WO/MAN (Arthanaareeshwaram)

Arjun is ...

The simple thought that Rukmini could get herself into trouble by taking his side, made his adrenaline pump up. With a determination to teach that Bast**d Karan a lesson, he grabbed a basket-ball from the sports room and rushed to the indoor basketball court. There, he witnessed something unexpected.

Karan was gripping the arms of a girl, who was trying to desperately get away from him. She was screaming and yelling for help.

In a fit of anger, Arjun threw the ball at Karan, which unfortunately hit him straight on his head, making him collapse on the floor, unconscious.

The girl ran away crying and few seconds later, Acharya sir entered with a few teachers.

“What is this Arjun?” He roared.

Arjun flinched. He never saw Acharya sir enraged. He slowly gathered up his courage.

“He deserved it.” He answered with a tone full of disgust.

“Who are you to decide the punishment? How dare you make your own judgements? Are you not supposed to inform elders?” Sir commanded.

“Oh! So, I am supposed to run to inform you and let him harm that girl in the meanwhile?” He looked straight into sir’s eyes.

Sir seemed to soften a bit. “But you still deserve a punishment for hurting your co-student. And mind you, if Karan’s injury turns out to be grievous or fatal, you might have to face the courts and …” His voice cracked slightly.

“Don’t worry sir. I don’t think I have committed any crime.”

"I hope you are right." He could hear his sir mutter before leaving the area.

Two of his teachers carried Karan away, while everyone else left.

"Oh Lord!" Parvati gasped.

Shiva turned towards her with concern. "What happened love?"

"Arjun ... He is a ..."

"Yes love. To say it crudely, he is a Gay." There was a long silence.

"Why does this have to happen? What has he done to endure such a fate? Now his life will be ruined. He will be humiliated and ... What a pathetic life would it be ... to ..." She felt a palm on her shoulder.

"Calm down dear." Her husband's soothing voice reached her ears but did not soothe her.

"How can I calm down lord? Arjun is going to suffer throughout his life. Why does he have to suffer for something that he did not do? It is not his mistake that he is born with such a defect. And the stupid world blames him for no reason ..."

"Calm down Parvati!" His tone made her stare at him with wide eyes.

"Firstly, stop behaving like a human. Don't forget that you are the mother to this entire world, that you just called stupid. It is not just Arjun who is your son. But also, that Karan and every other creature there. So, stop taking sides."

"Sorry Swami." Parvati hung her head low. "I was just carried away ... umm ..."

"I know love." Shiva's tone returned to its natural softness. "See dear. I agree that your motherly heart would not bear to see the suffering of your child. But you trust me. Don't you? I won't give trouble to anyone. I am a father and I too feel sad if my children suffer. But being a father includes the responsibility to punish the children for their mistakes."

Parvati looks up to her husband with moistened eyes.

"You must have overlooked his mistakes. But I still remember that this Arjun, about whom you are worrying so much, had been the reason for the sorrow of someone previously. In his previous life, he was a very ruthless soldier. He was the one with a perfectly masculine aura which made women fall to his feet. And he took advantage of that. He used women to satisfy his sexual hunger and dumped them like tissue paper. He got many young ladies pregnant but never turned back to them even for a glance. Hence many of his kids never met their father. That is why, in this birth, he never saw his father. Since then he left many mothers to tears, his mother was never able to wipe his tears. Since he shattered many families then, he does not have a family now. Since he got many young women pregnant ..."

"He could never get anyone pregnant now." Parvati concluded for him.

Shiva smiled. "So, what now lord?"

"He has to choose Parvati. Whatever happened to him till now, was just a punishment for his previous misdeeds. But whatever is going to happen now, is his choice. He could adopt a violent nature and develop hatred towards the world. He could turn into a criminal and fall in the vicious cycle of sins and punishments in uncountable lives. Or he could learn to cope with his disabilities and manage to do good deeds, and eventually get a better life, which could enable him to achieve great success and so on."

"Swami ... about the choice ..."

"Yes dear, every human has a choice. Not a choice to choose the circumstances, but to choose their actions."

"So, lord ... which choice is Arjun going to make?"

Shiva smiled. "Have a look dear."