Chapter 14 - Onto Hastināpur

[ A/n: I'll be writing Vāsusen as Vasuṣeṇ from now on. Finding proper spelling can be tricky, but I'll try to improve upon it. When I feel like I'm certain about names, I will also edit them in older chapters. If anyone finds any correction in any name, please be kind enough to point it out.

Also, this chapter can be a bit too heavy because of all the geographical details. But you don't need to worry too much about remembering them.]

Vasuṣeṇ and his father Adhirath were on their way to Hastināpur, riding on a horse. The journey was long and arduous, requiring them to pace themselves.

Vasuṣeṇ wanted to ride on a separate horse, but they only had one horse of their own. He would have to wait before he could get his own horse.

A few days had passed since they had crossed the river Campā and entered the kingdom of Magadh. They were traveling west, tracing the river's path upstream. Soon, they would arrive at Kusumapurā, the famed city of flowers.

"The path from Campā to Hastināpur is a long one," Adhirath told Vasuṣeṇ. "This land of Bhārat is vast—maybe too vast for you to fully grasp right now. But for now, you need to remember the route from our city to Hastināpur."

Vasuṣeṇ nodded, listening intently.

Ever since Vasuṣeṇ was young, he had spent most of his time with his mother. Moments like this, where he focused so closely on his father, were rare. Seizing the opportunity to impress his son with his knowledge, Adhirath slipped into father mode, eager to make a lasting impression.

"The path is not that difficult to remember," Adhirath assured Vasuṣeṇ. "We humans always settle where we can find enough water and food for us to survive. That's why you'll find most big cities and kingdoms near great rivers. As long as we follow any river, we will most certainly find a human settlement.

"Our land, Bhārat, is the most gifted place in the whole world, and Mother Gaṅgā is the holiest river of them all. It spans hundreds of yojans in length. All we have to do is follow this river, and we will reach Hastināpur."

"Hundreds of yojans? I guess it makes sense," Vasuṣeṇ muttered.

Adhirath looked at Vasuṣeṇ with a bit of bewilderment and confusion. "Makes sense? Why? You're talking like you already knew it."

Vasuṣeṇ responded with similar confusion. "I honestly don't know. I just always thought, for some reason, that Gaṅgā must be that long. I wonder why?"

'One more thing to ponder about,' Vasuṣeṇ mused silently.

"Vasuṣeṇ, don't just call it Gaṅgā. That's disrespectful," Adhirath gently chided his son. "Just like our birth mother, it's thanks to the land that gives us food and shelter, the river that provides us water, and the cow that feeds us milk, that we survive in this life. That's why we call them our mothers, giving the same respect. You understand?" 

"Yes, father," Vasuṣeṇ replied earnestly, nodding in understanding.

"Right, where were we? Ah, yes." 

Adhirath resumed his lecture on geography.

"Ahem! Mother Gaṅgā originates from the Gangotri Glacier up north in the Himālayas and flows southeast until it meets the Kaling Sea in the east. Along the way, it is joined by rivers like Yamunā, Sarayū, Gaṇḍakī, Kauśikī, Śoṇa, Mahānandā, Damodar, and many others, which serve as its major tributaries.

"The reason I'm sharing this information with you is that, while the Kuru Kingdom boasts two of the seven great rivers—Mother Yamunā and Mother Gaṅgā—Hastināpur is situated on the right bank of Mother Gaṅgā. Therefore, to reach our destination, we simply need to ensure we travel upstream along Mother Gaṅgā."

'That's easy to remember,' thought Vasuṣeṇ.

"Do you understand it? Or do you have any questions?" Adhirath inquired.

"Father, I have a question, but it's of different topic."

Intrigued by his son's curiosity, Adhirath nodded in acknowledgment.

"Are you a charioteer of Bhīshma or Dhṛtarāṣtra?" Vasuṣeṇ asked.

Adhirath couldn't help but smile inwardly. 'Of course, it's about Bhīshma. I wonder why I thought he would ask about something else.'

"Currently, I am in the service of Lord Dhṛtarāṣtra. For a long time, I worked for Lord Bhīshma after impressing him with my skills. However, once Lord Dhṛtarāṣtra completed his education, Lord Bhīshma assigned me to serve Dhṛtarāṣtra."

"He's the eldest prince, correct?"

"Yes, he's the eldest of the three brothers."

"I see. Is he the king then?" Vasuṣeṇ inquired.

Adhirath sighed before answering. "No, he's not. Despite being the eldest prince of Hastināpur, he was denied the throne because he was blind from birth. According to the argument given by the prime minister, a person with a physical disability cannot lead the army and the country."

Observing Adhirath's sigh, Vasuṣeṇ ventured, "Are you disappointed that you are no longer the charioteer of the strongest man in the kingdom?"

This question caught Adhirath by such surprise that he burst into laughter.

"Hahaha! No way I would feel that," Adhirath chuckled, shaking his head. "I just feel sad for Lord Dhṛtarāṣtra because he was told from a young age that he would become the next king. Yet, destiny had other plans." 

With a wry smile, Adhirath added, "Although, now that you mention it, I suppose there's an advantage to serving under Lord Dhṛtarāṣtra. In battle, the charioteer is more likely to meet his end than his master, after all."

"I'm disappointed, father. How can you say that? Do you fear death?" Vasuṣeṇ questioned, his tone tinged with disbelief.

"Is there anything wrong in fearing death?" Adhirath countered calmly.

"I can't believe you're a coward, father. Aren't we suta? Don't we have the blood of kṣatriya in us?" Vasuṣeṇ pressed on.

Adhirath shook his head, his expression serious. "While I will always stand by my master and never flee because that is my duty, I don't see anything wrong in fearing death. I want to be with your mother and you for as long as I can live. I don't mind sacrificing my life on the battlefield because I know that our Lord will take care of my family as long as they rule. At the end of the day, I just want to protect my family."

Vasuṣeṇ fell silent, unable to find a response.

Seeking a new topic, he inquired, "So, Then who is the king right now?"

"Right now? Our king is the youngest prince, Lord Pāṇḍu. He is the greatest warrior in the world right now," Adhirath replied.

The last sentence hit Vasuṣeṇ like a lightning bolt.

"Wait! Did you just say Lord— I mean, King Pāṇḍu is the greatest warrior in the world right now? I thought Lord Bhīshma was the strongest!" Vasuṣeṇ exclaimed with a hint of agitation as if his whole life had been a lie.

Understanding the significance of Lord Bhīshma to his son, Adhirath chose his words carefully.

"I'm not saying Lord Bhīshma isn't great or strong," he began, "but his focus has mainly been on defending the kingdom, especially the capital. If he weren't here, who knows what would have happened to the kingdom? I'm sure if Lord Bhīshma were to fight King Pāṇḍu, he would win. After all, he's the one who taught him how to fight. But there's no reason for them to fight just to determine who's stronger, right?"

Vasuṣeṇ breathed a sigh of relief.

'Well, even if Pāṇḍu isn't Lord Bhīshma's son, he's from the same family and his student. So he's bound to be strong. But...' Vasuṣeṇ's spirits were slightly dampened.

"I see that Rādheya, who has only heard stories of Lord Bhīshma, doesn't truly understand how great our king is. Allow me to share with you the most memorable day of my life," Adhirath began, recognizing the need to impress upon his son the greatness of King Pāṇḍu. 

He couldn't bear the thought of Vasuṣeṇ reacting inappropriately if he were to meet the king, and he shuddered at the potential consequences.

"Do you know what other kings call King Pāṇḍu?" Adhirath asked.

"What? King of Kuru?" Vasuṣeṇ asked back, raising an eyebrow.

"Yes- NO," replied Adhirath. While technically true, that was not the answer he wanted to hear. "People call him 'Lord of the world.'"

"Lord of the World?!" Vasuṣeṇ exclaimed, not expecting such a grand title.

"Yes. After King Pāṇḍu married his two wives, he embarked on the 'Digvijay' war campaign," Adhirath explained, his voice filled with pride.

"What is—" Before Vasuṣeṇ could ask, Adhirath replied, "'Digvijay' means achieving victory in one or all four directions."

"The kingdom we are in right now, Magadh, had a king called Dīrgha. He had offended every other king, yet nobody could defeat him. But King Pāṇḍu attacked the capital, Rājgṛha, and killed him, taking away all the wealth of the kingdom.

"He went on to defeat kingdoms like Darśaṇa, Videha, Kāśi, Suhma, and Puṇḍra. Seeing his unbroken string of victories, many others retaliated. But King Pāṇḍu burned them all with his fiery arrows. In the end, every kingdom acknowledged Pāṇḍu's strength and sent innumerable gifts as signs of their defeat and respect.

"I still remember that day vividly," Adhirath spoke, his voice filled with nostalgia. "The entire city of Hastināpur was out at the great gate, jubilant and eager. King Pāṇḍu and his army, their colorful banners fluttering in the breeze, returned with such an immense bounty that it was impossible to count. Tears of joy streamed down the faces of the king's mothers. The air was filled with cheers, laughter, and waves of joy. The celebration and festivity were unlike anything you've ever seen. You should have been there."

Adhirath's pride was palpable as if he had been the one to conquer all the kingdoms.

"Hmm…" Vasuṣeṇ mused, still not entirely impressed. The shadow of Bhīshma loomed large in his mind.

"I have a question, Father," he began, "Our city, Campā, is it part of the Magadh Kingdom?"

Adhirath shook his head. "No, it belongs to the Anga Kingdom. It was once a great kingdom, you know. But over the past few generations, it has lost much of its former glory. I wish there was something I could have done about it."

His tone turned somber, a hint of regret lingering in his voice.

"We can only do what's within our power. Leave such worries to those who have a stake in the Anga throne," Vasuṣeṇ offered consolation.

Adhirath smiled, touched by his son's wisdom.

As they continued their journey alongside the river, a sweet fragrance wafted through the air, catching Vasuṣeṇ's attention. Following the scent, he looked ahead and beheld a charming little city adorned with vibrant flowers.

Drawing closer, Vasuṣeṇ noticed two smaller rivers converging with the mighty Gaṅgā, adding to the scenic beauty of the surroundings.

"Father, those rivers?" Vasuṣeṇ inquired, captivated by the sight.

Adhirath smiled, his eyes reflecting the pride of familiarity. "The river flowing from the north is Gaṇḍakī, joining the left bank. And just ahead, you'll see the mother Śoṇa merging with Gaṅgā from the south. It's quite a stunning sight, isn't it?"

"Yes," Vasuṣeṇ replied softly, still entranced by the natural beauty surrounding them.

Suddenly, Vasuṣeṇ's eyes fixed on a large fish in the river, its sleek form slicing through the water. "A dolphin?"

"Dolphin? No, that's a Śiśumār, the child killer. Beware of them," Adhirath cautioned, his tone serious. "And where did you hear the term 'dolphin'?"

Vasuṣeṇ shrugged, feeling a pang of curiosity. "I... I'm not sure. It just popped into my head."

Sighing, he turned his gaze back to the river, hoping for answers that seemed to elude him. 

"We shall stay in the city for the night. It'll be dark soon, anyway."

"Okay, Father," Vasuṣeṇ agreed, his mind still lingering on the mysteries that seemed to follow him.

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* Yojan is a distance unit. Used for the longest time in Indian history. It can be from 5 to 9 miles/ 8-15 km. Btw, the length of River Gaṅgā is 2510 km according to Google.

-> The Vector Image of the map of Bhārat during this time along with the map of Kingdoms in the path from Campā to Hastināpur (Capital of Kuru Kingdom). Don't take ALL the details as 100% accurate.