ARJUN : A GREAT WARRIOR

Arjuna, the third son of Queen Kunti, is known as a great warrior and a hero in the Mahabharata. Loved by everyone, Arjuna has always had his elder brother, Yudhishthira, by his side, who filled the gap left by their absent father. Although admired by many, Arjuna doesn't fully understand love. His strongest bond is with his mother, Kunti, who means the world to him. To Arjuna, his small family feels perfect and complete.

He didn't desire much in life. For years, they lived peacefully in the forest, unaware of the harsh truths about their family. They didn't know they were princes, unaware of the royal blood that flowed through their veins. The truth remained hidden from them, at least for now. Mata Kunti struggled with the burden of revealing the reality to her young sons, not yet ready to shatter the innocence of their simple lives.

Mata Kunti lived with the weight of her past mistakes, the guilt of choices she could never undo. One of those regrets was her firstborn son, Karna, whom she longed to meet, yet the pain of abandoning him haunted her. Though she felt guilt over what she had done to Karna, her five other sons-Yudhishthira, Bhima, Arjuna, Nakula, and Sahadeva-helped heal parts of her heart, even though they had not been the ones to break it.

It was almost time for them to return to their royal home, a place filled with injustice and politics. Mata Kunti's heart was heavy with worry. She didn't want her sons to face sadness or be caught in the schemes of the palace. Yet, she knew there was nothing she could do to change their fate. They were Kshatriyas, and their destiny was to return to the world of royal duties and challenges.

Mata Kunti knew her sons needed to face tough challenges to grow stronger. They were now old enough to be trained and schooled in the ways of life. With that, they left the forest and returned to their royal home. Kunti left behind all the memories of her husband and the peaceful days with her sons in the forest. Her heart ached deeply, torn between the past she cherished and the future her sons had to face.

Bhima saw his mother's sadness and, though he was too young to fully understand what troubled her, he couldn't bear to see her like this. He always knew how to make her smile, and now, he wanted to try again. So, as they traveled home in a bullock cart, he looked at her and said, "Mata, I'm very hungry. Do we have something to eat?" It was his way of lightening the mood, hoping to see her laugh once more.

And it worked. Mata Kunti laughed, and soon everyone joined in, teasing Bhima. Arjuna grinned and said, "Jyesth, why are you always hungry? Ahaha, but don't worry-I stole some laddus for you from the kitchen." He glanced at his mother, feeling a little guilty for stealing. But Mata Kunti just shook her head and said, "Stealing is wrong, my son. But since you did it for your big brother, I'll let it go this time." She loved her sons so much that even when they misbehaved, she couldn't stay mad at them.

They finally reached the palace. With a small, forced smile, Mata Kunti stepped inside. Waiting for her were her in-laws and their 100 sons, standing tall. She smiled at them, but deep down, she immediately knew that she and her sons were not truly welcomed with open hearts.

She greeted everyone with a respectful bow and said, "Pranipata to everyone. Here are my sons." She gestured proudly toward her children and began the introductions: "Yudhishthira, Bhima, Arjuna, Nakula, and Sahadeva."

Gandhari, her eyes covered with a red cloth, lived in darkness out of love for her husband, Dhritarashtra. Despite her blindness, she had a deep understanding of everyone's feelings. With warmth and affection, she welcomed Kunti's sons, saying, "Kunti, your sons are mine as well."

few days passed, and Mata Kunti observed that the Pandavas and the Kauravas were not getting along. She feared that their conflicts might escalate into something far more serious than mere cousins squabbles.

This chapter serves as an introduction and a preview of what's to come. The next chapter will focus on Subhadra. I hope you're enjoying the story so far. Please bear with me as I occasionally face writer's block, but I'll do my best to update as often as I can. Thank you for your patience and support!❤️