✓ Narottam Arjun: Soul of the Sage

t h r e e - r e j e c t i o n

Dhananjay sat on a rock, waiting for his friend to come, when he heard the voice he was so eagerly waiting, "Dhananjay," Drauni screamed running towards him.

"What happened Drauni?" Radhey Dhananjay questioned. He helped his friend who was breathing heavily, probably from running from a long distance. "My father, Bharadwaj Putr Dron, he will teach the Kuru Princes the art of warfare and weapons. Come with me, maybe he would teach you as well," Ashwatthama happily broke the news. How wonderful it would be for him to learn with Dhananjay.

"Really?" Radhey excitedly asked, "Take me to your father Drauni, I shall meet him at instance." Ashwatthama chuckled at Arjun's excitement. "I will, my friend, but now he has gone to the palace of Hastinapur, you can meet him in the evening." Dhananjay nodded at Ashwatthama's words.

Dhananjay controlled his excitement and sat near Drauni, "Drauni, who all are learning under your father?" he curiously questioned. Ashwatthama chuckled at Arjun and replied, "Pandavas and Gandharinandans." "Pandavas are divine? Demigods?" Arjun hesitatingly asked, again. Ashwatthama giggled at Arjun's hesitation, "Dhananjay, why do you always hesitate to question? How will you get an answer if you don't ask?"

Arjun smiled back but didn't reply. Radha's reaction to his numerous questions made him feel less confident while asking. He ran his hand through his hairs in nervousness. Ashwatthama however did not notice his extreme nervousness and spoke,
"Yes they are demigods.
Yudhisthir, eldest son Maharaj Pandu, he is son of Dharmaraj himself.
Bheem, the second Pandava brother, is son of VaayuDev. He is huge and strong.
Karn, the third Pandava, he is the son of SuryaDev, and you know, he has a divine armour, I have heard that it is made of pure gold.
Nakul, the fourth Pandava, is the son Nasatya Dev, and is extremely beautiful.
And Sahdev, the youngest Panadava is the son of Dasra, is wise and intelligent."

Arjun keenly heard every single word of Drauni, he had a few questions but they never took form of words. "Mitra Dhananjay, it's almost evening, let's go." Ashwatthama looked at the setting sun and spoke.

Arjun and Ashwatthama ran in the highest speed possible, trying to compete against eachother. Sometimes Ashwatthama would be ahead, sometimes Arjun. And the two of them stepped in the residence of Dron at the exact moment. Realising the race the was tie, Ashwatthama and Arjun laughed childishly.

Dron looked at his son who entered with another young child. To Dron, Arjun looked no less than Shiva, there was some sort of divinity, and he was sure of it. "Ashwatthama, who is this boy with you?" "Father, he is my friend. He wishes to learn warfare from you." Drauni spoke.

"Who are you?" Dron asked again, this time to Arjun. "My name is Dhananjay, I am son of Adhirath who is the charioteer of Mahamahim Bhishma." Arjun respectfully bowed and proudly spoke.

"You are a charioteer's son?" Dron asked, he could not believe the child he thought to be divine would be a low caste boy, "How did you think that, son of Bhardwaj, disciple of Parshuram would teach someone from the low caste?"

"But Acharya, no one asks the water of it's origin? it's purity is what it matters,
No one asks a lotus where did it bloom? it's piousness is it's identity,
Then why should my caste affect this?" Arjun calmly questioned, he kept his face straight not trying to show his emotions, and how badly had Dron's words affected him.

"I shall not teach a low caste boy. You may leave." Dron turned his face, refusing to hear any further. "Father, why are you doing this? He is skilled, please." Ashwatthama bargained, he would try his best to convince his father. "Son, next time onwards- don't make friends with the low caste, and if you do so, you won't be my son." Dron's harsh words shook Ashwatthama to the core. He never imagined his father to speak so rashly to him.