In the middle of the forest was no man's land. At this moment a celestial phenomenon was happening here.
Sun was shining brightly, Birds were singing, Trees were dancing with the wind, Even mother Earth's hardness were soften here, Invisible to mortal eyes celestial bodies appear top of the place to witness the miracle that happing here, Also to take a first look of there youngest prince. Whole field has an aura of positivity. Good omens appearing everywhere.
But all this ignored by the beautiful maidan on the field. Her attire was not like a commoner girl but was like a princess. There was lot of golden jewellery on her body, On her delicate nose was a Nath (Nose ring), Pearl earring were ornamented on her ears like a twinkling stars, Her neck covered in lots of beautiful golden necklaces, Her wrists decorated by the twin gold bangles, On her ankle was luxurious anklet jiggling by her moments. She wore white coloured pure silk sari making her look like a Apsara¹ (Celestial Dancer/ Beauty), This a the princess of the kunti-bhoj kingdom, Princess Kunti.
At this moment her rosy cheeks were stained with tears. In her arms was a very beautiful infant boy. He was curled in her arms, emitting divine aura from his tiny body, His louts like eyes yet to be opened, He was sleeping so soundly and peacefully that disturbing him felt like a sin.
What was astonishing was that the baby had golden earrings in his ears, Shining brightly in the sun. His torso also had a golden armour which shone as beautifully as the sun in the sky.
"My first born, forgive your incompetent mother but I can't accept you."
The maidan kneels down holding the newborn in her arms tightly and bursts into tears.
"Priyamvada brought me a basket and a few flowers."
After some time her crying stopped and her expression became firm. She directly ordered her royal maid to arrange things for her.
"Princess but-"
Her maid wanted to say something but looking at the glaring eyes of her master she didn't dare to say anything.
"I know what you wanted to say but if I don't do this then not only mine but also my father's reputation will be ruined, I can't accept that, So this is the only right thing to do."
Sensing her maids' worry, Kunti spoke some words to console her. In her opinion it's sons job to make sacrifices for their mother, Which she took for granted. Although nothing is wrong in that statement, for a child to make sacrifices for a mother, She also has to act like a mother. Just giving birth is not enough.
"Okay princess, The things you ask for will be arranged in a few moments, please wait."
Maid pay respect by folding her hands and go away to arrange things.
"This thing has to be done, You understand me right, Son? Why don't you after all it is an honour for a son to make sacrifices for his mother."
Kunti spoke these entitled words casually to the sleeping infant as matter of fact. Though these words were spoken to him but these words meant to solidify her decision, Convince herself that what she is doing is the right thing and there is nothing wrong in that.
"Princess things were arranged, What are further instructions?."
After sometime the maid came back to inform things were arranged and asked what to do next, But she already had a premonition of what her princess was going to order her.
"Priyamvada you decorate that basket with flowers and bring it near the river shore."
Just as the maid had imagined, the Princess gave the order to go near the river bank. She already knows what will happen next.
"Take this as a souvenir of your mother, God may protect you, my child."
In the horrified eyes of maid Priyamvada, Kunti put the still sleeping newborn in the decorated basket, pulled out the bangles of her hands, Put it in the basket and walked straight toward the river bank with the basket in her hands. Her intention was obvious.
"Princess th-this not necessary to do it right? We can still give him to some childless parents or send him to ashram² anonymously. Someone will definitely take care of him there and we won't get the sin of abandoning a child."
Priyamvada finally couldn't keep quiet and spoke what was in her mind. She looked at the raging river and then at the newborn in the basket. If they let go of that small basket in the river, Then risk of something happening to the child was too high. If that happened they had to bear the sin of killing a newborn, Which one of the highest sins there is.
"No you are Priyamvada, You don't understand. If we do as you say then there will be a possibility that someone with ill mind can backtrack him to me and can use it against me and my father, I will never let that happen."
Kunti stopped in her tracks and turned her head towards her maid. Her voice was firm with the majesty of a princess.
"And the question about sin, Didn't devi (Goddess) Ganga (River name)³ drown her 6 Children in the river? She didn't get a sin, At least I am putting him in a basket."
Kunti resumed her walk and At this time there was no hesitation and her walk was firm. She just realised if god can do that and get away with it then as compared to them she is not doing that bad things. The final speck hesitation also disappeared.
She reached the river bank and as she was ready to let go of the basket in the river, something happened.
The peacefully closed eyes of the infant open, He finally woke up from his slumber, His extremely clear deep dark eyes filled with the innocence of a child but in those eyes was also a wisdom that can't be hidden by the innocence.
The moment he opened his eyes and looked at her, Then he gave her a very heartfelt smile or atleast what it looked like to Kunti.
"Huh, So I woke up directly to the abandoning part. It's a pity I missed all that crocodile tears drama."
Karan or now Karna wake up and first thing he saw was a thing that started all the drama that led to that destructive war.
He was supposed to wake up early but the system took too much time to load but the wait paid off as he saw the system panel in front of him, Seeing that he unconsciously drew a beautiful smile on his face.
"Sorry Putra (Son), I am really helpless, Please forgive your mother."
Seeing the smile Kunti's stone cold heart melted and she broke down crying on the shore, clutching tightly the basket continuously apologising over and over. That innocent smile he gave to her shaken her belief but she quickly steadfastly her decision. She quickly pulled out all the jewellery on her body and put it in the basket.
"Please lord Surya take care of my- no Our son."
She didn't dare to look at Karna's face again and after closing her eyes, She slowly let go of her grip from the basket.
Just as the grip loosen, River stream directly dragged the basket with it, Carrying it towards the unknown destination.
Kunti watched the basket fading away in her field of vision, Her sight was burly and tears kept coming out of her eyes continuously without sign of stopping but she didn't say a word, She just kept her eyes on the floating basket until it finally disappeared.
" *Sob* My first born is gone Priyanka, He fin-finally gone."
Finally Kunti said a word and started crying again in Priyamvada's arms. No matter how cold hearted she was, she was still his mother. Though she still thought she made the right decision but pain didn't lessen because of it. She cried holding Priyamvada for long time before finally calming down and going back to place.
"*Sigh* Second time I was abandoned by my mother. Well I thought it would be easy but damn I was wrong."
Karna said to himself, His tiny body now currently lying in the basket. Thinking of the scene just now, Though he knew what was going to happen, he still felt pain in his heart. After all, which son wanted to be abandoned by his mother?
He also did not know that Kunti had that big reaction when she committed the sin. When he saw tears in her eyes, He doesn't know why for a moment his heart felt restless.
"This might be the cause and effect Mahadev have talked about."
Karna thought about it and went back to sleep. After all, he can't help it. He is still a newborn baby who needs his 18 hours of sleep.
Karna quickly fell into a deep slumber and because of that he missed the first notification of the System.
[Ding! Detected that Satwai⁴ written fortune and misfortune of the Karna (Host)...
Congratulations to the host for triggering the Million times critical strike on fortune....
Congratulations Host you received "Heaven Defying Superior Luck"..... ].
(A/N :
[1] Apsara : Apsara's are celestial beauty's, Who's job is to entertain the court of king of God's Indra.
[2] Ashram : Hermitage, monastic community, or other place of religious retreat for people. Sages live here.
[3] Ganga : Biggest river in India, 2nd biggest river in the world. This river is considered goddess Ganga, Who cleanses all the sins of people.
[4] Satwai : The Goddess Satwai is known to write the fortune and misfortune for baby's. It was her job to protect new born baby's.
She writes destiny for old Karna and not the new born Karna because of a boon that no one knows his existence here. So Goddess Satwai she was written destiny as thinking of old Karna as she was unaware of changes.
Also how Kunti got karna will be in next few chapters).