Near Dharmagupta's Gurukul,
While they were nearing the Gurukul, Subahu extracted a solemn promise from his son, "Narasimha, promise me one thing. Until you complete your education at this Gurukul, do not reveal anywhere that you are the son of Maharaj Subahu of Mahishmati. Kings often have more enemies than friends. Even now, we are traveling in the disguise of merchants. Maintain the same at the Gurukul with your friends. School days are the best period in any person's life. By revealing your true identity you would put yourself and the others around you in constant danger. Those who cannot face me directly will surely try to make use of this chance to get even with me."

"But will not your Guru recognize his own student?" asked Narasimha.

Subahu replied, "No, only students can enter beyond this point. Arrangements for the stay of parents have been made elsewhere. All the prospective students will be constantly and continuously screened, tested and scrutinized for three days and nights. Those who fail to secure admission will be sent along with their parents after three days. Those who succeed will stay here until they complete their education and training."

Narasimha agreed, "Alright, father. I will not reveal that I am the Prince of Mahishmati. I will remain like a commoner." With a mischievous smile on his lips, he asked, "But father, I might fail in your Guru's test too, can't I? Then I won't have to leave you and mother. I could stay with you forever."

Subahu said, "You will not do anything of that sort. I know my son's true potential. Even I might occasionally fail in whatever I do, but my son will not. By willfully failing in this test, you will not prove your love for me or your mother. Only by staying away from us and completing your education, you will prove yourself worthy of our love, trust and belief in you. I am leaving my son, Narasimha here today. I want you to return as the future king of Mahishmati. Will you do that, Son?"

Narasimha was extremely touched by his father's faith and belief in him. Holding back the tears that were threatening to overflow his eyes, he said, "Father, you are the best. You are my idol. I will try to live up to your faith and expectations on me."

Narasimha's feet refused to budge from that point. He kept turning over his back again and again to look at his father. He had never stayed away from his home and parents. They were his whole world to him. He knew no other. Now he was expected to explore a new world, a new life and new people. He did not know how to adjust and live with this change.

Subahu encouraged him, "Go on, Son! I cannot come with you beyond this point. You cannot live in my shadow forever. You have to carve your own destiny and path."

Narasimha replied, "Father, I will go now today so that I can come prepared to fight alongside you in all your battles, shoulder to shoulder."

Subahu poignantly replied, "I will look forward to that day, Son!

Subahu felt an odd lump in his throat. His chest got constricted with emotion on hearing these words. There was no one in this whole wide world who loved him so much and so unconditionally as his son, Narasimha. Everyone in his small world, even the people who loved him and whom he loved, like his mother and Eira, came with their clauses and conditions, "If you are like this, I will love you......If you do this, I will love you.....If you avenge me and our clan, we will love you....."

If there was one small thing for which he longed and which he had been always deprived, it was unconditional love. As a child he had been deprived of the love, care and affection of his father. He had been taught and brainwashed by his mother, Kamaroopi to hate an integral part of himself, his father and everything connected with his father.

He was taught to identify with his mother and her people alone. But this had left an irreparable void in his psyche. If only he had his father along with him during his formative years.....if only he hadn't been taught to hate his father and his father's people, his journey might have been different.

But he promised himself that he would become that father to his son he never had. Loving his son was both his need and necessity. If a day came when he couldn't love his son or his son didn't love him back.....that day would be like death to him. But he need not be scared of that. Such a day would never dawn. He was confident of that.
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In a open courtyard sheltered by trees,
All the students who were seeking admission in the Gurukul were conversing among themselves. Everyone was waiting with bated breath for the tasks to begin.
"I couldn't sleep the whole of yesterday night. I am not used to sleeping on the floor."

"It was somewhat better than I thought. We were at least provided matresses though we slept on the floor."

"I am very nervous. My hands are shivering. I wonder how difficult the tasks are going to be!"

"I have done my background research on the questions and tasks. There is one task that has been given every time."

"How interesting! Could you please tell us what it is?"

"Sorry, friend. I can't help. We are competitors here. I want to get this admission at any cost. Everyone back home would laugh at me if I don't get admitted into this Gurukul."

Suddenly there was pin drop silence in the room. Everyone rose up from their seats to stand and greet the arrival of Dharmagupta, "Namaskar, Guruji!" (Greetings, Preceptor!)

Dharmagupta too bowed in response. He did not speak anything. He walked to and fro looking intricately into the eyes of each one of those assembled in the courtyard. His eyes moved on from face to face. They stopped and lingered over a few of those assembled till they finally came to an abrupt halt before looking into Narasimha's eyes. Dharmagupta smiled to himself as though he had recognized some one. But he did not reveal anything outside.

He drew a straight line with rice flour within an enclosure made of stones, "Imagine that this is the place or kingdom from which you come from. This line I have drawn is an embodiment of all that is bad or evil. You cannot touch the original line nor can you wipe it off using your hands. You cannot blow it off nor can you use water to wash it off. How will you make this line smaller?"

All the others, except Narasimha and the student who was bragging that he had done a lot of homework regarding the tasks, appeared flummoxed. This student raised his hand first seeking a chance to fulfil this task. He walked up to where the bowl with rice flour was kept and drew a bigger line beside it."

Dharmagupta said, "I expected a different approach....a different perspective....but nevertheless this task is solved. Would anybody else like to try?"

Narasimha humbly raised his hand at this juncture. With calm self-possession, he continued, "Guruji you told us that this line represents an embodiment of evil in my kingdom. Supposing I were to draw a bigger line beside it, this line would no doubt appear smaller. The line of goodness would be bigger than the line of evil. But all the same, this line representing evil would not go away. Both good and evil will continue to co-exist side by side."

Dharmagupta smiled, "Then what would you do if you were given this same proposition?"

Narasimha replied, "I would perhaps do this...."

Narasimha drew a bigger line, carefully filling in the leftover rice flour over the original line, taking care not to touch it. Dharmagupta appreciated, "Good! You've fulfilled this task."

Narasimha shook his head, "I know I have done it but I am not satisfied..... It just does not appear right. If that line represents evil, the line of good has only subdued it beneath. Evil still persists beneath. It has not been eliminated."

There was an anthill at a distant corner of the courtyard. Narasimha went up to the anthill. He picked up a stick and carefully made some ants climb onto the stick and dropped them within the enclosure with the line of evil. He repeated this procedure a number of times.

The ants slowly began collecting the rice flour. The line became smaller and smaller. More ants joined and formed a straight line to and fro from the anthill. These small ants were not deterred either by the hardwork or the surrounding enclosure of stones. They crossed all barriers. Time passed and the line of evil got completely erased.

Narasimha now looked up and said, "My kingdom is sanitized and safe. You said that I could not touch the original line, nor could I wipe it off using my hands, blow it off or use water to wash it off. What I couldn't do myself, I got the ants to do it for me. The line is completely wiped out. What is bad for my motherland has been flushed out. But the very same thing is food and nutrition for these ants and termites."

Everyone started clapping and cheering for Narasimha. Dharmagupta patted him on the back while cryptically remarking, "Remember this in future too!"
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