THE SEEDS OF UPHEAVAL
-5. The Council Works

It was now late in the night.  Everyone had gone to sleep barring King Dhuranjaya and his Queen Dayanti.  They had laid down on either side of Paramjeet’s bed but could not get any sleep.  The King was still critical in his mind about all that Dhurjaya had said.  On the other hand, the Queen who had initially rejected Dhurjaya’s views was slowly growing sceptical owing to constant thinking in this regard!  Was her son suffering due to their mistake?  This thought had now started playing in her mind which upset her.  After all, when the King had first mooted the idea of giving their second child to Bhupendra, she was ambivalent.  Thereby, with time she had agreed with the King’s plan.  Now, when Dhurjaya questioned that move in this moment of grief, it was slowly having a perverse bearing on her mind and she began to grow apprehensive.  She glanced at the King and found him staring at the ceiling above.  “Maharaj” she began slowly, “I hope Dhurjaya is wrong in his assumptions!” 

“Of course, he is!”  the King declared, “But then why are you saying like that?  Your tone gives me this feeling that you are having doubts!” 

“I do not know, Maharaj!  I am confused and worried!”  the Queen lamented. 

The King touched Dayanti’s hand.  “Come on, Dayanti!  Both of us are making a mistake by thinking about Dhurjaya’s views.  Let us just forget about it and get some sleep.  After all, both of us have to be in good health if we are to take proper care of our son! Let us get some sleep!” 

Although Dhuranjaya managed to sleep, the Queen could not, owing to her disturbed state of mind.

The next day, Dhurjaya once again raised this topic.  “Brother, please do not get angry with me!  Yesterday, I wanted to tell you something more but then you just walked off!  Please do not shy away from the fact!  Even I want to see Paramjeet recover quickly!  This is possible if you make amends for your mistake!” 

The King glared at his brother which was an indication that he should not speak about this matter in front of Paramjeet.  He hushed Dhurjaya to the main hall and the Queen followed them.  “What is it now?”  the King snapped. 

“Brother, you can rectify the mistake you did!  Bring back Aditi!  Let her be in the rightful place where she belongs!  That would appease the Lord!” 

These words of Dhurjaya shocked Paramjeet’s parents.  “Bring Aditi back?  For ten years, she has been staying with Bhupendra and Chandraki thinking them to be her parents!  And now you say that she should be brought back!  Have you ever imagined about the mental trauma such a move would have on all of them?”  asked a baffled Dhuranjaya.  

“I know that this is difficult but then this has to be done!  You have to make your friend and his Queen understand that this is being done for the sake of Paramjeet!  They should be made to realise that since you gave away your second child by showing total disregard to God’s wishes, he, in his anger, is punishing you by taking away your elder son!”  Dhurjaya conceived.   Even as these words unnerved both the King and the Queen, Dhurjaya continued, “Besides, brother, how long would you only think about the happiness and feelings of others and continue to ignore yours?  Also, some day Aditi has to be told about this truth.  The time is now ripe for that!  Do not worry much about Aditi’s feelings.  She is still a child and would abide by her elder’s wishes.  Brother, Sukumaran may be a great physician but then he would be helpless against the will of God if you do not rectify your mistake by bringing Aditi back here.  The decision is entirely yours!”  So saying, Dhurjaya walked away from there leaving the royal couple in deep anguish and bewilderment.    Dayanti lost her emotions and the King could find no words to comfort her.  He was himself perplexed now by what his brother said and did not know what to do. 

“Aditi is our child!  Don’t we have any right to take decisions on her behalf?”  the King sobbed. 

Perhaps, there’s a limit to that!”  the Queen responded which made Dhuranjaya look at her in trepidation.

Later during the day, the King had a thought in mind whether he should discuss about this matter with some able ministers in his council.  But then, he himself deferred from doing so by telling the Queen, “Different people would provide different views that would further confuse us.  Besides, when we gave away Aditi to Bhupendra, did we take anybody’s opinion?  Also, even later I had declared that I do not want anyone to even discuss about this matter for it was a very personal one and therefore should be left over to us.  Thus, now why should I go and ask others if what I did at that time had any element of authenticity in it?  Let us ourselves decide as to what is to be done!”

The next three days passed by with both the King and the Queen failing to take any decision about this imbroglio.  During this period some rulers of the neighbouring states paid a visit to see Paramjeet.  After they had left, Dhurjaya urged his brother and the Queen to act fast or else he cautioned them that it would be too late.  Finally, quite reluctantly both of them acceded to Dhurjaya’s views!  Just then, the guard came and informed them that Bhupendra had come over to see Paramjeet!  At once, Dhurjaya asked his brother to utilise the opportunity and take up this matter with him.  He requested the Queen to leave the King alone with Bhupendra and then both of them left the chambers. 

Dhurjaya and Dayanti just managed to force upon a faint smile after looking at Bhupendra who was standing at the entrance of the chamber and then moved along even before the King could greet them properly.  Although Bhupendra found this a little strange, he did not take this to heart for he knew about their worried state of mind owing to Paramjeet’s tragedy.  The guard came and led him inside the chambers.  Both the friends hugged each other and then Bhupendra enquired about the child’s health.  Dhuranjaya informed him that there was absolutely no improvement in Paramjeet’s condition.