Taking a Disciple
"Peace be with you!"
Young Karna, with his hands clasped together and a bow in hand, dressed like a Brahmin warrior, greeted Rama with the Axe Rama with the Axe, who had just had a good fight with Bai Mo and, although he lost, was still in high spirits.
At this moment, a rather talented young man appeared, which stirred a sense of appreciation for talent in Karna's heart. However Rama with the Axe, still radiating authority, asked Karna:
"Are you a Brahmin, young man?"
Karna was not a Brahmin; in terms of current social status, he was the son of a charioteer. He had also heard that Rama with the Axe only accepted Brahmins as disciples.
"I, like you, am opposed to the Kshatriyas, Venerable One."
Karna harbored a strong aversion to lying, so he gave an answer that wasn't exactly a lie. But Rama with the Axe, shook his head and said:
"I do not oppose the Kshatriyas. There are also compassionate warriors and wise kings in the world. What I oppose is the tyranny of the Kshatriyas, this sin."
Rama with the Axe, approached Karna and continued, "Moreover, I despise even more the weak Brahmins, the weak people, and the weak society."
"I came here to become stronger."
Karna's eyes seemed to burn with fire, while Kama, who had appeared beside Bai Mo at some point, looked at Karna, her eyes narrowed, and she whispered:
"This guy..."
She could tell at a glance that Karna was not a Brahmin, while Bai Mo made a "shh" gesture with his finger. Upon seeing this, Kama's gaze became somewhat subtle.
Seeing Karna's eagerness to learn, Rama with the Axe, was indeed tempted to take him on as a disciple.
"Originally, I had stopped accepting apprentices, and I had given away all my weapons... However, seeing your extraordinary talent and remarkable bearing, and considering my recent battle with this warrior, I truly wish to take you as my apprentice and impart to you my life's work, hoping you can further refine your skills."
Upon hearing Rama with the Axe's words, Karna was so moved that he almost cried. He had left Hastinapura and traveled all the way to seek knowledge and find teachers, living like a savage. The ascetics in the forests, seeing that he was the son of a coachman, were unwilling to teach him.
Today, the Brahmin protector, Rama with the Axe, is willing to accept him as a disciple!
It's like a student who has just finished an exam and received an acceptance letter from a top international university.
"However, I have made a vow to only accept Brahmins as my disciples." Rama with the Axe's words suddenly changed the subject, causing Karna's heart to skip a beat.
"If you are a Brahmin, then I will surely take you as my disciple."
The Rama with the Axe spoke, and Karna, upon hearing this, took a deep breath and said, "... I am a Brahmin, Your Excellency..."
Before he could finish speaking, Bai Mo greeted Karna as if he had met an old acquaintance, saying, "Oh, isn't this Karna from Hastinapura? Why have you shaved your head? I didn't recognize you at first."
Upon hearing Bai Mo's words, Karna felt his eyes roll back as if he were about to faint. What was going on? I was just the son of a coachman in Hastinapura; how could I not remember knowing someone like you?
A warrior like you, who could defeat Rama with the Axe in a duel, would likely be personally received by Bhishma and Dhritarashtra upon arriving in Hastinapura. How could you possibly know a mere charioteer's son like me?
"Hmm? You know this young man. Oh, speaking of which, you've come to ask about my last disciple. Could it be that you've come for this young man?"
The Rama with the Axe asked Bai Mo, Bai Mo nodded and said, "I did come for him, and I was very lucky to make it in time."
Karna was on the verge of tears. What had he done to deserve this? He sighed deeply; the other party even knew his name, so lying was pointless. He then clasped his hands together in prayer before the Rama with the Axe and said:
"I'm sorry, Your Excellency, I... I lied to you. I am the son of a coachman. I came from Hastinapura to seek knowledge, but along the way, the best teachers were unwilling to teach me, and those who were willing to teach the son of a coachman only had skills suitable for hunting."
I visited your disciple Drona, but he said: Knowledge and skill belong only to Brahmins and Kshatriyas.
I had no other choice but to seek apprenticeship this way.
Karna knelt on the ground, his voice filled with grievance and resentment, but his heart was not as painful as one might imagine. Although Bai Mo's appearance prevented him from learning skills, it also prevented him from deceiving Rama with the Axe.
"Son of Sudo?" Rama with the Axe looked at the boy before him, sighed deeply, and spoke with a hint of dissatisfaction.
"Yes, I'll leave now."
"No, please wait, Karna." Bai Mo spoke up, calling out to Karna again, and then said to him, "Young man, I think you and I have some kind of connection."
Skills learned through lies will eventually disappear when you need them most. Because lies are ultimately like bubbles in water, spoiled seeds.
What Bai Mo said is true. When Karna faced Arjuna at the end, he was killed because he was unable to summon Brahma's Brahma's Noble Phantasm due to the curse of Rama with the Axe.
Moreover, Karna did not only deceive Rama with the Axe. Rama with the Axe's teaching of the Brahmins was not simply a matter of his own will, but also a vow he had made. Karna's deception would cause him to break his vow.
In India mythology, the power of oaths is immense; often, making an oath also signifies receiving a blessing.
If the oath is broken, then the blessings brought by the oath will naturally disappear. As for these things, the rebellious teenager who just had a big fight with his father and ran away from home naturally did not know them.
"You mean... you'd like to take me as your apprentice?"
Karna's heart, which had just dipped in excitement, began to leap again. This was what they meant by "after the darkest hour comes the dawn." Although Rama with the Axe was renowned, he was genuinely envious of Bai Mo's deadly martial arts moves from the battle they had just fought.
Moreover, he witnessed the sparring match just now, and Bai Mo was the one who won. If he had known about him beforehand, why would he have sought out Rama with the Axe, who needed to lie?
"I wouldn't call it taking on a disciple, but I did come here specifically to find you. I came into this world with some things I need to accomplish, and you can help me do them."
How about it? I can teach you martial arts, and in return, I need you to do some things for me in the future. Of course, I hope that the things you help with will not violate the Dharma of the world, and you can refuse if you don't want to."
Karna was momentarily at a loss upon hearing this. Bai Mo felt that his conditions were already quite good. However, the inexperienced Karna had some doubts in his heart, wondering what Bai Mo wanted him to do.
Looking at the two men, Rama with the Axe frowned and said:
"This can't be allowed!"
Both men turned their gazes to him, and there stood the Rama with the Axe declared loudly to Karna, "Since he teaches a skill, he should be respected as a teacher. And a teacher also has the right to offer his disciple a 'guru's salute'."
(Guru Rite: refers to a specific task or precious gift that a student completes upon completion of their studies to repay the kindness of their teacher.)
If knowledge is traded in this way from now on, wouldn't the relationship between master and disciple become like that of merchants, full of calculation?
"Son of the coachman, since this man before you is willing to teach you his skills, what are you waiting for?!"
Rama with the Axe finished speaking, Karna was taken aback for a moment, then immediately prostrated himself on the ground and performed the foot-touching ritual, which is a very solemn etiquette in India culture.
Bai Mo never expected that Rama with the Axe would speak up for Karna like that, and Karna's extreme speed startled him.
Rama with the Axe, smiled at Bai Mo and said, "Young warrior, you have just upheld justice, but at the same time, this young man has lost a teacher. In that case, why not agree?"
I can tell this young man has an extraordinary presence; he will definitely be a great asset to you in the future.