Page:Chitra - Rabindranath Tagore.djvu/16

 woman, and knew that a man was before me.

At the auspicious hour I teach the man and the woman this supreme lesson to know themselves. What happened after that?

With fear and wonder I asked him “Who are you?” “I am Arjuna,” he said, “of the great Kuru clan.” I stood petrified like a statue, and forgot to do him obeisance. Was this indeed Arjuna, the one great idol of my dreams! Yes, I had long ago heard how he had vowed a twelve-years’ celibacy. Many a day my young ambition had spurred me on to break my lance with him, to challenge him in disguise to single combat, and prove my skill in arms against him.