Forgive Me- A Three Shot on Karna and Bhanumati

Posted: 8 years ago
Hi All, 
This is my first attempt for writing an Fan Fiction. I am planning to complete it in three shots. I want to say that I am no Karna fan, but somehow through the various folklore I feel that Karna and Duryodhan's wife (Bhanumati) did share a very close bond to which Duryodhan never had any objection to, by this story I want to explore that angle.

As per our knowledge after the Vastraharan episode all the royal ladies of Hastinapur went to the Dwit Sabha and objected the heinous act so I feel that Bhanumati too did not like that. Please ignore my spelling and grammar errors

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I could hear a lot of chaos outside but I can bet that it could not match the chaos which I had in my heart. I was sitting all alone in my room. Twice since yesterday my daughter had come to me asking for a bed time story, but I lied that I was unwell. Seeing my face, she might have actually believed me, but the truth is I didn't want to talk to anyone. First time since my marriage I was feeling betrayed. For the first time I felt that the men whom I trusted the most were not worth enough.

"Yuvragyi", a sudden voice broke the chain of my thoughts, "Please get up and take a bath. You look so untidy today, your eyes are all swollen. This is no unlikely for the Yuvragyi of Aryavrat" Her last three words shook me. They reminded me of the episode I was so desperately trying to forget. I started sobbing. "Yuvragyi pardon my mistake please", Dasi aid in a worried tone, "Please dont cry" "I am fine dear," I said with a smile, "Please excuse me for some more time. I want to stay alone" Dasi bowed to me and left.

I looked at the mirror for a moment, Dasi was right, I was not looking like Yuvragyi, but then neither did I want to look beautiful, not at least in a palace where women are nothing but a second class citizen and a show piece. I can't say that I had started hating my husband since yesterday's episode, in fact I can not do that, but the respect he commanded in my eyes till yesterday is all history now.

"May I come in Yuvragyi?" I heard a familiar voice from behind. "Since when did you started needing my permission Angaraj!" I replied. "Well not always do I find Yuvragyi in such a horrific attire!" he replied grinning, "It is better safe than sorry" Karna had unique ability to make me smile even when I was very sad, this was the reason Swami always send him to me after our fights. But today was different and Karna sensed that too. "Why don't you accompany me to Anga Pradesh this time. Vrushali often asks about you. I must admit that you both have developed a strong bond in these years. Sometimes I feel that she and not Supriya is your childhood friend!" 

For a moment I forgot everything, I recalled last time when Karna had visited Hastinapur with his family. I had visited his official quarter. I had met Vrushali for the first time. Swami had told e that she was the sister of his royal charioteer. "Bhrata Duryodhan!" she said, "Why didn't you tell me that Yuvragyi would be accompanying you this time. I would have had made some special arrangements" "I did not want that Vrushali", said Swami with fake jealous in his voice, "Not at least here. You know that my wife and your husband always team against me. Here me and you could just team up and show them that we can beat them in anything." "Sorry Bhrata, me and Supriya are always with Yuvragyi " she said, "This world has become pretty tough for us women, so the need of this hour is that all the women support each other." 

The thought of Vrushali made me feel all the more miserable, she was right all women need to support each other, as all the rules are made by men and they do not want to let women reach up to a decision making stage. Yesterday's episode was the biggest proof of this, my eyes started burning "Did you come here only to invite me Vasu?" I said. The anger in my eyes startled Karna for a moment, He had a strange expression in his eyes, a mixture of fear and guilt. "Come on Bhanu", he said after gaining some confidence, "Why are you behaving in such a strange manner? Dasi told that you are sad, so I came here to cheer to up that is it. By the description Dasi gave, we understood that you are in your Koop Bhawan mood and so Mitra did send we here to bear all the wrath" 
"What wrath are speaking about Vasu", I nearly shouted, "Yesterday in the Dwit Sabha you people made a decision that a women is the property of her husband, what right does a property have to get angry to it's owner?"
"Why are you talking like this Bhanu?" Karna said, "You know Mitra loves you dearly that is why he decided not marry anyone else after you" "I thought the same till yesterday, but yesterday's episode changed my thinking. A person who can not respect a women can never love a women." "Draupadi was just a Dasi yesterday Bhanu" Karna replied more to convince himself than me "You know that Yudhisthir lost her in the game. We did not force him. He could have left the game once he lost his kingdom, but no he continued to play the game and lost his brothers, himself and finally his wife. Now when we started behaving with them as Dasas, they are behaving as they have been wronged. They have the habit of playing victim card"
"Oh so you have publicly humiliated all the Dasis of this palace?" I replied, "But why am I discussing this with you? You and your friend is same in this regard, in fact you are even worse, how could you ask for her disrobe in public? You called her by names?"

"That was all in heat of moment Bhanu" Karna had his gaze down. "You know Vasu", I said, "Whenever I saw Draupadi jiji and Krishna together, I thought of you. I had such a beautiful picture of our friendship but unfortunately you broke it. I can never forgive you for this" I turned my eyes away from him.

Karna looked at me for a while and then left. I saw him leaving, I felt as if I was losing my friend for ever, henceforth he would only be a guest/friend of husband of a husband who no longer is my pride. Never did I knew that I would speak with him again and that too in a condition when I would be mourning with him...


Part 2: Bhanumati comes to mourn Vrihsena's death
Posted: 8 years ago
I liked the sharp words of Bhanumati...
Well done...

Please continue...😊
Posted: 8 years ago
After reading this, the first thing that comes to my mind is a Wow! It is very well written Shipreeta di!   (Can i call you di? I am sorry i did not reply to your post on the SidT AT, but as you talked about engineering, you must be quite elder to me and i must call you di. 😳 ) The bond between karna-bhanu was brought out so beautifully that you deserve a 👏 . That part i could relate to a lot when Vrushali says that women should support women. Overall i feel this leaves a lasting impression on the reader and it is truly wonderful. ⭐️
Nowadays, there are so many new stories coming up on the forum! 😃 And BTW, if you get time, do check out my works too. 😛 😛
Posted: 8 years ago
Originally posted by ramya06


After reading this, the first thing that comes to my mind is a Wow! It is very well written Shipreeta di!   (Can i call you di? I am sorry i did not reply to your post on the SidT AT, but as you talked about engineering, you must be quite elder to me and i must call you di. 😳 ) The bond between karna-bhanu was brought out so beautifully that you deserve a 👏 . That part i could relate to a lot when Vrushali says that women should support women. Overall i feel this leaves a lasting impression on the reader and it is truly wonderful. ⭐️
Nowadays, there are so many new stories coming up on the forum! 😃 And BTW, if you get time, do check out my works too. 😛 😛

Thanks Ramya. This line of Vrushali is something which I feel is relevant till today. 

I do feel that when someone is very hurt it is always a friend who becomes the punching bag. 

BTW I am not very old to this forum but would love to read your stories.

And yes I have completed my engineering (and MBA after that as well) so I am definitely older to you.
Posted: 8 years ago
Originally posted by amritat


I liked the sharp words of Bhanumati...
Well done...

Please continue...😊

Thanks dear 
Posted: 8 years ago
Originally posted by shipreeta




Thanks Ramya. This line of Vrushali is something which I feel is relevant till today.

I do feel that when someone is very hurt it is always a friend who becomes the punching bag.

BTW I am not very old to this forum but would love to read your stories.

And yes I have completed my engineering (and MBA after that as well) so I am definitely older to you.

Yes, completely agree with you, it is significant even today.
Wow! So you have done mb also, that is great.
Even i am quite new here. But you can find all the links either on my index (that is on my signature) or i think the ones on SPK forum are on the first page itself now. Thanks di! 😳
Posted: 8 years ago
Thankyou all for comments. 
I would be coming with the next part soon
Posted: 8 years ago
an amazing start
do continue soon
Posted: 8 years ago
The great war which had affected not just our family or kingdom but the entire nation had started. I still remember the date when before leaving for the forest Draupadi jiji had come to me. "I am sorry Bhanumati, I know you are very good at heart", she said, "But you will have to bear the punishment of what your husband and his cronies did to me" 
 For a moment I felt like saying that it was your husbands who gave them the power to humiliate you, my husband and his team did treat you as a Dasi which is still a human being, but your husbands treated you as an object which was worth staking for." But then seeing the sadness in her eyes I resisted myself. I wanted to ask "I didn't forgive my husband and his team for what they did to a noble lady, so how can you forgive your husbands for what they did to you?" but I couldn't. I just said, "Everyone in that sabha is equally guilty for your insult. Be he my husband, my uncle in law or your husband and if I will have to bear for what my husband did you will have to bear for what your husband did" 

Little had I known then that this simple statement of mine would actually turn true. Sixteen days had passed and everyone knew that this war will only decide who the loser was and not who the winner was. For the first two days I sat with Pitashri and Matashri in their chamber to hear the live updates of the war from Sanjay, but I could not hold it any further, I came to Kurukshetra unable to bear any further dissociation from my husband, I sat alone in my chamber near the battlefield for the entire day waiting for my husband. It was only 10 days since I came here but it seemed as if a lifetime has passed. I felt like I never had any other schedule.

I was waiting for Swami after the evening Shankhnaad but he did not turn up. Fearing the worse I rushed out. "Why did Yuvaraj return from the battlefield?" I asked the Dwarpal. "He has returned Yuvragyi", Dwarpal replied, "It is just that he has gone to Angaraj's chamber. I think he fears that Argaraj might break down with Vrihsena's death" This last line did hit me like an arrow. So Vrihsena is no more. 

Since his childhood Vrihsena was very close to me. He often accompanied Karna during his visits to Hastinapur. In the absence of Vrushali then he always came to me for his bed time stories and motherly affections. Also unlike the other children of Karna he addressed me as Bua and not kaaki. 
Tears started flowing through my eyes on thinking about him. "Please calm", I recalled him saying when I got the new of my son's death. That day had taught me how insensitive a war could be. Everyone was hurt at the death of Lakshman, but no one was mourning, The Kaurava army was actually celebrating the death of Abhimanyu-the 16 year old son of Subhadra and Arjun, and why not it was their first major achievement during the war. I was crying for my son all alone when Vrihsena came to console me. "This war like any other war would only decide who is left and by default which ever party is left would become right." "I know this is not the time say such words Bua", he continued after a pause, "But this is the truth. Be happy that he died in a one to one combat without any treachery. He soul would definitely be in peace. I don't know about the accuracy of this, but my dad often told that during the first few years of your marriage you feared the thought of bearing a child unless one day you saw Duryodhan kaka enjoying the childish games with me." "That is true", I replied, "IAnd that was not all. Seeing swami enjoying so much with you I got a bit emotional and a my eyes were filled with water. You suddenly saw me and thought that I was crying. You were just 5 or 6 then but you realized that a person who cries need to be consoled. You just rushed to me saying- Don't cry Bua, I will share you the Laddoo that  I have hidden from Duryodhan kaka. These were your favorite and you were not sharing those with anyone. Such an innocent act of yours made me understand that children are the ones who care for you the most. Hence I decided to have a baby of my own. You are the person who made me understand how beautiful being a mother could be" "And I will continue doing so." He replied, "I know that I can never take Lakshman's place in your life. Also I don't know if I will survive this war, but I assure you that if I survive, I would fulfill all the expectations that you might have had with Lakshman" I embraced Vrihsena and started crying profusely. "Please Don't cry Bua" he said in the most innocent voice one could have imagined, "I will definitely share the Laddoos I have hidden from Duryodhan kaka"

I wanted to cry at the maximum possible pitch, but I knew that this was not the right thing to do. I understood the feelings of the mothers who have lost not one or two but five of their sons in the past 16 days. I had to reach out to Vrushali & Supriya and encourage them to withstand this situation
Edited by shipreeta - 8 years ago
Posted: 8 years ago
very emotional.
n beautifully written


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