The Princes of Ayodhya-The Ramayan Through Short Stories

Brotherly Bonds

Everyone in the hermitage knew that Ram loved his bow almost as much as he loved his brothers. It would shine reflectively in the day as if he polished it every night, and he always looked at it lovingly before releasing an arrow, as if trusting the bow with his life, which, if he was battling a monster, he probably was. So, Ram was hesitant when Lakshman asked to use it in his upcoming class.

"Bhaiyya, Shatrughan lost his, so he took mine, and I need a bow!" he pleaded, and Ram eventually gave in, knowing how often Shatru lost things, once even misplacing a large tree sapling, handing him his precious weapon as if he were handling a delicate baby.

"Keep it safe," he warned, and Lakshman had agreed so adamantly that Ram felt his worries drift away. Of course Lakshman would keep it safe! Ram practically worshipped that bow, and Lakshman practically worshipped Ram. Waving his brother goodbye once they parted ways during the break, each heading to his own class, Ram forgot all about the borrow in the first place.

That afternoon, Ram walked in the weapons hut, ready to check on it, and found it...broken. Pure fear rushed up his spine, before anger filled his stomach. Lakshman had promised, and here it was. Broken. Ram clenched his jaw frustratedly, stalking back to the brothers' shared cabin. Each footstep wafted up large clouds of dust from the ground, and people froze in fear at the anger of the eldest prince. Ram never got angry.

"Lakshman!" he shouted, and all three of them looked at each other, before Lakshman stood up confusedly. "What did you not get about handling it carefully?" Lakshman frowned, before realization took the confusion's place.

"But, bhaiyya, the bow was there..." he began, and Shatrughan nodded to confirm his story. Mere fable, Ram thought, he's good at lying. And of course Shatrughan agrees with him, they're twins!

"It's broken! It's there all right, and it's broken! Why? You knew how much I loved it!" he snarled, stepping towards his brother intimidatingly. Lakshman looked stricken.

"I didn't-" he began, but Ram cut in harshly, not eager to hear more rehearsed stories.

"Well who else would have done it? Did some spirit break it?" he snarled, not caring at how Shatrughan seemed utterly objective, and even Bharat looked about ready to interrupt. Lakshman just swallowed hard as Ram continued relentlessly.

"Oh god, just say it. You did it. Who else would have? Did it just break on its own? Did someone steal it and break it for fun? God's sake Lakshman!" He roared. Ram ignored how Lakshman stumbled back, hurt.

"You did it, I know. Everyone else knows. Admit it, now please do!" Ram cut off Shatrughan before he even began. "Lies. You speak lies. I hate lies." He stepped towards Lakshman, who didn't retreat, and poked a finger accusingly in his chest. "Us Raghuvanshis don't speak mistruths." he roared. Tears welled up in Lakshman's eyes. "You don't deserve being our brother."

A single tear track trailed down his cheek as Ram stalked off, red-faced. Right as he was about to head to meditate for the willow tree, Sage Vishwamitra spoke,

"Ram, would you collect a few pots of water from the river? Only you know the secret path that doesn't go through the brambles." Ram winced at the thought of the needle thin brambles that obstructed the view of the freshwater river, and nodded.

The next thing he saw made him forget all about the sage's request. Right there, in the hut, was Shatrughan's bow, and Lakshman's next to it. Shatrughan hadn't lost his, which meant he hadn't taken Lakshman's, which meant that Lakshman did not need Ram's bow. Which meant, Ram thought, anger flaring up again, that Lakshman did not need to borrow it. His fingers clenched into fists. Of course Lakshman would take advantage of Shatrughan's aptitude for losing things and blame it all on him.