~Heavens, Lord Indra's abode~

Arjun just had a satisfied smile curved on his lips, and nothing else literally as he was lost in his memories again. He didn't even realize when Indra had escorted him to the corner of his bed and asked him to have a seat, and was sitting beside him.

 He recalled his teenage form which believed that he could never experience that bliss again, he gazed at Pandu's burning pyre.

And that's when he glanced up at the sky, as it started to drizzle lightly that day and wet the curls of the fourteen year old Arjun, slowly turning into heavy downpour later on.

For a while he felt, the sky and the clouds where shedding the tears for him, which he held back that day.

The fourteen year old had unconsciously thanked the sky for doing that job for him, for crying in behalf of him.....

"Do you want to confess something to me, dear Arjun?" Indra's concerned voice filled with love, again brought him from his trance.

He read his thoughts?

Probably yes.

And why won't he?

He is his Father and he is His son.

Arjun slightly shook his head, looking down with a slight smile on etched on his face.

"Formality with your father again, Phalgun?" Indra slightly patted his back, making him shot up his eyes towards him in surprise.

"You are still the same Arjun," Indra dev moved a bit closer towards him, "No difference between the child Arjun, and the adult one."

Arjun raised his eyebrows pursing his lips, his smile increased more as Indra continued.

"That child Arjun also used to hide his feelings, and even almost seventy years later, this Arjun also does the same.", Indra slightly shook his head, as he glanced at Arjun who again glanced down, his eyelids not lifting up.

"See, you're not even expressing your feelings to your father as well."

"Why are you being so harsh on yourself, son? Don't I know, what you are thinking and hiding from me?"

Arjun licked his lower lip, sensing his eyes filling up again as he clutched the edge of his white bedsheet.

"Do you think I am separated from you, Putra? Do you wonder that my heart doesn't feel heavy witnessing you suffer?"

"I know son, you hide your emotions from the world. Rarely express what you crave for, what you desire or how you feel."

Arjun was trying his best not to let himself get more vulnerable with each passing moment, not able to comprehend why was he feeling so.

He was for God's sake, himself father of his children!

How can he become a child himself?

How can he go weak, go vulnerable just witnessing his father?

If he goes weak like this due to petty issues, how will he hold his family together? 

His heart scarred and bled, when he closed his eyes and recalled the recent events that had occurred.

And again he kept mum, so that his family don't lose their morale, witnessing him shedding tears.

"Putra, sometimes letting out what you feel relaxes your inner mind.", the King of Heavens placed an affectionate hand on his son's head.

"There is nothing wrong in it, and it is me who is in front of you Arjun!" Indra dev glanced down, peeking at his son's face, which was half hidden with curls.

"I am your Pita, Arjun, your Pita," Devendra's voice trembled a bit, "And you are skeptical to express your feelings to the one who knows every inch of you from the time you first open those eyes of yours?"

"Are you even afraid and skeptical to express your love for me as well, Arjun?"

These words was enough for Arjun to hold himself further. And before he knew what he was doing, he flung his arms around Purandara and buried his head in his lap, his silver silk dhoti feeling his skin.

Indra dev was not surprised at all with his reaction, he knew it was going to happen sooner or later.

After all he is his father, right?

A father knows what bothers his child, what disturbs his/her mind and what he/she secretly craves for.

Arjun felt himself coming to life, as his grip around his father's torso tightened, his eyes closed more firmly allowing his tears fall relentlessly and wet his spiritual guardian's garment.

And once again his father was right!

How his heart felt so light after shedding the tears!

His silent weeping turned into letting out deeper sighs as he cried his heart out in his lap.

"You are making me experience bliss, Arjun," Indra placed his right hand around Arjun's back, slowly rubbing it. His free hand affectionately caressed his curls, "You have no idea, how much I craved to have you in my arms, secure you in my safe embrace, Putra!"

"Pit-Pitashree!" Arjun mumbled between his sighs, embracing him more.

"You are not aware Arjun, the intensity of my happiness when I saw your little self in Devi Kunti and Maharaaj Pandu's arms. The ways the Gods sang your praises, showered flowers on you, claimed that you will be the 'Best among Men' made my heart flutter with pride and joy.", Indra reminisced his memories, his eyes giving up as well as he allowed a tear roll down his cheek.

"I watched keenly, how my little Arjun learnt to take his first steps, utter his first words. Learnt how to read and write."

"I won't lie my son, even I craved to have made you learn how to walk, by holding my fingers and on my toes!"

"I remember that day, how excited you were when Pandu offered you a wooden bow to your ten-year old self, as a birthday present.", he smiled, as he glanced at the corner of the chamber.

Arjun smiled between his sighs, burying his head deeper in his lap.

The same feeling!

Ah the same feeling when he laid his head on Pandu's lap!

He wanted the time to stop for the moment, so that he can enjoy the feeling again to his core! 

"My heart swelled with happiness, each time I witnessed you joyful and wept tremendously, witnessing your pain and suffering. How I wished, I could descend and comfort you!" the King of Heavens confessed his desires.

Arjun pursed, his tears stopped rolling but he kept his eyes closed in immense bliss.

He himself didn't knew how much he craved for this feeling! 

And he felt himself returning to his child self, not wanting to be separated from his father.

From his warmth, love , care and support.

A smile spread on Devendra's face, as he caressed Arjun's unkempt curls while his enjoyed the sensation to his core.

Indra felt Arjun had stopped moving, and when he peeked down to gaze at his face, removing his curls, he was fast asleep with his lips curved in a smile expressing his satisfaction and bliss .

He  chuckled, as he slightly ruffled his curls and wrapped his one hand around his back, pulling his sleeping self a bit closer. 

As he bent slightly back, to grab a soft silken blanket, he found Arjun startling in sleep and hugging his father tighter, his eyebrows crossing in slight irritation.

Oh how his bosom swelled with immense joy and happiness!

He unwrapped the smooth silken silver blanket and covered Arjun's torso with it, tucking the edges slightly on the other end.

"My dear Arjun!" He murmured, glancing down at the innocent figure sleeping peacefully, and wiped the tears which were sticking on Arjun's cheeks.

*blows my nose and wipes my tears after proofreading* 🤧🤧🤧🤧

Here is the scene from the original Epic of Mahabharata which depicts the fatherly love of Lord Indra for his son Arjun-

tataH premNA vRRitrashatrurarjunasya shubhaM mukham |

pasparsha puNyagandhena kareNa parisAntvayan || 23||

parimArjamAnaH shanakairbAhU chAsyAyatau shubhau |

jyAsharakShepakaThinau stambhAviva hiraNmayau || 24||

vajragrahaNachihnena kareNa balasUdanaH |

muhurmuhurvajradharo bAhU sa.nsphAlaya~nshanaiH || 25||

smayanniva guDAkeshaM prekShamANaH sahasradRRik |

harSheNotphullanayano na chAtRRipyata vRRitrahA || 26||

Excerpt--

'Then the mighty-armed Partha descended from the supreme chariot and saw in person his father Shatakratu, the god Indra, the destroyer of enemies and the chastiser of Paka, the king of the gods. A beautiful white umbrella with a golden staff was held above his head. A divinely scented fan was whisked. He was praised by Vishvavasu and the other gandharvas and foremost brahmanas chanted from the Rig, Yajur andSama Vedas. Approaching near, the mighty Kounteya lowered his head and Shakra also embraced him with his round arms. He grasped him by the hand and made him sit on Shakra's sacred throne, worshipped by the gods and the devarshis. When he was bowed in obeisance, Indra of the gods, the slayer of enemy warriors, smelt his forehead and made him sit on his lap. At the command of the god with the thousand eyes, Partha, whose soul was immeasurable, sat on Shakra's throne and appeared like a second Vasava. Vritra's enemy affectionately touched Arjuna's handsome face with his sacred and fragrant hands and pacified him. He gently caressed his long arms, hardened by the string of the bow and as handsome as golden columns. The destroyer of Bala repeatedly caressed his arms with hands that were marked from holding the vajra. The one with a thousand eyes kept looking at Gudakesha with a smile. The eyes of Vritra's destroyer dilated with delight and were not satisfied. Seated on the same seat, they made the assembly hall shine, like the sun and the moon rising in the sky on chaturdashi.'

Bori Ce

341(44)

Section Thirty Two

Indralokabhigamana Parva

Page-1202

So tell me guys whether you loved it or not  🥺🥺🥺🥺🥺

~Nushkie 🥰~