Suryavanshi Yuvrani To Empress Of Aryavrat

Part 2: Kathiravani

Kathiravani: derived or feminine form of Kathiravan means The Sun.

Guru Drona along with his son and 105 disciples of his went to Ayodhya after he got the message from Mahamahim Bhisma. In his letter, Bhisma said for him to guide the Kuru Princes to Ayodhya as the eldest son of Maharaj Pandu would marry his bride there. They would met Kripacharya and Mahamantri Vidur in Ayodhya, now the a hundred and seven of them walked into this capital.

Ayodhya was exactly the same as what many described. The people were so serene and lived with happiness, many people offered them - who disguised themselves as Brahmins - foods and shelters, this Capital was called a place of learning, as many Brahmins like them were here to spread knowledge. There were many temples that build, it was a sacred place after all, the birth place of Lord Ram.

They were approached by men, looked like sellers, bowed to them,

"pranipat, o revered ones. We see you seemed lost, what can we do to help you?"

Dronacharya and his disciples gave them a bow, "Pranipat. Me and my disciples come from far away, now we stopped to ask for alms,"

The men smiled kindly, "you come in the right time, O revered ones. Our Yuvrani Kaushalya is going to marry a Kuru Prince, eldest son of Maharaj Pandu of Hastinapur. She and other Rajkumaris are now in ShivParvati temple, doing their pooja. You should go there, they distributes foods."

"if you don't mind, o revered ones, we shall bring you there." one of them said, with a smile on their face, the people of Ayodhya was so kind and simple, it radiated through their faces and the way they conducted themselves,

"if it's not bother then, we thank all the Shriman," Dronacharya replied, while the men shook their heads,

"it's our luck, o revered ones, to be able to served all of you. Come, let us guide you."

The three men guided them to a temple near outskirt of Ayodhya, they informed the guards who stationed there, and the guards bring them.

Almost near them, they heard voices of girls, giggles, they may not loud but lively nonetheless, and they were Kshatriya who spent their lifetimes studied about these things, so being able to heard people's conversation was not uncommon for them.   

After heard what these young women talked about, Bhima and Arjun, shot their eldest brother a playful look, while Nakul, Sahadev, Yuyutsu and Vikarna chewing their lips as to not laughed at the eldest brother. Yudhistira, despite felt embarrassed, his heart was jumped with happiness. 

The guards came to the young women who sat in the stairs. And informed them about the Brahmins, the elder one, jumped from her seat, the four young women came to them.

"Pranipat, revered ones, i am Kaushalya, Yuvrani of Ayodhya, these are my younger sisters. Forgive us for not welcomed you," she said bent down to touched Dronacharya's feet, after he blessed her, she came to Yudhistir - who stood beside guru Drona - and almost bent down but Yudhistir quickly pulled his feet,

"Yuvrani, you don't have to touch my feet," he said almost too quickly, the enchanting eyes of the Yuvrani swipe towards him innocently, Yudhistir felt his heart almost gone it beat faster, he gulped, his future wife was so beautiful. Then she walked to Yudhistir's side, coincidentally, Suryodhan stood beside him.

Kathiravani almost bent down but Suryodhan dodged her,

"no. Yuvrani, you don't have too," Suryodhan wanted to scream, did this woman wanted to reduced his lifespan or what? He may hate Yudhistir but this woman also Yudhistir's future wife and he was the eldest among Kuru Princes, if Pitamah Bhisma found out that he let the eldest kuru kulvadhu touched his feet, Pitamah Bhisma without doubt killed him, and his father wouldn't say anything.

"but..."

"Yuvrani, coincidentally, you are almost the same age as my disciples, hence you shouldn't touch their feet," Guru Drona said, Kathiravani felt it was weird but shrugged it off,

"then, Gurudev, please have a sit, my sisters will take the water and we will wash your hands, then we shall serve all of you foods."

Mirdhvi and Mira went to the river along with some maids that accompanied them, and came as quick as possible with pots filled with water, the maids gave two pots to the Princesses, Kathiravani helped washed Guru Drona's hands, then she helped Yudhistir, Yudhistir saw her focused appearance, a small blush coated his cheeks, he tried so hard to ignored it. After all of them washed their hands, the Princesses and the maids started to served them food one by one.

All of them finished their eating, minus Bhima who still eat, everyone looked at him with bewildered look, one of the maids came to Kathiravani who observed the distribution of the foods,

"what happened? Do the Brahmins need something?" Kathiravani asked, not accustomed with the servant's weird states,

"No, Yuvrani, but one of the Brahmin seems like he cannot stop eating nor can he feels full. Everyone's bewildered about it,"

Kathiravani frowned, "if he still doesn't feel full then let him eat. It's not like we are going to run-out of foods or something," she recalled the boon Maharishi Durvasa gave her years ago when she served him, that as long as the food was made by her hands, as long as she was there, that food will never run-out,

"oh, jiji you come here and see the way this Brahmin eats, i never see anyone eats as much as he is!"  Satya said with amazement,

"may mata Lakshmi bless him, when i see he eats, i feel hungry too," Mira praised him, Kathiravani smiled,

"if you feel hungry, just take some of the ladoos," her sister was still a child, still in Kanyakul,

"the other Brahmins waited impatiently for him, it's amusing!" Mirdhvi giggled, while Kathiravani and Satya looked at each other, then shook their head,

"his hands must've been tired. I'll go and feed him myself then," without even confirmed her other sisters, Ayodhya's Crown Princess already walked towards them, with maids on her tow carrying more ladoos.

Kathiravani cupped her hands towards the old Brahmin, then she scrooch down in front of the Brahmin who still eat,

"Brahmin dev, i see your hand is getting tired. Let me feed you myself,"

She took one of the ladoos and offered to the Brahmin's mouth with a sweet smile, he bit it off her hand, then chewed it slowly, and gulped it down, the moment he gulped, he burped. Everyone around them looked at each others, speechless.

"h-how is this possible?" someone from the crowd exclaimed, Kathiravani also shocked, the Brahmin drank his water leisurely, he then cupped his hand and looked at Kathiravani,

"you've been taking care of us like a mother should, with the love and compassion. Hence, i am full after eating the food from your own hand, because you give it to me with love like mothers do."

Kathiravani blinked, she raised her head and her eyes collided with the foreign yet familiar ones, belonged to the eldest disciple. She blinked again, then nodded, why she felt so overwhelmed, why she wanted to cry, and why her heart beaten fast for no reason exactly after she saw those brown eyes belonged to the eldest disciple?