Chapter 8 : prince pandu death
I know the rules of this world well. Everything runs on money; what is caste in the face of wealth?
"Mantri-ji, the child is still young, so he cannot handle a large-scale business yet. Furthermore, he lacks formal knowledge of trade.
Therefore, I will leave him some books before I go. He will engage in small trades, like selling simple goods. For that reason, I require a selling permit," I said with a smile.
"Oh, that is a trivial matter; is that even something to ask? I shall do it in a trice. But before that, let us prepare an identity document for this child you speak of."
"Very well."
I nodded in agreement. He pulled out a sheet of paper typical of this era—earth-colored and slightly faded. Then, he produced an inkpot and a quill made from a peacock feather to write.
"His name is Karna. He is ten years old. Kingdom: Hastinapur. He was raised right here, at the orphanage, and he was released just today. You may verify this if you wish."
I provided all the necessary information about myself. After a while, the Mantri stopped writing. He rolled up the scroll, handed it to me, and said, "Give this to the boy. We do not usually issue identity documents like this here, but for a merchant, it is a necessity."
"Hmm."
I nodded, tucked the scroll away, and looked at him. "Now, show me a house that is situated on the riverbank, close to the forest. It should be two stories high and have ample rooms."
I finished listing my requirements. He was taken aback by such specific conditions. No normal person prefers to live near the forest due to the constant threat of wild animal attacks. However, he did not dwell on it and began searching for such a property.
A short while later, he found a property matching the description. Looking at me, he said, "I rarely receive such requests, yet there happens to be one such house."
"Once, the King went into the jungle to hunt for a few months and constructed a house for his temporary stay. It matches your conditions perfectly, though this house is constructed entirely of wood."
My eyes lit up at his words. "Yes, that is exactly the kind of house I want. For that child, living in such a quiet place will allow him to study the books I leave him in peace."
"Now, can you tell me the price?"
I asked about the price and began to calculate in my head, silently praying it wouldn't be too high, as I only had 149 gold coins left in my possession.
He began to explain the cost. "The original price is 500 gold coins. However, since no one wishes to live in that location due to the high risk to life, the price has been significantly reduced to just 100 gold coins."
Upon hearing "500," my breath hitched for a moment, though I did not let it show. But when I heard "100," I breathed a sigh of relief.
"Then I shall register this house in Karna's name," the Mantri said.
"Yes." I retrieved another pouch from my pocket, filled with exactly 100 gold coins.
"Please count them, just in case there is a discrepancy," I suggested.
But he smiled and said, "There is no need for that. Are you some stranger?"
Smiling, the Mantri set the pouch aside.
...
Some time later, I left possessing the business permit, the identity documents, the deed to the house, and a map provided to help me find my way home easily.
Amidst all this, I hadn't realized how much time had passed; night had already fallen. I stepped out into the darkness.
Shrouded by the shadows, the illusion of the middle-aged man vanished, and my original form reappeared.
I began walking, following the map. I walked on and on, leaving the clusters of houses behind me one by one.
I finally reached my destination. The house met every single one of my conditions; the entire structure was crafted from wood.
I pushed the door open and stepped inside my new home. First, I removed my shoes and placed them on the shoe rack to the side.
After taking a few steps, I reached the bedroom. The bed was made of wood, designed fit for a king. I lay down upon it; it felt incredibly soft.
I rested my head on the pillow and began to listen to the sounds of the outdoors—the rushing water of the river and the howling of wolves from the forest.
"Oh, finally this day has come to an end. Now, I just need to sleep peacefully."
Slowly, drowsiness overtook me, and I drifted into a deep slumber.
...
Meanwhile, something else was unfolding elsewhere.
Deep in the forest, inside a humble hut, sat a man dressed in the simple attire of a sage. This was Prince Pandu, who had been living in exile in the wilderness for ten years.
Suddenly, his wife, Madri, entered the hut. She had bathed just a short while ago; although she had donned her ascetic robes, her wet hair still cascaded down her back.
Madri sat down before her husband and began arranging her damp tresses. She looked at her lord, smiled, and asked, "Swami, why are you gazing at me like that?"
Pandu was utterly captivated by his wife's beauty. A mood of romance took hold of him, causing him to completely forget the curse that had been placed upon him.
"Madri, you look incredibly beautiful today," Prince Pandu said with deep affection.
Hearing this, Madri, too, felt the stirrings of love.
Slowly, they began to lose themselves in one another. They embraced, and just as Prince Pandu leaned in to kiss his wife Madri...
He suddenly collapsed to the ground.
It happened exactly as Maharishi Kindama had foretold in his curse: the moment he attempted to engage in intimacy would be his last.
The prophecy was fulfilled; Prince Pandu was dead.
Madri stared in shock at her husband lying on the floor. A sense of dread filled her heart.
She bent down and frantically shook his body. "What happened, Swami? What is wrong?"
Moments later, the realization struck her: her husband, her Suhaag, was no longer in this world.
She began to scream and wail in the agony of separation, blaming herself, believing that it was because of her that her husband had left this world.
Hearing her screams, Kunti and her five sons—Yudhishthira, Bhima, Arjuna, Nakula, and Sahadeva—rushed in from outside.
Yudhishthira was three years younger than me, currently seven years old. Bhima was six years and seven months old,
Arjuna was six years and three months old, while the twins, Nakula and Sahadeva, were just six.
They all entered the hut.
"What happened, Madri? Why are you crying like this? What is wrong?" Kunti asked anxiously.
"Sister... our husband is no longer in this world."
Madri continued to sob. When Kunti heard these words, she felt a massive shock shake her very core.
To be continued..