My trials, tribulations, triumphs and more... - Arjuna.

Chapter 4: Tragedy

After bidding farewell to the Naga people and Ulupi, I went back to the shore and saw my parents and brothers anxiously waiting for me. When Madri mata saw me, she immediately rushed in and hugged me and was teary -eyed. After that, it was the turn of my father, Kunti mata and my brothers. From childhood, Bhim bhai was always very carefree and open to show his feelings of love and affection. He could not contain his happiness and lifted me in the air multiple times like I was a two year old baby. Probably, for the first time ever, I saw Yudhi bhai had some tears flowing through and hugged me affectionately. Nakul and Sahadev too were crying. At that moment, I was overwhelmed to see such emotional scenes and I could not contain my tears at all.

After sometime, when we settled in, parents and brothers asked me about my disappearance. I narrated to them all the events and handed to my father the valuable presents that were gifted by the Naga people. My father was not able to connect why Naga people cared so much for me and helped me and in addition to that presented such valuable gifts. But, then Kunti mata revealed to my father that Naga people were in fact close relatives of her from her father side. She told that, since the Naga people possessed mysterious and magical powers, hence the Naga chief was able to recognize me as one of their clan.

Amongst the presents, there were not only valuable gems, diamonds and other sparkling jewellery but also some delicious sweets and other rare eatables. Needless to say amongst us all, Bhim bhai was very excited to see that and immediately looked at Kunti mata with pleading eyes, and Kunti mata had a hearty laugh at that and gave him one quarter of the whole portion of those sweets and delicacies. Bhim bhai without wasting anytime immediately gorged on those and we all were unable to control our laughter seeing him gorging. From childhood, Bhim bhai and me shared a special bond of admiration and respect for one another, may be it was to do with the similar interest in learning various warrior skills, eagerness to do physical exercises and trainings.

After taking rest for sometime, we continued our journey and eventually reached our picnic destination. It was around evening time, and the atmosphere was very pleasant with gentle breeze blowing through and the surroundings were so beautiful with hilly mountains. We settled in into the makeshift resting place that was specially created for us by that area's Pradhan (local area Chief), as he was made aware of our arrival few weeks prior itself. It was a very nice place with all the comforts. We instantly fell in love with the place and we had a relaxing time in the evening enjoying thoroughly at the jokes cracked by Bhim bhai and Nakul. Both Bhim bhai and Nakul were very good at cracking jokes, and they had the ability to make everyone laugh and make a tense environment light. After sometime, dinner was arranged for us, it was a lavish dinner spread with variety of dishes, sweets and juices. Madri mata took me to her lap and caressed me and I could see some tears flowing, may be she still did not fully recovered from the earlier incident of my sudden disappearance. She lovingly fed me all those delicious dishes and sweets. Nakul was fed by father, whereas Sahadev was fed by Kunti mata. Even though, we were now a bit older to be fed by our parents, but it seemed to us that they simply loved to feed us and whenever they could they always fed us. Soon after our dinner, we kids made a dash to our father's bed and it was the time listen to our favourite stories from our father. Our father was such a master storyteller, and we enjoyed his company so much.

The next day saw us wake up to the bright sunshine and we freshened up quickly and did our daily routine of offering our prayers and doing meditation. This habit inculcated by our father remained with us throughout our lives.

After completing our prayers and meditation, we were called by our matas for breakfast. It was a sumptuous breakfast with different kinds of tasty veggie fillings and milk shakes.

Later on in the morning, Yudhi bhai planned for us to go out and have some fun and adventure by roaming around the hills in the nearby area. A kind of a small trekking adventure for us, and we all were so excited at that. All us our brothers from our childhood had some common qualities such as fearlessness, adventurous spirit etc.

We brothers were in very good spirits that day probably because we finally had a break from our rigorous daily schedule, and at least for some days we could forget everything else and enjoy our time to the fullest. When I remember those happy times spent with my brothers, I wish time stopped there at that moment itself. And, we forever be kids enjoying our stuff instead of waking up to the rude reality that lay in the outside world. I have no doubt in my mind, the best sustained phase of my life was the time spent with my parents and brothers at the ashram, I'm sure rest of my brothers do feel the same. We were so much loved and protected and we thought life will always be like this, but unfortunately we innocent kids didn't realize how shocking and nasty will be the world outside our protective shell.

We returned back late in the afternoon after our rather enjoyable and adventurous trekking trip and what we witnessed soon after, was nothing short of an utter shock for all of us. We saw our father lay on the bed motionless and our matas sitting either side of him crying incessantly by resting their heads on father's chest. The place was surrounded by the local people and couple of Vaidyas (Ayurvedic medicine practitioners) who all were shedding tears. Seeing that situation of my father, I felt like my whole body became numb and I was not able to speak anything and tears were flowing continuously. My heart was aching so much and it was beating so fast, that I felt it may stop or burst anytime. Nakul and Sahadev were crying like anything and they were kissing our father's face and calling him by saying 'Pitashree get up, please get up, look at us', so he could feel and listen to them and come back from his sleep. Bhim bhai too was in continuous tears and was trying to console our little brothers. Only Yudhi bhai was in some sort of control of his emotions and he was trying hard to console our matas who were looking so shattered and lifeless. That day was undoubtedly my first saddest and tragic days of my life, and even now when I recollect that fateful day I become so emotional and teary-eyed. I could never forget my beloved father, who loved and cared for us so much, and who wanted nothing but the best for us.