SITA’S SISTER by Kavita Kane Read Free Book Online Page A

thundered.
    ‘Yes I did, sir,’ her father said steadily. ‘But many years ago, Sita, then a child, while playing with her sisters, had accidentally picked it up—so easily…’
    ‘It otherwise took a hundred people from the palace to move it…’ her father continued in polite earnestness, ‘…and taking this incident as a good omen, I decided to make the bow the coveted prize of her swayamvar. He who could string the bow could marry her. But it would take an incomparable man to do that.’
    ‘And my brother is that unparallelled man, the only one to pick up the bow when others could not even move it,’ intervened Lakshman, stepping forward and bowing courteously to the enraged rishi. ‘But in the process of being strung, the bow snapped in half since it was old…’ he elaborated in explanation, attempting to make him see reason.
    His remark, instead, infuriated the sage even more. His face flushed red, the blood rushing to his head and gleaming eyes. Urmila saw him flexing his fingers and re-arranging his hold over the axe. Grasping the dangerousness of the situation, she was quick to understand that this would lead to bloodshed. Parshuram would not hesitate to kill Lakshman. She had to intervene. No one dared to confront the rishi when he was an imposing inferno of rage but Lakshman had done the unthinkable.
    Urmila could feel the fear leaping at her throat; she was gripped by an unknown terror for the man she loved…there, she had said it! In her most horrifying moments, she was admitting to it at last. Her heart beating wildly, Urmila knew she was ready to face the full fury of the rishi—anything to save Lakshman from the bloody fight from which he would never escape alive. Quaking inside but with unfaltering steps, she went up to Parshuram and with her head bowed, her eyes beseeching, her hands folded, she sought his blessings.
    ‘We are indeed blessed by your visit,’ she started softly, her eyes steady. ‘Sir, you must be tired…please take a seat and rest.’
    Saying this, she bent down to touch the sage’s feet, hoping desperately her ploy had worked in distracting the angry man. The rishi instinctively murmured, ‘Bless you, princess. May your husband live in your lifetime!’
    Realizing the full impact of his words, Urmila stepped back, hoping frantically Lakshman would now be safe from the rishi’s wrath and his brandishing axe.
    The sight of Lakshman, with his faintly arrogant expression, though, refuelled the rishi’s rage. ‘You audacious young man, how dare you dismiss the bow so impertinently? I can easily behead you with my parshu!’ He shouted, swinging his axe.
    A surprised but a likewise belligerent Lakshman retaliated and took out his sword, ready to tackle the rishi. But when the rishi turned to confront Lakshman, he was unable to lift his axe, and his arm froze. The rishi looked amazed and a sudden comprehension hit him. He was being held back by his own words. There was a frozen second of realization as the impact of his words sunk in. He turned to Urmila, but before he could say or do anything further, Ram interceded.
    ‘O, greatest of all rishis, I am the reason for your just anger,’ he stated, bowing before the sage. ‘Please forgive my brother, he is innocent. He is only trying to protect me as he always does, and will lay down his life, before any harm can befall me. But it was I who strung the bow, and in my carelessness, broke it in two. And by doing so, I won the fair hand of the fair princess. O sir, please forgive me for my rashness, please give us your blessings.’
    The great Vishwamitra rose from his seat. Seeing him, Rishi Parshuram instantly mollified and bowed low to his grandfather, touching his feet in due reverence. ‘Yes, grandson, please pardon the young men for their recklessness for they now seek your blessings,’ entreated Vishwamitra. ‘You are a famed Brahmin. Having killed all the kshatriyas you have avenged the death of your father, my