A Journey To Discover Life

Hastinapur was the most powerful empire in the north of the Vindyas, in the subcontinent once ruled by King Bharata. When its long-reigning and prosperous king Shantanu passed away in old age, he left behind his ambitious wife Satyabati, her two sons, Chitrangad and Bichitravirjaya and his first surviving son from his first wife Ganga, Devabrata, who took the lifelong oath of not being king nor marrying or having any progeny and hence earned the name Bhishma. When Chitrangad was about to ascend the throne, he died in an unfortunate accident, leaving the minor Bichitravirjaya as the only contender on the throne. Bhishma almost outspokenly took over the role of guardian to the throne of Hastinapur upon this event. However, the rules suggested that the young prince must marry before he could be crowned. Upon hearing of this, Bhishma sent his spies around the subcontinent to find eligible princesses who would not only marry the heir apparent but also be the future queen and queen mother of...

This is part of the "Uttara Series" You will find under the Mahabharata. The series is also available on Wattpad. The night of the Bhadra Amavasya saw a funeral pyre in the Pandavas' camp. Wails of the ladies filled the air as the young brave heart was turning into ashes. The ashes lit up a celebration in the Kauravas' camp. Duryodhan, Dushyasan, Shakuni, and Jayadrata all succeeded in their mission. Breaking the Pandavas' backbone, killing their favourite son. Karna joined in the celebrations reluctantly; he had released the boy from the pain. The face kept coming back to him. After all, he was his nephew. He shut his eyes in pain. The air tonight seemed cursed. The pyre burning made the teenage widow run towards it. She had no hope of living without him. Life was already tough; each day, he went to war with a smile on his face. She had already lost her brother. Now she had none to return home to her. "Stop!" His mother pleaded between the wails. "...

Rao Nahar Panwar made Mandore the capital of Marwar, Rajasthan, until Rao Jodha shifted to the Mehrangarh Fort. Mandore, a few km from the blue city of Jodhpur, now stands as a tourist spot with an archaeological park of ancient temples.  Dated back to around the 6th Century and older, these temples are an example of wonderfully curved stone architectural wonders. Amongst them stands a temple to an unusual deity. The King of Lanka, the demon devotee of Shiva, Ravana. Surprised? The Brahmins of this place religiously worship him twice every day. Why? Temples at Mandore During the Puranic times, Maya Danav, the architect among Demons, son of Rishi Kashyap and his wife Aditi, used to rule Madnore, with his consort, the Apsara queen Hema. They had two sons, Mayavi and Dhundhuvi, but yearned for a daughter. Devotees of Shiva prayed to him for a daughter. Once an Apsara, Madhura visited Kailash in the absence of Devi Parvati and tried to seduce the Lord. Angered at her action, the Devi h...

The Nagas (symbolically snakes) were a tribe who were well acquainted with life in forests and on rivers. They were said to be the ones who ruled the waters. Historically speaking, the Nagas lived in the northeastern parts of Aryavarta, close to Manipur, and extended their villages up to the land of Burma. The Naga tribe staying in the current state of Nagaland are proof of this. Now, this brings us to the story. The Naga Chief was Kauravya, who ruled the waters of the Ganges. His daughter was Ulupi. Some say she was a widow at a tender age, and some say she was unmarried. The Pandava prince Arjun was roaming around Aryavarta in exile, for he had broken a promise and entered his elder brother's intimate room with their Shared wife. The punishment was this. He roamed all the way from Indraprastha to the mystic lands of Manipur and Nagaland. Ulupi, like any other princess of that time, desired the handsome and brave prince of Hastinapur. On hearing of his arrival in their land, she w...

He grew up in the care of his grandparents, being the sole heir to the throne. He was a great warrior, skilled with the Bow like his grandfather , Arjun  and the sword like his father,  Abhimanyu . The  Raaj Guru Kripacharya  trained him in warfare. His mother,  Uttara,  told him stories of the father he never knew, how valiant a warrior he was and how their struggle for this kingdom was the greatest battle ever fought. He loved to hunt and often indulged in hunting expeditions encouraged by his grandparents. At 35, he was made the king while his Grandfather and his brothers retired from the cycle of responsibilities and decided to live in a hermitage. His mother and grandmother stayed back to help him rule the vast kingdom. The first king of the new era was thus crowned. As king, he started his peaceful reign. He called upon the sages and the  Kul Guru Vyas Dev  to start the new yug with something very important.  Vyas's son Suta with Pariks...

 The mystic lands of the far East, Aryavarta, were a mystery to many. The warrior prince was exiled from his own kingdom and was forced to live in a hermitage due to a condition he agreed upon with his brothers and broke. He decided to visit the lands to the east and see the natural beauty himself. Wherever he travelled, his name was famous and people welcomed him with open arms. After all, he was the son of the great Emperor and the greatest archer of the land. While travelling through the forest dressed as a hermit, Gandhiva in hand, he stopped to rest. An arrow shot across, inches from his ears. He held up his Gandhiva. From the clearing emerged a Prince who wore the traditional local dress. Holding up the Bow at the Warrior Prince was ready for combat. " Who are you? A stranger with the bow? Do you threaten Manipur or seek peace?" The voice was that of a woman. The Prince was surprised. Initially, he thought the way this person dressed and shot an arrow was a Prince than ...

  T he Trinity was in a dilemma. The  Dwapar  Yug has lost its value. Its consequences needed to be faced.  Kaali Yug  needed to be ushered in. Once again, it was time for  Vishnu  to take human form and purify the earth of all evils. Ram had removed evil from the Treta Yug; it was now time for Krishna to be born. A meeting was called for all  Devas  and  Gandharvas, Demons  and  Nagas  who reached  Swarga Lok . Vishnu spoke to the eager crowd that gathered to hear the Trinity. Vishnu “It’s time again, all devas; it’s time to remove evil from Dwapar once and for all… I have decided it’s time to take birth as an Avatar once again. You all have helped Ram usher in Dwapar, and I hope that you volunteer to do the same with Krishna.”  He added, happily looking at his family in the crowd,  “Laxmi will join me as Yajnaseni Draupadi, and Anant Naga as my elder brother Balaram.” “I have already heard that you have bl...

The Prince was sitting on the Balcony of the palace. There was a worried look on his face. He sighed. He was treated as the most intelligent person in the whole of Aryavarta, yet he could not find a solution to this problem. His thoughts were interrupted by his mother. Her eyes showed that she had not had a wink of sleep for the last two days. She informed,  " The gifts and flowers have been arranged, the chariots have been called on, and the journey will begin tomorrow morning." Her voice was distant. " Maata, is there any way...?" " Saubala Putra, I forbid you, our own happiness is not greater than that of the subjects. Their securities matter the most. So please do not use any Maya on the Emperors to anger them. Your sister has accepted her fate; you, too, do so." " But how, Maata? She is Intelligence personified; she has boons from Lord Shiva himself. How can we give her away to a blind man?" " That blind man is the most powerful person ...

This is part of the "Uttara Series" You will find under the Mahabharata. The series is also available on Wattpad. Parikshit has returned triumphant from the hunting expedition. He came to his Grandfather and sought his blessings.  "Pranipat. I have returned triumphant, and as per your instructions, I met with Maharshi Jaimini and sought advice."  " What did he say, Putra?" " He was pleased to know my idea on rewriting and reviving the lost Gyan of the Vedas." " God Bless You, my child, at this age, you talk more gravely than we, reminds me of your father."  Adhirathi Arjuna's face grew sad at the memory of his son.  " Go see your Mother. She is waiting."  In the Andarmahal, Queen Uttara sat surrounded by her mothers-in-law and maids. The gossip was about the marriage of the Prince. Uttara had asked the elders to look for a bride. She wanted to do away with her duties towards her family. Thirty-three-year-old Queen Uttara w...