Chapter 21

Prakriti P.O.V

Next day, we bid farewell to everyone and started walking towards our chariot when suddenly Abhimanyu snatched his hand away from me and run back, I frowned and turned around, he was hugging his father and crying in his arms. I sighed and walked towards them "Son, we have to go" I said, he shook his head "I don't want to leave father, I don't want to leave Mother" he responded hiccuping. Krishne went to him and pulled him in her arms "Son, we will be here when you get back" she said gently, touching his hair. But he still cried shaking his head "Little Warrior, Uncle Krishna needs us, after that we will come back here" I said, he moved his head towards me, his eyes shining with tears, I opened my arms and he ran into them, I hugged him tightly "We will be back soon, aren't we?" he asked in his baby voice. I wiped his tears and nodded my head "Don't worry, we will be".

"Come on son, we have to go" Brother Krishna said sadly and he finally nodded his head and with one final nod we walked towards the chariot getting on. I looked at Brother Krishna frowning, I don't feel right when I am walking away from my family. He gave me a reassuring smile and with that we were off towards Dwarka.

I gave one last look at Indraprastha and its people .

When we reached Dwarka, we found city gardens and damsels devoid of beauty, they were destroyed in the war, my fist clenched in anger as I looked at the destroyed nature. King Salwa and his army was nowhere to be found. I get off the chariot and looked at the damage, my eyes welled up with tears, this is my home and he tried to demolish it. "We need you, nature" Brother Krishna voice flowed into my ears and I walked in the direction of destroyed place, my fingers tingling as my earth power started flowing from my body and I discard my footwear, going barefoot on the ground, restoring the nature making Dwarka as she was before, serene and beautiful. Abhimanyu and Brother Krishna walked towards me looking around. "We have to punish Salwa King for what he did" I said, my voice void of any emotions. Brother Krishna nodded his head "Dau already prepared the army, we just have to march for the attack" he responded. I send Abhimanyu to Rukmini sister and changed my clothes into warrior outfit. My sword was hanging on my hip ready to take heads.

Our army marched towards an island, King Salwa was hiding from us, in fear of his death, he should feel afraid because we are coming to free him from his life. We arrived at the island, King Salwa was ready with his army. And battle began, both side started showering arrows upon each other, I killed their people with fierceness, my clothes getting drenched in blood, I was angry and I was filled with rage. Suddenly fog surrounded us and our army were unable to see anything, I smirked and with one flicker of my wrist destroyed their illusion, King Salwa looked around in confusion, they started showering their hardy arrows towards us, we deflect each and everyone. I slashed my sword, blood spilled on my face as I killed their mighty warriors. I looked at Brother Krishna and he nodded his head, he got his sphere out and killed all the remaining tribes including Salwa and Danavas who were aiding them.

Suddenly I heard a painful whisper in my ear. "Vibha" Krishne voice entered in my ear and my body froze in shock. My eyes went towards Brother Krishna who was already looking at me, his face was showing the grief. Without thinking I flew towards the sky moving to Hastinapur. Before we left the Dwarka, our messenger told us that my family is leaving for Hastinapur, they have invited us for the inauguration of their new Sabha. I thought it was very peculiar for them to invite us but I was busy with Dwarka so I didn't give it much thought. But now as I hear the voice of Krishne, it was painful and sad. I quicken my speed and within seconds, I reached at the entrance of Castle, Both soldiers looked at me and their eyes widened, they quickly bowed their head and ignoring them I advanced towards the new Sabha. All the soldiers lining in the corridor lowered their head, I could sense pain and shame emotions coming from them.

I disregarded them and rapidly walk towards the Sabha. Two soldiers were standing at the entrance of Sabha, they put their spear forward to stop me. I jerked my hand forward and in instance they were on the ground groaning in pain. I walked past them and entered in the Sabha, My eyes directly zeroed in the middle of the Sabha where Krishne was sitting, her face was down and I could hear her sobbing, she was wearing just one piece of cloth, her long hair was untied and falling down her back, my eyes moved on the other side, bunch of clothes which resemble Krishne saree was discarded on the ground and Dusasana was sitting beside it panting, sweat covering his forehead. My fist clenched and in a flash I was beside Krishne. I put my hand on her shoulder, she flinched and coiled herself away from me. "Krishne" I whispered, my voice hollow, her body froze and she raised her head, her red eyes brimming with tears as she looked at me in pain. My own eyes widened as I took in her condition, she has a wound on her forehead and her lips were also bruised. I could see agony on her face and my heart ached watching my fire suffering.

Everyone was silent as I touched her wound, she flinched and stopped my hand shaking her head. My jaw clenched and I turned around and looked directly towards King Dhritarashtra "What happened here?" I asked, my voice cold and temperature dropped in the Sabha, he squirmed in his seat but didn't respond me. "I am asking again, what occurred here?" I shouted, my patience getting thin.

"What are you doing in our Sabha?" Prince Duryodhana asked moving forward, I snapped my head towards him and put my finger on my lips shushing him. He glared at me but closed his mouth, "Don't answer my question with a question" I growled, I looked at Grandfather Bhishma who was crying silently. "Nobody has answer to my question" I gritted my teeth when no one responded.

"Grandfather Bhishma" I said, he avoided eye contact and weep silently lowering his head. I turned my eyes at Pandavas who were sitting on their knees without their Anga vastra, their head were down in shame. Krishne's sobbing still penetrating my ears. "If nobody is responding to my question, very well, I have other ways" I said calmly but inside fire was burning, it was dancing on my fingertips ready to unleash and kill everyone who is present here, who dared touch my Krishne. I closed my eyes and for the first time, I opened my divine part which I thought I would never use in this life. But I had no choice, by opening that part, I am accepting my divine segment. I am fully accepting my powers. I saw the event that happened here-

Dusasana arrived at Draupadi's chamber and his kick flung the heavy door open into the chamber where she waited. "My brother won you fairly. You don't have to fear your husbands any more, you belong to us now. Come boldly to Duryodhana; turn your haughty eyes to the lord of the Kurus." he began laughing, She swayed on her feet at what had overtaken her so suddenly. His voice full of vileness, the fiend continued to torment her. "Don't pretend to be so modest, you are no virgin. Five men already and now you will have a hundred more to keep you happy. Ah, you blush! But why, Panchali? We are your husbands' cousins, after all." And he laughed his devilish laugh again. He came at her, she dodged around him and ran toward Gandhari's chamber down the passage. Dusasana caught Draupadi by her long hair, washed in the holy waters of the Rajasuya yagya. Growling, he began to drag her to the Kuru court.

She cried, "Let go of me, devil! Can't you see I am wearing just one cloth? I have my period, I can't come to the sabha like this."

A tear fall from my eye as I looked into the past. I will exterminate his hands from his body which touched the pure hair of my Krishne.

He laughed, "You are no queen now, but a slave; and your master calls you! It does not matter if you are clean or not, if you wear one cloth or none." his voice was like razor. He hauled her wailing through those corridors, her garment often falling away from her naked shoulders, while she clutched at it for her very life, or for honor more precious than life. Dusasana dragged Draupadi into the Kuru sabha by her hair and flung her down on the floor before its Kshatriyas, her eyes blazing, her face streaked with tears.

As soon as Dusasana threw her down, Krishne screamed long and loud in primeval rage: a cry from her soul. A wild and cornered thing, she panted, "I curse you, sons of Aryavarta I curse you a thousand times! That you allow this outrage in your ancient court of dharma."

Her fury silenced the humming sabha.

"I see the Kuru elders on their thrones. I see Mahamahim Bhishma, Guru Drona, Uncle Vidur and King Dhritarashtra before me. Or am I dreaming? For they sit looking on, while a villain, witless with power, tells his brutal brother to drag a chaste woman and a wife into the royal sabha of the Kurus. The fiend drags me through the palace by my hair, washed in the holy water of the Rajasuya yagya, drags me here like some whore. And not a word to stop him from you. Surely, this is a monstrous dream from which I will awaken, to find daylight in the world." she cried.

She paused, breathless. Then she turned on Yudhishtira, "Here, in this court of righteous men, sits my own husband, who is the Lord Dharma's son; and with him, his brothers, matchless kshatriyas and Devaputras, all of them my husbands." There was such contempt in her voice and the Pandavas squirmed. "And a messenger from this sabha told me I must come here like a slave because my husband, who is dharma's very image on earth, had lost me at dice. I asked for an answer to one question before I came, half-clad and in shame. Instead of a proper reply, Dusasana burst into my chamber and dragged me here like an animal. And none of these great kshatriyas stopped him." her eyes raked all of the Sabha members. She turned back to the Kuru elders on their thrones. "Dharma has left the Kuru sabha. But I would still like an answer from Pitama Bhishma, from Acharya Drona, from Kripacharya, Uncle Vidur and Elder Father Dhritarashtra. My question is a simple one: am I Duryodhana's slave or still a free woman?" she asked quietly, she kept asking question to everyone about her freedom.

Dusasana taunted, "Who are you to speak of dharma? Your dharma now is to serve Duryodhana and I dare say your satisfaction lies there as well!"

Only one person answered her question, he was Vikarna, "Draupadi is not only Yudhishtira's wife. She is also the wife of Bhima, Arjuna, Sahadeva and Nakula. They were not asked before she was put up as a gambling stake. They haven't wagered her and she is no one's slave, but free." he said in the entire Sabha, he has Dharma in his heart as he spoke the truth. Karna stood up from his seat and scoffed at the statement made by younger Kuru. "Do you think the Pandavas would have allowed Panchali to be brought into this sabha, if they were not convinced she had been fairly won? Who was it that sent for her, finally? It was Yudhishtira. Who are you to decide this thing better than he?

As for all this talk of dharma, I find it absurd. Dharma is not for these Pandavas. Have you ever heard of five brothers sharing the same woman? Is that dharma? Vikarna, you are bewitched by her beauty; but she is no chaste woman, that you should plead her cause so passionately. She is no virgin who has not seen men's beds, that you should feel so pained at her being brought into this sabha, clad in half a cloth or none at all! " he said, disgust clearly showing on his face.

Duryodhana and brothers laughed at this and cried, "Well said, Karna!"

"All six are slaves and I think that for slaves they stand too haughtily and wear too many fine clothes. Dusasana, strip them of their silks! Let them wear only what slaves should and let them be made over to their master." Duryodhana commanded to his younger brother who licked his lips and stared at Draupadi and moved towards her snatching her cloth which she clutched tightly in her hands, she was only wearing a single cloth of a menstruating woman. Her husbands avoided her gaze when she asked for help. She was all alone now in the entire Sabha, no one to turn for help. Chuckling, he began to unwind the flimsy garment from her body.

She joined her hands in prayer "Krishna!" she breathed, frantically. At once, a tide of faith surged in her, making all that court and everyone in it, seem so small, suddenly out of nowhere garment came and joined in her clothes but there was no end to her uncanny garment.Her eyes leaked of tears, The others stood transfixed, sweat breaking on them; at last, with a curse, Dusasana gave up and sat on the floor, gasping. Draupadi stood in a trance in the court of the Kurus; tears still streamed down her face.

"I swear in the name of everything holy, I will tear his heart out from Dusasana's chest and drink his blood for what he has done today. If I don't, let me never go to my fathers in heaven, but find the hell meant for the worst sinners." Bhima shouted, rage filling his every bone but he was unable to do anything right now.

Karna laughed in his face. Karna said, "Dusasana, take the slave to the harem. She must learn her new duties, whatever they may be!"

Terror took Draupadi again and she wailed, "I am no slave! O Elders, tell them I am a free woman."

"You are a free woman, my love. Your husbands have lost you at dice. Come, sit here in my lap where you belong!" Duryodhana said leaned back in his chair, exposed his thigh and patting his bare flesh.

Bhima sprang at Duryodhana with a howl "I will break that thigh one day with my mace and kill you, Duryodhana. If I don't, may I live in hell forever." he announced gritting his teeth.

Karna said, "Dusasana, why waste time? Take the woman to the harem. Duryodhana will enjoy her from today." She panicked when she heard the words from Anga King mouth. Then she remembered her only hope.

"Vibha" she whispered, her voice full of pain and she waited for her savior.

I opened my eyes, my cheeks were wet with tears.

"I will destroy each and everyone of you" I shouted, my voice shaking the whole ground and fire surrounding the place trapping them in.