-- SOMETIME LATER --

The warm sun bathes the lush Himalayan hills of Shatashringa in a golden glow. The air was filled with the sound of shouts and laughters. Pandu was at the center of the playful commotion, carrying Bheem, the strongest and most boisterous of his sons, on his back.

Bheem's laughter rings out, echoing through the serene valleys. The other Pandava brothers, Yudhishthir, Arjun, Nakul, and Sahadev, circled around them, their youthful energy palpable in the air. They were jumping and running, their innocent faces lit up with smiles as wide as the horizon. Pandu's face was a picture of contentment as he revelled in the simple pleasures of fatherhood.

"Pitashree hume bhi ! Hume bhi !" The twins reached out.

Pandu, with a wide grin on his face, gently grabs hold of the Nakul and Sahadev, effortlessly lifting them up in his arms. He twirls around, their giggles blending with the rustling of the leaves and the distant sound of flowing rivers. With unwavering strength and love, he balanced the twins on one arm and then reached out with his other arm to scoop up Arjun and Yudhishthir. As the four boys were lifted into the air, and Bheem held tight on his back, Pandu spun them around together in a harmonious dance of familial bond.

Finally, with a gentle smile, he places them back on the ground, their hearts filled with the warmth of their father's affection.

"Mere vandana ka samaye ho chala hai, putro. Ab mujhe jana hoga." Pandu said, and then turned to his eldest son, "Yudhishthir, apne bhaiyo ka dhyaan rakhna."

Nakul curiously asked, "Pitashree, aap sadev Jyesht ko hi kyu humara dhyaan rakhne ko kehte hai ?"

Pandu chuckled as he ruffled the Madreya's locks, "Kyuki Jyesht Bhrata Pita ke samaan hote hai. Iss liye Yudhishthir bhi tumhara aisa hi dhyaan rakhega, jaisa mai rakhta hu."

"Yeh toh satya hai !" Sahadev beamed, "Jyesht humara rakshan, hamari chinta, aapke bhaati hi karte hai."

Pandu smiled and looked at Yudhishthir, keeping a hand over her son's shoulders he said, "Aur mujhe vishwas hai ki tum yeh uttardaitwa ka sadev nivaran karoge. Mujhe swayam ki chhavi sabse adhik tumhare mei dikhti hai, Yudhishthir. Iss liye ek ashwasan rehta hai ki mai rahu ya na rahu, tum apne bhaiyo ka uchit maargdarshan awashya karoge. Tumhare saath yeh tan aur man, dono se surakshit rahenge."

"Yeh aapko kehne ki awashyakta nahi hai Pitashree." Yudhishthir kept an assuring hand over his father's, "Apne bhaiyo ka dhyaan rakhna mera kartavya hai. Jeevan mei koi bhi sthiti aaye, inka dhyaan mai sadev rakhunga."

"Awashya rakhoge. Mujhe vishwas hai." Pandu smiled.

Bheem said, "Keval Jyesht ka hi nahi, humara bhi kartavya hai. Anuj hone ke naate, hum bhi sadev Jyesht ki sabhi baat aagya samajh ke maanenge."

"Ha. Hum sadev Jyesht ke anugami rahenge, chaahe sukh ho ya dukh." Arjun said.

----------

The widowed princesses, Asti and Praapti, sat huddled together, tears streaming down their faces, their mourning echoing through the night. The loss of their beloved husband, Kamsa, had left a deep void in their lives that seemed insurmountable. The flickering torches cast dancing shadows on the walls as the princesses clung to each other, seeking solace in their shared grief.

Despite the passing time, the pain of their loss remained fresh and raw, refusing to be assuaged by time or by the well-meaning words of their attendants. The widowed princesses were inconsolable, their hearts heavy with sorrow as they wept for the love they had lost.

Meanwhile, their father Jarasandh, stood at the door, his towering figure casting a long shadow in the dim light. His usually stern face was now etched with profound sadness and a simmering anger that threatened to boil over. Kamsa had been not only a husband to his daughters but also a valuable ally to him. Jarasandh's fists clenched as thoughts of revenge consumed his mind.

"Samrat, dhairya rakhiye." His ministers told him.

Jarasandh snapped his gaze at them, "Kaise rakhu dhairya ?! Mujhe yudh chahiye amatya ! Mujhe Kamsa ke vadh ka pratishodh chahiye ! Mujhe samast Yadavo ka naash chahiye !"

One of the ministers said, "Kintu Maharaja-dhiraj, Krishna aur Balram saadharan nahi hai. Woh koi divya shakti hai. Unse aap saralta se nahi jeet sakte. Uss Krishna ke samaksh toh Indra ko bhi jhukna pada hai."

"Kya kehna chaahte ho ? Ki hum baithe rahe aur kuch na kare ?!" Jarasandh exclaimed, "Mathura par aakraman ki taiyaari karo. Yeh Magadhpati ka aadesh hai !"

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A/N

In his first attack on Mathura, Jarasandh brought 23 akshohini army.

For a comparison, in the Mahabharat war 18 akshohini army was used, and that was the combined forces of Pandavas, Kauravas, and all the kingdoms of Bharatvarsh. Magadh here alone has 23 akshohinis 🌝