Kurukshetra: The defining Krishna-Arjun journey

ℂ𝕙𝕒𝕡𝕥𝕖𝕣 𝟙: 𝕋𝕙𝕖 𝕊𝕠𝕟𝕘 𝕠𝕗 𝔾𝕠𝕕

Arjun's pov

Only one night. One night's sleep between now and the first conch horn of the war.

Yudhishthir had ordered them all to sleep early, and told Prativindhya to see that his cousins did not stay up late either. Arjun had attempted to go to sleep for a while in their tent, the one the five brothers shared, but failed. He was quite sure all his brothers were also wide awake, but no one dared speak after jyesht's command of no talking.

There was no sleep to be got away from his comfort source today. He slipped out of their tent and found Madhav's dark one.

"Madhav, are you asleep?" When there was no answer, Arjun shook Madhav, first gently, then vigorously. "Madhav, are you asleep?"

Madhav woke up with a groan.

"What is the point of asking if someone is asleep when you are shaking them awake?" he demanded.

"Well, I--" began Arjun sheepishly. "Can you stay awake for a bit?"

Madhav smiled painfully. "Yes, Parth, I can stay all the nights of my life awake for your sake. But I would much rather prefer we both sleep. Look, they kept aside space for you to sleep in my tent, too."

Arjun spotted the adjacent cot and got into it. Madhav reached over to smoothen the creases on his forehead. Arjun had not realized they were creased at all.

"Close your eyes," said Madhav.

Arjun wondered how he could know his eyes were open when the tent was pitch dark.

Well, Madhav took particular pride in 'seeing and knowing things he should not.'

"Madhav," murmured Arjun. "They are all saying I asked you to be my charioteer because I intend to hide behind you."

"All of them?" said Madhav sympathetically.

Arjun hit his arm in exasperation.

"You are not going to pick up arms, are you?"

"Will you stop?" admonished Madhav. "When you chose me, you chose me without arms."

That was not, Arjun reflected, answering his question. Madhav was good at avoiding questions he did not want to answer.

It would be beyond insulting if Madhav actually took up arms to protect him. It would be touching in a way, he supposed, that the Lord of Creation would go against his word for Arjun. And Arjun had a very strong feeling Madhav would unhesitatingly break his word for him.

But what would the world remember him as?

The warrior who was great only with the Lord as his armour? Where was the valour in that?

"Madhav," he said again.

Madhav appeared to have drifted off, for his hand on Arjun's head had stilled.

"Madhav!"

"Wh-what?"

"Will you promise to protect my sons over me in the war?"

"Over you, Parth? Why are you asking me for a promise I cannot give you?"

"You cannot give it? If you cannot give it, who can? You just need to say the war will take none of my sons--and my nephews--"

"And your brothers," said Madhav, "and your in-laws, and your friends."

"Yes," said Arjun.

"Arjun," said Madhav, "stop taking advantage of being friends with the Lord of Creation."