Thirteen years flowed like a mighty river. Days bled into weeks, weeks into months, and months into years, weaving a tapestry of change across Aryavarta.
The marriage of Rudra and Avantika had settled into a comfortable, powerful union, blessed with the ultimate joy: a son. Rudra named him Amarendra Bahubali, a tribute to his father's strength and the memory of a glorious name.
The young prince grew up with the roar of the sea from Magadha and the discipline of the bow.
During this time, the years of exile and incognito for the Pandavas finally came to an end. Upon their return to Hastinapur, the brothers—now seasoned and wise—demanded their rightful kingdom.
Surprisingly, Duryodhana, chastened by time and perhaps swayed by the stabilizing influence of his own family, honored the terms of the agreement and returned their kingdom to them.
But the most profound revelation came from Kunti, who, in a moment of truth, finally revealed the birth secret of their eldest brother: Karna. Overwhelmed by the emotional weight of this truth, the Pandavas traveled to Anga to offer Karna his ancestral kingdom.
Karna, however, stood firm. "My only mother is Radha Maa," he stated, his voice ringing with absolute certainty. "I will not accept any other as my kin, nor any kingdom from you. The kingdom of Anga was forged by my own strength and the loyalty of my people. I will not relinquish what I have earned to satisfy an old debt." The Pandavas returned, humbled by Karna's unwavering integrity and commitment to his chosen life.
Throughout Aryavarta, the Nyay Rakshaks had become a force of unwavering rectitude. Their actions—weeding out corrupt ministers, exposing unscrupulous merchants, and toppling petty tyrants—had earned them the adoration of the common people, who now regarded them as nothing less than divine guardians.
However, their relentless pursuit of justice had earned them powerful, influential enemies. For the few kings and a large part of the nobility who benefited from the corruption, the Nyay Rakshaks were an intolerable threat.
The most vocal and dissatisfied among the monarchs were Jayadratha (King of Sindhu, still nursing the humiliation from Rudra), Bhagadatta (King of Pragjyotisha), and Paundraka Vasudeva (King of Paundra). They began meeting in secret, their conversations focused entirely on one perilous topic: What is to be done about the Nyay Rakshaks?
Deep beneath the earth, the Rakshasa Krodhakala, the elder brother of the slain Kindhasur, completed his decades-long penance. Finally, Lord Brahma appeared before him in a blaze of divine light.
"Ask, Krodhakala, and your boon shall be granted," the Creator commanded.
Krodhakala, consumed by ambition and a meticulous fear of mortality, bowed low. "Great Lord," he requested, his voice a gravelly whisper, "I ask for immortality, but if I must perish, I demand conditions that ensure my absolute supremacy. Grant me this: I can only be killed by a mortal of the Kali Yuga, wielding a weapon that has never before been conceived, forged, or is presently known."
He added the final, impossible clause as an extra layer of insurance—a unique weapon to match the unique age, unaware that his brother, Kindhasur, had already been slain by the same impossible condition.
Lord Brahma, bound by the austerity of Krodhakala's penance, granted the Boon.
Once the Darshan was over, Krodhakala, brimming with arrogance and confidence, emerged from his ascetic refuge and made his way toward Patala, eager to reunite with his younger brother.
Krodhakala found Patala in eerie silence. Upon hearing the agonizing news of Kindhasur's death, a primal rage unlike any he had ever known seized him.
"WHO DARED?!" he roared, his voice shaking the caverns. "WHO killed my brother?!"
Once he had cooled enough to listen, a chilling thought struck him. How could Kindhasur have been killed? His boon stated only a mortal of the Kali Yuga could slay him. Krodhakala questioned his remaining minions relentlessly.
"Tell me everything! Who is the warrior who did this?"
The terrified Rakshasa minions recounted the details of Kindhasur's final war against the human kingdoms, the intervention of Bahubali, the King of Magadha, and his extraordinary strength.
Krodhakala's eyes, dark as midnight, widened with terrifying realization. "Bahubali... the King of Magadha... He must be the mortal born in the Kali Yuga! The very person my brother's boon spoke of!" His roar of rage now mixed with a chilling, focused intent. "I have my killer. I have my target."
He raised his mighty fist. "Now, minions! Tell me everything that has transpired in Aryavarta during my penance. I need to know the strength of this Bahubali and his entire kingdom. Every detail. Now!"