Arjun had always possessed an extraordinary resolve. Even after becoming consumed by his new pursuits, the most admirable and challenging part of his journey was his unwavering commitment to learning.
No matter how disrupted his nights became—sleep sacrificed without complaint—he remained ever eager to absorb more.
In the days that followed, the training began to reshape his life. His uncle started teaching him content writing and other essential skills. Arjun poured every ounce of himself into mastering them, giving a hundred percent. Deep within, a quiet confidence began to bloom once again, filling the hollow spaces left by past disappointments.
Whenever his uncle saw his dedication, he would say with quiet pride, "You didn't fail, Arjun. It was simply that your duty was assigned somewhere else, not in the army."
These words echoed endlessly in Arjun's heart."No one suppresses desires better than a soldier, and no one becomes a greater assassin of their own ambitions."
Some pains can only be endured, never spoken. They shrink into a solitary corner of life, leaving behind neither complaints nor grievances—only silence.There was a distinct brilliance in Arjun's writing. He infused his words with the very essence of lived experience.
When he first created a design on Canva, the poster that emerged was so beautifully crafted that, for the first time, he saw his own creation and a smile of deep self-satisfaction lit up his face. In that moment, he felt as though he had touched the realm of true art.
Surendra Uncle would repeatedly advise him, "Son, write the proposal in such a way that when the client reads your content, they say, 'This is exactly what I wanted.'"
One evening, when Arjun returned home, he was radiant with joy. His mother had not seen him in such high spirits for a very long time. In her heart, she silently thanked God.
"Shall we go to the temple?" Arjun asked her.
"Of course, if you wish to go, I will gladly come with you," she replied. In her mind, she reflected how, ever since he had begun the training, Bittu had started stepping out more, slowly emerging from the depths of depression.
She gently inquired about the reason for his happiness."Yes, I have almost completed learning the work," he said. "Uncle is pleased too, so a new hope has awakened in me. That's why I thought we should visit the temple before starting fresh work—to seek the blessings of God."
After two weeks of rigorous training, Arjun created his first gig on Fiverr. The marketplace was flooded with competitors, and fear gnawed at him: "Will anyone give me work?"
Ten days passed without a single message. He began to crumble. One night, his mother noticed his downcast face and asked, "Why are you so sad, son?"
With a drooping expression, Bittu replied, "No one has given me any work, Maa.
What more can I do?
You saw how hard I worked. I don't know what destiny has in store for me."
His mother gently stroked his head and said only this: "The first crop always takes time to sprout, my son. But when it does, it grows abundantly."
And indeed, the very next morning, a notification sounded on his phone: "New Order Arrived."Trembling with nervousness, Arjun completed the work in three hours. He checked and rechecked it several times before submitting.
When the client replied, "Perfect work! Thank you," Arjun's eyes filled with tears. Overwhelmed with joy, he rushed to embrace his mother tightly.
That day, with his first earnings from content writing, he bought sarees for his mother and Ranjana. This Diwali had been rather subdued for him; he had remained mostly immersed in work. But by the time Kartik Purnima arrived, the glow had returned to his face. Once again, people saw the same Arjun—brimming with self-confidence. He had begun to live again. He had come to understand a profound truth: "Only he who stops learning is truly defeated."
One afternoon, as Arjun sat working on his laptop, his mother approached and placed a loving hand on his head. "Even if you are not a soldier," she said softly, "to me, you are no less than a warrior. Wherever duty is performed with honesty, it becomes service—to the nation and to the family. You have fulfilled both your responsibilities with sincerity and grace."
In return, she simply kissed his forehead.
Now, the light in Arjun's room stayed on late into the night. He would study for long hours or learn something new. Sometimes, in the profound silence of the night, he would sit down to write, or create graphic designs—preparing templates for social media posts, presentations, posters, and logos. He made every effort to delight each client with his work. Most of his assignments came from the international market. His strong command over both Hindi and English allowed him to deliver quickly, and payments were mostly in dollars.
As appreciation for his work grew and glowing reviews poured in from clients, more orders followed.Within a month, he had earned more through writing alone than he had ever imagined possible. He was also benefiting from monetization on X. Since he could work from home, it suited his mother perfectly, and she was overjoyed.
Today was Dev Diwali—a day that had always held a special place in Arjun's heart. On this occasion, he would never miss going to the ghat to offer diyas.
In a soft voice, he said to his mother, "Maa, it has been a month since I started working again. Today is Dev Deepawali. Shall we go to the ghat for deep daan? Without offering the diyas, my heart feels empty."
His mother looked at him in quiet wonder. Every year on this day, he would unfailingly go to the ghat to light diyas. It was never merely a tradition for him; it was a way to rekindle the light within his own soul.
When he was young, Ranjana and Rani would accompany him. For the past four years, Kavya had been his companion for this sacred ritual. Never in his wildest dreams had he imagined that this year she would not be by his side.
Even after becoming an Agniveer, he had always managed to take leave and return home for Dev Diwali, no matter how late he arrived. He had never returned without offering lamps at the ghat.
"He finally decided to reach out to Kavya…
unaware that the truth waiting for him would change everything."
© Copyright Pushpa Chaturvedi
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