Sojourn : mahabharata's era

CHAPTER 10 : The Lake

Some days later, I was turning and twisting on the rough mattress I slept upon, I opened my eyes. Realising it wasn't morning yet, I tried to sleep again but I just couldn't, lying awake I just thought and thought about my life, about how it was going to be ahead, about my family in Kaliyuga, and about here in Gurukul. About Karna and how he strumbled with his originality, and The train of thoughts took me to the station I left long ago, the man I saw near the river, I shook it away for it might have been a dream.

Taking a deep gust out, I woke up from the ground, stretching my limbs and rubbing my forearms for some heat, It was the month of summer; here it was called jyestha and the servan was on the edge. Mellowed-out air blew through the woods as I came outside the tent. I clasped myself, and goosebumps emerged all over my body when the cold breeze brushed my skin. The domain was still, there wasn't any movement. I walked towards the kitchen for some water, and the only sound that I noticed in my ear was the air and the dry leaves, moving towards the kitchen I scoured for the water, in the dark. But the earthen pots were empty.

"Gurudev will wake up and will ask for water, and there isn't a drop here, let me refill it," I said to myself, looking at the dark atmosphere around me.

"Why there isn't any clock, how am I supposed to see time--?" I yelled in frustration. I shuddered my hands off in irritation, I carried the pot and walked towards the lake, I traversed the tents and Gurudev's room, followed by the fencing. Walking slowly In the dark, I carefully placed every place in the wild grass amidst the dark enchanting forest, the moon was the only source of light, and I unhurriedly walked under its shade.

Nearing the lake, I got the deja vu of the day I met Karna there, unaware. How calm he was even though he faced such adversities, I recalled his subtle laugh and the bracelet I gave him, all of this led me to smile, but I hid it behind the truth that we might not meet again.

The morning birds began twittering around, it was dawn and the dark sky started getting a little light. Verging on the lake, as I was about to reach the sands from the woods, I saw something gleaming in the lake. Somewhere near the waterfall, something shined dazzlingly, like a diamond. I peeked at it through a distance under the hue of a tree, trying to determine what exactly was it. The air around the lake was too cold, and it blew ferociously making my hair blow along. My hair was all messy and my eyes were all sleepy.

Leaning down to look at the object, as the little rays began to emerge, I stood there curiously staring at that thing constantly. Within a while, somebody got out from the lake, and my eyes were nearly out. A shudder went down my whole body and my hands quivered when I saw the exact man from the river Saraswati here, my shaking hands ultimately led the pot to fall from my hands, and I could only see the back of that person with little morning light. My heartbeat started to rise, as slowly the lights began to fall upon him.

He came out from the lake, with an orange dhoti and a janev upon his bare chest, his hair was free and damp. The water wad down his perfect muscles and arms, I dazed off the excessive water from his hair, coming to his hair through his fingers, walking upon the shore he slowly spun his face towards me, with the dawn glow falling upon his face. The diamond was still glistening when met with the morning light, and when he was completely drowned in the glow, A sudden surprise fondled my brain, almost on the urge to paralyze.

"Ashwattama," I whispered.

It was Ashwattama. He had a diamond embodied upon his forehead, and yes he was the same man I saw near the river. Why didn't I notice it earlier-? The question went around my mind, he draped a shawl around his body and began sauntering along the coast, waiting for the sun to rise. I stood there motionless, with a hundred thousand thoughts sprinting around my mind.