The Gall of Gammon

Disclaimer: This story is my humble attempt to write a fanfiction of the epic Mahabharata. My intention is not to hurt anyone's sentiment.

Aum Namah Shivay!!

Major Jayant Roy, SM is a fictitious character. Any similarity with any living person is merely a coincidence.

Chapter 20

Hastinapur, Dwapar Yuga

Ashwatthama POV

Today, I was very happy, because my father came back after a week. I didn't know what happened to him, but he became too much quite after coming back.

I went to his room, and saw him lying on the floor. I sat beside him on the floor, and started massaging his feet. He opened his eyes.

"Pranipaat, pitashri." I bowed my head to him.

"Kalyan ho putra." He blessed me. His lips had a small smile, but his eyes had no sign of it.

Both of us were silent for a few moments. Then he said, "The princes of Hastinapur will come to my gurukul after two weeks. You will also start your learning there with them."

I nodded affirmatively. Then, a question popped into my mind.

"Pitashri, what happened to mitra Duryodhana today morning? He got unconscious again. It was the second time when he got senseless."

My father looked into my eyes.

"Today, when I checked his vitals, it was all normal. He doesn't have any physical problems. But, you are saying that he got senseless for the second time. What happened in the first time?"

"I don't know much. He was unconscious for two days. Then, one morning, he just woke up. Every day, he went to river Ganga with his brothers. Pitashri, do you know that he memorised the full 'Shiva Tandava'? I also go with them."

My father was listening with full concentration. He was lost in deep thoughts.

Then suddenly, he asked, "What happened in Sona village?"

I took a deep breath, and said, "A Rajkumar performed his dharma. I fought alongside Duryodhana, Dussasana, Vikarna, Shakuni and Radheya. We have thirty soldiers with us. All of them fought with valour."

"Radheya? Who is he?"

"He is the son of charioteer Adhiratha. He lives in that village. But, pitashri, I saw him fighting. He has talent. He has potential to become a great archer."

"A charioteer's son? A sutaputra? Is Rajkumar Duryodhana not aware of the traditions of this land? In this land, the knowledge of archery can only be given to Brahmins and Kshatriyas." My father said.

I was silent. Really, I don't have any answer for this argument. But, I know my friend, and I also know that he probably don't care much for traditions.

Then I heard my father's voice.

"Rajkumar Duryodhana is your friend. But does he even know the meaning of it? Every prince, after becoming king, will forget his childhood friends. Then they started flaunting their social status, because friendship must happen among equals."

I was silent because I had spotted the deep hurt in my father's voice. Fortunately, my mother came to my rescue.

"No, arya, this time I have to disagree with you. I saw Duryodhana. He is a boy of a simple mentality. Do you know when bhratashri came to our village, Duryodhana walked the total distance without any complaint? He told us that friendship is an emotion that comes from the deepest part of heart and soul."

My father heaved a sigh, "Let's hope so."

Next day, I woke up in the morning. I was getting ready to go with my friend, when I heard a knock in the door. It was probably mitra Duryodhana. I was going to open the door, when I saw my father opening it.

I was right. Duryodhana was standing outside the door. When he saw my father, he touched his feet.

"Pranipaat, acharya."

"Ayushman Bhava, vatsya." My father gave his blessings. (Vatsya = son)

"Gurudev, I along with my brothers are going to the Ganga River. Can mitra Ashwatthama come with us?"

My father looked at his face, and then turned his head to me.

Then he said, "Can I go with you, Rajkumar?"

Duryodhana crossed his hands again.

"Acharya, please, you don't have to seek permission from me. You are elder from me, and the teacher of us."

My father smiled a bit, "This is not my gurukul, Rajkumar. This is the royal palace of Hastinapur and I am an outsider here."

"Gurudev, you are not an outsider from that moment you have accepted us as your disciples." Duryodhana said in a soft voice. But behind the softness, I felt the amount of respect in each word spoken by him.

"Very well, Duryodhana, very well." I saw a small smile in my father's face. In a few moments, both of us were walking with Duryodhana. The hundred Kaurava brothers with Guha were also walking with us. Duryodhana already gave an introduction of my father to his brothers. The young princes were generally well-behaved. But, I understood that Duryodhana probably had an iron grip on them.

We were walking towards the river quietly. Duryodhana was humming an unknown tune. My father was silently walking. We reached the river and saw Radheya. He was standing with his back behind us. His face was in front of the rising sun. His body was literally glowing with the sunlight. I remembered the celestial armour in his body. That armour was literally powerful. The armour protected his body from every single weapon. His father requested all of us separately to keep it a secret. Normally, his body is just like normal human body. But, in front of danger, his golden armour showed up on his skin.

Radheya was worshiping the Surya Narayana. After finishing his worship, he turned his head. His face had a radiant smile in it.

"Pranipat, mitra Duryodhana. Pranipat, mitra Ashwatthama." He bowed his head to us. Then, his eyes fell over my father. Father was looking at him with curiosity. The area was silent. The only sound was the sound of flowing water of the Ganga River. The silence was getting heavier and heavier with passing time. I decided to end it, right now.

"Radheya, meet my father, Acharya Drona. Pitashri, he is Radheya, another friend of mine."

Radheya came to my father, and touched his feet. My father was standing like a statue. His face had an unreadable expression.

"Ayushman Bhava!" My father blessed him. Then he looked into his eyes.

"I heard that you fought with the bandits alongside my son and Duryodhana?"

Radheya nodded affirmatively. I turned my head towards Duryodhana. He was standing silently, but now there was something new in his expression. His face was calm, but his eyes were burning with anger.

Then I heard Radheya's voice, "Acharya, I want to learn archery. Please accept me as your disciple."

My father heaved a sigh. Then he said in a sad voice,

"I cannot accept you as my student, vatsya."

I looked at Radheya's face. His face was full of sadness. His eyes were moist now.

"But why?"

"You are a sutaputra. In Kuru kingdom, no one has the permission to learn archery except Brahmin and Kshatriyas. Also, I am appointed as the teacher to the Kuru princes. I cannot teach any others."

"But Acharya, my might and valour should be my identity, not my birth.", Radheya said. His voice was low, but it was hard.

"Acharya, Radheya is right. Rishi, river and valiant people has no caste." Duryodhana said in a low voice. But I felt like an angry serpent hissing behind me.

"My decision is final, Duryodhana. Traditions must be upheld." my father said in a hard voice.

Radheya was standing in front of my father with bowed head. Now he stood straight. His body was glowing even more brightly with the sunlight.

"Then hear my words, acharya. I will find myself a teacher and learn from him. Then I will come back again, being the greatest archer in the earth. I will defeat your finest pupil then."

He turned his head when suddenly Duryodhana spoke,

"Wait, Radheya!!"

His voice was hard. But there was something in it. Something that startled my core. I looked at my father. He was also a bit startled. Radheya took the first step for leaving, but he stopped midway.

"I am sorry mitra, because I don't have the power in my hand to overcome the tradition. But I promise you, the day I ascend to the throne, the same day, I will strike down this tradition which deprives talent from teaching. For me, talent is greater than birthright."

Radheya nodded mildly.

"Just remember one thing, mitra. Never, ever, tell a lie to your guru. Telling lies are a sign of weak mind. The knowledge acquired by lying will always leave you at that time when you need it the most. Mark my words, mitra."

Duryodhana's words literally astonished all of us. Radheya had a shocking expression in his face.

"I will remember it, mitra." He said in a low voice.

Then he bowed towards my father, and walked away. Duryodhana's face was both angry and sad. I was sad too. We completed our bath and worship, and came back to the palace with uttermost silence.

When we entered our hut, my father looked at me.

"Ashwatthama, your friend is not a normal human. He is like a storm. I am afraid, very much afraid that this storm will rampage the whole Aryavart. Nothing could stop it."

So, this is the twentieth chapter.

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