18. Pandu Returns After Digvijaya – Satyavati Once Again Worried About Dhritarashtra's Greed

Scene 1

While sitting in his chamber, Kamsa is accosted by a bat that bids him to follow. Kamsa follows the bat and reaches a cave where he comes across a goblin who says he is Kamsa's benefactor, which is why he warned him earlier about the eighth son of Devaki who is destined to kill him. Then the goblin narrates to Kamsa how he was an asura and not a Yadava as he had believed. In fact he was his real father, a gandharva called Thirumilan (Dramila) who had once assumed the form of Ugrasena and seduced his wife Padmavathi. Padmavathi realized she had been tricked; she cursed that his child would be killed by a scion of the Yadava dynasty.
The son born to her as a result was Kamsa and the asura was the real father of Kamsa.
Kamsa returns to the palace, snatches away Devaki's child and kills it.

Scene 2

Pandu has returned from the world conquest and has brought immense wealth. The courtiers and the common citizens are singing his glory. This irks Dhritarashtra, as he has to step down now and hand over the kingdom to Pandu. Satyavati and Bhishma are painfully aware of Dhritarashtra's avarice. They are wondering what to do next.
On the other hand, Shakuni is planning his strategies too. Pandu is aware of his brother's animosity and is determined not to become Hastinapur's ruler.