'The sword placed between selfishness and claims.'
'The question is, what will this sword cut? '
'Hence, this is a testing time for this sword.'
'This is the first grave danger..'
'..in the immortal story of Mahabharat.'
'The tension of choosing the crown prince..'
'..is the bud of the Kurukshetra war.'
'The people want Yudhishthir to be the crown prince.'
'The family sage, too said so..'
'..and so does sage Dronacharya.'
'But the father's heart is still unwilling.'
'The representative of the representative, Dhritirashtra..'
'..still feels that perhaps the problem will resolve itself..'
'..and the crown which eluded him..'
'..will go to his son Duryodhan.'
'But Dhritirashtra knows politics..'
'..and he knows how to hide his feelings.'
'He won't even tell Gandhari..'
'..that he wants to snatch Yudhishthir's right and give it to Duryodhan.'
'As Dhritirashtra knows..'
'..that even a clever player like Shakuni..'
'..cannot influence the political roll of dice.'
'So, he wants to keep this option open..'
'..that if Yudhishthir is selected he'll embrace..'
'..with open arms Pandu's eldest son..'
'..so that Hastinapur can see that he's impartial.'
'But Duryodhan doesn't know politics.'
'His ego and aspirations compel him..'
'..to grab at shadows so as to prove his right.'
'But now that he sees what is his being seized..'
'..his heart is full of hellish rage..'
'..which is being fuelled.."
"..by an uncle like Shakuni..'
'..along with friends like Karna standing by.'
God knows what decision they must be taking..
..and what will the morrow bring.
To wait till tomorrow is not the sign of a brave heart.
Brave hearts create their own future irrespective of Time.
Whatever decision they take..
..won't happen, Friend.
The decision is ours to make.
Karna, this attitude of yours pleases me.
Otherwise, Hastinapur..
..has now become a jungle of downcast faces.
Gandhari and Dhritirashtra are worried there, while here..
..Duryodhan is downcast..
..and Dushasan has a knitted brow.
Child, you're the only brave heart.
You refuse to accept defeat even after losing.
You still get on your feet and are ready to fight back.
Son Duryodhan, God alone knows what's written in your fate.
But even this uncle of yours knows how to write your fate.
As long as this uncle of yours lives..
..no one can seize Hastinapur's crown from you.
Not your father or even God himself!
But, Uncle?
If father chooses Yudhishthir as the crown prince what will happen?
Dear Dushasan, if they know how to create..
..then this uncle of yours knows how to destroy.
'King, Duryodhan's question doesn't concern the Kurus..'
'..but concerns politics and Hastinapur's welfare.'
'The king will have to answer the question himself.'
'Duryodhan's question is had you not been blind..'
'..you would be king..'
'..which means that you alone have the right to this throne.'
'So why should he be punished for your blindness? '
'King, this is exactly where your problem lies.'
'You find prince Duryodhan's question appropriate.'
'King, don't feel that I'm hesitating from answering.'
'But as you just said both are my students..'
'..and hence, both are dear to me.'
'But as everyone knows Arjun is my favorite student.'
'So, if I say that Yudhishthir should be crown prince..'
'..then my dear student Duryodhan may feel that I'm siding with Arjun.'
'King, if Kunti's son Yudhishthir isn't chosen crown prince..'
'..there'll be a revolt and I, too, will side with the rebels.'
'A king should be just..'
'..and should consider the kingdom's welfare's alone.'
'King, a son is heir to his father's wealth alone.'
"The son is the enemy of justice."
"Temptation is the enemy of friendship."
"Whom should the heart adopt?"
"Whom should it betray?"
Hail King Dhritirashtra! Hail King Dhritirashtra!
Today, I'm pleased to announce that in a few moments..
..from now the king will give Hastinapur its crown prince.
Hail King Dhritirashtra! Hail King Dhritirashtra!
What does your heart say, Kunti?
Sister, they are both my sons.
On this happy occasion?
Must be a serious crime, Sister.
What is it, Vidur?
Four prisoners are here.
Their crime?
Announce their crime to the king.
Long live the king.
King, these four prisoners murdered a person.
What do the culprits say?
King, the culprits accept their crime.
- In that case? - Forgive me, King.
- Vidur, want to say something? - If you permit me.
Yes.
Today, you're to choose one of the eldest princes as crown prince.
So, King, give them an opportunity to mete justice..
..so that the entire public assembly can see the princes' worth.
Grandsire.
King, I agree with Vidur.
But it would be appropriate to ask Gandhar prince Shakuni, too.
Forgive me, Grandsire.
But this is Hastinapur's problem..
..and an assembly of Kurus.
Vidur, Gandhar prince Shakuni now belongs to Hastinapur, too.
Forgive me again, Grandsire..
..but there's a great difference between belonging and being from Hastinapur.
But I'm from Hastinapur, Uncle.
So, I must get the first chance to mete justice..
..because I'm the king's eldest son.
Not by this relationship.
But as you're younger to Yudhishthir, you should get the first chance.
Prince Duryodhan is commanded to mete justice.
Long live Father, Hastinapur's king.
- Kunti. - Sister!
In your opinion, how should these prisoners be punished?
King, there's nothing to decide.
It has been our tradition since centuries..
..to award the death penalty to murderers.
Hence, I award the death penalty to all four culprits for their crime.
Bravo, Nephew.
Hail Prince Duryodhan! Hail Prince Duryodhan!
Vidur, it's ordered that these four culprits..
Forgive me, King.
What's it now?
King, you didn't give a chance to Kunti's eldest son prince Yudhishthir.
But, Vidur. Justice has been meted.
Even so, King. The opportunity to mete justice must be given.
Who knows? Prince Yudhishthir..
..may or may not agree with Prince Duryodhan.
What is there to agree or disagree?
If Prince Yudhishthir disagrees..
..then he'll say so himself, King.
So be it.
Child Yudhishthir is ordered to now mete out justice.
Long live Elder Father, Hastinapur's King!
Child, do you agree with younger Duryodhan's justice?
How can I answer the king without knowing all the facts?
Child, what's there to know?
I'd like to know the culprits' class and caste..
..before deciding upon the punishment.
What has caste got to do with justice?
If it wasn't important then I wouldn't even have raised the question.
The culprits may tell their caste.
King, I'm a low caste.
King, I'm a trader.
King, I'm a warrior.
King, I'm a brahmin.
According to the rules of justice..
..the low caste culprit is sentenced to four years in prison.
The trader to eight years in prison.
The warrior to sixteen years.
But the brahmin culprit cannot be sentenced to death.
Hence, family sage Kripacharya alone must decide his punishment.
Great! What type of justice is this!
One crime and four sentences!
The crime is not the same, Uncle.
The low caste's crime is that of an illiterate.
Hence, only fours years.
But the trader isn't that illiterate.
Hence, his sentence is doubled.
The warrior is society's protector.
If he himself turns murderer..
..then he should get twice the sentence of the trader.
The brahmin is learned.
He knowingly killed a man.
His crime is the most heinous.
King, I'd like to immolate myself for my crime.
Family sage Kripacharya alone can decide that.
But, child. Your justice is unequal.
It's not justice but injustice to judge everyone on the same basis, Uncle.
Hail Crown Prince Yudhishthir!
- Hail Crown Prince Yudhishthir! - Justice has been done.
I now entreat the king..
..to announce whom he's selected as crown prince.
I entreat Grandsire..
..to blow his conch..
..and declare Pandu's eldest son Yudhishthir as crown prince.
"Justice has prevailed."
"The veil of greed has been removed."
"Truth has finally prevailed."
"Truth has finally shone."
Come, child.
Come.
My respects, Elder Father.
'Now Lord Krishna is in Dwarka..'
'..and in Hastinapur, Shakuni, Karna..'
'..Duryodhan and Dhritirashtra..'
'..are licking the wounds borne on the political battlefield.'
'Because despite their not wanting it..'
'..Yudhishthir has been declared crown prince.'
'Bheem, Arjun, Nakul and Sahadev..'
'..have left on a victory tour.'
'This means that till Shakuni's wounds are healed..'
'..nothing will change drastically in Hastinapur.'
'Hence, this is the opportunity to get away..'
'..from Dwarka and Hastinapur to some other place.'
'There are three options.'
'One road goes to Chedi..'
'..where there's an important character of this story, Shishupal.'
'The other road goes to Vidarbha..'
'..where Rukmini has blossomed like a yellow jasmine..'
'..whose personality's moist fragrance is spreading throughout India.'
'The third road goes to Magadh..'
'..where even today Jarasandh burns for revenge.'
'As he's unwilling to forgive the Yadu clan for Kansa's murder.'
'But now, Jarasandh cannot vanquish..'
'..Dwarka all by himself.'
'So, he's begun to wish to ally..'
'..with the King of Chedi, Damghosh..'
'..so that he can use his four great brave heart sons..'
'..in a war against Dwarka.'
'Chedi's king Damghosh is married..
..to one of Vasudev's sisters Shutashubha..'
'..which makes Shishupal Vasudev Krishna's paternal cousin.'
'..as well as maternal cousin to Hastinapur's Pandavas.'
'See how the story revolves around one and the same family.'
'So, Shakuni in Hastinapur and Jarasandh in Magadh.'
'Both have laid before them..'
'..the game of political dice..'
'Shakuni's dice is Duryodhan..'
'..while Jarasandh's dice is Shishupal.'
'Jarasandh feels that if Vidarbha Princess Rukmini..'
'..marries Shishupal then to vanquish the Yadu clan..'
'..her brave heart brother Rukmi will come to hand..
..like a dice and help him..'
'..which is why I feel that it would be appropriate..'
'..to accompany Jarasandh to Vidarbha..'
'..where he's about to roll his first dice.'
Long live the King!
King, we've entered Vidarbha.
Long live Vidarbha King Bhismak!
Victory to the King!
Any news, sentry?
Just got news that Magadh king is on his way here.
Rukmi, ride out..
..and welcome my best friend Magadh king Jarasandh on my behalf.
Yes, Father, but if I welcome him on your behalf..
..what shall I do on my behalf?
Treat him like a father and ask for his blessings.
Magadh king is not only my friend..
..but the most glorious and powerful king in North India.
He deserves to be treated with respect. Bring him here with respect.
As, you wish, Father.
Prime Minister, Magadh king has never come unannounced.
What could be the reason?
King, must be something special.
We'll find out when he comes here.
Victory to the king.
What's the news?
Vidarbha's Supreme Warrior Prince Rukmi is on his way to welcome you.
- Eklavya. - Yes, King?
Welcome Prince Rukmi on my behalf.
As you wish.
The bitterness in your eyes proves..
..that Sage Drona did you a grave injustice.
How come, Prince?
As a guru, he had the right to ask for his guru's dues.
It was my duty to give it to him.
My sliced thumb is my teacher's blessing..
..which will compel people to remember me along with guru and Arjun.
Prince, I've become immortal along with them, too.
Whenever anyone talks of a student's loyalty in this world..
..Eklavya's name will be taken before Arjun's.
That's true, Friend. But injustice is injustice.
Shall we go?
We shouldn't keep the king waiting too long.
Come.
What's this, child?
When father asked me to welcome you..
..I asked him what I should do.
He told me you're like my father..
..so, I should bow and ask for your blessings.
That's what I was doing.
May you live long.
Come in my chariot.
- King, as you wish. - Come.
Charioteer, let's go.
I hope your father is well.
Lord Shiva's blessings.
Nowadays, he keeps thinking of Rukmini's wedding.
Really? It means I've come at the right time.
King, how come?
In reality, I've come with a solution to this very problem.
Your father is my very close friend.
By that bond, Rukmini is like my daughter.
I've thought of her marriage, too.
Do you know why the Magadh king is here?
How do I know?
He's father's friend.
He must have come to meet or to consult father.
No.
Why don't you tell us?
That's the problem with her, Princess. She keeps chewing over things.
It's not meant to be told so easily. It's worth its weight in gold bangles.
Then go home and wear them.
Why should I go home? I'll take gold bangles from the Princess herself.
I'll never give you anything in return for information.
What if the information makes you happy?
Out with it, okay. Don't stretch it out to the point of breaking.
The Magadh king is here to arrange an auspicious date..
..for your groom choosing ceremony.
What did you say?
Yes, Princess. With Prince Shishupal of Chedi.
Shishupal?
Vasudev's enemy, Shishupal?
Dear friend, if the Chedi king is your friend..
..then he becomes my dear friend, too.
The entire nation echoes with the glorious tales of Chedi king Shishupal.
Should I take it that you've accepted Shishupal's proposal for Rukmini?
Greetings, Father.
- Greetings, Father. - May you live long.
This is my second son Rukmin.
Son, bow to the Magadh king.
Live long.
Sit, Son, you've come at the right time.
We were talking of Rukmini's groom choosing ceremony.
Father, I'd like to say something about it.
Yes, Son?
Rukmini is our only sister.
Except for Panchali, she cannot be compared..
..to any other princess in the whole nation.
Neither in culture nor personality nor beauty.
Hence, her husband should be a God among men.
Who is like that?
- Father, Vasudev Krishna. - Impossible!
Why, Brother?
First reason, by naming him..
..you've insulted the Magadh king.
Magadh king is our father's guest.
Insulting him is like insulting our father.
The second reason is that Rukmini is a princess.
She can only marry a prince.
The third reason is..
..who knows whether he is..
..Vasudev's son or late Kansa's vassal Nand's?
Who knows whether he's Devaki's son or Yashoda's son?
How can we marry our sister to someone whose lineage is unknown?
But, Brother?
Didn't you hear?
We cannot marry our sister Rukmini to that cowherd.
Besides, this marriage with the Chedi king will be politically helpful, too.
A brave man doesn't make politics the basis for relationships, Magadh king.
Only a disciple of Sage Dhrum or a mighty warrior who's learned the use..
..of Brahma's weapon from Sage Parshuram..
..can utter such words, child Rukmi.
But life isn't lived by strength alone.
It goes much beyond that and much before that!
Look into the past.
Even Lanka king Ravan made that same mistake.
Prince Rukmi, he was very strong, too.
Why this debate, friend?
After the marriage of Rukmi with Shishupal no king in India..
..can dare attack Chedi or Vidarbha.
I heartily welcome your proposal.
Please invite prince Shishupal on my behalf.
Father, your desire is an order.
Having a mighty warrior like Shishupal as our brother-in-law.
..will be an honor for us.
But I don't agree with the Magadh king.
I never claimed to be a logistician..
..but I've studied in the school of life and that's what I shared.
Your father and I are the present.
So, what we say goes..
You're the future.
So, wait to become the present.
But if you don't accept Shishupal's proposal, then..
A proposal you've brought..
..and father has accepted, too..
..can hardly be refused by me and my younger brother.
It's even better..
..that I meet prince Shishupal here in this very palace..
..rather than on the battlefield.
Please do invite him.
Hail, King!
Eklavya, this letter reflects my full faith in you.
King, this letter has now become a reflection of Eklavya's life.
In case you receive news that this letter is lost..
..then assume I've lost my life, too.
You can demand your reward when you get the answer.
King, a brave man doesn't work for rewards.
Besides..
..I have no other desire save to wage war with Arjun.
It means you haven't yet forgiven Sage Drona.
No. I have nothing against him.
As a guru he had every right to ask..
..for the guru's dues. So he asked for them.
To offer the dues was my duty.
Hence, I fulfilled my duty.
But..
..when I see my sliced thumb..
..I feel like if this thumb would have been there..
..I'd have been the greatest archer.
Kunti's son Arjun took my place.
But, King..
..I've learned to shoot arrows without my thumb.
That's why I want to face Arjun..
..and defeat him in battle so that I can ask for my guru's blessings..
..that I haven't received till date.
I don't wish..
..that my guru remains indebted to me for a blessing.
You're blessed, child Eklavya! Blessed!
Oh, yes.
Take this letter to Chedi..
..and give it to prince Shishupal alone.
As you wish.
Victory to the Prince! Victory to the Prince!
Has the enemy attacked me?
Who'll dare attack?
Then why have you disturbed me?
Magadh king has sent a messenger and wants to meet you.
Magadh king's messenger? But Magadh king is in Vidarbha.
Who's this messenger?
Eklavya, Prince.
Eklavya?
Is it? Go. Bring him in with respect.
- As you wish, Prince. - Go.
The prince has called you in with due respect.
Greetings, Prince.
Come, jungle king's Son. Sit.
Thank you, Prince.
It's the king's order. I can only rest after I've delivered you this letter.
I hope Magadh king is well..
..and that you didn't have too much trouble during the journey.
When I left the king..
..he was pleased about something.
His joy made my journey easy.
Has Rukmini's groom choosing ceremony's preparations begun?
Yes, Prince.
Now-a-days in Vidarbha, Rukmini's groom choosing ceremony..
..has become the hot topic of discussion.
Invitations have been sent to all the brave and mighty warriors in India.
Dwarka hasn't been invited, right?
Prince, I don't know about that.
But kings and princes alone have been invited..
..to this groom choosing ceremony.
Dwarka is not even a kingdom.
So there's no question of being invited.
Had it been invited..
..and had Rukmini chosen me in Vasudev's presence..
..I'd have been happier.
Go and rest.
You'll have to take back my answer to this letter.
Prince, as you wish.
Now listen carefully..
..to what I say, Sister.
Brother, I always listen carefully to what you say.
What I'm going to say..
..father desires it, too.
Brother, but why such a lengthy introduction?
It's a sensitive proposal.
What's the proposal?
Curtailing your right a little.
Brother, what right?
Father wants you to choose Chedi king Shishupal.
Suppose I don't so choose? Then what, Brother?
Even then!
What if I've already chosen someone else? Then, Brother?
- Have you? - Brother, a question isn't an answer.
Even if it's so. Even then..
..father will want you to choose Shishupal.
"Listen to my request.."
"Listen to my request Lord."
"Heart says a lot of things."
"The King with peacock feather studded Lord!"
"Listen to my request Lord."
"For every birth we are made for each other."
"The stars in the sky are its witness."
"Every breath of my life says that Krishna will come."
"Listen to my request Lord."
"I have been waiting for you forever."
"Lord the destroyer of obstacles!"
"Give me the right to welcome you."
"My eyes are longing for you."
"Listen to my request Lord!"
"What else can I say my Lord?"
"My soul, heart, body is yours."
"Please be sympathetic towards me!"
"Accept me please!"
"Listen to my request Lord!"
"Heart says a lot of things."
"The King with peacock feather studded Lord!"
"Listen to my request Lord."
"Lord reads the letter.."
"..listening to the call of love."
"Every letter opens the door of love."