Eklavya

Chapter XXXIII

Sitting on the banks of river Gomati, Eklavya looked blankly at the never-ending currents of the magnificent river. Nothing ever stops in this world. To push forward, to move ahead is the sole purpose of every living, non-living entity in this farce, known as the 'world'.

Death is as inevitable as the birth itself. The enlightened ones call it the ultimate sangam of the 'Aatma' with the 'Parmatma'. They see it as a cause of celebration for one finally liberates from the endless cycle of birth and death.

In Sanatana Dharma, reuniting with the supreme is the ultimate goal of any person. The enlightened ones know it.

But what about the ordinary being, who can only see the loss and weep and wail in agony. Feeling as if its whole world had collapsed with everything in ruins.

What about that one who struggles to strike an equilibrium between its quailing heart and enlightened mind. Life and death are the two sides of the same coin, it knows, but can't assimilate the harsh reality that snatches the ground from beneath it.

Such was the conflict Eklavya felt whenever he came to this ghat and performed the shraad of his father, Randheer Singh Shekhawat. The turmoil which laid dormant inside him most of the time never forgets to rear its ugly head on such occasions, as if mocking him in the face.

Even now as he stared blankly at the flowing currents, only one thing was in his mind.

'He didn't have it in him to lose someone... again.'

~*~*~*~*~

Nalini wiped her cheeks when she felt her husband entering the room. Putting on a brave and big smile, Nalini turned and greeted him, "You came home early today!"

Rudra Pratap could easily see through the façade she was putting on. She knew that he knew she knew but for the good of both of them, Rudra Pratap always played along.

He had always provided her the emotional support she had sought whenever the memories of her only son left her a crying mess on long and dark nights. Rudra Pratap was her rock but he too needed someone who could be his pillar of strength.

Someone who could firmly grasp his old and gnarled hands in his own and push forward with him.

And Nalini could only look hopefully towards her grandsons in this aspect. Not today but in the near future, she could see clearly see them working alongside her husband. Matching their steps with his own.

Time. Time was the key. And she can always wait when she'd waited for eighteen long years.

"I wasn't feeling quite up to the mark, so I decided to retire early. Shekhar will manage for today." Rudra Pratap answered in a heavily tired voice, lying comfortably on the bed, he closed his eyes and laid there with one hand on his forehead and the other on his torso.

"It's high time you realized you aren't as young as you used to be," Nalini said as she gently started rubbing his temples, to ease some of his tension.

Rudra Pratap took a deep breath instantly feeling the soothing effects of her soft hands that seemed to have magic in them.

A long moment of silence passed between them. With Nalini lovingly massaging his temples and with Rudra Pratap laying there silently in deep thought.

After a long time, he said, "I'm missing my son."

Nalini couldn't fight it anymore as fresh tears brimmed in her eyes, she could literally feel the unfathomable pain her husband carried deep in his heart. "I miss him too. I miss them both."