Pandava return to Hastinapur | Mahabharata Stories | Folktale stories with moral lesson

 

King Dhritarashtra is pleased. He is sitting on a massive throne. Countrymen are clapping.

Vidhur

Greetings to Your royal highness!

Countrymen

Hail to Hastinapur

Vidhur

Today we are here to welcome our 105 princes.

Kunti and Gandhari smile. They are sitting on the beach behind the parapet wall.

Vidhur

Welcome, Prince Yudhishthir!

Countrymen

Hail to Prince Yudhishthir! Hail to Prince Yudhishthir!

Yudhishthir arrives with his weapon. He stands at the center of the auditorium.

Vidhur

Welcome, Prince Duryodhana!

Countrymen

Hail to Prince Duryodhana! Hail to Prince Duryodhana!

Prince Duryodhana enters with his weapon.

Vidhur

Let the fight begin

Prince Duryodhana and Yudhishthir fight. Duryodhana wins. Gandhari claps. Kunti becomes sad.

Countrymen

Hail to Prince Duryodhana! Hail to Prince Duryodhana!

Vidhur

Welcome Prince Arjun

Countrymen

Hail to Prince Arjun! Hail to Prince Arjun!

Prince Arjun enters with his weapon.

Vidhur

Let the fight begin

Prince Duryodhana and Arjun fight. Arjun ties Duryodhana magically. Arjun wins.

Countrymen

Hail to Prince Arjun! Hail to Prince Arjun!

King Dhritarashtra becomes angry

King Dhritarashtra

This is not fair! How can the archer use his magical arrow to defeat my son?

Arrow comes and unties Duryodhana. Everyone is shocked

Vidhur

Who interrupted the royal game?

Karna jumps into the center of the auditorium

Karna

I did it. Because Arjun was playing unethically

King Dhritarashtra

Yes, you are right. Who are you, my son?

Karna

I am Karna.

Vidhur

Tell me the caste who belong to?

Arjun

Yes, brave warrior, tell us your caste

Duryodhana

A warrior’s identity is his bravery and not caste

Karna

I am a royal servant’s son

Vidhur

How dare you interrupt the royal game?

Bhishma

Karna, I order you leave the royal game. As you are not a king or a prince

Countrymen

Hail to Prince Arjun! Hail to Prince Arjun! Leave Karna! Leave Karna!

Karna is leaving sadly. Duryodhana stops him.

Duryodhana

King father. My friend Karna is getting humiliated. He is a brave warrior. Can I help him?

King Dhritarashtra

Yes

Duryodhana

You have gifted me, Kingdom Ang

King Dhritarashtra

Yes

Duryodhana

I want to make my friend, King of Ang

King Dhritarashtra

Yes, please make this brave warrior, Karna, a King

Vidhur

This is not possible

Bhishma

This is unethical. He is a royal servant’s son. How can he be a king?

King Dhritarashtra

I am supremo, and I am permitting him. Karna is King of Ang.

Duryodhana

Now can my friend fight with Arjun

Bhishma

Yes

Arjuna and Karan ready with their weapon

Vidhur

Let the fight begin

Karna and Arjun fight. Arjun ties Karna magically. Karna releases himself.

Countrymen

Hail to Prince Arjun! Hail to Prince Arjun!

Sunsets.

Vidhur

Now let’s end the game. Since there are two players on the field. There is no winner

Countrymen

Hail to Prince Arjun! Hail to Prince Arjun!

Night’s darkness emerges.

King Dhritarashtra is very anxious.

Vidhur

Today we have to decide our crown prince

King Dhritarashtra

My son Duryodhana is our crown prince

Bhishma

But eldest son is Yudhishthir

King Dhritarashtra

So what even I was the eldest son. But Pandu was made Kind

Vidhur

Because you are blind

Bhishma

I vote for Yudhishthir

Vidhur

I vote for Yudhishthir

Minister

We vote for Yudhishthir! We vote for Yudhishthir!

Vidhur

Duryodhana lacks compassion. He is not fit to be future King

King Dhritarashtra

Okay, I declare Yudhishthir as our crown prince

King Dhritarashtra becomes sad.

King Dhritarashtra, Vidhur, Bhishma at the meeting hall of the palace. Ministers have occupied seats. And in the center, King and Queen Ghandari are seated. Kunti is standing beside them.

King Dhritarashtra

Dear Ministers and countrymen of Hastinapur. I declare prince Yudhishthir as our crown prince and future king.

Ministers stand up from their seats and shower flowers on King and Queen.

Ministers (in unison)

Hail to the King! Hail to the Queen! Hail to the Hastinapur! Hail to prince Yudhishthir!

All smile.

Moral: Competition should be healthy.

Happy Reading!

About the writer: 

Nisha B Thakur is the author of a Murder Mystery | The Unexpected Trail read at https://www.amazon.in/dp/B0BB88QHM5