•|| Arjun~ Becoming the Peerless One ||• (II) ✔

𝙲𝙷𝙰𝙿𝚃𝙴𝚁 𝟸𝟸

Hastinapur, Guru Dron's ashram

Arjun's POV

"What? You only claimed of obeying whatever I demand, didn't you? Tell me then, what lengths can you go for it?" Gurudev inhaled deeply, his eyes astoundingly gleaming with a sense of curiosity and amusement. 

To what lengths could I go for to learn archery?

I remembered when I was eight, Pitashree smilingly handed me the sleek yet sturdy form weaponry in my little palms and my eyes widened witnessing it. He always claimed that how excitedly I used to gaze at him with admiration since the times my senses had learnt to understand and comprehend things around, whenever he held the bow and displayed his skills.

Not only me, there were other boys from the ashrams of Shatasringa who would come running and join me to witness Pitashree's skills in archery, and I would be the only one who would continue clapping till the end. 

He said that, he said that I would someday be mastering this form of art—but the reality was that I never had paid a price to learn it. It was because my father was a ruler and had the right to teach me whatever he desired. I was keenly interested, and he only acceded to my request without a further ado. 

I never thought about what lengths I could go to polish my skills, did I? 

Kulguru Kripacharya neither questioned it, instead he decided to assist me further to master my forms of archery, since he had a keen interest in DhanurVed as well. In short, I was never exposed to anything that would make me yearn for it or pay for it. It was more like a silver spoon in my mouth.

I glanced at up my teacher, those deep, calculative and inquisitive pupils in those sockets gazing back at me, as if assessing every motive, every emotion that was swishing in my mind like tornados. As if trying to push and prod me with his stance, evoke something out of me that I was unaware of. 

As if he himself wanted to polish me against the edge and sharpen me like the tip of an arrow itself. 

And then string me on the bow, and shoot me for the perfect aim.

"Gurudev," I began, not very sure what he was expecting or what to answer, "I think I can endeavor to go to any lengths, but that which doesn't disturb Dharm." 

"Can you please elaborate? What is righteousness in learning for you?"

"I shall not be resorting to unfair means, for my learnings. Whatever shall be the cause, if I need to learn something, it shall be in accordance to righteousness." That was true, whatever I spoke as I stared into the eyes of Gurudev, whose lips twitched up in a smile. If I ever need to give up my righteousness for the sake of learning something, then whatever I had learnt shall never be fruitful, "Cheating, lying or deceit shall never be my conduct."

I cannot sacrifice my stance and Dharm for my selfish desires. Never!

"Really?" He raised an eyebrow, and I clearly felt he wasn't yet satisfied with my words. Was I in for an examination? 

"Very well then! Then speak Arjun, in what ways can you prove yourself worthy for it? Can you depict courage the way you had while promising me?"

"If you desire, I can display you my skills!" My breath hitched as I grew sturdier, eager to prove my worth to my teacher. What if he is satisfied with that? 

"No, that would be very obvious my boy." His lips curved up in a slight sense of mockery, "Something else—"

"You can go to any lengths you claimed, didn't you?"