Ekalavya: Beyond Immortality

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"How much longer until we reach Hastinapur?" Ekalavya inquired, feeling utterly drained after weeks of travel.

They had been walking for weeks and were still far from reaching Hastinapur.

During the journey, Ekalavya had to hunt for his own food, as Acharya Vyasa only ate fruits given to him as an offering.

He also had to search for edible fruits for Acharya Vyasa. 

Fortunately, Acharya Vyasa had chosen a path along the banks of the Yamuna River, providing a source of water whenever Ekalavya grew thirsty.

Ekalavya began to develop respect for the people of this era. 

Without modern transportation, they had to cover who knows how much distance. 

Yet, Acharya Vyasa appeared remarkably relaxed.

"We're just one day away from reaching Hastinapur!" Acharya Vyasa remarked, gazing at the setting sun.

"Oh, that's a relief," Ekalavya responded, also watching the sun go down, letting out a sigh as he heard Acharya Vyasa's words.

They traveled during the day and rested at night.

Ekalavya felt exhausted because he was responsible for protecting them from dangerous animals and insects, as well as any potential threats from other people.

They encountered two bandits earlier, but Ekalavya managed to defeat them with ease.

Despite his youthful appearance, his consistent physical training made him strong enough to easily overpower ten thieves.

"Rest here, Guru Vyasa! I'll be back soon with something to eat," Ekalavya assured Acharya Vyasa, walking into the forest in search of food.

After a while of searching, he discovered wild berries and figs. 

Although he didn't find any prey for hunting, he collected enough berries and figs for both of them and returned.

"Here, Guru Vyasa, today's offering. You can enjoy these, and I'll do the same," Ekalavya said as he handed half of the harvest to Acharya Vyasa, keeping the other half for himself.

"May blessings be upon you, Ekalavya. Take a moment to rest," Acharya Vyasa smiled, pleased by Ekalavya's kind gesture. 

Despite his occasional quirks, Ekalavya's respectful nature never wavered.

"Thank you," Ekalavya nodded, settling under a tree to eat the wild berries and figs.

'With only four pieces of jewelry crafted, I hope they'll be enough to buy the tools I need,' Ekalavya pondered, his thoughts running deep.

After finishing their meal, Acharya Vyasa entered deep meditation, while Ekalavya took on the duty of standing guard.

The following day,

As the morning hours turned into noon, Ekalavya caught sight of towering walls encircling the kingdom.

"At last, we've reached Hastinapur!" Ekalavya's face broke into a joyful smile as he gazed upon the walls.

"Look at this beautiful path!" Ekalavya exclaimed as he and Acharya Vyasa entered through a large gate.

"Yes, this path is made from stones that have been walked on by many people, and now they're displaying their beauty!" Acharya Vyasa replied with a smile as if he could sense the stones' experience of countless footsteps.

"The people here look quite different from us, and their clothing is also unlike ours!" Ekalavya observed, watching the bustling crowd.

"They are different because they live in a different environment, eat differently from you, and their way of life is distinct from yours. Their clothing reflects the culture of this kingdom," Acharya Vyasa explained, responding to Ekalavya's surprised remarks.

'I understand that much, I'm just having some fun,' Ekalavya thought to himself.

He glanced at the women wearing sarees and silver kurta, while the men donned dhoti kurta outfits.

Looking around with curiosity, his gaze landed on an ornaments shop, where he thought about selling his own ornaments.

"Guru Vyasa, what's that noise and where is it coming from?" Ekalavya asked, hearing a loud cheer accompanied by booming sounds as if weapons were colliding somewhere.

"Oh, the noise might be coming from the arena, where they hold matches every now and then between the Hastinapur Kunwars," Acharya Vyasa replied, glancing in the direction of the sound.

"Can we go there?" Ekalavya asked eagerly, his face showing excitement.

'I really want to see the Kauravas' skills and confirm the timeline in Mahabharata!' Ekalavya pondered silently.

"Hmm, we can visit for a short while before continuing with our tasks," Acharya Vyasa considered and agreed to head to the arena.

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Acharya Vyasa brought Ekalavya to the Arena, just as they arrived.

"Wow!" A loud cheer burst from the Arena and It echoed everywhere. 

"Hey, the crowd seems really excited," Ekalavya whispered, hearing the booming sounds.

"Hmmn...., the people of Hastinapur really love their Kunwar(Princess), so the excitement is obvious!" Acharya Vyasa said, guiding Ekalavya through the gate into the Arena.

The arena is super big, and the places to sit were all filled with folks.

'Wow, this place is even bigger than the football fields I saw in my previous life!' Ekalavya marveled at the enormous size of the arena.

And the crowd was even more impressive to Ekalavya; he estimated over 200,000 people were filling the stands.

"First, let's go see Maharaja (King) Dhritarashtra," Acharya Vyasa suggested.

"But isn't our purpose something else? Why bother with that Blind King!" Ekalavya retorted sharply, indicating he didn't hold a favorable opinion of Hastinapur's ruler.

"Why the discontent, especially when it's your first time here?" Acharya Vyasa responded, more puzzled than upset by Ekalavya's remark.

"Well, even though I'm a newcomer, I caught wind of some whispers on my way here, and they weren't exactly singing praises about the Blind King!" Ekalavya answered, even though he hadn't heard anything at all.

Yet, he had a point. The Blind King's sons had caused trouble for many people in Hastinapur, but their victims, being of lower status, were often get silenced once they tried to show their discontent or asked for the justice.

"Your observation skills are quite impressive," Acharya Vyasa commended Ekalavya for his sharp perception.

Ekalavya just smiled when Acharya Vyasa praised him, his focus more on the arena where he spotted two warriors.

"Guru Vyasa, who are those two?" Ekalavya asked, though he actually recognized them. 

But he didn't want to seem like he knew them already, as he was looking at them for the first time.

"The one in the chariot is Arjun, the son of Pandava, a great Dhanurdhar (Archer) as for the other one, I'm not familiar with," explained Acharya Vyasa, pointing out the person on the chariot with small smile on his face, appreciating Arjun's skills. 

And when he looked at the person opposite of Arjun, he admitted that he didn't know the other person, who was standing without a chariot.

'Arjun and Karn, so the wheels have already started turning!' Ekalavya thought to himself.

Arjun, one of the Pandava brothers, possesses a handsome and regal appearance. His complexion is dark or wheatish, and he stands tall with a strong physique. 

There's a noble and enchanting aura about him.

As for Karn, he too is tall, strong, and incredibly handsome, radiating a bright presence. 

Although not much better when compared to Arjun's vibe, Karn's complexion is akin to that of gold.

'I think I might be late, and he has already accepted Duryodhana as his brother and friend,' Ekalavya sighed sadly while thinking in his head.

Had he arrived earlier, he might have attempted to befriend Karn. 

However, considering the weight of Karn's destiny and the path he's chosen, Ekalavya realizes he wouldn't have been able to prevent Karn from competing against Arjun.

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