For a long while neither Karna nor Bhishma spoke. The old warrior remained absorbed in the answer he himself had given regarding Chandradeva, while Karna continued gazing upward as though searching for something beyond the stars.
Finally Karna smiled faintly.
"I do not believe Mahadeva spared Chandradeva merely because the world needed him."
Bhishma slowly turned toward him.
Karna's eyes never left the moon. "Think about it, Mahamahim. If Tridev truly wished, how difficult would it be for them to create another Chandrama? Another Chandradev?"
Bhishma remained silent. It was a question he had never considered.
Karna continued gently. "The Tridev are not bound by the limitations that bind us. If preserving balance alone were the reason, they could have restored that balance in countless other ways." His gaze softened. "I believe Mahadeva saw something else."
"What do you think that is?" Bhishma asked quietly.
Karna finally looked toward him. "I believe He saw that the bond between Chandradeva and those he had wronged had not yet reached the point of no return."
The old warrior's brows drew together.
Karna spoke slowly, choosing every word with care. "So long as the one who committed the wrong is capable of changing, and the one who suffered is still capable of forgiveness, there remains no need to erase either from existence. The punishment exists. The consequences remain. But hope remains as well." He smiled faintly. "I believe that is why Chandradeva continues to wax and wane. The curse reminds him of his failure. His continued existence reminds him that redemption is still possible."
Silence settled between them once more.
Bhishma looked at Karna for a long moment. Something about the conversation had begun to trouble him. This no longer felt like a discussion about Chandradeva, nor about Mahadeva.
The old warrior asked quietly, "Karna… I know that this is never about Chandradeva. So, what is it that you truly wish to say?"
The son of Surya remained silent for several breaths. Then he nodded.
"You are right. This conversation was never about Chandradeva. It is about your Kuru dynasty, Mahamahim."
Bhishma's heart tightened. "What do you mean?"
Karna's expression remained composed. "The Pandavas… are alive."
For an instant, Bhishma simply stared at him. The words refused to enter his mind. Then they struck all at once.
"Alive?" His voice cracked. "How? Did you witness through your Divyadristi?"
With a nod, Karna answered with the same calm certainty. "My vision showed me the palace before the fire consumed it. The Pandavas escaped through an underground passage. The people who perished within the palace were Purochana, his men, and his wife. They were mistaken for the Pandavas after the fire. If you can't trust my words, you can ask my elder brother, Yamaraj, and confirm whether the Pandavas and Queen Kunti have died or not."
Bhishma let out a long sigh. "I cannot do that, son. Invoking a god requires heavy devotional energy that could only be gained from immense tapas. My tapasya is entirely devoted to the well-being of Hastinapur."
Then, after a pause, he continued, "But yes, I suspected that they didn't die, as Vidura had sent a hint of danger before the incident happened. Not until you confirm with your own mouth; I was only hoping that they had managed to escape. After all, a warrior like Arjuna should have been able to put out the fire with a Jalastra. But now…"
Bhishma closed his eyes. His hands trembled ever so slightly upon the staff. For the first time in many years, the unconquerable Bhishma looked like an old grandfather rather than the greatest warrior of his age. A deep breath escaped him.
"The future of Hastinapur is still secured. Knowing this, I can sleep peacefully. I hope the scouts I sent will find them..."
For several moments Karna simply stood in silence.
Only after Bhishma had regained his composure did Karna speak again.
"However, I do not know where they have gone, Mahamahim. And frankly, I do not concern myself with it. My vision revealed only that they escaped. It did not reveal their destination because my vision only shows the past, not the future." He folded his arms. "It was no desperate flight. They were prepared. Since they haven't sent any news, perhaps they have hidden themselves. Perhaps circumstances forced them elsewhere. Perhaps they are waiting for the proper moment to return. The reason is theirs. I have no desire to interfere."
Bhishma listened carefully.
"That is why I abandoned today's matter," Karna continued. "If they have truly suffered injustice, they themselves will one day demand justice. When that day arrives, I will rethink my involvement. But until then, I will stay away from this affair. After all, I did promise you that I will not interfere in the affairs of Kuru unless someone comes to my doorstep and pleads for justice that they aren't given here."
Bhishma slowly nodded. His heart now felt strangely light.
"As long as they breathe…" he whispered almost to himself, "…dharma still breathes within the Kuru house."
Karna remained silent. He understood what Bhishma truly meant. For the old warrior, Yudhishthira represented far more than an heir. He represented the hope that righteousness had not yet abandoned Hastinapura.
After a while, Karna spoke again.
"Mahamahim. I believe you should also turn your attention toward Duryodhana."
Bhishma blinked in surprise. "Duryodhana?"
Karna nodded. "Do not waste this opportunity." He rested both hands upon the balcony railing. "With Shakuni returning to Gandhara, and Maharaj assigning Duryodhana responsibilities away from the capital, for the first time in many years he stands apart from the influence that has continually fed his resentment."
He looked toward the sleeping city below. "Gold cannot be shaped once it has hardened. But while it remains molten, the craftsman determines whether it becomes a crown… or a weapon."
Bhishma's eyes slowly narrowed.
"You have always placed your hopes upon Yudhishthira because he follows dharma and is a kind person," Karna continued. "There is nothing wrong with that. He is worthy of those hopes. But hope placed upon one grandson should not become neglect toward another. Duryodhana is not Yudhishthira. He never will be. And if you spend your life trying to make him another Yudhishthira, you will fail." He smiled faintly. "The banyan and the ashoka both grow into magnificent trees. But neither grows by following the nature of the other."
Bhishma remained utterly silent.
"Duryodhana possesses courage. He possesses loyalty. He rewards those who stand beside him. He inspires fierce devotion. Those are not flaws. They are strengths." Karna's expression became thoughtful. "The flaws lie elsewhere—in his envy, in his impatience, in his inability to distinguish pride from self-respect."
The old warrior lowered his gaze. He had spent years lamenting what Duryodhana might become. Very rarely had he considered what the prince could become.
Bhishma remained standing beside Karna, his mind no longer occupied solely by the revelation that the Pandavas lived. Instead, another realization slowly took root.
For the first time in many years, the grandsire of the Kauravas and Pandavas began to wonder whether the future of the Kuru dynasty rested not only in waiting for Yudhishthira's return… but also in preventing Duryodhana from becoming the man he already believed he would be.