Mahabharat: Shiva's Last Variable

(A/N):

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The moment Sage Narada stepped through the magnificent gates of Vaikuntha, he expected to finally have a little peace.

He had spent the better part of the day being chased across realms, had learned that the young woman following him was indeed his daughter,

Had accepted that there was apparently no escape from the situation, and had now left Vaikuntha with one more problem waiting for him, finding a proper name for her.

For the first few steps, everything seemed peaceful.

Then Narada noticed something unusual.

There were people standing outside the gates.

Not just a few attendants or wandering sages either.

There were gods, celestial beings, sages and several other divine personalities gathered around the entrance,

Some standing together in small groups while others appeared to be deliberately waiting for something.

Narada slowed down.

He looked toward one group.

Then another. Then another.

"Why are there so many people here?"

The young woman beside him looked around with the same curiosity.

"I don’t know."

Narada narrowed his eyes.

He knew that expression on the faces of those gathered around them.

They weren’t simply passing through.

They were waiting.

And the moment the first few gods noticed Narada walking out of Vaikuntha, their entire expressions changed.

One of them immediately nudged the person beside him.

"There he is."

Another turned around.

"He’s coming out!"

Within seconds, the quiet gathering became noticeably more animated.

Faces that had looked bored or impatient moments earlier suddenly lit up with anticipation.

Narada stopped completely.

His eyes moved from one face to another.

"Why is everyone looking at me?"

Nobody answered immediately.

Instead, several of them exchanged amused looks.

Narada’s suspicion grew.

He slowly looked at the young woman standing beside him.

Then back at the gathering.

"Wait."

His eyes widened slightly.

"You weren’t waiting for me."

The young woman smiled.

Narada’s expression became increasingly horrified as the realization slowly settled in.

"They were waiting for you."

She nodded.

"Looks like it."

Narada looked at the crowd again.

Some were already trying to hide their smiles.

Others were openly whispering among themselves.

One particular god looked as though he was desperately trying not to laugh.

Narada knew that expression.

He had seen it countless times before.

This wasn’t a gathering of people concerned about him.

This was a gathering of people who had come because they wanted to see what would happen next.

Narada slowly closed his eyes.

"Indra."

Somewhere in the crowd, Indra gave him an innocent smile.

Narada opened his eyes again.

"You told everyone."

Indra lifted both hands.

"I merely shared what happened."

"With whom?"

Indra glanced around.

Narada followed his gaze.

There were far too many people.

Narada’s shoulders dropped.

"You couldn’t keep it to yourself for even one hour?"

Indra chuckled.

"Narada, you should know better than anyone that news travels quickly through the heavens."

The young woman beside Narada looked at the gathering with amusement.

"So these are the people who know about me?"

Indra smiled.

"Most of them heard about you before you even came out of Vaikuntha."

Narada stared at him.

"This is exactly why I came to Vaikuntha in the first place."

The crowd began laughing.

Narada looked toward the heavens as though asking the universe for patience.

Then the young woman gently tugged at his arm.

"Father."

Narada looked at her.

She pointed toward the crowd.

"They’re waiting for us."

Narada sighed.

"Apparently."

And as the gathered gods and celestial beings watched with barely concealed amusement, Sage Narada realized that his old peaceful life had truly ended.

He had spent ages carrying everyone else’s secrets across the realms.

Now, for once, he was the story everyone wanted to hear.

Narada barely had time to recover from the realization that Indra had apparently spread the news across half the celestial realms before the first god approached him with an enormous grin on his face.

"Congratulations, Narada!"

Narada’s expression froze.

"Thank you..."

The god patted him on the shoulder as though he had just achieved some great milestone in life before stepping aside, allowing another to approach.

"My congratulations as well, Maharishi. Who would have thought that you would become a father before any of us even knew what was happening?"

Narada forced a smile.

"Yes... who indeed."

Another deity came forward.

"Narada, this is wonderful news. After spending so many ages travelling alone, you finally have someone who will accompany you."

Narada’s smile became increasingly strained.

"Yes. Wonderful."

The young woman standing beside him watched the entire scene with barely concealed amusement.

One after another, the gods and celestial beings came forward.

Some offered sincere blessings.

Others congratulated him with expressions that made it painfully obvious they were enjoying every second of his discomfort.

A few even shook his hand and patted his back while asking questions that Narada had absolutely no desire to answer.

"So, when did you discover you had a daughter?"

"Today."

"How long have you known her?"

"Technically? A few hours."

"How does it feel to suddenly become a father?"

Narada stared at the person asking the question.

"Ask me again after I have had a few thousand years to process it."

The god laughed and moved aside.

Another immediately stepped forward.

"Congratulations once again!"

Narada folded his hands.

"Thank you."

His voice remained polite, but his face had begun to reveal exactly how desperately he wanted the entire gathering to end.

Indra stood farther away, watching everything with an enormous grin.

Narada noticed him.

Their eyes met.

Indra raised his hand in a cheerful gesture.

Narada narrowed his eyes.

"You."

Indra pretended not to understand.

"Me?"

"You did this."

"I merely informed everyone of the situation."

"You informed everyone?"

Indra nodded with a innocent look on his face.

"It seemed like important news."

Narada looked around at the growing crowd.

"Important enough for half the heavens to gather outside Vaikuntha?"

Indra shrugged his shoulders.

"Apparently."

The young woman finally stepped forward.

"Everyone, thank you for congratulating my father."

Narada’s head turned toward her.

"My father."

The words seemed to echo in his mind.

He still wasn’t completely accustomed to hearing them.

The gathered gods smiled even more.

One of them laughed.

"She certainly has accepted you much faster than you accepted her."

Several others laughed.

Narada gave them a long, tired look.

"I had a rather difficult introduction to fatherhood."

The young woman smiled.

"You ran away from me."

"I was confused!"

"You ran from Indra Lok."

"Because I was confused!"

"You ran to Vaikuntha."

"Because I needed answers!"

"And now you’re standing here."

Narada sighed.

"Yes."

She smiled brightly.

"So you have accepted me."

Narada looked at her.

There was no anger in her expression, no attempt to embarrass him. She simply looked genuinely happy that he had finally acknowledged the connection between them.

His expression softened.

"Yes."

He paused before adding,

"I have."

The young woman smiled.

Narada then turned back toward the crowd.

"Now, if everyone has finished congratulating me..."

One of the gods immediately raised his hand.

"I haven’t yet."

Narada closed his eyes.

The entire gathering burst into laughter.

He could only sigh and accept another round of congratulations, his expression caught somewhere between helplessness, embarrassment and the resigned realization that this story was going to follow him for a very, very long time.

And somewhere in the back of the gathering, Indra was already looking far too pleased with himself.

Meanwhile, back in Trivenivrata, Devara found himself standing outside the chamber of Queen Gandhari with an expression that was becoming increasingly concerned.

It had been some time since she had returned from the royal assembly, and when she began feeling unwell, the palace attendants had immediately summoned the elderly Royal Physician to examine her.

Devara had been waiting outside ever since.

He had already asked the attendants several times whether everything was all right, only to receive the same answer that the physician was still examining the queen.

Normally, Devara would have been patient, but after everything that had happened during the past few months, he couldn’t help worrying whenever someone close to him fell ill.

Eventually, the chamber doors opened.

The elderly Royal Physician stepped out, carefully closing the doors behind her.

Devara immediately approached her.

"How is Gandhari?"

The old physician looked at him for a moment.

Then, instead of answering immediately, a broad smile slowly appeared across her face.

Devara became confused.

"Why are you smiling?"

The physician chuckled softly.

"Maharaja, there is no need for you to look so worried. The queen is perfectly fine."

Devara’s shoulders relaxed slightly.

"Then why was she feeling unwell?"

The old woman looked at him with an expression that made Devara even more suspicious.

"I believe you should be the one receiving the good news rather than asking me questions."

Devara frowned.

"What good news?"

The physician smiled even wider.

"Congratulations, Maharaja."

Devara blinked.

"For what?"

The old woman laughed.

"You are going to become a father."

For several seconds, Devara simply stared at her.

His mind seemed to stop working.

"I..."

The physician nodded.

"Yes. Queen Gandhari is with child."

Devara’s eyes widened.

"You’re certain?"

"I have spent enough years serving this royal family to know what I am looking at," the physician replied with an amused smile. "There is no doubt about it."

Devara remained completely still.

A father.

The word seemed strangely unfamiliar despite how simple it was.

He had spent the last hundred days fighting Pushpasura, nearly died beneath the earth, been trapped inside an illusion and returned in a form that had frightened half the battlefield.

He had dealt with wars, Rakshasas, divine interventions and kingdoms trying to destroy his own.

Yet this single piece of news had somehow left him completely speechless.

The physician watched his expression and chuckled.

"You look as though I have just informed you that another war has begun."

Devara finally let out a breath.

"No... this is different."

His eyes drifted toward the chamber where Gandhari was resting.

A slow smile appeared on his face.

"I am going to be a father."

The physician nodded warmly.

"Yes, Maharaja. You are."

Devara stood there for another moment, still trying to absorb the reality.

Then his smile grew wider.

After everything that had happened during the past hundred days, after all the death and destruction he had witnessed...

There was finally new life waiting for him inside that chamber.

And for the first time since returning from the war, Devara felt a happiness that had nothing to do with victory.

Devara remained outside Gandhari’s chamber for another few moments, still trying to fully take in what the Royal Physician had just told him.

A child. His child.

He certainly hadn’t expected to receive news that would completely change the atmosphere of the palace.

A smile slowly spread across his face.

Then he turned toward the guards standing nearby.

"Guards."

The moment they heard their king’s voice, both men immediately stepped forward and bowed.

"Maharaja."

Devara looked at them, and there was a happiness in his expression that neither of them had seen since his return from the war.

"Go and inform the palace immediately. I want the entire kingdom to hear this news."

The guards exchanged a quick glance before looking back at him.

"What news, Maharaja?"

Devara couldn’t stop the smile from appearing on his face.

"Queen Gandhari is pregnant."

The guards’ eyes widened.

Devara continued before either of them could react.

"Send messengers to every important part of the kingdom. Tell the people that an heir is on the way. I want the entire kingdom to celebrate this occasion. Open the royal kitchens, distribute food among the people, arrange lamps throughout the capital and let the musicians play tonight."

The guards immediately bowed.

"At once, Maharaja!"

They turned and hurried away, clearly carrying the news with as much excitement as the king himself.

Devara watched them disappear before turning back toward the elderly Royal Physician.

She was still standing there with a satisfied smile.

Devara looked at her for a moment before reaching toward the ornaments around his neck.

He removed a golden chain that was decorated with several expensive diamonds and rubies, the jewels catching the light as he held it in his hand.

The physician’s eyes widened.

"Maharaja, there is no need..."

Devara gently placed the necklace in her hands.

"Please accept it."

She looked down at the elaborate piece of jewellery and then back at him.

"This is far too valuable."

Devara shook his head.

"You have served this royal family with upmost sincerity, and today you brought me news that has made me happier than I can properly explain."

He smiled.

"Consider it my gratitude for giving me such wonderful news."

The old physician looked at the necklace again before finally accepting it with both hands.

"Then I shall accept it with gratitude, Maharaja."

Devara nodded.

"And make sure Gandhari receives whatever care she needs. If there is anything she requires, whether it is medicine, food, rest or anything else, I want it arranged immediately."

The physician smiled.

"You don’t need to worry so much. She is doing well. But I suppose I cannot blame a man who has just discovered he is going to become a father."

Devara laughed softly.

"I don’t think I’ve fully understood that part yet."

"You will."

The physician bowed and walked away, carefully carrying the precious necklace with her.

Devara turned back toward Gandhari’s chamber.

Behind those doors was his wife, carrying the child who would soon become part of their family.

Outside, the first sounds of the palace beginning to celebrate were already spreading through the corridors.

And before long, the news would travel far beyond the palace walls.

The King of Trivenivrata was going to become a father.

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(Author note:)

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