Hot fumes flew through the thousands of bodies that lay on the battlefield of Kurukshetra, at the middle of them all stood a man with the will of a monster; he looked all set,
Arjuna, the father of Abhimanyu clenched his fists – his son was dead and with the killer’s death a message he would send, with his blood the battlefield he would wet.
Amidst tears that flowed down the cheeks of the greatest Archer that lived, amidst the anger that flew through his every nerve and in a voice that would shake even a mighty mountain,
He roared, “Come out here this instant Jayadratha, come out and die like a man …. For death is certain today and death through my hand, death through horrible pain.”
Silence followed, he knew it would follow, he walked through the awed army of the Gods and the Demons, he had nothing left to live, he lost everything he ever had,
He had one task at hand – his son’s tormented soul to rest he had to lay, to his son’s life meaning he had to give, Arjuna walked through the dust just to hunt and kill – he felt glad.
How did they kill a mere boy? A river gushed in the heart and yet he put on a brave warrior’s face, he never wanted this war – yet today all he wanted was revenge,
“By the Sunset today I will tear his heart out: This is a vow, my men, for if he doesn’t die until night, I shall burn myself to ashes,” he declared as he got onto to the chariot : The son’s death the Father would avenge.
Searching everywhere in the battlefield, he killed every Kaurava he found on the way; the Pandava was blind with frustration, his sane mind was drenched in the river of Rage,
Anger makes life worth living – he realized, anger brings out the Goddess in a woman, anger pulls out the flame in ashes, anger drags out the Warrior in a sage.
But good didn’t stand by him on this fateful day for the more he killed, the more kept coming, he searched every corner of land but his search was in vain, his face began to frown,
Still he continued looking like a lion walking up-to his prey; his legs ached in pain and his horses cried in torture: He still rode, he still hunted, and he decided never to back down.
The chariot wheel broke – that didn’t stop him, the pain inside began to grow – that didn’t halt him, the wounds on his body began to dry and sore,
He kept on riding until he stopped in his tracks and looked up in awe along with everyone else, It was night all of a sudden : Arjuna failed, for the Sun was no more.
The entire war stopped at that moment; The swords stopped clashing, the blood paused flowing, the cries ceased and even the mighty Eagles decided not to fly,
Everyone stood in awe as Jayadratha came out and laughed at Arjuna who now realized he had failed – both as a warrior and a father, every Kaurava looked at him with glee : It was time to die.
Hoots and shouts followed as the other four brothers came out along with Lord Krishna, who just stood smiling silently; Arjuna turned to his mentor, his eyes filled with sadness and tire,
The Charioteer turned his head away from The Archer who now threw his bow away, picked up a pot of fuel and overturned it on his head – Every Kaurava smiled, for here was the fulfillment of their innermost desire.
Good had finally lost and Power had finally turned out victorious, the greatest Leader had finally met his end, every woman’s tears weighed heavier, every warrior began to curse himself and every animal’s head – in shame, began to turn,
The four brothers began to run to stop him when Krishna placed a hand on their stomach and pushed them back; Arjuna picked up a lit log and kissing Mother Earth one last time decided that to his death he would burn.
All the Demons spat on the ground and rejoiced at the end, this battle was theirs for the taking and these fools their own slaves, they stared happily at Arjuna who fed oil to the burning stick,
Suddenly bright Sunlight hit everyone’s faces and they now gaped at the sky where the Moon moved away slowly from the fierce Sun, everyone but Arjuna and Krishna who looked at each other and smiled – It was an eclipse, all along, it was Lord Krishna’s trick.
Jayadratha now stood shocked as Arjuna wiped the fuel off his face and smiled wickedly; behind him stood his four brothers and behind them, cheering soldiers; The Asur realized he, the stupid deer, had walked straight into the Lion’s liar,
Picking up the bow, the Archer pulled the string back and released a pointed metal arrow – it cut through the awe-struck Kauravas and sweeped Jayadratha’s neck off his body; the lone head, with an arrow in it’s prime, was now flying in the air.
The Pandavas stood smiling as the dead lifeless eyes now swung through the wind and amidst the Kuaravas’ army silently; everyone stooped for they were sure it was a deadly trap,
It swiftly swam across everyone and it looked like the arrow had it’s own life, it looked like the arrow knew what it was doing …. It landed on the Evil sage and the father of Jayadhrata – Vridhakshtra’s lap.
Shocked, scared and terrified, the bearded ascetic stood up suddenly and the rotting head began to swoop to the ground when the father realised he dug his own grave,
To a young Jayadratha a blessing he had delivered once – “Whoever, my faithful son, whoever causes your head to fall to the ground will immediately have his own head blasted into a hundred pieces with no one to save.”
His eyes opened wide and he shivered in mere Godly fear as his brain grew bigger and bigger, he touched his own hair to feel a stinging pain; he couldn’t even think anymore, he couldn’t even move his head,
Vridhakshtra’s breathing stopped and in a split second his skull burst into a hundred pieces splattering blood everywhere as the decapitated body, beside the dead son’s neck, fell dead.
The entire armies on Kurukshetra stood calm as Arjuna realized his destiny was sealed – death was imminent now, death was inevitable now; But for the moment the sadness inside stopped, for the moment the guilt stopped to run,
Cool air flew into everyone’s faces as The Sun now began to set,Arjuna slowly fell on his knees to the ground, crying; Abhimanyu’s Avenger won.
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