailed the name of goddess Ida.
They approached the Kauravas who were fleeing with the cattle of the Viratas. They blew their conches, brandished their bows and arrows, and held weapons like the mace and the pestle. In front of Mount Arbuda, amidst the cacophony of war drums, a fierce battle broke out between the Kauravas and Pandavas along with the Viratas to obtain the cattle. Arjuna was possessed by the spirit of war today. His grit that had been suppressed for thirteen years erupted uncontrollably today. By evening he had undeniably defeated grandsire Bhishma, guru Drona, Kripa, Karna – the king of Anga, and all. One of his sharp arrows hit Karna’s brother Shona in the chest and he fell in the battle. Karna collapsed, and crying on his lifeless body, took a vow to kill Arjuna!
In the evening Arjuna projected the Sammohanastra – weapon of hypnosis – on all the Kaurava warriors whom he had disarmed. He had obtained this Astra in the Himalayas at the time of obtaining the Pashupatastra. Due to the effect of the Astra the Kaurava warriors who were exhausted by fighting got hypnotized first, then delusional and finally fainted one by one.
Then hailing sky-piercing acclaims of his best friend Krishna, Arjun ordered Uttara- the prince of Viratas, ‘Oh prince of Virata, go and snatch any article of clothing that you can, from the bodies of all who have fallen unconscious. Those will declare the outcome of today’s battle to your father.” He obediently followed the command and climbing down from the chariot he snatched the shawls from the bodies of major Kaurava warriors who lay scattered.
Arjuna gave me a detailed account of the battle and said, “I have brought some of the collected shawls for you as a gift” and glanced at Bhimsena. He came forward smiling. Handing a blue shawl to me he said, “This shawl belongs to Duryodhana’s friend Karna, the charioteer’s son, the so-called king of Anga, and the one who laughed at you and called you a whore.”
I looked at the shawl. Indeed, it was blue just like Krishna’s shawl. But it was now that I realized the considerable difference between the two. Krishna’s shawl had a gentle softness like a peacock feather. This shawl had a roughness that one could feel, may be due to the brocade design on it. The words he had uttered in the gambling hall full of people echoed in my ears and my heart, ‘A whore – what does it matter if she belongs to five or one hundred and five men?’ I thought of Krishna dressed in a yellow vesture and said, “Will even one of those who fell unconscious in the battlefield today ever understand the gentle warmth that your shawl has?”
While I was lost in my thought Arjuna put a blood-red shawl in my hand. With radiant eyes, his chest puffed up with pride, he said, “This shawl belongs to Ashwatthama – son of guru Drona!” I kept staring at the shawl. I thought a lot about it but did not understand why the father and son got involved in stealing cows, which was such an abominable act for a Brahmin! Why did Ashwatthama – the son of the guru who usually spoke in a philosophical manner choose to wear this blood-red shawl? If at all I would have gotten any answer for this, it would be only from Krishna!
Maharaja Virata was very pleased with Arjuna and my other husbands for defeating the Kauravas to protect the cows. Even Princess Uttaraa’s opinion had changed when she came to know that her dance teacher Brihannadaa was not a woman but valiant Arjuna himself. She had openly expressed her desire to have Arjuna as her husband, to her father. Oh, she was so young! If I had had a daughter she would have been of the same age. She was attracted to my husband – master archer Arjuna with romantic ideas suitable to a teenage girl who worshiped valour.
Her strange wish which was inappropriate for her age, reached my ears. I was completely baffled. She was a princess. Her father loved her very much. He might have even granted her wish. And I knew Arjuna very well. He went on a pilgrimage and returned after two marriages! This needed to stop somewhere. Whenever I faced any emotional problem I did not remember anybody else but Krishna.
I met the royal messenger who was carrying the following message of Yudhishthira to Dwaraka in person, ‘We have come out in the open. The Kauravas who attacked the Viratas have been defeated. Please come immediately to give us further guidance. We are waiting for you.’ I sent all the attendants in the chamber outside and gave him a secret message in private, ‘Tell Krishna to leave immediately. Or else Arjuna will get married to Uttaraa who is suitable to be his daughter.’
Now as the news that my husbands, the Pandavas, had come out of incognito life was known, the kings of various kingdoms neighb
ouring the Matsya kingdom began visiting Viratanagar with their commanders and chief ministers. The first one to visit us was my brother Dhrishtadyumna who came along with the army. Shalya of Madra kingdom who was the mama of Nakul-Sahadeva also came to visit. One messenger of the Viratas was also sent to Hastinapura to Kuntidevi and Vidura.
We had strictly fulfilled the condition of ‘twelve years of forest life and one year of incognito life’ as agreed with the Kauravas. Now there shouldn’t have been any obstacle in the way of my husbands getting the Indraprastha kingdom back, just as they had previously obtained the Khandavavana by Krishna’s mediation. I was dreaming about re-entering Indraprastha in a grand manner and honourably along with all my husbands.
The entire Viratanagar was bedecked with flower garlands, festoons and arches decorated with flowers. The four gates in the four directions of the city were embellished with rows of tiny lamps. The entire Matsya kingdom had gathered in Viratanagar with great enthusiasm. Everyone was eager to see Krishna in person. All these preparations had been done for that. Within a few days, his triumphant, embellished Garudadhwaja chariot driven by Daruka stood in front of the gate on the southern border of Viratanagar. My beloved friend Krishna descended from the tall, embellished chariot steered by four pure white horses along with Uddhavadeva and Balaramadada. I was standing at the southern gate to welcome him along with my five husbands, Maharaja Virata, Maharani Sudeshnadevi, Uttaraa, Uttara and Shweta, Chief Minister of the Viratas and the new commander. As soon as his feet touched the land of the Matsya kingdom the citizens of Virata happily shouted the acclaim of his divine name that reached sky high, ‘Hail Bhagvan Srikrishna Maharaja….’
With a smile on his face and palms joined together, he politely offered respect to the men and women who had gathered there. I simply kept staring at his radiant face. A single glance at his face and it gave me such an unforgettable experience of my life! All my tension due to the twelve years of forest life and one year of incognito life simply vanished into thin air. I was seeing him in person after a long time, but to me it felt like only yesterday. The iridescent peacock feather in the golden crown on his head shone brightly. I could smell the overpowering sweet fragrance of the fresh Vaijayanti garland resting on his chest. He walked briskly and stood right in front of me. While all Pandavas along with Maharaja Virata were greeting him, he whispered in a soft voice which only I could hear, “Krishney, I have received your message! Don’t worry about anything at all! How are you doing?” Within a moment, he bowed down to Maharaja Virata and Sudeshnadevi and disappeared among the Pandavas.
A meeting of the royal circle of the Viratas, Yadavas and Pandavas took place at night. Before that meeting, Krishna met only Arjuna in private and discussed something important with him. Balaramadada, Uddhavadeva, Dhaumya rishi who had come from the Himalayas and the chief ministers of the Yadavas and Pandavas attended this meeting with Krishna. I was the only woman from the Pandavas’ side. Maharaja Virata, Sudeshnadevi, the family priest of the Viratas, their new commander, chief minister, Prince Uttara and Shweta were also present. Maharaja Virata inquired about the wellbeing of all and then presented his heart’s desire. He said, “The Pandavas, especially master archer Arjuna, have fought courageously and protected our cattle as well as our honour. Therefore, I have taken a decision with Maharani’s consent, to offer our one and only beautiful daughter Uttaraa who is an expert in dance and music, in marriage to valiant Arjuna! Arjuna should accept her hand in front of all present in this meeting.”
All eyes turned to Arjuna now. Without wasting any time, he immediately said, “Maharaja’s daughter Uttaraa is my disciple in dance and music. I am her guru. A marriage between these two great relations will be against Dharma. Any guru can look at his disciple only as his child, and not from any other perspective. We Pandavas cannot forget the affectionate treatment that we got from the Viratas during our incognito life. Therefore, with respect I am accepting Maharaja’s offer. His daughter Uttaraadevi will become a part of the Pandava royal family, not as my wife but as my daughter-in-law. My son Abhimanyu is young and handsome. He is well suited to be a son-in-law to the Maharaja and all the citizens of Virata. I propose the Virata princess’ marriage to him in front of all.”
Arjuna had cautiously and skilfully diverted the arrow coming towards him. He was a master archer after all. He had spoken everything that Krishna had told him silently with his eyes.
The Abhimanyu-Uttaraa wedding was fixed and it was also decided that it will take place in Viratanagar itself.
The already decorated Viratanagar was now beautified even more. The priests from both sides found an auspicious Muhurta for the wedding. First the groom’s party arrived from Dwaraka. All the queens including Bhama, Jambavati, Bhadra, Kalindi, and Lakshmanaadevi came along with Rukminidevi. Subhadra came with Abhimanyu and Revativahini. The Sudharma royal ministry of Dwaraka, both commanders and all troop leaders also arrived. Aacharya Sandipani came along with his wife, son Dutta and Gargamuni. This was the first wedding ceremony of the third generation of the Pandavas. Aged Maharaja Vasudeva and both his queens wished to attend this wedding but were going to be unable due to the long journey. They had already given their blessings to Abhimanyu before he left Dwaraka.
Rajmata Kuntidevi arrived from Hastinapura along with the armed guards that Mahatma Vidura had sent with her. Nobody else was coming. Even the Viratas had not invited anybody else.
In the presence of Krishna, Balaramadada and Uddhavadeva the wedding of their bhacha Abhimanyu and Uttaraa took place with pomp. Krishna affectionately embraced young and handsome Abhimanyu who looked like him except for the blue complexion and gave him an appropriate blessing, ‘May your glory reach the corners of the world’. While blessing Uttaraa he said, ‘May you live long!’
My five sons, Prativindhya, Sutasoma, Shrutakirti, Shatanika and Shrutasena who had come from Kampilyanagar embraced their brother Abhimanyu. The faces of newly married Abhimanyu and Uttaraa beamed with a unique radiance. I looked at Krishna in the wedding pandal. He was telling something to Arjuna. I couldn’t hear it due to the commotion around.
On the day after the wedding a council of the Viratas was held. I sat in this meeting next to Maharani Sudeshnadevi along with the eight queens of Krishna. Whatever Krishna spoke in front of the Viratas, Yadavas, Panchalas and Pandavas who had gathered together for the wedding was indeed unforgettable – it exhibited the concern for justice that he had demonstrated throughout his life. It was full of his pure love for Pandavas. More than that, it contained a prudent vision as if he could vividly see the events in the future. He said in his clear, spellbinding speech, “Maharaja Virata, dear Pandavas and senior warriors of Yadavas, Panchalas, and the citizens of Virata! The five valiant and virtuous Pandava brothers have completed the time of twelve years of forest life and one year of incognito life and have come out in the open now.
“First of all, I commend them and offer my heartiest blessings for their life’s journey ahead.
The quality of being a Kshatriya isn’t limited only to demonstrating spirited valour on the battlefield! Human life itself is a battlefield in its entirety. These five warrior cousins of mine have successfully lived it by leading their forest life and incognito life without evading their duties.
“A potent, invincible Kshatriya resides within each one of you. I appeal to that Kshatriya within you. Imagine for a moment that you are in a similar situation like the Pandavas and you will find your own answers undoubtedly whether you would have sustained in these testing conditions. That is why each one of you should listen to me very carefully now and take the right decision for yourself. I have complete faith in the pure spirit that resides within you.
“From this royal altar of the Viratas I am directly questioning the Kurus of Hastinapura, are you at least now, going to do justice to the Pandavas or not?”
In his divine speech like the blue sky he made everyone see the ultimate truth, like the shining sun –
“Right since thei
r childhood Duryodhana and his brothers, Shakuni and his brothers, and all their allies have been tormenting the Pandavas. Why? Did they seem defenceless to them? From the royal city of the Viratas I proclaim openly that I regard the Pandavas to be my most virtuous aate bandhus. They are the undoubted leaders of future Aaryavarta.
“I am going to try everything possible. But as much as I have understood Duryodhana and Shakuni, I am quite sure that they will never readily do justice to the Pandavas. The Pandavas will have to go to war with all the support that they can gather to obtain their rightful share of power. They will have to elicit justice on the battlefield itself. If at all such an occasion arises I appeal today itself that the Matsya kingdom of the Viratas should firmly stand behind the Pandavas along with their army. Maharaja Virata should dispatch a mature, wise and experienced envoy today, towards Hastinapura to meet Maharaja Dhritarashtra of the Kurus. Also, send a clear message to the Kauravas that they should honourably return the Indraprastha kingdom to the Pandavas.
“My Dwaraka kingdom and I myself belong to the Pandavas right since our very first meeting. We will always give them our support. I would say only one thing with the experience that life has offered me, that life’s problems never get resolved by fighting destructive wars on the battlefield. In fact, they multiply and get more complicated. The only way to make human life happier and more bearable is – Love! For that undoubted Love, I appeal to Hastinapura openly on behalf of the Pandavas and the kingdoms of the Viratas, Panchalas and Yadavas who are present in this council, that they should resolve the matter of Indraprastha with conciliatory means and love.
“If I have done anything at all in the journey of my life to resolve such disputes between justice and injustice then based on whatever little virtue I have acquired due to that, I appeal to the Kurus from here itself – give justice to the Pandavas!” His face covered with perspiration looked like a sunflower covered with dew drops in autumn. He did not seem to me like the mame bandhu of the Pandavas, the little brother of Balaramadada, the big brother of Uddhavadeva, the gopa who belonged to the gopas once, the disciple of Aacharya Sandipani and Ghor Angirasa, the son of Vasudevababa, Devakimata and Rohinimata or not even the best friend Krishna who was always close and well known to me. He seemed like somebody very different from all of these.
Srikrishna- the Lord of the Universe Page 65
