|| Shrutakarma ||

४ | Embrace

Shrutakarma's POV

Months passed as I waited for my father's return, practicing archery in particular as he had informed us about the impending test. But the phrase about eligibility kept my mind occupied most of the time. Finding my purpose seemed a gigantic task to me which would take no less than a lifetime but the bigger issue was that it was needed for me to be eligible for my education.

Unable to decide what should be done about it, I had also discussed it with my brothers who were not in any different position than mine. Like I had taken Mata's advice, they too had approached our elders to seek their advice to solve the conundrum. Our elders' guidance had given us the basic introduction to the novel responsibility of choosing our own purposes from the long spectrum that starts with personal desires and goes up till universal welfare.

But that's all our elders were willing to do, tell us what they know but they would not make decisions for us. They never forced their ideas upon us as we were well-acquainted with our family's ideals and values, whether it be Mata herself, our five fathers, Pitamahi or Mata Subhadra. Six of us shared the conversations we had with our elders with each other and realized that only Pita Arjuna could give us the actual clarification to our confusion as he was the one who had created the confusion in our minds with his words, which Mata had already told me. The main reason only he could quell our doubts was that he was our teacher and mentor, and his place in our lives was irreplaceable in every way.

Pita Vrikodara, Pita Nakula and Pita Sahadeva had returned from their conquests earlier and along with our entire family and kingdom, looked forward to Pita Arjuna's return eagerly. The auspicious day had finally dawned and my happiness knew no bounds as I, along with all my brothers, rushed to the entrance of the royal palace where everyone gathered to offer him a grand welcome. The glorious tales of his valor during the conquest were already wide-spread and it made our elders brim with pride, and us, the young princes, spring with excitement.

The majestic gates of the fort swung open, the high archway inlaid with precious gems dazzling with the light of the sun. I was anticipating Pita's chariot with a bated breath when I saw his flag bearing the symbol of a monkey fluttering in the air, passing through the gates smoothly amidst the loud sounds of drums and conch shells as I released the breath I was holding.

There he was, my father, greeting the welcoming crowd humbly, his armor gleaming like the lightning, his bow hanging from his arm shimmering like the fire itself in the noon's shine. Despite the weariness of the conquest, the marks the opponents' weapons seemed to have left upon his body, the amount of sweat he would have shed to acquire victory for our kingdom, the layers of dust that the long travels would have coated on his skin, there was still a flow of energy in his movement as he climbed down the chariot. There was the glow of victory on his features and his deep eyes shone with his characteristic serenity, a constant contented smile on his lips when he ascended the steps that led to the palace with his powerful gait that resembled a lion's gait.

Pita Yudhishthira stepped forward and embraced Pita Arjuna, followed by the other three fathers of ours, their eyes moist with joy and their lips curved up in broad grins. Every time I saw them together, I felt they weren't five but one. Each of them were unique and had their own personality but when they were together, the differences between them faded away like the darkness fades away when the sun rises. Perhaps it was the result of their influence or their heredity, I started feeling a similar connection with my brothers as if we were not different from each other.

After meeting his brothers, Pita turned towards Mata who was standing with the aarati plate in her hands. With a radiant smile, she rotated the plate that held two golden lamps and taking a pinch of kumkuma from the plate, she adorned it on Pita's forehead. The bond of boundless affection and immense respect between my parents always warned my heart, much like those deepas. For me, it was the source of light and comfort, and the symbol of goodness and prosperity. When they were together, it seemed like my home where I could be worry free but it also seemed like a temple, where one could find their vision clearing from haze. It would never be an exaggeration to say that I had never been more proud of any other thing in my life than the fact that I was their child, their dear child.