The Princes of Ayodhya-The Ramayan Through Short Stories

Guarding the Holy Flames

"Look, I see the archway again!' cried Ram, pointing towards the familiar entrance as the entire procession walked towards the familiar hermitage. Lakshman smiled at it reminiscently and Vishwamitra continued the trek. As they passed through the entrance, eyes were drawn to the two princes. And suddenly, a crash! Ram jumped.

Rekha didi, the lady that Lakshman used to carry firewood to, had dropped her pot of water and was sobbing, having not seen the princes for three years. Her helper was less speechless.

"Look! Prince Ram and Prince Lakshman are back!" Multiple pot drops responded to her call and people rushed down from their chores to get a glimpse of the boys they had so missed. Ram tried to resist as people continued trying to feed him sweets, but eventually gave in.

Lakshman was having a harder time of it, however. "Shatrughan!" Lakshman shook his head. "No, Rekha dadi, I am Lakshman. Shatrughan's twin." After several convincing sessions, Rekha didi finally came up with a solution.

"If you are Lakshman, then you should be able to carry all the logs of firewood that fell yesterday back and forth from the forest." she challenged stubbornly. Lakshman froze, before smiling sheepishly.

"Just teasing you grandma, I am Shatrughan indeed!" he laughed nervously. Except, at this point, Rekha didi was determined that he was who had previously said he was and that he must carry her firewood in an act of courtesy. Eventually, someone pushed the mad grandma out of the way in the growing line to meet the princes and stuffed a chili pepper into Lakshman's mouth, which he ate without complaint.

"See, lady? Only Lakshman would be able to manage that level of spice!" the helper stated before shaking her head. Vishwamitra had walked away, expecting this reaction from the hermitage dwellers, who had missed the princes dearly and were bound to pamper them.

"My brother will take over for me, the guru needs me!" Ram excused himself, throwing poor Lakshman under the bus as he caught up to Vishwamitra. However, only seconds later, Lakshman escaped the crowd as well.

"You have to tell me your secrets, Laksh." Ram whispered to him as they both followed the sage eagerly. Vishwamitra gestured them faster and closer to him and they began to speed walk towards the yagna area.

"Monsters, wild creatures, horrid demons, and many other rakshasas have been attacking our sacred fires, blocking their path towards the heavens and throwing impure things like blood and bones over them to stop our prayers." Ram's eyes narrowed.

"I wish for you, princes, to guard us as we perform our yagna. May god be with you, the monsters are ruthless and cunning." Both of them touched the feet of the Guru and took their place outside of the fire dutifully as sages walked out and began to perform the ritual.

7 days and 7 nights Ram and Lakshman stood guard without falter, demons not daring to come there in fright. The 7th night, Ram's eyes drooped for a second, and he quickly made his lids fly up again, angry at himself for feeling sleepy.

"Lakshman, are you tired?" he called out. With how much of a morning person his brother wasn't, Ram would not be surprised if he had fallen asleep under the discreet cover of the night, the twinkling stars lulling him to sleep slowly.

Ram squinted his eyes, but he could not see Lakshman's tall, broad, dark silhouette in the night, and shook his head. He could easily cover for-

"No, I am not." he heard an unsleepy voice, and saw a figure steadily approaching him. There, Lakshman stood, not showing any symptoms of fatigue, right in front of him. "I have to always remain alert. The stars are my companions, and their brightness ensures that I do not sleep." Lakshman glanced at him for a second.