Sixteen
Years Later
“This
is so unfair!” Subhadra was furious. “How could King Virata go
back on his word?”
Krishna
sighed not saying anything. There really was nothing for him to say.
“He
was so eager to get his daughter married to the Pandavas?” Subhadra
was ranting angrily. “What caused him to suddenly change his mind?”
“The
fact that Yudhishtara gambled away his kingdom.” Krishna said as
his dark eyes were glowing with a strange emotion. “That is what
made Virata rethink his offer to get his daughter Uttara married to
Abhimanyu.”
“What
is Abhimanyu’s fault in that?” Subhadra wailed angrily.
“Abhimanyu is Arjuna’s son – Arjuna does not gamble. He does
not….”
“He
did not stop his elder brother from gambling either.” Krishna
interrupted in a soft voice.
Subhadra’s
shoulder’s sagged unhappily. “Ever since the dice game and the
thirteen year exile, everything has gone wrong. Duryodhana has taken
over all of the Pandavas kingdom.” Subhadra said angrily. “I have
not seen my husband properly. All I knew that my husband and his
brothers were suffering in the forests. In fact in the last year I
did not even know where my husband was...”
“Arjuna
and the other Pandavas were in incognito.” Krishna reminded
Subhadra. “Naturally, you could not know where Arjuna was hiding.”
Subhadra
did not bother replying. She knew that whether anyone else knew or
not, Krishna would have known. He always did.
“Then
after the thirteenth year, I was thrilled when I got a message from
Arjuna.” Subhadra continued in a sullen voice. “Telling me that
King Virata wanted his daughter to marry Abhimanyu.” Subhadra
looked angrily at Krishna. “When I told Abhimanyu about it… he
seemed happy.” She looked glum. “Now, what do I go and tell him?”
Krishna
said nothing as Subhadra continued. “This seems unfair.”
“Why
don’t you go and talk to the king about it?” Krishna asked
Subhadra gently. His dark eyes suddenly turned mischievous. But
Subhadra was too angry to notice it.
“Me?”
She asked angrily.
Krishna
nodded. “Arjuna and the other Pandavas are talking with Virata. I
think you should also go and talk to the king.”
“What
do you think I can say….?” Subhadra started.
“You
are Abhimanyu’s son and you want your son to be happy. Isn’t that
what you want to tell Virata?”
“But...”
Subhadra started.
“No
buts.” Krishna said finally. “I am making arrangements for the
two of you to leave for the kingdom of Matsya to meet King Virata.”
Krishna nodded. “Please tell Abhimanyu to be ready.”
“Where
are you going?” Subhadra asked looking bewildered.
“I
am going to tell Daruka to get ready.” Krishna said thumbing
towards outside their palace in the city of Dwaraka. “He is the
swiftest rider I have and I believe that he can get you where you
need to go as soon as possible.”
Subhadra
frowned. But Krishna did not give her a chance to talk as he walked
out of the palace.
*******
“I
want you to ride there now.” Krishna told Daruka who was getting
the chariot ready.
“Your
Majesty, that forest is not the Matsya kingdom.” Daruka was not new
to the plans or the smiles of Lord Krishna. But still this was
completely new for the charioteer.
“Nowhere
even close.” Krishna agreed. “And just make sure that Subhadra or
Abhimanyu do not know where you are actually taking them.”
Daruka
opened his mouth and then looked at the dark hue of the Dark Lord and
then smiled. “Bheema’s son lives there, my Lord. He lives in the
forests there, with his mother – Hidimbi.”
“Is
it?” Krishna asked looking confused though his eyes looked amused.
“I did not know that.”
“You
want Abhimanyu and Bheema’s son to meet, don’t you?”
“I
am not saying anything else, Daruka.” Krishna said with a smile.
“You are making all the guesses.”
There
could be no further talk between the charioteer and the Dark Lord,
because Abhimanyu – who was all of sixteen years came into the
stable, followed by his mother.
“What
good would it do to talk to Virata?” Abhimanyu asked without any
preamble. But all Krishna saw was that Abhimanyu’s eyes looked sad.
He tried to look cheerful, but it still seemed impossible for the
little boy.
“Sometimes
talking can solve a lot of problems, son.” Krishna told Abhimanyu.
Abhimanyu
did not seem very convinced as he strapped on his bow and arrow.
Subhadra
got on the chariot as Abhimanyu followed his brother.
“Get
them to where they need to go, Daruka.” Krishna told Daruka.
Daruka
smiled as he started the chariot without another word.
Author’s
Note: The story of Gatothgaja helping in the marriage of
Abhimanyu and Vatsala is a part of folklore.
In
the folk story, Vatsala is supposedly the daughter of Balarama –
the brother of Krishna.
However,
no translation of the Mahabharatha mentions the second marriage of
Abhimanyu. Mahabharatha only states that Abhimanyu is married to
Uttara – the daughter of King Virata. He married her at the age of
sixteen and he died three months after his wedding in the
Mahabharatha war.
The
author has merely borrowed the idea of the folk story of
Abhimanyu-Vatsala marriage into the marriage of Abhimanyu and Uttara.
However,
as per the original version, Virata had no problems with his daughter
Uttara marrying Abhimanyu – in fact he was very eager for it.
