Arjuna and Uttara - Teaching the Prince

The Kaurava army stretched across the horizon. Thousands of soldiers, hundreds of chariots, the greatest warriors of the age—and facing them, one chariot with a dancing teacher and a trembling prince.

UTTARA: "I can't do this. I thought... when I boasted... I didn't think they would actually come."

Arjuna: "Boasts have a way of becoming reality, Now drive."

UTTARA: "You're a dance teacher! What do you know about—"

Arjuna: "Drive the chariot, Prince. I'll handle the rest."

But Uttara's hands were shaking too much. He dropped the reins.

Arjuna: "I'm going to die. We're both going to die."

UTTARA: "We might. Many warriors have died facing armies. But they died fighting. What you're describing—cowering in a chariot while an army approaches—that's not death. That's embarrassment that ends in death."

Arjuna: "I'm not a warrior. I was showing off for the maidens. I've never—I never really—"

UTTARA: "I know. Let me show you something."

He walked to a tree where a bundle was hidden. The prince watched as the dance teacher unwrapped it—and gasped.

Arjuna: "Those weapons. That bow. That's..."

UTTARA: "The Gandiva. Yes. I am Arjuna. I've been in disguise at your father's court for the past year."

Uttara stared.

Arjuna: "You... you were teaching my sister to dance."

UTTARA: "I was hiding. There's a difference. Now we have two choices. You can run, and I'll face this army alone. Your reputation will be destroyed, but you'll live. Or you can drive my chariot, and we'll face them together. Your reputation will be legendary, and you might still die."

Arjuna: "I'm not a fighter."

UTTARA: "You don't have to be. You just have to drive. Keep the chariot moving, follow my commands, don't panic when arrows fly. I'll do the actual fighting."

Arjuna: "But they're so many—"

UTTARA: "Numbers are numbers. Fear is fear. The second is worse than the first. I was afraid once. At Kurukshetra—though that battle hasn't happened yet for you. I sat in my chariot and couldn't move, terrified of what I was about to do."

Arjuna: "What happened?"

UTTARA: "A friend reminded me that action is better than paralysis. That doing the wrong thing and learning from it beats doing nothing and learning nothing. Drive, Prince. Make mistakes. Let me correct them. By sunset, you'll be someone who faced the Kaurava army. Not a dancer's companion. Not a boastful boy. Someone."

Uttara's hand reached for the reins. Hesitated.

Arjuna: "What if I get us killed?"

UTTARA: "Then we'll die well. And I'll have a charioteer at my side who tried, which is more than most warriors can claim about their partners."

The prince took the reins. His hands still shook, but less.

Arjuna: "What do I do first?"

UTTARA: "Circle left. Keep the sun at their backs, in our eyes—that's where they'll expect us. Then, on my signal, wheel right. Make them adjust. Confusion is our ally."

Arjuna: "That sounds complicated."

Arjuna: "It sounds like victory. Complicated is fine. Simple gets you killed. Now drive. And whatever you do, don't stop."

The chariot lurched forward. The army roared. And by sunset, a prince had become something more than a boast, and a dance teacher had reminded the world who he was.