AJAYA I -- Roll of the Dice

by Unknown

  Ekalavya accidentally came upon Prince Suyodhana early one morning. He had arrived at the training ground in hopes of collecting any abandoned arrows, which he could then use for his own practice. He was surprised to find a tall, muscular man and a beautiful girl already there, chatting with the Prince and his two companions. They had arrived even before him and been practicing with the mace. Curious, Ekalavya began arriving at the ground earlier and earlier. For almost a month, the tall man came to coach Suyodhana, Sushasana and Aswathama, in the use of arms. The young girl who accompanied him was a treat for the eyes. Ekalavya's heart beat hurriedly whenever she turned her head to look towards the jungle. He learned the man was Balarama, leader of the Yadavas of Dwaraka, and the girl was his sister, Subhadra.

  Ekalavya saw a change in Suyodhana and his companions. Imperceptible at first, it was visible to all by the end of the month. The Crown Prince began holding his own against Bhima in class, as did Sushasana and Aswathama. It was as if they had found a well of strength and courage deep within themselves and were drawing from it at will. To the Guru's surprise, the tide began turning slowly but surely. When Suyodhana first beat Bhima, Ekalavya wanted to whistle in delight from his hiding place. He felt inspired by what Suyodhana had achieved. The Prince was half Bhima's size but it was a treat to watch him take on the mighty Pandava with the mace. Suyodhana was all grace and quickness whereas Bhima was brute strength and power. Bhima attacked like a charging elephant while Suyodhana had the grace of a tiger. Suyodhana began winning the bouts, much to the chagrin of the Pandavas. Life would never be the same for them again.

  The day Prince Suyodhana beat Bhima for the first time, always remained clear in Ekalavya's memory. Almost a month had passed and preparations were on for the departure of the Yadava leader. Ekalavya saw Suyodhana with Subhadra, deep in the jungle, their legs immersed in the coolness of a mountain stream, chatting about sweet nothings. Ekalavya burned with jealousy and desire but followed the pair discreetly. He knew how to make himself invisible in the foliage of the forest. He gazed at Subhadra and sighed. Such beauty was beyond his reach. He was merely a Nishada. She and the Prince belonged to a different world. Would he ever have a girl like that to hold in his arms? He looked down at his dark body and then at Subhadra's fair face. It was never going to happen.

  Suddenly, the Prince freed himself and stood up. "I'm sorry, my love. What we are doing is not right. I cannot betray my Guru, Balarama." Pain and frustration throbbed in Suyodhana's deep voice.

  "What has my brother to do with it?"

  "Subhadra, I want to marry you. The honourable thing is to ask your brother for your hand. May I do so, my dear?"

  Subhadra's face flushed delicately as her anger vanished. She looked up at the Prince, her eyes shining like stars, and hugged him tight. He kissed her tenderly on the lips.

  Hiding in the bush, Ekalavya felt ashamed. He had heard about Kings and Princes snatching girls from the street to quench their lust. But here was a Prince who wished to protect his beloved's honour, even when she was willing to give in.

  Subhadra pushed the Prince away. "Suyodhana, I don't know why I feel so afraid. Perhaps I am afraid of my own happiness. I am so happy that I fear nothing will come of our love. I'm afraid of my brother..."

  "Why, Subhadra? I do not think Balarama would be against this."

  "No, no... I'm not talking about him but my brother Krishna. He hates you."

  "He hates me! I have not even seen him. What have I done to earn his hatred, other than loving his beautiful sister?" A smile moulded Suyodhana's fine mouth.

  "I do not know. But I have this fear always. He says you are the Evil One who has been born to destroy our country and religion. He has a bunch of Priests and holy men around him who have only bad things to say about you."

  "About how evil I am? Look carefully, Subhadra; can you see horns sprouting from my head?" Suyodhana burst out laughing.

  "Do not laugh, Prince. You do not know the reputation you are earning in certain circles. I myself came here to see the evil Prince of the stories I had heard - a criminal who nearly murdered his cousin by poisoning him and got away on a technicality, an arrogant man who cares nothing for the Holy Scriptures and disrespects Brahmins. Suyodhana, it goes on and on. Frankly, I was fascinated by such a man and was already half in love with you before we even met. I had this fantasy of loving and reforming you. I was rather disappointed you were not the devil you are made out to be. But you are a fool - that is what you are. You are too idealistic to live in this world. You wear your heart on your sleeve. Why do you break the taboos and rules the learned men have prescribed, Suyodhana?" Subhadra looked at him, love and fear fighting for dominance in her face.

  "I do not know, Subhadra. I am a fool. You are right about that. I do not fight with people because I am arrogant and think I know better. I fight with some of them because I do not find anything honourable in them. I have never fought with Kripa, Bhishma, Vyasa or Vidhura; though it is true I cannot stand Dhaumya or his cronies."

  "I am afraid of Krishna's reaction to our relationship." Suyodhana did not answer but smiled down at her.

  Ekalavya became alert as he heard someone coming towards the small clearing near the stream. He saw Balarama approaching, with Aswathama and Sushasana following. As they entered the clearing, the teenagers could not suppress their chuckles. Subhadra gave a startled cry. It was only then that Suyodhana saw them. Deeply embarrassed, he struggled for words as Balarama stood with his hands crossed over his chest.

  Suyodhana looked at his chuckling friends helplessly. "I... I am sorry..." Balarama stood staring at him. "I wish to marry your sister..."

  "You are sorry you wish to marry my sister?" Balarama asked with a straight face and everyone burst out laughing. "We are leaving for Kashi today, Suyodhana. We will be back in Dwaraka after the monsoon. Come with your elders to Dwaraka then and we will formalize the engagement."

  Suyodhana could not believe his ears and looked around at the happy faces in ecstasy. For a bold girl, the shyness Subhadra now exhibited was rather unsettling. He wanted to grab her and shower her with kisses. For a moment, he wished the others would vanish and leave them alone to celebrate their love.

  "For now, concentrate on your studies, Suyodhana. Graduation is only a few months away and I do not want you to make a fool of yourself in front of the people of Hastinapura. I am taking your fiancee with me on my pilgrimage to Kashi, so you will not have any distractions. Subhadra, take your leave of Suyodhana. We will depart this afternoon," Balarama told the young couple.

  There was little time for a farewell. She looked up at him with tear-filled eyes and Suyodhana melted. He willed his own tears away, for it was unmanly to cry. He had a hundred things he wished to say to her but no words rose to his lips. Abruptly, Subhadra withdrew her hands from his and walked away. Suyodhana watched the brother and sister walking towards the palace with a sinking heart.

  "Enough, lover boy! We have to practice." Aswathama's voice brought Suyodhana down to earth with a thud.

  "Was it you who brought Balarama here?" Suyodhana wanted to bang his friends' heads together.

  "It was this stupid Brahmin's idea, yes," Sushasana said laughing, while Aswathama grinned sheepishly.

  "You fool! You could have caught us..." Suyodhana stopped mid-sentence, realising he had said too much.

  "Caught you in what...?" asked Aswathama, winking at Sushasana.

  "Reading the Shiva Purana, obviously," replied Sushasana. Both youngsters burst into uproarious laughter. Suyodhana could not help grinning.

  "You clown! If I had not brought Balarama here, they would have left and you would be roaming about singing sad songs in your croaking voice, yearning for her while she was being married off to some other Prince. I deserve a treat. However, I am not so arrogant that I will deny you my blessings. I will not even mind if you fall at my feet to express your deeply-felt gratitude," Aswathama said nobly.

  Suyodhana lunged at him to land a punch o
n his mocking face. Soon the three friends were laughing, singing, dancing about and making thorough fools of themselves. The jungle echoed with their merriment for a long time after they left. Ekalavya came down to the clearing. He could discern Subhadra's perfume, which still lingered in the air. He could not stand so much happiness. His heart went out to the kind Prince. He hoped that Suyodhana would find happiness with his Yadava Princess. But Ekalavya was a Nishada and he had seen life in all its heart breaking glory at much closer range than the Prince. Suyodhana was a good man and Ekalavya was happy for him. But he knew such joy and real life rarely went together. No self-respecting God would allow a good man to be happy for long. God has relevance only in the unhappiness of good people.

  Ekalavya forgot the Prince's love life as another thought gripped him. Balarama had mentioned Graduation. Ekalavya passionately wanted to participate in the event. Perhaps, if he impressed Drona with his prowess, life might take a better turn. He knew it was an impossible wish. He would not be allowed anywhere near the arena, except in the stands as a spectator. Yet, there was nothing wrong in dreaming.

  "Gods of the forest! One chance is all I ask," he shouted. His wish echoed around him. He shouted out the words again. And again, the forest replied. When he grew tired of the game, he lay down on the grass and watched the soft clouds racing in the sky. 'My day will come,' he kept reminding himself, as the breeze gently flowed over his wiry frame. He could almost hear the roar of the crowd and the applause. He could see himself bowing modestly before the King. He could imagine his Guru's face glowing with pleasure. As the day wore on, the Nishada's dreams became more colourful and the applause more thunderous. When the shadows of trees became giants and started marching towards the east, he was still lying on the grass staring at the sky. He did not know that life would give him not only a chance, but also a choice, all too soon.

  Ekalavya woke to a glorious day. He felt one with nature, alive and fresh. The forest caressed him with its hues of green and soothed his ears with birdsong. Something in his mind told him it was going to be an important day in his life. He jumped into the cool waters of a mountain stream and swam. He sang his heart out and teased a cuckoo - imitating and confusing it. He finished his prayers to his Guru and took up his bow and quiver of arrows.

  Ekalavya saw the Princes assembling at the training ground and took up his usual position behind the thick foliage, to watch. They were busy practicing. Their skills had improved considerably. Drona was walking between the youngsters, barking instructions, correcting the grip of one Prince and shouting at another for not keeping his eyes on the target. By afternoon, the group had split into many islands to have lunch. Ekalavya saw four of the Pandavas grouped together in one corner while Suyodhana and his friends wandered away towards the palace. It was siesta time for the Guru. They would reassemble in a couple of hours.

  Ekalavya continued to watch Arjuna with envy and amazement. The Pandava Prince was not resting like the others. He kept practicing and shooting his arrows with dexterity. 'I need a chance, just one chance, to prove I can beat him,' thought Ekalavya, his heart heavy in his chest. He looked wistfully at his own bow, made of bamboo, and his arrows of cane. He did not know that his deepest desire was about to come true - with disastrous consequences.

  A mangy puppy entered the far end of the ground from the direction of the city. It was on its daily foraging trip. From its protruding ribcage and spindly legs, it was apparent that the dog had little luck with its scavenging. The black puppy, with sores showing through its sparse hair, was an affront to the eyes. It was also a brave answer to the challenges of life. The only thing that stood between death and the little dog was its sheer determination to survive. But this was soon to be challenged. The dog looked suspiciously at the group of young men and paused for a second, its ears twitching as its canine instincts screamed to it to go back into the safety of the jungle. But hunger won out. The dog took a tentative step forward and waited for a chance to dash through the group.

  Arjuna saw the puppy and drew his bow, aiming at its right eye. Ekalavya watched anxiously. The puppy was quite far away and he was sure Arjuna would miss. But he was wrong. Despite the distance, the arrow pierced the puppy's right eye with accuracy. For a second there was utter silence. Then the puppy broke into agonized yelps, blood spurting from its blinded right eye as it twitched and rolled on the ground in pain. Every head turned to look at what was happening. In the distance, Suyodhana and his friends looked back in confusion. The Crown Prince realised something was wrong and the gang began walking back.

  Ekalavya could not hide his admiration. It was a perfect shot, bang on target. The Pandava Princes gathered to congratulate Arjuna, who stood smiling. A beaming Drona looked at his protegee, pride swelling his chest. Ekalavya saw the happiness on the Guru's face and impulsively decided his time had come. He had waited so long. Arjuna had shot the puppy from almost seventy feet, with perfect aim. If he was to impress these nobles, Ekalavya would have to do better than that. He was hidden almost a hundred feet away and the puppy was no longer standing still, as it had done for Arjuna. In agony, it was rolling about and running from side to side, then falling onto its back again, trying desperately to dislodge the arrow.

  Ekalavya's hands trembled with tension as he drew his crude bow and took aim. He uttered a silent prayer and regained his concentration. Then, with perfect aim, the Nishada shot the struggling puppy. The arrow swished past the Pandava Princes, missing Arjuna's neck by inches, and found its aim with a sickening sound, in the left eye of the puppy. Time stood still as the dark Nishada emerged from hiding. Every eye turned to him. The puppy lay still in a pool of blood. Ekalavya bowed to Drona, waiting for the congratulatory words he was sure would follow. He waited for his Guru's embrace and tears of joy; his confession that it had been an error of judgement to deny him the training he had sought, because of his caste. He waited for all the Princes to applaud, for the great Arjuna himself to touch him and accept him as his equal and friend. He would forgive them all magnanimously and join the Hastinapura army as the first Nishada to break the caste rules, thought Ekalavya exultantly. A bright future and glorious career awaited him, its doors wide open and beckoning.

  "Guru, this Nishada has insulted me," Arjuna shouted.

  Ekalavya raised his bowed head in shock and surprise. Drona stood silent, immersed in his own thoughts. He saw Suyodhana and his son were tending the injured puppy. Surprisingly, it was not dead and stirred when the Crown Prince touched it. Aswathama was trying to hold it still. 'Fool!' thought Drona. 'When will he understand that it is impure to touch such dirty creatures as dogs? As a Brahmin, he must keep away from them.'

  "Guru... Guru... witness this injustice!"

  Arjuna's cries brought him back to the problem at hand. As a warrior and teacher, the Nishada's skill had impressed Drona. He wondered how the Nishada could possibly have learnt to shoot that well. Who could be his Guru?

  "Who is your Guru, son?" Drona could not conceal his admiration though he wished to sound stern.

  Arjuna noticed it too and pressed his lips tightly together in anger. "You are my Guru. I owe everything I have learned to you," Ekalavya said.

  "Guru... he lies," Arjuna shouted. "It is unfair. You have cheated us. You promised my mother in front of all the Brahmins and Pundit Dhaumya, that you would make me the best archer in the world. Have you forgotten? You have eaten the salt of Hastinapura but have betrayed us by teaching an Untouchable greater skill than the Princes of the kingdom."

  Drona stood still; shocked into silence by the words of the student he loved the most.

  "Forgive him, Arjuna. He may have needed the extra money. Do not talk so rudely to our Guru." Yudhishtra said smoothly.

  The words stung the proud Guru more than Arjuna's outrage. They were questioning his integrity. 'I have many faults, but dishonesty is not one of them,' thought Drona. "You scoundrel! When did I teach you? You liar!" he yelled at the shocked Nishada.

  "Swami, you did n
ot teach me directly. I learnt by watching you train the Princes." Despite his best efforts, tears flooded Ekalavya's eyes.

  The Guru stood watching the trembling Untouchable with pity and horror, his mind raging with conflicting emotions. The warrior in him wanted to hug the boy and declare to the world that he had found the most talented archer of all. The human inside him wanted to celebrate the achievement of a poor Nishada against all odds. But caste prejudice choked such foolish thoughts and he felt inexplicable hatred towards the Untouchable who had put him in such a fix.

  "A thief! What more can we expect from his kind?" muttered someone.

  "He is lying, Guru." Arjuna was still trembling with jealous rage. "Not even Kshatriyas can become so skilled just by watching someone practice. And he wants us to believe that he, a mere Nishada, is smarter than all of us?"