Story Week 7: My So Called Naivety

     

Davavrata vows to give up the throne: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Bheeshma_oath_by_RRV.jpg

     I guess people think naivety is the reason I gave up my place on the throne. Truth be told, naivety has nothing to do with it. When I was younger, I was hunting for my father, King Shantanu, to kill a deer for dinner for the next couple of nights. I was hunting alone when I saw the largest deer to walk this earth. I quickly drew my bow and fired. However, instead of hearing the deer whine and thud to the ground, I heard a visceral scream. I kept hearing the screaming "AHH AHH" as I walked over. I eventually found a Brahman laying on the ground. He has always been known as a great Brahman, but that day, he took the form of a great deer and he said to me, "As punishment for ending my life, you will never take the place of your father on the throne." I remember being quite taken aback, but I quickly understanding why my punishment has been so severe. When I got back to my home that night, my father asked me what was wrong. "Devavrata what has happened, you seem almost ill." I explained to him that I had missed the most perfect looking deer, and quickly went to bed. 

     The next couple of weeks, or maybe it was months, was spent trying to come to terms with the fact that I will never be king. I eventually came to terms with that fact and moved on. I have never let anyone know that I am the one that killed the great Brahman because I am still so embarrassed about that fact. I have been searching for opportunities to "give up" my throne for a noble reason, and I think I have finally found one. My father found the love of his life. She is the daughter of a well known blacksmith who longs for his children and grand children to be something great. Because of this yearning, he will only allow my father to marry his daughter if I give up my place on throne. The opportunity just fell into my lap! At first I 'declined', acting as if I had any thought of not giving up my place on the throne. Eventually, I changed my mind and am getting ready to tell my father that I am prepared to give up my place on the throne for him. If all goes to plan, I will finally be able to move on past the curse this Brahman put on me and take the curse to my death bed. 

Authors note: 

I wrote this story based on Part A of Mahabharata. More specifically, the part about Devavrata giving up his place on the throne so that his father could marry the love of his life. I decided to write about this part because it is so integral to the rest of the story. If Devavrata had not given up his place on the throne, then the story could not have progressed in the same direction remotely. I put my own spin on it because it makes Devavrata seem less naive and more stupid for killing the Brahman. It also gives a more in depth reason as to why Devavrata gave up his place on the throne. 

Bibliography: 

Author: Various Contributors

Title: Mahabharata

Source: PDE Mahbharata