A couple of more months passed after the events in Anga.
At the City of Kampilya;
Within the court of Dakshina Panchala, frustration had become almost constant. King Drupada sat upon his throne with visible restlessness. His long-standing humiliation at Drona's hands remained as sharp as ever, while another sorrow quietly consumed him alongside it.
He still had no worthy son.
Many sages had visited his court over the years. Learned Brahmanas had recommended rituals. Astrologers had spoken of destiny. Scholars had searched ancient scriptures. Wandering ascetics had offered prayers. Yet every promise ended the same way. Nothing changed.
On more than one occasion, Drupada's disappointment had erupted into stern rebukes. "If knowledge cannot distinguish possibility from impossibility," he had declared before several scholars, "then what value remains in calling oneself learned?"
The court had fallen silent. None dared answer.
Several days later, however, a respected sage named Nirvikalpa arrived in Panchala accompanied by only a handful of disciples. His appearance was simple, his robes bore the dust of long journeys, yet the calmness surrounding him immediately commanded respect.
Drupada received him according to the customs of kings, offering water to wash his feet, a proper seat, and the hospitality due to a revered guest. Only after these formalities concluded did the king finally speak.
"Revered one," Drupada said, his voice carrying years of restrained disappointment, "my kingdom prospers, my armies remain strong, and my people live without fear. Yet destiny has denied me the one blessing every king desires above all else. I have no worthy son to inherit my throne."
Nirvikalpa listened without interruption. Only after the king had spoken everything within his heart did the sage slowly close his eyes in contemplation. The hall remained silent.
When he finally opened them, his expression remained peaceful. "The others did not deceive you."
Drupada's shoulders lowered slightly. "So even you believe it impossible."
"I did not say impossible." The sage's reply immediately restored the king's attention. "There remains one path."
Hope flickered once more. "What path?"
"A Mahā Agni Yajna. Not an ordinary sacrifice, but one capable of invoking destiny itself. Such a yajna demands far more than sacred fire and Vedic mantras. The success of the ritual depends entirely upon the worthiness of the one who conducts it."
Drupada leaned forward. "Tell me what is required."
The sage answered slowly. "He must be a householder who understands the duties of husband and father. He must have conquered the six inner enemies of man—desire, anger, greed, attachment, pride, and envy. His devotion must approach that of the great sages, and yet he must continue living amidst worldly responsibilities without becoming bound by them."
Silence filled the court. At length Drupada asked the question occupying every mind present. "Does such a man truly exist?"
Nirvikalpa nodded once. "One. Karna, the King of Dakshina Kalinga."
The court froze. Even Drupada remained speechless. Of every name he had expected to hear, that was the last.
For a long time he sat without speaking, his thoughts wrestling against years of political rivalry, wounded pride, and the practical reality standing before him. Karna was now tied by marriage to the Kuru house, admired across Aryavarta, and connected to those whom Drupada had little reason to trust.
Yet another voice slowly rose above all those objections—the voice of a father.
Finally Drupada stood. "Dharma teaches that when the destination is righteous, pride becomes nothing more than a stone lying across the road. A wise traveler steps over it instead of sitting beside it."
He looked toward his ministers. "Prepare for our departure. We shall journey to Dakshina Kalinga. If destiny itself has pointed toward Karna… then I shall place my pride aside and ask for his help."
*
Meanwhile, at Dakshina Kalinga;
The matters of the kingdom continued as they always did, with ministers coming and going, soldiers attending their duties, merchants filling the streets, and the palace remaining busy from morning until evening, but for Karna, there was something comforting about returning to the ordinary affairs of his household after spending so much time dealing with the problems of Anga.
One morning, after completing his usual walk, he returned toward the palace and noticed Mrinalini in one of the open courtyards.
His three eldest children were there with her, his two five-year-old daughters and his five-year-old son, all three busy with basic physical exercises under their mother's supervision.
They were still young, and the exercises were little more than the beginnings of discipline and coordination, but Mrinalini was taking them seriously, correcting their posture whenever they became careless and making them repeat movements when they rushed through them.
The moment the children noticed Karna, their attention immediately shifted toward him, and their expressions brightened.
Karna smiled as he approached them, greeted Mrinalini and embraced each of the children in turn, allowing them a few moments of affection before gently reminding them that their training was not yet finished. He left them with their mother and continued into the palace.
His next stop was the mandir.
Ratnaprabha was there, absorbed in her morning pooja. She sat before the deity with the calm concentration that seemed natural to her, while her little daughter crawled around nearby, occasionally moving toward something that caught her attention before changing direction again.
Karna noticed the child and smiled quietly. For a moment, he simply watched her crawling around, but he did not disturb either mother or daughter. He offered his own silent prayer and continued on.
From there, he entered the royal library, where Sumedha was seated among several manuscripts.
She was busy translating old poems of certain Puranic texts into prose narration of story, her attention so completely occupied by the work that she barely noticed Karna at first.
He did not interrupt her unnecessarily. He simply greeted her, exchanged a few words, and moved on, knowing that she would seek him out if she needed him.
Further inside the palace, he found Subhadra and spent some time with her before continuing through the household.
Later he came across Dhavani, and as always, what had been intended as a brief visit became longer because of the children and the ordinary conversations that accompanied them.
Finally, Karna found Dushala.
He stopped when he saw her.
There was now a small bump beneath her clothing, barely noticeable unless one knew to look for it, but Karna knew immediately.
His expression softened as he approached her.
Dushala had been pregnant for only a short while, and the change in her body was still subtle, yet to Karna it was impossible not to notice.
He greeted her warmly and stayed with her for a while, asking how she was feeling and making sure she was comfortable. Dushala answered him with the quiet ease of someone who was still becoming accustomed to the knowledge that another child would soon join their family.
By the time Karna finished his rounds, the morning had already progressed considerably.
He had met every queen he had encountered that morning, spoken with them, embraced his children, watched the little ones train and crawl and play, and allowed himself the rare luxury of simply being a husband and father rather than a king constantly occupied by affairs of state.
For Karna, such mornings had become precious.
That afternoon, a soldier hurried into the palace and approached Karna with the appropriate respect.
"Maharaj, Raja Drupada has arrived in Kanipura city. He is being escorted toward the palace."
Karna looked up.
"Make the necessary arrangements to receive him."
The soldier bowed and immediately left to carry out the order.
Karna did not need to ask why Drupada had come.
There could be many reasons for a king to visit another kingdom, and until Drupada himself explained his purpose, there was little point in guessing. Still, the arrival of the King of Panchala was significant enough that Karna decided to receive him personally.