Vrushketu

As the time for sunrise drew closer, the sky brightens to a darker shade of orange, filled with happiness. A strong, built and fair man, rose from the river Ganges. Cupping his hands he collected the water of the holy water and, he presented the Argha to the Lord Sun.

I smiled witnessing this, him performing such an auspicious ritual, just like his father. He then, just like his father, donated his jewels to the great Brahmins.

 I still remember the day I had killed my unarmed Jyestha. The guilt still eats me, it breaks me and torments my dreams.

He took a handful of water in his small hands, keeping the most admirable person over the Aryavarta, his father in his mind, he performed it to the deity. He opened his eyes, that reflected the questions he had been wanting answers to.

The sun disappeared in the river's horizon, and Vrushketu looked at me. A smile crept over his lips. 

I caressed his cheek, "Putra Vrushketu! I came looking for you", and paused, struggling to find the right words.

"Son, I am just like, I too have lost my relatives in this war. I have lost my Jyestha too.

Vrushketu looked at me and I smiled with tears, "But the difference, I had to kill him with these cursed hands and now have to perform Argha as well", my eyes were filled with tears. 

He looked in my eyes, "Why didn't you sacrifice your own life before killing your Jyeshtha, it is against Dharma?"

"I could, if I knew he was my brother, not enemy", I looked down, guilt ridden.

He consoled me, "You didn't know about it?" 

"Yes I was unaware about our relation"  I replied and asked, "Don't you want to know who your sinner is, the one who killed your father"

He wiped his tears, "Yes, I want to meet him so that I can perform the last dharma of Danveer."

"Which dharma?", I confused.

He smiled, "Once I had asked Pitashri, which is the biggest dharma of danveer? He had said Kshamadaan."

"I need to give you Kshamadaan, the dharma which he never performed, Kakashri", he ended.

I became numb, as I realized that he had known me all this while. I could see Karna in his last son, the great archer and dharmanisht, Vrushketu. 

I came to senses and tears rolled down, as my Vrushketu came towards me and performed Argha at my feet, giving me tears of joy trickling down my cheeks.

[betaing credits to oye_nakhrewaali]