The Soma Tantra - A Cosmic Tragedy -
Authored on Earth by ItzQuauhtli ItzQuauhtli (Obsidian Eagle) Eagle)
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Table of Contents I – Three Planes of Existence
6
II – Mythic Overview: The Denizens of Antarloka
7
III – Prologue: The Nectar of Immortality
9
Act One – Soma Chandra’s Hubris
16
[ 1 ] A Gathering of Gods
17
[ 2 ] Mutual Grievances
21
[ 3 ] Heaven’s Orphans
28
[ 4 ] Besieged
39
- Interstice -
48
Act Two – To Hell and Back
52
[ 5 ] Avenues of Deceit
53
[ 6 ] Curious Occurrences
68
[ 7 ] Rescued by Old Enemies
77
[ 8 ] Predestined Warpaths
79
- Interstice -
82
Act Three – Tremendous Upheavals
84
[ 9 ] Surya Sets
85
[ 10 ] A Duel Between Renegades
88
[ 11 ] Fall of the Devatas
91
[ 12 ] Deus Ex Machina
99
Appendix: Glossary of Sanskrit Terms
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105
I – Three Planes of Existence "y most accounts of 4indu cosmology our universe is divided into three ma&or planes% delineated here as follos: Bhuloka The physical plane% hich is here humans dell. Antarloka The subtle 5astral6 plane here the lesser gods and demons ar. Sivaloka The unfathomable 5causal6 plane here only the greater gods * Brahma% Vishnu and hia along ith their female counterparts abide.
This threefold configuration corresponds to other important trios such as the Gunas * "a#as$ attas % Tamas)% hich represent the active% balanced and inert 7ualities of all conditioned phenomena as ell as the respective roles that the three main d eities play% namely: creation% preservation and destruction. 8ast% present% future% etc. 8utting all that aside% suffice it to say that most of this epic tale ta#es places ithin Antarlo#a. The geography here corresponds only loosely to that of "hulo#a since its edifices and landscapes are upheld by tradition% ill-poer and a social consensus. !t is an ideal plane in every sense of the ord.
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II – Mythic Overvie! The Deni"ens of Antarlo#a i#e Earth% the psycho-spiritual sphere of Antarlo#a is home to a variety of races. ;ost of these have their on monarchs and are distinguishable by virtue of appearance or special abilities. This is a brief description of their hierarchy: Devatas The lesser gods *as opposed to 5
onetheless% their pantheon constitutes the dominant caste of Antarlo#a and has ruled over the others ith an admirable degree of prosperity% meeting resistance only occasionally. ;ostly humanoid in aspect they are: Indra *#ing of gods% Agni *god of fire% Varuna *god of ater% Vayu *god of ind% &ama *god of death% urya *the sun god% oma 'handra *the moon god% ama *god of desire% arttikeya *a young ar god and uru Brihas*ati *priest of the
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Pisachas @ Ganas These shape-shifters are distant cousins of the a#shas. 8isachas are soul-eating raiths hereas anas are deformed and mischievous little darves. !ronically% they have sorn service to Shiva% hich is hy they inhabit the graveyards and charnels of Antarlo#a *his preferred meditation grounds aay from ;ount ailash. Rudras Close cousins of the ;aruts% udras *holers are air-elementals too eBcept that they are considered sons of Bhairaa *Shiva6s rath personified. "ecause of this they are more ferocious and prefer to stri#e by cover of night. !t6s not so strange then that they also #eep company ith anas and 8isachas. Nagas A secretive race of serpent people that has been relegated to a remote corner of ,atala *the netherorld. There are those ho believe that they harbor close ties to the numina of Sivalo#a. Fhile their physical forms can vary they remain 7uintessentially reptilian in character.
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III – Prolo$%e! The &ectar of I''ortality Many eons ago, before planets could take shape within the galaxies of Bhuloka, the transcendental plains of Antarloka were already overflowing with life. It was during those early halcyon days that a mendicant by the name of Durvasas undertook a long walk through the uncharted wilderness of this dimension most sublime. Soon enough a heavenly muse separated herself from an overhanging cloud formation and presented urvasas with a fragrant garland of field!flowers. She smirked enigmatically prior to evaporating completely. At that moment the wandering pilgrim was struck by a profound sense of euphoria mixed with nostalgia for something ineffable and eternal. "e became so ecstatic that he burst into song while kicking up his feet in a dance of devotion# "e continued along the foothills praising the skies and spinning on his heels as he flung his arms about. It was not long before he crossed paths with Indra $ %ing of the evatas $ riding upon an elephant. &he storm god regarded this ragged sage with curiosity. &hen without hesitation the strange little man 'uietly offered (ord Indra the lei that he wore around his neck. &he king accepted this gift with a polite nod, placing it on the head of his mount. "owever, to the surprise of both and the chagrin of urvasas that hulking beast was affected by the scent of the flowers in such a negative way that it began stomping about, nearly crushing him beneath its rowdy stride. &he pachyderm went on to grab the wreath using his trunk and slammed it into the dirt $ flattening it under heel. )nderstandably incensed urvasas proclaimed a potent curse against %ing Indra* +"ark ye well king of the evatas, I hereby condemn you and your kin to suffer defeat at the hands of your hated foes* the Ashuras# So long as the aityas, anavas and akshas exist, your sovereignty within Antarloka shall never be absolute. And though it may take eons to culminate, the evatas will eventually grow so weak because of their own corruption that harmic law will demand nothing short of their obliteration . . .- -H-
&he wandering ascetic stalked off while uttering random profanities until he was no longer visible or within earshot. Still stunned despite his elephants renewed calmness, Indra mulled over the bitter words of the departed stranger for a few moments. /evertheless he thought of them as little more than the cra0ed inanities of a derelict. "e merely shrugged and sighed deeply before starting back for Mount Meru, the site of his royal palace. /o sooner had he arrived there than he was greeted with pressing news of another skirmish between one of his peoples patrols and their enemies, the dreaded Ashuras. According to their reports, Shukra, a spiritual guru of the aityas had recently completed a thousand years of austerity. "e had hung upside!down above the reach of a fierce bonfire and withstood its effects for extended periods. ue to this Shiva himself had seen fit to grant 1uru Shukra whatever boon he might desire. &herefore the wily aitya re'uested an occult mantra from the (ord 2one that could raise the dead whenever it was chanted3. Indras scouts claimed they had witnessed Shukra perform this miracle shortly after their own forces had slain several anava giants among the enemys ranks. Apparently these were successfully brought back to life and re4oined the struggle, leaving their small contingent of Maruts no choice but to flee. isconcerted by the details of this latest incident Indra wasted no time in convening his war council. 5ithin a few days Antarlokas broad expanse became a raging battleground. )nfortunately for the evatas their scouts had not exaggerated with respect to the Ashuras newfound advantage. As their own numbers dwindled steadily, those of their rivals were reinforced constantly by the very casualties that Indras troops inflicted. &he situation worsened and the evatas despaired. Again %ing Indra consulted the other gods and they all agreed that there wasnt any recourse other than to seek out (ord Brahma* grandfather to all beings and an inexhaustible reservoir of obscure wisdom. "ence they entered into a meditative trance together even as a battering ram thumped against the castle gates. 6ollowing what seemed a prolonged silence $ Agni, 7ayu, 7aruna, Indra and 1uru Brihaspati found themselves in a psychic clearing devoid of any discernable 'ualities. It was then that a gleaming presence made itself known. &heir inner eyes beheld a - )( -
snow!bearded individual seated on a lotus!throne. "is countenance and crown shimmered with golden light as if indicating an unmatched degree of insight. ecogni0ing his visitors that ancient one spoke* +earest sons of sons, it doth mine heart good to see thee here before me. "owever I can feel great tension coming from ye. &ell me swiftly what circumstances weigh so heavily upon thine otherwise capable shoulders8- +9h thou eldest of gods,- Indra replied, +an unprecedented calamity hast befallen us. 5e now stand on the brink of annihilation and it is in this our darkest hour that we seek thy unfailing advice#- &he young king continued to explain everything that had transpired throughout his domain over the last while. Brahma listened attentively and smiled knowingly as Indra finished briefing him. +"ast any among thee heard tell of Amrita8- Brahma 'uestioned. &he evatas looked around at one another but ended by collectively shaking their heads in bewilderment. +Amrita,- Brahma proceeded, +is the nectar of immortality. In every universe it hath been responsible for sustaining the virtuous so that they may uphold blessed harma* the perennial law born here in Sivaloka. 9nly by obtaining Amrita canst ye hope to con'uer these powerful Ashuras.- +But where grandfather or how are we to find this legendary nectar8- Brihaspati ventured to ask. +Abandon Antarloka temporarily and enter Bhuloka, the coarsest plane of reality. &here from amongst infinitesimal galaxies thou art to choose one that is suitable to be churned as if ‘twere an ocean of milk. :hoose wisely for this deed can be carried out a single time and no more. I wouldst be happy to accompany thee since I am certain that churning said ocean shouldst yield ama0ing results as always.- +An excellent idea no doubt,- commented Indra, +but let us not forget that our enemies close in as we speak. "ow, honored progenitor of harma dost thou suggest we handle the problem at hand8- - )) -
+Strike thee a truce with yon foes noble king. After all their assistance wilt be 'uite indispensable for the task that lies ahead. 1o now and do as I have instructed. In the meantime I shalt speak to (ord 7ishnu concerning this matter. &hou may summon us both when everyone else is prepared to depart for Bhuloka.- &hat having been said, Brahma vanished and the evatas found themselves back amid the chaos enveloping their celestial palace. /onetheless, over the course of that next fight they were able to negotiate an armistice with the Ashuras 2who were e'ually intrigued by the prospect of extracting Amrita from a fabled ocean of milk3. 5hen the gods and their demonic counterparts gathered and burned oblations by dint of Agnis incendiary hands, Brahma and 7ishnu appeared as promised. &he former was seated on an enormous swan whereas the latter stood astride his immense eagle 1aruda 2who some believe spawned the race of 1handharvas3. After formalities were exchanged Brahma went on to produce a resounding* +A!)!M#- &hey had the distinct impression that all three planes vibrated within and without their assembly. It was an overwhelming sensation to be sure $ gripping at ones core $ although it took place in the blink of an eye. Suddenly the complete host of Antarloka was surrounded by a myriad of swirling galactic bodies. Some much larger or denser than others. At first the various members of that celestial company drifted freely throughout the unlimited reaches of this vast physical field. 6ortunately, selecting an exceptional candidate didnt turn out to be as difficult as the creator had predicted. And so those tenuous allies congregated at an agglomeration of tightly!packed star clusters. &he plasmic gas of nebulas flashed periodically, releasing pure energy into this promising maelstrom. Brahma flew his swan up to its summit and by his alchemy its center was transmuted into a lofty mountain. 5hilst 7ishnu and 1aruda soared within the void to trace out a widespread figure eight from which Vasuki 2%ing of /agas3 materiali0ed. &he cosmic serpent flowed toward the evatas and Ashuras like a violet river of light. +)ssse me asss rope,- 7asuki hissed. - )' -
5ith that he coiled ;round the solid central mass of the young megacosm and stretched either half of himself across its entire breadth. &he evatas were 'uick to grab a hold of his tail!end, leaving that /agas big head to their adversaries. /ow 7ishnu leapt off 1arudas back and transformed into a gargantuan tortoise, making his way to the mountains bottom in order to stabili0e it. Brahma floated above its peak and signaled for the tug!of!war to commence. )nder his direction the Ashuras went first, pulling with their combined strength, followed by a vigorous response from the gods. &hey continued like this for a fleeting period that was interrupted when 7asuki 2agitated by such monumental strain3 began coughing out a rancid miasma that engulfed the whole area. &his noxious Halahala poison wouldnt stop spreading and the heavenly hosts scattered driven by fear. ueen Varuni, goddess of wine. &o delight Ashura and evata alike, two more gorgeous goddesses arose from the depths* Lakshmi and Alakshmi $ benevolence and malevolence incarnate. It is told that this was when Brahma sprouted three more heads solely to view those comely females from every possible angle# &he first was to be 7ishnus future bride and the second 4oined Balis aityas. It wasnt until after the - )I -
birth of Surya 2the sun god3 and Soma :handra 2the moon god3 that Amrita finally issued forth, carried in an urn by a beaming male youth. Ironically the evas and evatas were so engrossed in welcoming their new members that the Ashuras sei0ed this opportunity to make off with the urn. &hrough Shukras wi0ardry they returned to Antarloka, thinking to seal their victory. 5hen the gods reali0ed what had happened 7ishnu put their minds at ease by morphing into Mohini, a voluptuous enchantress. She gave them all a suggestive wink before disappearing as well. Mohini found the aityas, anavas and akshas arguing amongst one another about who should be allowed to drink the Amrita first. Although her swaying hips and ample breasts became the cynosure of all eyes in mere seconds. %ing Bali, a mighty aitya and general of the Ashuras bowed down at her feet, asking how he might be of service. &he girl smiled sweetly and said* +7enerable lords, permit me to aid you in distributing this gift. 6or in accordance with harmic law it is only proper that you exhibit magnanimity toward your challengers by letting them drink before yourselves.- +?our sharp mind matches your lovely physi'ue darling girl,Bali passingly mentioned as he took her hand and pressed his lips to it, +but I pray you render me your name oh admirable maiden.- +Sri Mohini,- she answered with a curtsy. "er luscious eyes pierced his heart. )nbeguiled by feminine wiles 1uru Shukra attempted to intercede* +My king, I must advise against this dubious course of action $- +/onsense#- Bali exclaimed before Shukra could finish. +It shall be done as Mohini has proposed and any who oppose her will have to cross swords with me personally.- 9nce that was settled Mohini fetched the evatas and had both groups organi0e themselves into two separate lines. As had been agreed, she herself carried the urn to the trailing line of evatas and made sure that it was passed when each god had taken his fill.
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1enerosity notwithstanding the throng of Ashuras got upset rather fast and %ing Bali felt a sting of 4ealousy as he watched Sri Mohini caressing the cheeks of his opponents while sharing their laughter. 9ne of the akshas named Rahu 2who could shape!shift3 even disguised himself as a evata and snuck into their line, sitting between Surya and Soma. )nfortunately for him those two gods of light could see right through that clever akshas fa@ade. &hey discretely reported the infraction to (ord Brahma 4ust as ahu lifted the pot to his mouth. Being notified telepathically Mohini reverted to 7ishnu and severed ahus head with the bla0ing edge of his discus weapon# Seeing ahu beheaded the Ashuras roared furiously and took up their arms again. A terrible battle ensued. "owever, the evatas had regained the upper hand 2because only an immortal can van'uish an immortal3. 6ueled by Amrita, Indra decimated the anava ranks using lightning while 7ayu and his Maruts rained arrows upon the akshas with their bows. :learly on the evatas side, 7ishnu unleashed a spiral of gamma rays from his Sudarshana :hakra. It whipped through the aityas front line, slicing torsos and limbs. :omprehending that this confrontation would spell their untimely deaths the Ashuras retreated en masse and were spared 2if only momentarily3. &he gods of Antarloka expressed their profuse gratitude to the eminent evas of Sivaloka, who bestowed their blessings on (ord Indras kingdom and then retired to their respective abodes. ?et ever since those days that proverbial conflict between the forces of light and darkness has resurfaced during every epoch. /ow at long last, its dramatic conclusion draws near . . .
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Act One – Soa !handra"s #u$ris
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( ) * A Gatherin$ of Go+s ady Tara glanced bac# at uru "rihaspati as she al#ed in the direction of the palatial gardens. 4e as still blathering on about the =edic scriptures ith his cohorts% debating some doctrinal moot point. She and he had been married for little over a month but she as already sic# of it. .hat a /ruel 0ate to be married o00 to a Brahmin she thought to herself. uc#ily% social functions tied in ith his priestly duties *such as this regal ball in the court of !ndra provided Tara ith much-needed respite. She didn6t have any particular aim in mind as she meandered among the opulent shrubbery of the gods. !t as sufficient to be alone and at peace instead of undergoing constant introductions as if she ere some #ind of trophy. That6s hy her interest pea#ed hen she heard the sound of music in the distance% aay from the audience hall. Tara headed further into the gardens and noticed that the silvery moon usually high above Antarlo#a seemed to nearly touch the hori+on ahead. 8resently she encountered a large group of handharvas croded around a princely
J4e thros these parties as an eBtension of his administrative dealings but he hasn6t the faintest idea as to ho to unind. Fhilst ! on the other hand am a master in the fine art of hedonism. Fhich reminds me L Soma Chandra snapped his fingers loudly% signaling for the revelry to continue. And so it did. Smiling he turned bac# to his uneBpected *though not unelcome guest. J8lease &oin us%L he invited. J!6d love to but ! better not. !t ouldn6t be prudent of me to do so.L J8rudenceK Fho needs itK Come% sit. 4aving one drin# ith me isn6t going to #ill anyone.L JFell alright% but &ust one.L JOf course.L Soma patted the empty space on the sofa neBt to him and Tara too# it% subconsciously ad&usting her sil# sari. Mnperturbed the lively
J! guess so%L replied Tara% eyebros raised. Still% she sipped on her portion ith increasing en&oyment. J!6m sorry if it comes out rong but ho does a oman of your insome character end up ith a crotchety old priest li#e "rihaspatiKL Soma daringly prodded. Ta#en a little off guard by his gutsy 7uestion *and feeling the impact of his drin# the girl innocently voiced: J!t as an arranged matrimony.L JAh% ell that ma#es sense%L he 7uipped hile pic#ing up a peter pitcher containing his li7ueur. 4e as about to refill her cup hen domestic sensibilities too# hold ane. She gently pushed the vessel aside. J;y apologies ord Chandra but ! really should return to that crotchety old p riest of mine%L ady Tara rebutted% standing up from the couch. J! am grateful for your hospitality and the music%L she finished% &oining her palms and boing at hip hile facing =isava. The dar# blue handharva #ept 7uiet but courteously returned her bo. Jot one of those silly enches has green eyes li#e hers.L Jo 7uit plaguing me ith useless arnings and get to or#.L
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, - , ater that night% long after everyone had retired and arrived bac# at their homes% ama stealthily steered his parrot over and touched don on the lan outside uru "rihaspati6s ostentatious estate. 4e produced a scarlet floer bud from a satchel slung about his torso. 4olding its stem beteen thumb and indeB on one hand% he caused it to bloom by gesturing ith the other. The floer eBuded a inding mist of purple pollen that sailed on the bree+e as it headed for the mansion. ama then ithdre an enchanted arro from his 7uiver and placed it across his bo. eeping atch over the balconies and entranceays he #ne it as &ust a matter of time before ady Tara appeared.
, - , Although a deep sleeper uru "rihaspati as also a "rahmin trained in the fine points of meditation. This meant that he as able to detect nearby activity amid all three states of consciousness *a#ing% dreaming and dreamless sleep. That night he sensed a local disturbance rippling through psychic avelengths. 4is body signaled his mind informing him that Tara had vacated their bed. 4e came to and scanned the room earily she as nohere in sight. A +ephyr ble into the bedchamber and uru sa no alternative but to thro on his robe and investigate. As he approached the closest balcony Tara6s silhouette became visible cast against the full moon. 4e then heard a histling noise as a spar#ling green arro struc# her chestN A second green arro *an obvious flare +ipped past% illuminating the s#y. "rihaspati yelled out her name and she sung around but only to glare at him in disdain. Seconds later a &eeled chariot dran by sapphire horses passed by and Soma Chandra reached out% seeping her up on their ascent. uru "rihaspati ran to the railing and shouted after him% JSomaN 4o dare youK ! command you to bring her bac#NL The moon god loo#ed over his shoulder at him% ma#ing eye contact hile holding onto the reigns. 4e didn6t say anything. 4e didn6t even smile. Soma Chandra turned around coolly% folloing a direct course to the moon.
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( . * M%t%al Grievances ing !ndra moseyed along beneath the high arches of a corridor accompanied by Agni and =aruna *fire and ater% respectively. Apart from their preceptor uru "rihaspati these three ere the oldest ever underestimating the seriousness of such an issue the
Agni ac#noledged the order and departed ith a perfunctory salute. The imperious monarch no focused his stare on =aruna. J!nstruct =ayu to put the ;aruts on high alert so that they6re ready to sortie ith me during any unforeseeable instance.L J?es milord%L the a7uatic deity agreed% ta#ing leave.
, - , ord "rahma could hardly believe his eight ears. ;ainly because they left him no doubt that Soma had to be the most puerile and impertinent being in eBistence. eason thus as not an effective tool for communication. The grandfather of gods resorted to a more brutish vocabulary ith four mouths% JFhat in nine hells is rong ith youK one !6m sure. 1urthermore nobody else is demented enough to form an alliance ith you hereas our allies are numerous. ?ou6d be ise to sei+e this chance to reconcile ith uru "rihaspati.L JFhy grandfather !6m so glad that e could have this meeting. >o #indly remove your presence from my premises%L the upstart said ithout missing a beat. "rahma grumbled in frustration but relented. Though he added: - '' -
JThis fort is going to crash don on your head hether you believe it or not. "etter brace yourself for the harsh realities of defeat youngster.L Fith those ords ord "rahma stormed aay% brushing against the left ing of a tall blue handharva entering Soma6s ma&estic chambers. This as Commander =isava ho progressed to the throne carrying a similar eight in his steps. The a7uiline creature regarded Soma ith an indignant eBpression. JFhat is it =isavaK Are you having second thoughts concerning your allegianceKL JStrangely !6m not. 4oever you #no as ! do that my people aren6t arli#e. There are some things and individuals e cannot protect you from. And ! for one on6t endanger my brethren any more than need be.L J;y valued commander% you orry too much. Mnbe#non to our enemies ! have sent a proposal to the Ashura6s leaders ho harbor a deep-seated enmity for the ruling agas.L Jaruda6s featherKL Echoed the moon god in7uisitively. - 'I -
J!t is a legendary sord said to be carved from one of the mighty eagle6s feathers. !t as probably left in the netherorld hen >aga serpents tried to ransom his mother for a draught of Amrita.L J!nteresting%L admitted Soma. J!6m genuinely beginning to li#e the sound of this eBt to Soma ady Tara smiled vacantly and nodded. =isava stifled a plaintive screech as he saluted by pressing fist to shoulder before eBiting.
, - , Mpaya 8anther-;as#% 8rince of The ot to mention uru "rihaspati6s undying old rival. 1e ere foolish enough to openly state it but the truth as that none eBcept Shu#ra had beheld Mpaya6s visage since the bygone days of his boyhood. ;ost impressive of all as ho speedily he6d achieved notoriety among his peers. 4is on volition drove him to ha+ard duels and ta#e on missions that ould ma#e anyone else tremble from coardice. 4aving proven himself hardy he as embraced by the three tribes as he bore those traditional hallmar#s of a agas. 4is detachments of
The prince removed his helmet after stepping into the tent *his father being the on e person that he didn6t conceal identity from. 4is sarthy baldness complemented a siney pair of tanned arms. One could have easily mista#en him for human ere it not for the telltale clas protruding from the &oints of his #nuc#les hene ver he made a fist. At the far end of this spacious tent Shu#ra as enthroned on a thatch yoga mat elevated by a small dais. 4is four arms ere raised and he held out each hand in symbolic mudra gestures. !t as obvious from his loered eyelids and serene demeanor that he as still immersed in meditative absorption. Comprehending full ell Mpaya settled cross-legged onto one of the guest mats and aited patiently. After a fe minutes the Ashura guru6s attention returned to his immediate surroundings. 4e greeted his son ith a arm smile and announced: JA divine ar bres ithin the collective >oosphere of Antarlo#a. ! understand that Soma Chandra has abducted "rihaspati6s nubile bride and is being pressured to remit by his #in. "ut evidently the lunar deity has been consuming copious amounts of Amrita and conse7uently turned on them. 4e currently plots to draft the indomitable Ashuras into his service to enact a misguided scheme of supplanting the status 7uo ith a hedonist utopia.L 4e paused to catch his breath and then as#ed: JAm ! close to the mar#KL Mpaya laughed loudly before responding% Jevered father it never ceases to ama+e me ho adept you6ve become at probing the ethereal >ous of our present.L J!f only your heart ere as easy to prod my dear boy. iven the gravity of these unfolding events ! am almost afraid of learning ho you plan to react to Soma6s entreaty. The present may be easy to read but the future is beyond the grasp of my cognitive faculties. ?et ithal% one crucial detail is sufficiently salient to deduce its tra&ectory and that happens to be yo%r involvement amid this schism. !n some mysterious ay it appears as if your participation is preordained.L J1ran#ly ! cannot disavo my interest concerning these radical affairs%L confessed the prince. J>ormally confronting the ot since e churned the ocean of mil# together has there been an alliance beteen Ashuras and
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to accomplish their petty self-centered goals. Fe paid an eBpensive price to learn this firsthand. Any eBtension of friendship from them is naught but veiled opportunism.L JOf that much ! am aare%L Mpaya re&oined. JFhich is hy ! solicit your sagely advice. 4o ould you suggest ! proceed no that !6ve resolved to reunite the three tribes and mobili+e them in favor of SomaKL JAs you6ve gron e6ve often discussed the donfall of our most eBalted #ings%L Shu#ra reminded him. JOf them ;ahabali is probably the best eBample.
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Sivalo#a. As a result ! cannot overly stress the importance of paying homage to Shiva ;ahadeva% ho is our only steadfast benefactor.L J"ut father% every renoned Ashura potentate has been defeated hether he orshipped Shiva or not%L ob&ected the prince. J!n fact the additional clout he provided them ith is hat typically led to their ruin.L J?ou are correct%L Shu#ra consented. J4oever that is not a reflection of ord Shiva6s munificence. ather it denotes our on greatest failing: an inability to relin7uish egotistic attachments. Those demon leaders ho practiced asceticism customarily did so to aggrandi+e their personal authority. >one of them as ever able to dissociate from tainted deeds and conse7uently reaped the negative fruits of arma ?oga. That is here you must strive not to repeat their mista#es.L J!n other ords the boons conferred upon them by ;ahadeva bac#fired because of their inherent megalomaniaKL 8osited Mpaya. JAt last you start to rap your head around it%L his father declared% beaming. JTherefore clever boy do your utmost to honor our patron in Sivalo#a via virtuous comportment. ! guarantee that it6ll pay off in the long run.L JFisest sire% your guidance does not fall on deaf ears. 1rom this day forth ! shall endeavor to curb my inner ambitions and ill dedicate a bountiful sacrifice to Shiva prior to any armed engagement. At present though my presence is re7uired in the =ale of "erunni ithout further delay. The three tribes convene there tonight and ! intend to solidify our pact ith the ever underestimate the lengths they6ll go to cheat you out of hat is rightfully yours.L The prince nodded solemnly and boed. 4e then strapped aruda6s feather onto his upper-body armor before setting off ith air of determination. Shu#ra sighed briefly but as soon reabsorbed in a profound state of samadhi trance. There as still so much that remained unclear.
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( / * Heaven0s Or1hans 8riya as the ife of =isava% commander of the handharvas. 4er on mother as none other than =aruni% the ine goddess that had surfaced hen the primordial ocean as churned. Strangely though =aruni had abdicated her 7ueenship of the Apsaras early on to elope ith an Ashura. She hadn6t been heard of since apart from the occasion on hich she6d entrusted 8riya to her handmaidens to be raised in the Apsara6s temple. !n spite of those unfavorable circumstances 8riya had b een treated ith respect as she gre up and as formally trained alongside the other heavenly dancers. !n time she blossomed into such a distinguished performer that her royal lineage had been ac#noledged and ratified by everyone ho attended ing !ndra6s court. These days she spent less of her time entertaining and more of it coaching ne recruits. At the moment she directed herself to the massive paradise tree lying &ust beyond the limits of Amaravati% the immortal city. ;ount ;eru loomed in the distance behind her ith the spires of ord !ndra6s stronghold &utting into an increasingly cloudy s#y. 8riya as trudging uphill to meet ith the goddess ali ho6d long ago established an eBchange program beteen her aggressive ?oginis and the gentle Apsaras. As she neared the top of that incline the transdimensional tree *hich is said to occupy all three planes became visible. "eneath the ide aning of its innumerable boughs% among the gnarled roots and ith her bac# resting against its thic# trun# sat ali 8arvati6s fell alter ego. She as blac#er than soot% having eight arms and a nec#lace of shrun#en s#ulls that hung above her bare breasts. 4er only garment as a girdle of men6s severed limbs around the aist. A do+en muscular females holding lances or aBes and not earing much either guarded her perimeter. One of them handed the goddess a holloed-out gourd filled ith blood% hich she drained in a single 7uaff. Another to stepped aside permitting 8riya to breach their circle. The young 7ueen cleared her throat gingerly% draing the distracted ali6s attention. J8recious 8riya% ho nice of you to &oin usNL JAll adoration unto mother ali% Sha#ti to Sh iva%L the Apsara 7ueen said as she began genuflecting. J>o% no no need for that%L
JOh yes as a matter of fact e do%L ali asserted ith transparent enthusiasm% Jbut this one is considerably different from the rest.L JeallyK 4o soKL ,ueen 8riya 7ueried. JShe is the sole survivor of the eBtinct human race%L revealed the dar# goddess% alloing her ords to sin# in. J! handpic#ed her myself from the shambles of "hulo#a hen she as only a child. ;y loyal ?oginis have taught her everything they possibly could since then. All that remains is for the Apsaras to round her s#ills out completely.L JA human oman in Antarlo#aK 4o has she been able to survive in our ethereal >ousKL J"elieve it or not they can be a very adaptive species hen necessity dictates. ;oreover this girl is second to none in my entourage hen it comes to combat. ! do hope you6re up for the rigorous tas# of schooling her in your fine arts.L JFe ill rise to the challenge%L the 7ueen voed. J"ring her forth at your leisure ineBorable one.L ali bec#oned to her closest subordinate% J?a#sha here is !shtarKL J4ighness she is doing drills by the aterfall%L the ?ogini ansered% falling to one #nee. J8lease go no and get her.L ?a#sha boed her head prior to standing and darting through the air toard an ad&acent ridge . . .
, - , Although she as around eighteen years old by Terran counts !shtar vividly remembered her last days on Earth. "ac# then she6d been only five and everything had happened so suddenly. She recalled fren+ied tal# of polar icecaps melting from her parents residents of ;umbai on !ndia6s Fest coast. She couldn6t grasp it too ell at that age until the fateful morning hen she sa a stupendous tidal ave roiling onto the streets. She had stood there breathlessly immobile and ould have perished ere it not for ?a#sha *ali6s emissary sooping don to her rescue. Afterard her eBistence as drastically altered by forces she could hardly rec#on. She6d been adopted by ali% oddess of
Qealous servants of the dar# one% these ?oginis had matched eapons ith every #ind of foe at one time or another. Even ith the Ashuras hose recent stirrings they ere entirely aare of. !shtar had accompanied her sisters in 8atala at age siBteen against Mpaya 8anther-;as# the only opponent to ever best ?a#sha in a duel. Currently !shtar6s toes hovered over a fast-floing rivulet merely ten feet from here the aterfall cascaded onto mountainous roc#. She stood poised% right leg straight and left one bent at its #nee. Angled behind her head she hoisted a curved slender sord high up in the air ith both hands. The girl inhaled audibly% filling her lungs to capacity prior to blaring ali6s mantra: 1Om ring aliyai 2amah!3
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?a#sha stepped to !shtar and presented a conch shell. The latter fastened the ar sic#le diagonally across her bac# and stoed said conch inside a plain travel bag. JFhen the time comes blo on it and e ill hasten to your side%L eBplained ?a#sha. !shtar nodded in agreement and embraced her big sister as they both struggled to restrain tears. 1or soon she as on the road to Amaravati% in no mood of conversing ith her ne matriarch.
, - , Seated atop a peacoc# artti#eya% son of Agni strutted into a glade. At the far end of that clearing some hubbub preceded the abrupt eBodus of many deer from the oods. They sprinted in his direction and shortly he found himself encircled by them. 4e couldn6t help ondering hy they ere unafraid of him even though he bore a spear. They simply eyed him as if to display a hint of recognition ithin their gla+ed stares. This herd shifted uneasily as its pursuer caught up. Surya the sun god came mounted on his shining steed folloed by some attendants. JFhat is the meaning of all this commotionKL artti#eya demanded. Surya heeled on his horse brandishing a fiery bo hile he spo#e% Jartti#eya you #no these stags are fair game. Ever since "hulo#a crumbled human souls transmigrated here and too# form as these creatures. There is an overabundance of them. They should be hunted don in droves to atone for their sins. ?our father Agni has been a teacher to us both and he ould advocate my course.L JThis is my forest and ! say hat is and isn6t fair game%L the younger but not less physically imposing
JSocial protocol notithstanding% it6s a ridiculous reason to go to ar.L JAs good a reason as any%L Surya mumbled. 4e gestured for his escorts to retract ith a snap of his head and sped off ithout further utterance. !nhaling a calming breath artti#eya loo#ed around at the si+able herd still milling about. !t as then that the largest antlered buc# came forard and fiBed his sights on the perpleBed evertheless he overcame his misgivings and ventured inside. "eyond its entrance the cave became a inding corridor that the
cast a shado onto the cavern6s interior. Fithin it artti#eya atched dumbfounded as alacha#ra "hairava *Shiva6s ogre-li#e double dev oured stars from "hulo#a by trillions. The brobeaten eedless to say ! had neither a son nor a mate then. >evertheless% in due course "rahma and =ishnu approached me together ith the coering andiKL JOddly enough my seed did not impregnate your mother. Fe ere engrossed in Tantric love-play for so long a span that "rahma deemed it necessary for Agni to interrupt us assuming the shape of a turtledove. The fool caught my semen in his bea# hen he cooed and it almost destroyed himN 4e passed it on to =ayu ho delivered it on a gale to anga the river goddess. !n turn% anga placed it among the reeds along her East ban# here it too# ten thousand years to ferment. Thence% siB stellar maidens #non as the ritti#as found you and became your nursemaids. That is hy you are called artti#eya *son of the ritti#as and can sprout siB heads as ell as telve arms. This also eBplains hy your s#in is blue li#e mine.L JSo in effect you6re saying that Agni adopted me and concealed my identity up until noKL J!s it too hard to believeK The
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J!t is &ust as ell%L S#handa concurred% Jseeing as ! had no intention of &oining them to begin ith. "ut hat am ! to do during the interim% omnipotent sireKL J;a#e for the Southern astelands. 8urify yourself by practicing ?oga amid those charnel grounds. Fhen the hour is at hand you ill be confronted by a righteous Ashura capable of trading blos evenly ith you.L JA righteous AshuraK Surely you &est for that is unheard of.L JThere is a first time for everything%L certified Shiva. J?ou should also ta#e the buc# ho brought you here in that general direction. 4e has another appointment to fulfill ith destiny.L S#handa got to his feet and nodded emphatically. JToday is a &oyous day because the unruly suspicions of my heart have been dispelled by >ila#antha% ord "lue >ec#% ho drains poison from our livesNL That having been said S#handa as transported bac# outside here he as met by the stag. They left together% heading south.
, - , 1lan#ed by his four-armed brother *=idyunmalin and the a#sha 8riestess aitabh% Mpaya sauntered through the horde of
JThen let me assure you paramount one that my intentions hold the best interests of all Ashuras at their core and not my on personal gain%L Mpaya professed. J! believe e6d be unise to let the opportunity that no presents itself slip through our fingers.L J?ou mean the opportunity to suffer terrible deaths caused by the aturally. Custom demands that ! prove my fitness to lead by dueling your champion. Select him then but be forearned he could lose limbs in this fight. imbs that might be dearly missed during upcoming engagements.L J! ouldn6t orry about that%L aitabh interposed hile ringing her hands. J!t6s nothing my healing sorcery can6t handle.L The prime
Telve-Arms ho sported a titanic sledge hammer as ell as to curling ram6s horns that gre from his head. Andha#a Eight-Arms hun#ered don near Mpaya to hisper% JAre you positive you ant to carry on ith thisK Even ! ould avoid a scuffle ith that lummoB. 4e6s a thoughtless #illing machine.L JThe higher the sta#es the greater the reards%L the pluc#y o it as Mpaya6s tribe and aitabh6s ghouls ho celebrated ith noisy abandon. "erunni Tenty-Arms and his cre ambled over to here =irocana lay in dirt. - I9 -
Sha#ing his head ith embarrassment the patriarch ordered consorts to remove his disgraced nephe from the scene. 4e then turned to address the victor% boing slightly. JFell met son of Shu#raN The might of my people is at your disposal.L J4onorable chieftain% you have my gratitude and my oath that ! shan6t betray your confidence in my leadership.L "erunni shifted on his heels to observe the moon climbing into evening s#y. Jegardless% ! do not understand ho you plan to get our combined armies onto Soma6s terrain. Mnli#e the
, - , ord Chandra reread the parchment that announced !ndra6s declaration of ar as ell as offering him terms for surrender. !t had been brought that afternoon by a green-plumed handharva% ho6d also ta#en the opening to sear fealty to Commander =isava. The lunar deity crumpled up the message% tossing it aside. 4e #ne things had progressed ell beyond the point of no return. Even so he didn6t care. Truth be told Chandra &ust hadn6t been the same since planet Earth perished. Soma6s favorite pastime used to be spending endless hours pee#ing in on the deni+ens of "hulo#a. 4e as enthralled by the mortal race of humans% ho lived for such short spans that they rarely discovered all seven of their senses. Mnsurprisingly it asn6t alays a pleasurable distraction. Those tiny beings could be eBceedingly cruel toard one another and hence the moon had itnessed more than its share of atrocities. 8articularly during their hectic final days hen =aruna and Surya or#ed in concert for the oceans to rise against them *albeit at Shiva6s prompting. - ID -
ali herself had rac#ed the globe ith a 7ua#e of unprecedented magnitude. Certainly the human species had arranted such punishment but there as little forgiveness in ord Chandra6s heart for his #infol#. That as hy he6d been ta#en abac# by the revelations of ali6s envoy% ?a#sha. Evidently the mother goddess had salvaged a solitary human female. Thus she re7uisitioned a portion of Amrita on her Terran daughter6s behalf. Soma had complied ith this order on the assurance that neither ali-;a nor her ?oginis ould interfere ith his plans. "esides% as he too# another loo# at his pri+e concubine he passingly ondered if the human oman might be any prettier.
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( 2 * 3esie$e+ "orne on a litter of air-elementals% Airavata *ord !ndra6s elephant soared high above the moon of Antarlo#a. Mpon him as nestled a palan7uin from here the either of these races as immortal but they comprised the bul# of !ndra6s forces. A minority of handharvas ostensibly in league ith =ayu as there too. Some of the nimbus formations produced by ing !ndra6s clansmen also carried their siege engines. !ndra reali+ed that he ould need them bearing in mind the small handful of
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, - , 8erching on ramparts% Commander =isava and his handharvas surveyed the landscape outside Soma6s palace. The front lines of !ndra6s soldiery ere sighted promptly. Their initial hailstorm had been impressive to say the least but it as clear that its sole purpose as to shatter hatever focus the moon god had invested in preventing their intrusion. The lunar fortress remained otherise unscathed. >o it as up to =isava to lead his fellos in a counterstri#e. uc#ily there asn6t anyone better suited for that &ob. 8opular belief held that =isava as a direct descendant of ord =ishnu6s eagle: aruda. 4e as an aeinspiring paragon of his race% hose only anthropoid features ere to lightly feathered arms separate from his ings. A hoo#ed bea# and yello eyes ere offset by deep blue plumage that converged to form a cron on his head. 4e stood upright on a pair of vicious talons hen the crimson handharva named Silat sidled to his right. JOur archers are fully prepped come hat may%L Silat put plainly. J! ouldn6t eBpect any less of them%L half-#idded =isava% placing a hand on his captain6s shoulder. 1eeling the need to revie stratagem he turned to face his #indred and discoursed: JThose of you adept at close-7uarter combat ill sortie ith me shortly. Fe shall assail the pompous ;aruts head-on and prove ourselves to be much more than entertainers in slavery. Tonight they ill learn that our s#ill ith hostile implements mirrors our other talentsNL
;aruts started dropping in large numbers unable to ithstand the coordinated flap of to thousand handharva ings. =isava himself slashed through a do+en air-elementals ithin the first fe minutes of that encounter. Then again their dominance as not to last if =ayu could impede it. 1or that as hen he rose to meet them enshrouded in the turbulent column of a hurricane. J=isava this affront to my divinity on6t stand. ! am your rightfully appointed magistrate and you should accord me the deference oedNL JFhat rubbish%L scolded the blue one% Jby all accounts you6re our forefather6s arch-nemesis and that6s hy you attempt to sub&ugate us. ?ou6ve become scared that aruda6s progeny might defeat you as he did.L =ayu6s eyes flared ith rage. Fithout another ord he pushed forard using both hands% thereby pro&ecting the hirling mass of ind outard against the rebellious handharvas. "uffeted by this cyclone the bird-li#e arriors became totally scattered and the ;aruts didn6t hesitate in giving chase% ta#ing don scores of them. =isava cried out to his companions: Jegroup and retreatNL As he had led them into the fray he led them bac# to relative safety behind the battlements. JArchers on my mar#%L he ordained% aiting for every able-bodied *and oft-bloodied handharva to return. The ;aruts ere hot on their trail% J>oNL A bright sle of arros shot past the all and tore into the advancing thunderheads% felling hundreds more of their foes. >o it as =ayu ho ordered his henchmen to regress% ma#ing it seem as if that storm might abate. Although it certainly ouldn6t since by then the innaras ere finali+ing the setup of their trebuchets and ballistas. Surya too# note of =ayu6s ithdraal and triggered the first ave of missiles by firing a burning dart from his bo. 1ireballs and steel pi#es cruised toard the castle. The handharvas braced themselves for the orst but at that critical moment a veil of crystalline radiance descended before them. ;olten roc#s eBploded against it and the barbed poles ricocheted hence they cameN 7ormidable Surya deemed but let-s see ho5 you handle this. 4e raised both arms above his head and fashioned a ballooning orb of hot plasma. JSurya don6tNL !ndra yelled from the rear. !n vain because the sun god had already ound up and cast his pro&ectile. !t bla+ed a slo but sure path to the alls here it loo#ed li#e it ould brea# through Soma6s barrier before imploding and blinding them all ith its brilliance. Atop the bular#s Commander =isava and his b rethren couldn6t see anything either. At least not for a minute after hich their eyes read&usted to the setting. Confusion ensued as to hy the enemy6s artillery as ta#ing so long to reload. 4ad they - 2) -
given up on that methodK !t as then that they heard a different type of pandemonium afield. =isava s7uinted through blurred vision and gasped involuntarily% struc# by his recognition that the Ashuras had arrived . . .
, - , A humongous metallic cylinder floated far above the site of the battle. !t ould have appeared as a bright star to those belo eBcept that their attention as d ran elsehere. This state of distraction afforded Mpaya 8anther-;as# a bird6s-eye vie o f the ongoing havoc. 4e stood at the brin# of a hatch on the vessel6s side% scanning that distant panorama through sensory augmentations ingrained in his helm. The fulmination that had dissipated a little earlier ould have blinded him too ere it not for said helm shading his eyes from any glare. JFhat do you seeKL 8riestess aitabh in7uired neBt to him. J"erunni6s ot 7uite as superb as these craft. ?our mages are eBceptionally gifted to eBtract such artifice from the collective unconscious of "hulo#a. ! alays assumed that there as nothing left orth retrieving in the spatial-temporal sphere.L aitabh only grinned% ringing her hands as usual. They both directed a ga+e at the nearby ships of their armada and beheld a bat-inged messenger flying toard them. They moved aside and the incoming a#sha #nelt summarily at the feet of his superior. JEBalted matriarch%L he articulated amid halting breaths% Jour brigades aait your commandment.L She diverted her red eyes to Mpaya% ho gripped a railing and studied the surface intently again. J! do remember saying that ! ould spearhead this assault%L Mpaya reasserted. JEven no ! have ord !ndra in my sight.L The o last-minute doubtsKL She tested. J>one% if this grants me the momentum you6re so sure of.L - 2' -
JCount on it as you count on that sharp rudder.L JFatch me then.L 4e dashed bac# inside the hull and too# a running start for the egress. Out he ent% plummeting li#e a meteorite. 8riestess aitabh handed a magic flute to her herald ho used it to spur on their paratroopers as they plunged after Mpaya.
, - , =ayu could not accept hat he as seeing. ?ama6s innaras ere suffering horrendous casualties versus a multitude of colossal
!n any case he as more hurt than he let on but too much hung in a balance to register pain. Amidst gridiron evertheless it could not absolutely obliterate his vital spar#. - 22 -
Stubbornly he pointed the arc of his bo% draing its string. This time though% Mpaya vaulted shoulder-first into Surya and sent him s#idding along the moon6s crustN apidly ta#ing stoc# of their army6s predicament !ndra eBhorted =aruna to sound a decisive retreat. They had gotten more than they6d bargained for upon this battlefield% ma#ing recoupment imperative. =aruna did as he as told and assisted his nephes by repelling demons in pursuit of the innara6s dindled phalanB. ;any doubts ran through their minds but
, - , ater on the four leaders of each rebel clan stood at one end of an open courtyard: Commander =isava% "erunni Tenty-Arms% 8riestess aitabh and 8rince Mpaya. They ere shoulder to shoulder and to#en detachments from their respective militias filled every corner of that s7uare. All eyes regarded ord Chandra% ho officiated these proceedings on an altar in front of those about to be honored. Earlier hen the battle as on =isava had been sent to invite their allies into the palace. Thereafter the Ashura bosses had met the turncoat evertheless Chandra maintained that his supply as finite and so it could not be disseminated liberally amongst everyone. At any rate even the #navish moon god had standards pertaining to ho should or shouldn6t be aarded this coveted nectar. Thus the fiendish triumvirate approved that compromise as ell as a stipulation entitling =isava to his fair share. 8resently ady Tara al#ed out from behind cashmere curtains near the altar. She as heeling a ponderous brass urn on a trolley% hich she obediently uncapped for her patron. There ere hispers among the Ashuras relating to Soma6s lovely assistant Isn-t she the /ause o0 all this8 They ere silenced almost instantly by a lo guttural rumble from Mpaya. Soma Chandra ignored them hile he scooped out a bit of the gloing yello li7uid ith a ladle and dripped it onto a lotus blossom. 4e held it up for the crod to behold before declaring: Jast night e achieved a glorious victory by defying the immemorial tyranny under hich my relatives have #ept Antarlo#a. Obviously it could not have been possible ithout the unified efforts of every group represented here. Therefore as a sincere eBpression of my gratitude% ! am pleased to furnish these gallant eBemplars ith the means by hich they may stand toe-to-toe ith immortal
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The Ashuras clapped and histled &ointly as Mpaya too# center stage to receive his pri+e% JFon6t you remove your helmetKL Soma urged. JThat shan6t be necessary%L averred the prince% introducing said bloom into the ma of his mas# and retracting solely its stem. !t had a pleasant bitterseet flavor. Almost immediately he felt a dynamic surge of puissance coursing ithin himself and as the ceremony carried on he gradually became aare of lustrous contours highlighting everything around. !n individuals nearby he could no see subtle fluctuations of energy. ;oreover% his enchanted mas# also responded to the Amrita. !t seemed to meld fully ith the
, - , ;iles aay from the lunar fortress% !ndra% =aruna% =ayu and Surya hovered above the pea# of a mountain staring out into the distance. >obody said anything for some time though Surya as the first to crac#: JFe should never have abandoned such a struggleN !t ould have been difficult but e could have still on. !nstead e lost both our dignity and the chance to prevent those pes#y Ashuras from gaining Amrita courtesy of S oma.L JSurya6s right%L mused =ayu. J!f they ere sufficiently poerful to rout us bac# there% thin# of ho much more dangerous they6ll become hen they imbibe our eliBir. Mp until today it6s been our cutting edge against those ho oppose us and yet e6ve let it fall into the rong handsNL J
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Jeave him to me%L proposed Surya. J4ad the a#shas not interfered he ould already be dead by my hands. ! do solemnly sear that Mpaya 8anther-;as# shall rue the day he crossed me.L Even so after a moment6s pause the solar deity deferred his oath to ord !ndra% JMnless of course your ma&esty decides otherise.L Since he as engaged in tactical speculations% Surya6s 7uestion caught the
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4 Interstice 4
&his unconventional dogma had the aityas, anavas and akshas so thoroughly convinced that when their real guru came back $ they eschewed his counsel and ousted him from their midst $ unable to tell him apart from the impostor. As a result 1uru Shukra spent yet another century exiled from his people. "e passed the greater part of those years doing penance in the wilderness, regretting his pleasurable days in ayantis arms. 6or it was plain that it had all been orchestrated by the unscrupulous evatas and that 1uru Brihaspati must be the one impersonating him. Sadly the penitent Brahmin was at a loss as to how he might reverse these ominous tides. &hen one day while Shukra was practicing ?oga atop a hill, a younger aitya stumbled onto his camp. "e turned out to be on the verge of starvation and so the priest fed him some rations. 5hen 'uestioned the youth recounted recent events to his savior, +%ind prabhu, your charity has made me the most fortunate Ashura alive. ?ou see, there is a guru among us whom you resemble and who preaches the complete renunciation of personal possessions. Because of his advice the performance of 7edic rites has ceased. /owadays our once proud race wanders through Antarloka reduced to nomadic mendicants, begging food and alms from strangers. 5hats worse is that anyone who re4ects this degrading lifestyle and tries to keep private property is invariably murdered by the evatas.- +(isten my son, it is no coincidence that this other priest and I look alike. 7erily I say that he is 1uru Brihaspati posing as me, the legitimate 1uru Shukra.- +1uru Brihaspati8 But why would he do such a thing8- +Isnt it obvious8 5hat better way to steer our people toward imminent disaster than as youve described8 Surely he acts on orders from %ing Indra.- +?oure right, that would explain why he spends whole months at Mount Meru supposedly bargaining with the gods. 5oe unto us 1uru, we need you now more than ever#-
+&hen I shall return though surreptitiousness is strictly in order.- - 2H -
"aving made that decision 1uru Shukra departed with his clansman, assuming a low profile on their way back to the Ashram. %nowing of secret passages inside it they infiltrated the temple and hid in a cubby behind the shrine. "ence, when the camouflaged evata sat down to deliver his latest sermon Shukra cast a spell that disrupted Brihaspatis techni'ue of mental control. &he Ashuras bellowed wrathfully as they pieced together what was going on. &he Shaivite Brahmin came forth and publicly denounced his 7aishnava rival, +?ou have wronged me and mine in a manner heinous beyond description, Brihaspati, receptor of evatas#- "is cover blown, the aforementioned priest fled for his life, chased for a stretch by devils weakened from their former subservience. "owever it wasnt long before the three tribes rallied under Shukra and the next war was declared. 6ollowing that flashback the aged aityas superlative senses re4oined his body in the present, alerting him to a familiar presence. 1uru Brihaspati strolled into the tent wearing a smirk of contempt. +&he sons of Shukra have raised their hands against us gods,Brihaspati accused. +At last youve overstepped all bounds through your failure to corral them. I have waited eons to see your head served on a platter.- +Since you have come this far to claim it I can reasonably presume that the expedition goes well for )paya.
+Its not every day that I take such a trip to collect someones soul,?ama commented, +but for yours ancient son of iti $ ICve made an exception.- +Believe me when I say that I feel genuinely privileged oh aboriginal human, who was created by Surya at (ord Brahmas behest. But hear me, for I have also foreseen the nature of your demise. ?es, it is a lingering female of your own ilk that will supplant you. So shall the final human wipe out the first.- +5hat nonsense. &hat strain has been utterly effaced, like yours must be#- ?ama swung only once but from then on, 1uru Shukra felt nothing more.
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Act %&o – %o #ell and Back Back
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( 5 * Aven%es of Deceit A vehement chorus of female voices protested the unannounced entry of ords !ndra and =aruna into the residential chambers chambers of the Apsaras. ,ueen 8riya herself confronted them ithout batting a lash as she fastened the aistband around her sil#en robe. JTo hat do e oe this most irregular visit% ord !ndra% ing of ot to orry%L !ndra reassured her hilst moving among the scantily-clad nymphs% Je need but one volunteer to act as little more than a messenger.L !t as then that he espied a maiden 7uite unli#e unli#e all the rest. She as more muscular and possessed smooth s#in bron+ed to sensuous perfection but there as something else mystifying about her% hich he as unable pinpoint. Jirl% please step out from behind that flimsy flimsy screen panel% it is rather ineffectual against
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!ndra6s proposition dre gasps from every oman in the room and ,ueen 8riya voiced their collective ob&ections: Jord !ndra% this proposal is grossly indecent and unbecoming of royalty. 1urthermore% !shtar is our neest recruit and cannot be considered 7ualified to carry out such an unmentionable tas#.L J4old your tongue 8riya. ,ueen though you are% do not presume to lecture lecture me on regal eti7uette.
, - , ama6s psychic eBchange ith Chandra hen the former approached the latter6s domain to deliver a passenger as characteristically &ovial. 'ongratulations dear /ousin ama /ousin ama transmitted turmoil 5ra/ks the realm and eeryone has you to thank or /urse 0or it= Een our king is 5orried to no end ; Indra is no longer my king! I renoun/ed him 5hen he took uru Brihas*ati-s side oer mine and de/lared 5ar on the moon= All the same$ I thank you 0or the /om*liments and grant sa0e *assage to 0ul0ill your dubious errand= 2o5 5hat e:a/tly do you bring8 It-s nothing really$ #ust another strum*et 0or your harem I-d say= >ord Indra seeks to *la/ate the +aitya-s *rin/e by giing him a irgin A*sara= - 32 -
7utile ma/hinations= I-ll *ermit it only be/ause ?*aya-s rea/tion may amuse me= 4ake your 5ay to the usual landing area$ 'a*tain ilat 5ill usher you inside= Very 5ell$ 5e shall see you shortly= ama then turned his attention to !shtar% as#ing out loud: J4ave you memori+ed the mantra ! taught youKL J?es%L came the anser from behind him. The saddle on ama6s large parrot as broad enough to seat to ith ade7uate comfort. JSplendid. emember though% it can be effective only if you6re loo#ing straight into each other6s eyes. That means you6ll have to achieve something considered impossible by many you must find a ay to coaB Mpaya into removing his helm.L JFhile !6m aare that it6s no simple chore%L she made clear% Jlet me stress that a girl has her ays.L JThat6s the proper spirit%L lauded ama as they neared the lunar sphere.
, - , Mpaya 8anther-;as# entered Soma Chandra6s private audience room *located atop the central citadel to be met there by the moon god as ell as a light greenish fello accompanied by a pretty young oman. JFelcome Mpaya%L Chandra signaled invitingly for him to ta#e a seat across from their visitors. True to form% Soma himself as sitting in the middle on a higher platform in order to mediate beteen everyone else. J!6d li#e you to meet my cherished cousin% ama% ord of
learnt the true value of !shtar6s betrothal you ill reali+e that a truce and negotiations are actually the best course of action.L J8erhaps%L Mpaya purred% Jbut ! ant to hear from !shtar6s on lips hat she opines over this hole sordid affair.L J;y lord%L she ac#noledged% Jit is as ama says. ! am committed to serve you no matter hat and do everything ithin my limited poer to please your sensibilities.L J!f that is truly the case then by all means feel free to stay%L the
, - , That 5as the easy *art the clandestine ?ogini deliberated% folloing ady Tara. !shtar didn6t honestly estimate a high probability of success in convincing Mpaya to unmas#. Something about ho he had scrutini+ed her bac# there as eBtremely unsettling. !t had been as if his hidden ga+e pierced right through her and yet he as letting events unfold naturally% utterly unafraid. Even so% he couldn6t have much to go on apart from suspicions. To some degree she still had the advantage of secrecy on her side. amentably ama6s subservience mantra might be no help hatsoever. - 39 -
Eventually both omen arrived at another area and Tara too# !shtar into her designated 7uarters. These ere spacious and elegant% lac#ing nothing. The posing Apsara started to ma#e sense of hy Tara as irreparably smitten by Soma Chandra. J;a#e yourself at home ady !shtar%L she recommended. J?ou have my humble gratitude.L J
, - , ater in the evening Mpaya contemplated the oddity of ady !shtar hile sitting alone in his room% aiting for her to enter in response to his summons. There as definitely a peculiar aura around her but at the same time its 7uality felt vaguely familiar. Fhatever the case% it ould be foolish to loer his guard in her presence u ntil he got to the bottom of things. This intervie should ideally go a long ay toard alleviating those concerns. 4e heard a #noc# at his door. JCome in please.L The girl did as re7uested and stood before him bedec#ed in the ceremonial veil and garb of an Apsara performer. JSalutations my liege. ! hope that my appearance pleases you. !f nothing else% maybe a dance can allay the prince6s nervesKL JAs you ill%L he agreed% getting to his feet. The dancer put a small shiny boB on the floor and depressed its top lid musical tones sounded throughout their delling. Soon her hips ere gyrating and her belly undulated through an opening in the clothes. She raised a toned pair of arms% forming hands into mudras then spun her hole body hile flailing limbs smoothly. Mpaya stal#ed about her outer radius li#e a cat circling a mouse. She as truly a sight to behold% particularly ith his heightened senses. JTell me !shtar and try being sincere ho you really are. Though you possess un7uestionable talent and beauty% you don6t come across as an ordinary Apsara.L J4ave you #non many Apsaras milordKL She fended off ithout avering% continuing to move fluidly along ith the atmospheric melody. JAdmittedly ! haven6t but ! have spo#en ith several handharvas today and they eBpressed doubts similar to mine.L J
JThe prince is astute as he is strong. Clever guesses notithstanding% he cannot see the full picture.L JOhKL JFhat if ! ere to reveal that ! am in fact a free agent ith my on agenda to loo# afterKL JFould that eBplain hy there6s a burdensome ob&ect hidden ithin the layers of your eBtravagant disguiseKL 1or a moment !shtar fro+e in place. She hadn6t foreseen such acuity of perception. >o her eyes narroed and nostrils flared slightly. !n a blin# she grasped the heavy ar sic#le6s handle and tore it free from fashionable capesN Shaped li#e a tongue of flame% its blade flashed purple hen it struc# hard against aruda6s feather . . . both adversaries loc#ed in defensive stance. J1ascinating%L snarled Mpaya% pushing forard a single step. J! #ne that ! recogni+ed certain aspects of your appearance and behavior. Even your dance resembled 4ahamudra Tandaa. ?et ! never thought that ali-;a6s ?oginis could stoop to the employ of ing !ndra.L J!6ve already told you that !6m here of my on accord and it6s to settle a score from our days in 8atala. Mpaya 8anther-;as#% 8rince of The agaNL Fith those ords she bro#e loose and lashed out once again. JFe6ll see about that little one. !6ve been itching for a fight since ! received Amrita the other night.
that Mpaya as unable to fly. She lifted her eapon high up ith both arms hile eBhaling% JOm ring aliyai 2amah!L i#e a bla+ing comet she dropped and cleaved a chasm across the entire floor% hich caved in immediately. Mpaya barely managed to &ump aay and ride the shoc#ave but as able to grab onto a spiral staircase that provided him ith u seful altitude. 4er laughter rebounded from the distant alls left standing. JThe ielder of ali6s sic#le is rendered virtually invincible by it%L she boasted% Jfor it is imbued ith Tamas the tendency of decay responsible for cosmic dissolution.L Mpaya chuc#led unabashedly hen he heard that. JThen our armaments are e7ually pitted and the outcome of this contest ill be decided by s#ill alone. aruda6s feather contains pure "a#as the active tendency that propels atoms% bodies% planets% stars and galaBies. !t6s impossible to brea# or bend. Fhat6s more% it can generate ind anyhere. FatchNL The Ashura rapped his arms tightly around himself% gripping haft in one hand. 4e unound as he #ic#ed off from the top step% hirling toard her. An intense gale blasted !shtar through the glass enclosure overhead and out of sight into the starry night. Mpaya ent to the closest stable ledge and searched the s#y intently. ;inutes seemed to pass although they ere actually breaths. he has to be u* there some5here he &udged or /an she trans*ose8 The hair on his nec# stood on end hen he sensed her standing behind him. 4e turned in time to bloc# an impending coup-de-grace but it sent him smashing through the fissure belo. ;omentarily Soma arrived% floating above the epicenter of this disaster. 4e as flushed pale ith anger. JFould someone care to eBplain hy my estate is being rent asunder from ithinKL There as an audible shift beneath the rec#age folloed by a loud eBplosion of dust and debris. Mpaya had pulveri+ed hat he as buried under using his claed fists. "rushing detritus from shoulders he pointed at !shtar% Jord Chandra% thy brethren hath planted an assassin betiBt thine carefree auspices.L Jirl is this trueK Fait a minute you you6re a ?oginiNL Juilty as charged% hat of itKL JFhy the nerve. ! as eBplicitly told by ali6s emissary that this sort of interference ould not occurNL - 3H -
J?a#sha as hereKL J?es% and she spo#e of your coming ithout describing its circumstances. ! have even put a helping of Amrita aside for you as per
, - , Afterards !shtar too# the opportunity to publicly disclose that the Apsaras ere being held hostage by !ndra and his subordinates. This of course caused much commotion among the handharvas% ho ere insistent on ta#ing action. =arious arguments ensued beteen members of the alliance until 8riestess aitabh of the a#shas came forard and introduced her sister >amuchi. That lamia proceeded to transfigure before their eyes% becoming indistinguishable from !shtar in every respect. aitabh claimed that she had numerous subalterns at her command ith this same ability% suggesting that they could sitch places ith heaven6s dancers in order to act as decoys and lay an ambush. Thus as hatched a plan to lure their rivals into palaver ith the pretense that Mpaya had been snared via ama6s love-mantra. Soma had felt it necessary to underline their scheme ith an indispensable caveat% J"e ary ye a#shas% this illusion ill not or# on all amuchi ith ama6s charm% in case her detachment did cross the sun god. !t asn6t long thereafter that those shape-shifters ere surreptitiously dispatched to the oods bordering Amaravati. 8resently% >amuchi herself as in the Apsara6s temple% still assuming !shtar6s role. She had already conveyed the or#ings of their plot to ,ueen 8riya% ho she sat neBt to hile they both aited for ing !ndra6s arrival. The embattled monarch no entered and regarded them blan#ly. J"ac# so soon ady !shtarK Fhat nes from the moonKL
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JEsteemed lord% the mission has been a dashing success. 8rince Mpaya is currently in my thrall and ! come to deliver a message on behalf of Commander =isava. 4aving learnt of the situation here the handharvas ish to conciliate.L She handed !ndra a scroll% hich bore the unmista#able seal of =isava. The #ing unfurled said scroll and too# his time mulling over its import. According to hat he read =isava and his renegade #nights ould betray Soma6s forces during the upcoming struggle on one condition: that they be summarily reunited ith their ives. !ndra as pleased ith these results but debated hether or not to temporarily relocate these Apsaras. !t ould be a lot easier to use them for leverage and prevent their abscondence if they ere #ept in his lunar outpost. Such a move ould also ensure the continued support of their husbands since they ould have to fight that much harder to forestall harm from befalling their mates. 4aving considered those angles he turned bac# to the omen% J?ou say that Mpaya is under your control !shtarKL J=erily highest #ing. 4e is as docile toard me as ady Tara is to ord Chandra. ! ould have brought him to you if it didn6t rouse suspicion.L J?ou did the right thing and ! am duly impressed by your eBpedience in this trial%L !ndra commended. J,ueen 8riya% prepare the full complement of Apsaras to depart by morning. Fe are all going to the moon together.L JStraightaay my liege.L
, - , That same night by the shadoed moon% a sarm of a#shas snuc# into the city. ?et not only did they go undetected they opened a portal bac# to the forest enabling the real Apsaras to escape. >amuchi let 8riya #no that a vessel lay not far off from here they ere being sent and that a guide aaited as they spo#e. !n the morning =aruna escorted the impostors to a specially designed transport vehicle. Even then the
, - , 1rom a atchtoer at one corner of their provisional fortifications Surya observed as =ayu aided =aruna in landing ord !ndra6s long overdue reinforcements. !t loo#ed li#e ?ama had come too along ith fresh innara shoc#-troops. To be sure% the god of death brought ith him as many e7uine henchmen as he had originally lent them. Surya6s curiosity as pi7ued hen he sa a long rhombus-shaped structure being set don painsta#ingly by the ;aruts. The sun god descended for a closer inspection and as met by both ?ama and !ndra. JFhat have e hereKL Surya pried hile motioning to the apparent ar#. - 9) -
JA little insurance to safeguard us against the handharvas%L the #ing told him. JApsaras thenKL JCorrect. >o more 7uestions though. Chandra has probably detected us and e must ready ourselves for the imminent confrontation. 4elp ?ama organi+e our ran#s.L 1e outside this circle #ne that ?ama had not been born a
, - , !ndra as right in supposing that Soma might sense their accession. !ndeed% the traitor had been #eeping a close eye on his #in the hole time. 4e #ne that they ere located in the craterous badlands here they6d established a crude bivouac using &agged roc#s. Earlier on the lunar god had eBperienced a compulsion to eBpel them from his principality by causing moon7ua#es but he as confident that his allies ould spare him such trouble. >o that ,ueen 8riya and her vassals ere hidden safely inside a guesthouse% their husbands6 reprisal should prove a grand spectacle. Outside Chandra6s palace Mpaya6s vast army as beginning to mobili+e. =isava had ta#en his contingent ahead to play the part of scouts and for the second time in as many nights Soma shrouded the
, - , JThis is nothing compared to the despairing mur# of 8atala%L ?ama ridiculed% spitting on the ground. 4is buffalo #ic#ed up dust hen its ears caught ind from flapping ings. =ayu fle up to intercept those responsible. J4alt and identify yourselves in the name of !ndra% destroyer of orlds% ;ahara&ah of the
JFe come to give thy a&ah ord of the Ashura6s advance and to resume our allegiance to thine clan.L 4aving heard the eBchange ing !ndra levitated to their level and made public% JThou art elcome bac# into mine fold provided ye #neel and #iss =ayu6s ring.L An a#ard pause preceded the handharva commander6s response% JFhere are our omenKL The storm gods casually pointed out the ar#% illumined by its proBimity to Surya. J1air enough% ! shall do hat you have as#ed of me.L Captain Silat held out his lance lengthise so that =isava could perch there. The fledged immortal stooped belo =ayu% bringing his rostrum near the o sooner than he uttered those ords% cacophonous rumblings ere heard emanating from a distance. These rumblings came from the drums of devastation played by the
Concurrently the a#shas loc#ed inside the boB colluded to attract Surya6s attention. 4e as unable to ignore an insistent torrent of hispers in his mind that dre him to the ar# and ca&oled him to unlatch its door. .hat /om*els me8 4e ondered% not holly given to their tric#ery. >evertheless% Surya anted to find out hat as amiss for himself. 4e thre open the ar# and out burst the ghouls% screeching aggressively as they claed past their unsuspecting liberator. Jamuchi6s division then received the support of aitabh6s airborne sorceresses ho started casting pro&ectile spells that laid aste to ordnance. 8riestess aitabh taunted Surya openly% JAgain e spoil your sport shining one. Mnderstand that you need to get past me to hurt my span.L J1oul itch% thou art drun# on Amrita. ! shall sho thee its pure essenceNL Surya dre his bo and let fly an arro% hich created an incommensurable thermonuclear eBplosion across the firmament% ma#ing ashes of co untless a#shas. The priestess shrie#ed irately% gre four more ings and covered her body in sharp 7uills hile diving straight for the sun god ith outstretched arms. She tirled her body li#e a drill and sped toard him% emitting a sinister radiance. Surya tossed his bo aside and brought his burning palms together to cast an ardent spout of empyrean fire% hich ould instantly #ill anyone ho hadn6t dran# Amrita. Though sloed by it this a#sha continued or#ing through to her target. The spin of her attac# accompanied by blac# magic dispersed the heat enough for her to come ithin range to gra+e the amuchi% ma#e sure our con&urers finish hat as begun.L Fith that aitabh retired from the field to have her ounds tended. Elsehere !shtar tussled energetically ith =aruna% ord of Fater. Around them a pitched aerial clash beteen bird-arriors and air-elementals continued although it as clear that the ;aruts didn6t stand a chance of surviving it.
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JSo o slouch% the ?ogini gained ground hile satting aay his atery barrage. She closed the distance separating them and too# a sipe at that incredulous
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A veritable tide tumbled forth% seeping innaras and one% not even you ho6ve ho6ve dran# Amrita can escape my be&eeled net. Ashura filth you too ill die by these handsNL h andsNL A stone6s thro aay astride the shoulders of Andha#a Eight-Arms% Mpaya oversa the ongoing slaughter of ?ama6s foot soldiers. Mn#non to all ?ama himself himself had already fled the scene since he possessed possessed free access to 8atala 8atala from anyhere. >o aided by his mystic helmet the
ecovering% "erunni siveled incredibly fast dealing a sound blo to the vulnerable god. Finded% !ndra bounced against the moon6s surface several times before his body rolled to a stop. Shortly the #ing pic#ed himself himself up though stiffened by aches. ot re7uiring further convincing !ndra teleported to his elephant and stormed off. !t as mostly luc# that could be held accountable for the survival of Mpaya and those close to him. "y such virtue they lived lived to revel in another monumental victory. victory.
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( 6 * 7%rio%s Occ%rrences Seated on four sides of the most intricate dice board ever designed% Shiva ;ahadeva% >andi the bull% anesha and their honored guest "hrngin *8eer of the Bhuta<anas the Bhuta<anas ere barged in on by the goddess 8arvati. 4aving trudged up ;ount ailash o put out your pipe% ! don6t need the hole universe #noing that !6m married to an addict.L ;ahadeva complied. 4e patted don a tiger-s#in pelt and leant on his trident trident hile all present aaited the the necomers. !t as not a long until until "rahma and his grandsons shoed up short on breath. breath. The ultimate destroyer engaged them at once% Jreetings ing !ndra% hat brings thee and thy brethren to Sivalo#aKL J8ardon this disruption my lord. As you no doubt already #no e have been aging ar against our clansman Soma Chandra for #idnapping uru "rihaspati6s ife. ! am 7uite sorry to to say that the campaign has not been or#ing out favorably. On the contrary% e have lost =ayu% =aruna and every last ;arut to a terrifying host of Ashuras serving Soma. The moon god has distributed distributed Amrita among them% closing the the gap beteen our strength and theirs. ;erciful >ila#antha please deliver us from doomNL - 9G -
J!s that allKL Shiva phonated hile sighing. J! suppose that your miserable faces do arrant my intervention. Therefore three nights hence shall ! shatter the moon and defeat your enemies in a single stro#e. "e ready to sei+e homever you ish to live.L JOh mightiest
, - , "ecause Mpaya and !shtar occupied rooms ithin the same vicinity it as inevitable for them to bump into each other at some point. o they both made a#ard attempts to sidestep one another and conversation naturally ensued% J?ou fought ith eBceptional s#ill and grace the other night ady !shtar. ! commend you for smiting
alive if you hadn6t stepped in to save him from ing !ndra6s clutches. The three tribes are truly one under Mpaya 8anther-;as#.L The o is it orth the visitKL J?es but very fe have access. !f it pleases you ! ill gladly s7uire you there.L JSounds li#e a charming pastime. ead the ay milord.L The observation dec# housed a magnific rotating mirror on hich either the local terrain or that of Antarlo#a6s various provinces could be visually scanned. Mpaya instructed !shtar on the usage of four levers% hich ad&usted their vie in different ays. There as no shortage of things to see and the to spent many hours spying on events elsehere through the loo#ing glass. At length they unittingly aligned the controls in a manner that placed a ravaged planet on display. =eins of molten magma gloed feebly against its blac# cloud-covered orb. !shtar6s &a dropped before she as able to articulate% JThat6s my home orld it6s EarthNL J"hulo#a%L Mpaya consonated. J;y one secret fear is that a similar fate may aait Antarlo#a.L 1or a minute they stared in silence together until the girl started sobbing softly. The prince put a hand on her shoulder and iped her tears aay delicately ith another. J! onder if all the omen of Earth ere as beautiful as you are.L She smiled faintly% J?ou6re only saying that to console me.L JMntrue% it6s ell-#non that
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!shtar couldn6t help gasping% J"ut milord% hat if ! recited ama6s mantraKL J! can thin# of orse ays to pass eternity than enthralled by a gorgeous oman li#e you. o ahead and do your orst.L Mpaya stood before !shtar% unmas#ed% and she beheld his handsome countenance for the first time. She ran a hand along its smooth features and he pulled her in closer to himself. >o more ords transpired as their lips met ithin a moonlit embrace.
, - , Though officially Antarlo#a6s capital% Amaravati *the immortal city% too# up bu t one small corner of that dimension6s broad eBpanse. "eing an ideal plane its geography corresponded to a ide gamut of possible mental and emotional states. So hereas Amaravati as analogous to concentration% #noledge and bliss the outlying southern area #non as >ara#a matched torment% hallucinations and fear. !t had originally been ?ama6s main &urisdiction until Mpaya and his Ashuras helped ?ama gain the upper hand against the >agas further south inside 8atala6s seven dungeons. At this moment in >ara#a% S#handa *Shiva6s nely ac#noledged son% sat meditating amid a field of burning bodies. !n actuality those corpses ere *retas hungry ghosts ho had andered there by accident and ho moaned in pain as their astral bodies ere consumed by etheric fires. S#handa6s on divine flesh seared ith that same heat% hich enveloped him too. >onetheless he ithstood it hile mentally reciting compassionate mantras for all the *retas6 ayard souls. After long repetition he chanted the sacred syllable aloud and altogether eBtinguished these pyres. Still he sat in unavering aareness before being beset by verbal critics% JFho is this upstart that dares 7uell the flames of >ara#a and treads our charnels as if he ere their proprietorKL The obody has ever defeated the "huta-ana6s brigade on their on territory.L All around that fledgling ar god sinister raiths too# on the most menacing physical forms and a legion of grotes7ue goblins arose from >ara#a6s blood-red soil. 8isachas rattled their appendages hile anas battered shields ith cudgels and maces. J! see you do as you please here here
J;ere malar#ey%L they disdained openly as one. JFe may only be tamed by Shiva ;ahadeva himselfNL Thus those hellions assailed S#handa en masse% see#ing to overcome strength by sheer numbers. The youth subdued line after oncoming line of them% inflicting fatal gashes ith his infleBible metallic pole. !ts length shimmered li#e a shooting star across midnight s#y but even so the anas and 8isachas someho regenerated themselves and reneed their onslaught. This affray carried on for hat seemed an eternity yet neither side gave any sign of a aning commitment to inning. 1inally the young
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J4o can this beKL They despaired. J!t appears he is strong as "hairavaNL On each of his foreheads the god6s tertiary eyes shone forebodingly. Telve upper limbs could spin a lance better than any to ever ould. e&ecting hirlind he reprimanded: JOnly fools ould provo#e me to fire in all siB directions. !f you value life surrender and pledge loyalty to me S#handa ord of Armies and Shiva6s direct heirNL Fhen the truth of that youth6s identity as revealed the udras reali+ed their transgression and #neeled before S#handa% begging absolution% J1orgive our sinful conduct and spare our orthless lives ye master of mysteriesN Fe are forever at thy service son of Shiva ;ahadeva.L JSo be it. Then abide ith me hilst ! aait the advent of a
, - , 1arther south than >ara#a% comprising the very boels of Antarlo#a lay the cavernous dungeons of 8atala. Mntil recently in heavenly history all its seven regions had been the principal abode of ing =asu#i and his serpentine subordinates the >agas. Though theirs as possibly the eldest race inhabiting this plane it as simultaneously the least understood. !f the dinosaurs of Earth had continued to evolve they ould probably have loo#ed li#e these >agas. Some ere oversi+ed sna#es hile others ran on either to or four legs ith reptilian agility. ing Ananta% successor of the late ing =asu#i% as *unli#e his slithering sire an upright biped. Ananta6s on elite s7uadron had long resisted ?ama6s unlaful anneBation of their halloed domain. Mnluc#ily ith increased support from !ndra and later from Ashuras% ?ama gradually confined 8atala6s rightful rulers to the innermost dungeon. Ananta vividly recalled the battle during hich Mpaya 8anther-;as# beheaded his father. !f it hadn6t been foretold by Shesha->aga% Ananta might not have been so at ease about it. Amongst his people there as no 7uestioning the sooth spo#en by their pythonic oracle. After all Shesha spent a greater part of his eBistence in =ai#untha ith ord =ishnu *that
heavens couldst collapse upon thine head. Cometh to me thence and ! ilt guide thee further.L So had Shesha counseled Ananta many cycles ago and today stalactites rained from the lofty ceilings above. ivers of lava overfloed% spilling into the >aga6s last remaining refuge. Casualties ere nominal but none harbored doubts that something significant must be happening over and outside 8atala itself. "earing those omens in mind the reigning serpent #ing sa fit to reenter the Temple of Shesha->aga. 4e as met at its entranceay by eight female votaries ho ushered him belo. They halted at an adorned balustrade% hich loo#ed out into a bottomless crevasse. The deified >aga6s disciples sang incantations that echoed from afar as their droning rebounded off an unseen canopy. Fithin the abyss there arose a timorous bubbling sound as ater filled it. Subse7uently the thousand heads of Shesha began emerging% spreading their ma&estic hoods inside that grotto. Each individual head ore a fragment of "hulo#a upon its cron: asteroids% comets% stars% pulsars% 7uasars% nebulas% h ite holes% blac# holes% na#ed singularities and things undiscovered or unimagined by Terrans. They ere a beda++ling galaBy that appeared buoyant as the >aga bobbed its heads in aveli#e motion. Ananta and his retinue ere hypnoti+ed via stare of to thousand emerald eyes. 1or#ed tongues speed draconic vapor hen through them he dictated: JTime is short% cyclical and ineBistent Ananta->aga. 4eed my ords then inside this fleeting perpetual instant. Tomorro ?ama returns ith a prisoner in to. A 8rince of The aga retracted all his coils and ing Ananta headed bac# to plan a coup on such brief notice.
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ady Tara hummed contentedly to herself hile she pruned floers in ord Chandra6s hidden garden. A+aleas% hyacinths% lilies% magnolias% orchids% plumerias and an endless variety of similar blossoms flourished there in many vibrant hues. These too ere vestigial specimens from "hulo#a% collected by Soma6s on hands. 4e had recently shon her this greenhouse because he #ne that she6d be thrilled tending it in his stead. !ronically% Tara ould probably have behaved much the same ay hether or not she fell under ama6s spell. "ut her attention as suddenly diverted hen she noticed a nearby cloud formation dissolving to reveal a reflective surface as if fog ere lifting from a placid la#e. The vie of Antarlo#a also faded and Tara could see the full moon represented ahead. Once this optical illusion culminated% the s#y seemed to ripple li#e a pond 5neath rain. ittle did she reali+e that these ere the effects of Shiva himself blurring the line beteen Sivalo#a and this middling realm. "efore long the steep outline of an inestimable mountain6s summit replaced that apparition. !ts apeB became ;ahadeva6s dreadloc#ed head and Tara6s eyes could scarcely ma#e out his muscled nec# and shoulders. The #idnapped bride screamed hen he raised his hand overhead% for ith it he bore Trishula *the trident scepter. She might have curled up and succumbed to fear had it not been for a #non voice bec#oning her% Jady Tara come hither this very instantNL She loo#ed bac# and sa that ama as there upon rainbo parrot as alays. Fasting no time the girl ran to him. 4e offered her a hand and they sped off together. Shiva inhaled sonorously then asserted: JAs 5tas found mid infinitude so it is and ever shall be.L The destroyer brought Trishula don to bear and in the blin# of an eye the lunar sphere as crac#ed in less than half to thirds of it rec#ed by that invincible eapon. Soma Chandra6s fortress folded in on itself and a holloed-out crescent shell of the moon descended made holocaust to barrens belo. A larger part of the three Ashura tribes ere thereby met ith eBecution.
, - , Mpaya as rudely ao#en by a #ic# to his side. 4e couldn6t recall hat had happened and asn6t given a chance to assess the surrounding desolation. 4is rists ere shac#led and Surya propped him onto both feet only to punch his solar pleBus. The sun god censured% J?ou are luc#y that ord !ndra ants you brought to him alive. Though perhaps not so luc#y as ! assume. There are definitely orse fates than death for those ho defy us o follo me loly beast lest ! lose my even temper.L - D3 -
eluctantly obeying the
- D9 -
( 8 * Resc%e+ 9y Ol+ Ene'ies Assumed dead% !shtar had managed to escape &ust in time since ali-;a blessed her ith #een precognitive instincts. She had itnessed the moon6s cataclysmic donfall firsthand and ent on to stal# the caravan of survivors from far off altitudes. The ?ogini understood that they ere being herded to 8atala here it could prove difficult to free them. ater hen they6d entered the primary dungeon !shtar started to onder if she should use the conch shell to call upon her sisters. ?et hile abandoning Mpaya as unthin#able% proper timing as indispensable. 8rematurely triggering ?ama6s alertness ould be costly for &ust a do+en ama+ons. At least the terrain as not unfamiliar to her. Thus she #ept up ith ?ama6s procession as it tre##ed through inhospitable tracts of craggy roc#s% some ra+or sharp. 4anging high above them she held the best vantage for vieing the clinching of a double-pronged pincer made of lithe li+ard figures. Sei+ing the chance !shtar sounded her conch and a circle of ?oginis appeared around that human oman. J?a#sha% there6s little time to eBplain but e have to intervene belo. Mpaya is in mortal danger and he has eBhibited virtue to me of late. Currently the >agas struggle to liberate him and ho more virtuous than theyKL J!t is 7ui++ical considering that they6re former adversaries%L surmised ?a#sha. J"ut fret not. ;other has primed us to assist you as her e7ual. Our eapons and lives are at your disposal.L J! am honored dearest sister and you can all trust that my blade shall slay ?ama follo me foreNL
, - , 1or his part ?ama as effectively fending off An anta6s ambush by using the archetypal strength of his bron+e mace. The innaras started neighing ensemble and more s7uads rallied to this call far-flung ones brea#ing through ith archaic mortars and drills. Together in such a spraling mass they ere deadloc#ed ith a si+able regiment of intimidating >agas. ?ama as not about to give !ndra6s hard-on pri+e over so easily. Ananta himself couldn6t come ithin ten paces of that ot oblivious to their approach ?ama struc# at and displaced the subterranean air% stopping those ?oginis mid-flight. The death god vituperated them% - DD -
JStand don daughters of ali. !6ll not thin# tice about burying every last one of you to preserve =edic order.L J?ama% it is you ho should surrender%L declaimed !shtar% raising her eapon. J"y ali6s dictum agas ali#e. Mndaunted !shtar launched herself into action% trumping ?ama6s mace ith her sic#le. agas against their common enemy. Fhen this genocide concluded the victors stood #nee-deep in bubbling blood. Mpaya 8anther-;as# had regained his freedom and a ne alliance as reached by those old foes. Shiva6s dice ere still in play.
- DG -
( : * Pre+estine+ ;ar1aths The most infamous region of 8atala as its fourth Talatala here
, - , ater on the onetheless its ears titched and tongue pulsated.
- DH -
J4e as found by >amuchi6s scouts%L aitabh told Mpaya. Jahu has probably been in this place longer than the others. 4e is the only other Ashura besides us to have tasted Amrita on his palette.L J!nteresting. Fhat #ind of condition is he really inKL J!f set free his eyeballs ill surely regenerate. 4oever he is predisposed to uncontrollable rabidity and should be #ept under strict surveillance. Fhat ould you have us do noble princeKL J1ind something to contain him in and then release him from these shafts. ! ould have you transport that container along ith us hen e eBit 8atala.L JConsider it done.L Mpaya #ne that ahu might come in handy during upcoming encounters especially against Surya.
, - , Agni herald of ord !ndra6s court accompanied a tall ?ogini into the ;ahara&ah6s throne room here Surya% uru "rihaspati and ama ere also gathered. The ancient fire god introduced her% J;y lords ! present ?a#sha% captain of ali-;a6s honor guard.L JFelcome daughter of aga and the Ashuras have regrouped under Mpaya. !ndeed he has sent me here to declare ar on his behalf.L The o%L she verbali+ed and then vanished to thin air. Those gods became astir ith concern. Surya as vociferous above all% J! told you to let me #ill himN >o !6m through ta#ing orders from this council and shall henceforth ta#e matters into my on hands.L
- G( -
JSurya you are the youngest and strongest left among us%L asseverated Agni. J1or these same reasons e need you to stand at our side more than ever.L JThe only ay to end this 7uic#ly is by challenging Mpaya in person%L Surya argued. J1urthermore ! possess something that belongs to him.L J
, - , oc#ed inside a large holding cell framed by an immovable iron grate% Soma% Commander =isava and his handharvas aaited trial. "eing official members of Amaravati6s royal court they ere duly accorded a formal hearing before public &urors. >ever in heaven6s eBtended history had any agasNL All heads per#ed in7uisitively at this revelation. o tell me cousin ama% ho difficult do you thin# it ill be to release us once Mpaya attac#sK As our alliance ith those Ashuras persists e must stand close together ith them for better or orse.L Jeave it to me%L ama inspirited% leaving their midst ith a in#. The hour of rec#oning as nearly at hand and everybody could tangibly feel it. - G) -
4 Interstice 4 Beyond the farthest edges of rakriti 2creation3 lay (ord 7ishnus abode* 7aikuntha. 1ossamer swans and other exotic fowl swam or flew there. &he boughs of trees in full blossom wafted petals onto the immaculate lawn of this veritable
+1ames within games. Mirrors unto infinite regress. &he heedless arent deserving of self!evident truths. ?et you and I must also transcend each others sub4ectivity.- 5ith that, (ord 7ishnu picked up a pair of ebony dice and tossed them onto the board.
- GI -
Act %hree – %reendous 'pheavals
- G2 -
( < * S%rya Sets A udra scout named Eshana genuflected in S#handa6s presence and delivered his report% J;y lord% an inscrutable source of brightness dras nigh. Fe udras have attempted to becloud it ithout any success.L S#handa studied the hori+on and nodded pensively. 4e instructed Eshana% JTell your #indred to ithdra and let hatever may come forth. ! believe myself ac7uainted to this light6s fount.L The scout carried out that arlord6s re7uest and ithin a fe minutes Surya could be seen riding his steed up steep hillside. "efore long he came across his #insman hereupon they loc#ed stares and discoursed: Jartti#eyaN Ms agas.L J! on6t lift a finger to aid those ho have concealed my actual identity from me. "esides% ! specifically told you early on that you ere flirting ith disaster. Even no you go on a fool6s errand. 1or the sun has no place in the land of shado.L J!rrelevant. 1ear is not in my ma#eup and your negligence leaves one duty-bound ithout recourse. The underorld shall tremble beneath me and !6ll personally see to it that e
"lessed by S#handa Surya circumvented the "huta-ana6s brigade and descended into the depths of 8atala. True to his previous ords% the subterrane shoo# hen he entered% as if 5tere ob&ecting the ingress of such resplendence.
, - , =itala% the second dungeon as an abysmal glacier here &arring bli++ards ble perpetually through the mountains. At present Mpaya found himself on its highest plateau accompanied by his agas and evertheless ! have come to settle our old score face to face. 8repare to perishNL Surya fired out a fusillade of eBploding arros% causing everyone to scatter and the prince himself to recoil. Mpaya raced don the opposite incline% bac#trac#ing aay from his assailant. !nfuriated by this flagrant display of coardice the sun gave chase hile haranguing% Jet it be #non that dispossessed of his precious sord Mpaya 8anther-;as# is nothing but a #nave. 4ence shall ! Surya dispatch him to the graveNL So that solar
, - , 8riestess aitabh and those around her bal#ed hen they sa and heard a series of volcanic salvos pelting a glacial mass further up along the mountainous slope. !nevitably% this led to an avalanche% hich rumbled threateningly as it came toard them. Every a#sha instinctually lifted off the ground to avoid said threat. >amuchi6s unit also bore aloft a steel crate% mounted on sturdy poles. aitabh then told them% J!t appears to be Mpaya on hom Surya is gaining. They aren6t very far no. eady yourselves to unlatch the cage on my mar#.L ous to aitabh "elease "ahu immediately! Accordingly the a#sha6s high priestess signaled >amuchi6s team ho complied ith prior orders by throing ahu6s portable prison ide open. Though lac#ing a body that cra+ed demon6s head had become sollen because sacred nectar floed through it. 4is mutilated face as ghastly to behold and Surya #ne fear for the first time in his life. ahu fle straight at his ancient condemner% pouncing on the sun ith gaping fangs. Surya heroically resisted% preventing this monster6s ma from clamping don on him. As these to restled to the snoy surface Mpaya6s immortal eyes perceived an unmista#able shape inside Surya. Ta#ing heart the eBt to him ahu lic#ed his lips ith satisfaction% recogni+ing a friend in this
- GD -
( )= * A D%el 3eteen Rene$a+es Short on breath "hrngin the darf approached S#handa and his "huta-anas. That
, - , On >ara#a6s rolling plains the confrontation beteen !shtar6s corps and holing udras had escalated considerably.
, - , "etiBt the strident ring of countless armaments clashing S#handa moved forard e7ually deliberate and dauntless. 4e seemed taller ith each step he too# and his voice carried above the noise calling Mpaya out to fight% JMpaya 8anther-;as# har# my appeal: come hither and meet me amid strifeN no that ! am S#handa% son of Shiva and eneral over A Antarlo#a6s militants.L A do+en stalart
eleasing S#handa6s &avelin Mpaya unclipped his metal vest and thre it aside. ;iraculously his chest had healed over probably prior to the cranium dropping. >o ;ahadeva6s progeny dran# from his on hemorrhaging nec# ith five mouths% scooping up the severed head and seamlessly replacing it. A fe droplets fell there too giving rise to some ne udras. Mpon half a do+en bros S#handa6s third eyes lit li#e stars and glared offensively at their target. 4oever as those A#na 'hakras homed in Mpaya used aruda6s feather to billo out a solar e&ection of e7ual intensity. "oth currents contacted in the middle% neither overcoming its contrary. 1rom their luminescent fusion arose something else: a spiraling column of primal fire that chan ged hues and seemed to reach up infinitely high through cyclonic brume and far don beyond 8atala. !t as as if they had accidentally uncovered a rupture in reality6s fabric. Everyone *including both duelers shran# aay% aestruc#. Sloly but surely that flaming >ingam loo#ed to be eBpanding and boring a bigger hole into >ara#a6s landscape. Concerned% S#handa regained his composure and decided to negotiate% JEnnobled 8rince of The evertheless ! shan6t eBtend mercy to any ingam since it continued earing aay at Antarlo#a in spite of their optimistic hopes.
- H( -
( )) * >all of the Devatas Mpon palace terrace above ;ount ;eru% !ndra% Agni and "rihaspati stood side by side. These three elder arishyan% >abhaga% !#shva#u% arusha% Saryati% 8rishadhru and >abhagarishta. Several distinguished males of ord "rahma6s line came along too: ;arichi% Atri% Angiras% 8ulastya% 8ula#a% ratu% =asishtha% rada. They made their ay to city limits here demons ere already bashing at its pearl gates and engaged them. >either as#ing for nor giving 7uarter to the unary fiends% those mighty men slaughtered many
- H) -
, - , The supreme personality of odhead enshrined in ord al#in proved absolutely unassailable to those enlisted under Mpaya6s banner. S#handa had said that he ould observe from the sidelines and get involved only if his participation became essential. Ergo% hen the prince sa his #ith effectively routed by al#in6s cavalry he #ne no alternative but ta#ing matters into his on hands. Otherise he might soon be left ith no armies to command. As he thought about fighting these latest rivals !shtar arrived at his side and proponed% J;y dear prince% your best troops are no match for this
Om hri aneshaya 2amah Om ring aliyai 2amah Om 2amah iayah Mpaya-cum-!shtar surged forard ith numinous strength that not even =ishnu incarnate could guard against ithout eBperiencing stress. !n a superb display of sordplay !shtar6s arms clinched al#in6s saber beteen improvised scissors after hich Mpaya6s claed fists sung out to decapitate this arasimha. That upright manticore gre to astounding heights until he stood tall over Antarlo#a6s masses. 4is loud roar stirred up a maelstrom ithin the primordial ether. ;any fled hile he monologued% Jali6s brood are more devious than ! gave them credit for. !rrespectively% these trespasses cannot be forgiven. This demon-slaying form shall stop you as it has done ith similar nonentities throughout infinite universes. ?our inning strea# ends hereNL !mpressed but not coed Shiva6s son ululated% summoning all udras. >umerous frightful specimens floc#ed to him including Adityatma#a% "havodbhava% "heema% eelalohita% =idyara&a and =irabhadra. Everyone atched hile shadoy figures ere assimilated into S#handa6s body% ma#ing him bigger and dar#er. !t got to here he seemed to demateriali+e thus confounding observers. "lac#er than =ishnu% S#handa6s s#in as the s#y itself. Even ing !ndra halted in his trac#s hen +ig+agging strobes of light split Antarlo#a6s vault into #aleidoscopes. A deep brooding hol came from that hurly-burly and paraly+ed every itness present. !t cautioned ord al#in6s permutation in the folloing manner: - HI -
Jarasimha re#indled udarshana in a vain attempt to in&ure S#handa6s indelible embodiment. That lucent discus radiated the light of a billion galaBies into the void ithout hitting its mar#. aughter bro#e in loud peals overhead as a translucent beam fell toard >arasimha. Again S#handa6s missile pierced this Avatar6s third eye. "emoaning the manticore eBploded into an immense golden nebula. Aurous rain shoered don% blan#eting that bloodbath beneath hot stardust. All gathered no sang their praises to a hole ne demiurge ho reassumed his role as S#handa. udras rallied around him after they ere eBpelled through his mouth and everyone #nelt hile reverently boing their heads. Fith to of telve arms the blue god elevated Mpaya and !shtar before conferring% JThis battle is hardly concluded. !ndra and his captains still dra hither. ! cleared the path before you. o and eBpiate them at your leisure.L J?ou have my eternal gratitude son of Shiva ;ahadeva. !shtar please stay here ith the little girl. As previously sorn ! ill attend to ord !ndra myself.L Jodspeed brave prince and may your sord stri#e true%L !shtar prayed then turned to the child no robed in saffron. J?oung lady do you possess a nameKL J;other ! am >ila incarnate born to synthesi+e the normally irreconcilable differences eBisting beteen any bipolar opposition.L 4earing ila eBpress herself so elo7uently !shtar proceeded by introducing her to the other ?oginis. Of course it as naught but a preteBt to ignore the ongoing discord.
, - , !nside those same cylindrical vessels utili+ed during the lunar siege 8 riestess aitabh and her closest subordinates ere held rapt by developments far belo. Turbulence generated hen gods gre into transcendent monstrosities had nearly blon their ships off course. Mndoubtedly they had been cloa#ed and ere shielded via arcane sleight. oyal Ashuras% these a#shas aaited a signal from the
Comprehending% that matriarch called on her younger sister in this ise: J>amuchi ta#e your scouts and alert our battalions% it6s time to bomb the city.L >ot needing to verbali+e a reply >amuchi did as she as as#ed. Fithin minutes their airborne s7uadrons descended on Antarlo#a6s capital% dropping caustic payloads. =iolet irradiance coincided ith these impacts and lit up that dreary day. egardless such an assault could not go unansered. Those a#shas had the tables turn on them hen a plethora of colorful heels spun into action atop city spires. Some reacted passively% snaring hapless prey li#e flytraps hereas others discharged nettles. Either ay their advance units too# heavy casualties. The high priestess sa no choice but to root out hoever as operating those magic machines from behind the scenes. Shrouding herself in vermillion furor she dove headfirst into the melee and rent through various structures as she sought this symphony6s conductor. After running a rampage she finally sighted the dais here uru "rihaspati as situated. !mpelling herself ith siB demonic ings aitabh reached him chiding draconically% J! should have #non that it as you little priest. Allo me to demonstrate the supernal siddhi bestoed on us by Tantric sadhanas.L 8riestess aitabh cast a heB against "rihaspati ho had only &ust noticed her. ,uic# itted the
, - , "eing an independent curmudgeon "erunni Tenty-Arms had forged ahead alone li#e on previous occasions% fully dec#ed in regalia and armed to the tus#s. 4e still felt dissatisfaction regarding the results of earlier s#irmishes. 4is old bones longed for glory. So hen he happened to cross paths ith Agni% ord of 1ire% "erunni blessed his stars. ot overly concerned that Ashura persisted in chasing after this elusive
8lumbing his soul6s depths "erunni concentrated aareness at the pit of his stomach and thus gave issue to devotional ta*as *inner armth. 1olloing a period in hich it as beyond discernment to #no ho ould prevail% Agni6s eBistence dindled before he himself could accept being superseded by this gloing eBemplar. "erunni Tenty-Arms no eBtinguished nearby conflagrations ith &ust one seep from his lustrous limbsN
, - , 4aving stopped partay on his approach ord !ndra atched *rather catatonically as Amaravati Antarlo#a6s immortal capital as destroyed both inside and out. 4e had been rendered dumbstruc# and immobile since S#handa put al#in in line a bit earlier. At that later moment the o matter ho much of a fight they put up these Ashuras seemed destined to overcome them. Fhat could a lone dissenter do in order to turn bac# such an intransigent tideK 8ondering this% !ndra deduced a fairly simple anser: in% lose or dra o pushover% !ndra erected a force-field around Airavata that arrested Mpaya6s emission. Ta#ing up bolts reserved for this evertheless the
JAlas% although e are being hunted into eBtinction neither terror nor remorse inhabits my heart. !t is a shame that your father could not be here today son of Shu#ra. 4e ould have been an apt bystander for these final moments herein ! seal your fateNL Mpaya braced for another round as !ndra released a coiling fluorescent chord. "atting aay that horl in the direction of some stately manors the onetheless Mpaya had not 7uit heating his blade either. 4ence hen the lightning lord deployed his finishing blo it met halfay on its tra&ectory ith a torrid photosphere. These ignitions collided violently and revolved around each other until mutual resistance gave ay to a breach in Antarlo#a6s mesh. A ravenous vacuum pulled at everyone from ithin this blac# hirlpool. Above the ensuing confusion Mpaya denounced: JFe are both fools for stubbornly pursuing such a disastrous course. Even so it is far too late to turn bac#. ! ill drag you along ith me destroyer of orldsNL 4aving uttered that threat he &umped off ahu6s cron onto !ndra6s person and together they started gravitating toard the anomaly. An adamantine god continued grappling against a tenacious daemon through the turbid s#y. As those immortal nemeses got closer to the hole6s rim Ananta->aga6s scaly tail came from beneath and snagged around Mpaya6s an#le. Appreciating this uneBpected safety-tether the prince &ettisoned aruda6s feather before digging claed #nuc#les into !ndra6s &ugular. !mmediately after Mpaya disentangled himself and punched the agas and ?oginis had usurped dominance.
- HG -
( ). * De%s Ex Machina Shortly folloing those momentous events and hen the ashes had settled Soma Chandra resurfaced along ith his entourage. The last battle had been so intense that ama delayed to uncage them but they ere actually grateful for it. >o the moon god flan#ed by ama and Commander =isava greeted Mpaya% !shtar% 8riestess aitabh% "erunni Tenty-Arms% Ananta->aga and S#handa mid a s7uare at the center of Amaravati6s remains. Sudden regime change called for democratic diplomacy and every ma&or faction as represented there. ight aay Soma got the ball rolling% J4ail ye heroes of this greatest celestial feudN 8lease permit me to apologi+e holeheartedly to anyone ho has suffered loss as either direct or indirect conse7uence of my on ell-#non actions. ?et ! thin# most of us can agree that e have each gained an infallible freedom to eBpand ithin our nely unified cosmos. ladly do ! intend to share Antarlo#a6s rulership ith you all once my satellite is restored.L There as a silent moment of unease but the tension relaBed hen Captain Silat arrived accompanied by ady Tara% ,ueen 8riya and her Apsaras. The latter ent straight for their husbands hereas Tara ga+ed on Chandra as if they had &ust met. ;omentarily her beauteous lips smiled at him in recognition and she draped both arms over his nec#. Soma6s siBth sense felt the presence of another being beteen them too. 4e placed a palm belo Tara6s stomach and then his compleBion registered onderment. She nodded a reply to his unspo#en 7uestion before ord Chandra publici+ed: JA daughter is to be born to ady Tara and !N She ill be called "uddhi and to her ! be7ueath my hidden estates on planet ;ercury. 1or none shall outspeed her mind.L >o sooner did those ords leave his mouth than ila fluBed to their fore li#e li7uid 7uic#silver. Mpaya and !shtar6s supramundane neonate shrilled% JTrue though that may be nobody is faster than meN !n contrast to "uddhi6s 7uic#ness at cogitation none can overta#e >ila hen it6s a 7uestion of action.L All ere nonplussed by this but they didn6t have time to muse on it because another development as already calling their attention. Mpon ;ount ;eru6s pea# rubicund smog ascended from inside ing !ndra6s castle and hatever its source as lighted the enclosing nightfall. Fithin seconds that stronghold6s alls crumbled due to strain and gave vie of an allotropic obelis# rising through the foundation. Thic# ha+e became increasingly nitid hile everyone loo#ed fiBedly at this pulsating monolith. "rea#ing the pregnant silence ila &ubilantly ap prised them: JThere gros the >ingam #non as =isvatman. Alembic of master and mistress.L - HH -
Eliciting a collective eBclamation an anthropic figure began to coalesce ithin those clouds. "efore long everyone could ma#e out that otherise inconceivable aspect of Shiva fused ith Sha#ti: Ardhanarisara. Even the bravest and strongest beings present there 7uivered hen faced by this pervasive androgyne ho had one female breast. !ts right hand held Trishula *ith +amaru drum attached and its left pinched the stem of a pin# lotus beteen thumb and indeB. >andi the bull and tigress ingam ye founded at >ara#a has begun to rend through thy >oosphere. "ut fear not. Fe shall no mete out austerities to our chosen ambassadors in order to absolve them of negative arma beforehand. Soma Chandra% you are guilty of sedition and moral incontinence. ?our lunar fortress cannot be rebuilt unless by some miracle you can overthro your on self-righteous gall. Mnderta#e a pilgrimage to "hulo#a and attend the Ashram at Somanatha as you have in other al*as. One6s eBterior can only be eBalted once interior grandeur has been addressed. Therefore the fruit of arma ?oga belongs to Mpaya 8anther-;as#% ing among Ashuras. Amid this and in future universes he ill manifest himself as our sanctioned delegate the onetheless a subtle undercurrent runs beneath any superficial appearance. That tremor is called *anda the reverberation of A-M-; and it is alays audible to the attuned. ;a#e no mista#e though% since it lies beyond ords said *anda is more than either sound or image. 4o could our universal ellspring be reduced to mere sensory signalsK Such an ambiguous and amorphous source does not lend itself to conceptuali+ation. - )(( -
Conse7uently it is understood imperfectly by finite minds and represented in myriad conflicting ays. That is hy it is also called 4ahamudra the primary archetype.L At this point transparent bubbles started issuing from the gaseous pillar. !nside each one% pictures% letters% symbols% depictions of deities cast in stone and other tangible trappings became visible. Some displayed elaborate mandalas% maps or complicated diagrams. One globule ent before Ardhanarishara6s chest here it graphically charted a course through the galaBies of "hulo#a until planet Earth filled its circumference. Scenes of past human events cycled therein eBposing man#ind6s rise and inevitable donfall. Calmly the interseBual othing could be farther from the truth. *anda drove material evolution prior to the development of sentient hominids and it as 4ahamudra that conferred intellectual or imaginative faculties upon them. 1urther% despite outard veneer% hich leads relativists into perceiving a orld of solid% static and independent ob&ects they actually lived alongside the composite% #inetic and interdependent processes of divine recreation. Fe repeat: the difference beteen conceptual thought and purified consciousness is that hich distinguishes a mammal6s limited intelligence from a sage6s profound isdom. 4ence atheists% materialists% positivists% rationalists% s#eptics and their ideological il# are ill-e7uipped to grasp us. >evertheless there ere some humans ho managed to catch glimpses of Brahman-s atemporal non-local nature. "y eBamining their insights you too can gain a better understanding regarding this transmundane 5suchness6. 1irstly comprehend that - )() -
Atman has three steady hallmar#s: being% consciousness and bliss. These 7ualities are but slightly varying aspects of the same thing in fact they are reflected on loer levels of creation in multifarious manners. enerally though% our sub&ects ma#e predominantly dualistic &udgments ithin their psyches. 1or eBample good versus evil% soul over body% self against other. "ut alas even material manifestation is triadic at its core.L "reathta#ingly Ardhanarisara6s features morphed hile to more heads sprang from its shoulders. >o heaven6s congregation shed tears of unspea#able &oy hen their eyes too# in the sight of Sadasiva. This Trimurti *triple form smiled upon its children e7ually ith "rahma6s face on the right% =ishnu6s in beteen and Shiva6s to his left. ?et their morphing did not end there. Their faces and bodies fluctuated beteen masculine and feminine traits so that at times Antarlo#a6s people cou ld see Sarasvati% a#shmi and 8arvati instead. Abruptly Sadasiva sprouted a thousand arms too% on hich other famous gods and goddesses then appeared and disappeared li#e magical tattoosN Trimurti of constant motion% those spectacular deities ent on to pontificate in a repercussive voice that inspired both anBiety and thorough reverence% JFithin these loer planes the three unas condition everything. "a#as activates% attas maintains and Tamas renders inert. Together said unas comprise the fabric of ;aya6s shroud% hich misleads the profane aay from our sacred actuality. Thus compleB configurations arise% abide and are annulled amid three temporal modes bearing those aforementioned 7ualities in fleBible combinations as ell as concentrations. !t has often been preached that living individuals should strive to overcome their internal ma#eup in order to obtain deathless illumination or to escape rebirth. no then that such goals do not befit all beings. >ayN ;any are born ho ould contravene obody can loo# to anybody else for enlightenment. "esides% the ma&ority of devotees open themselves eBcessively to eBternal influences and therefore fail to contact us. ;ired mid biased opinions% lesser aspirants hail a single name% Avatar or mantra and try to promulgate it above every other. A sad state considering that imposition of beliefs denotes their insecurities in faith. So remember this alays: ords are arbitrary sounds that carry no eight apart from that imputed on them via socio-cultural programming. After all% speech is &ust an eBtension of thought. Still ignorant fol# mista#e signifiers for hat is - )(' -
being signified. As a result they orship little more than empty syllables rather than their origin. i#e a mon#ey trying to scoop the moon6s reflection from la#e ater. Clearly ye can see that even our Trimurti is provisional and that e lac# an eBtraordinary self-seriousness normally associated ith od. Although since those ho represent us are typically firebrands they bring demerit to themselves and their religion through outright stupidity. 4ear#en then my Terran names and behold my diverse figures across forgotten ages of "hulo#a6s history.L Another cluster of globes gravitated near Sadasiva6s upraised arms. !nside those drops ere seen the emblems of Earth6s monotheistic religions: Pudaism% Christianity and !slam. Thereith the manifest trinity commenced enumerating in drone% JAbba% Abhir% AbraBas% Adonai% El Elyon% El Shaddai% El-"erith% El-ibhor% Elohim% El-Olam% aol% !mmanuel% Pehova% adosh% ;ele#h% ;essiah% 8alet% Shaphat% Soter% Tsaddi7% ?aheh% ?eshua% Qur% Christos% afi% An->ur% Ar-a6uf% Ar-afi6% Ar-ahim% Ar-ahman% Ar-a7ib% Arashid% Ar-a++a7% Ash-Shahid% Ash-Sha#ur% As-Sabur% As-Salam% As-Samad% As-Sami% At-Taib% A+-Qahir%
?et clerical institutions that promote eBclusion err because divisive doctrines ill unavoidably lead to 7uibbling and violence. Fhat good prophet has not preached love and benevolenceK ife should be treasured forasmuch a healthy body is a prere7uisite on the road toard enlightenment. Anyone ho #ills in the name of compassionate od commits the orse atrocity possible and shall die at birth many times. Our on ords notithstanding% allo us to contradict them by divulging a sacrosanct paradoB. 1rom the final perspective neither death nor inanimate matter can be said to occur at all. Pust as 5no-thing6 is a misnomer and a fallacy% hich imperfect language cannot encapsulate. Everything that isn6t has merely been inferred from hat actually is. Again though% mortal cerebration reifies that hich lies outside its eBperiential field.L J,uit believing in absurd impossibilitiesNL Sadasiva advocated. J
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A11en+ix! Glossary of Sans#rit Ter's A$a'as? Itih@sas? P%ranas? 1anisha+s? Ve+as =arious classes of 4indu scriptures *previously listed in approBimate chronological order. ABna 7ha#ra "etter #non as our 5third eye6. The ord /hakra literally means 5heel6 and seven such centers are counted ithin humans in ascending order: 4uladhara *root% adisthana *regenerative organs% 4ani*ura *solar pleBus% Anahata *heart% Vishuda *throat% A#na *third eye and ahasrara *cron. Ashra' A hermitage set aside for meditation and ?ogic instruction holy place% shrine% or temple. AstraCs Also called +iyastras *enchanted eapons% astra denotes any pro&ectile. At'an 3rah'an >o simple eBplanation of these ords could do. !ndeed% volumes are filled ith ambiguous descriptions of both. They are sometimes regarded in the Fest as e7uivalents for Soul @ od but that is inaccurate since they are rather interchangeable. rasping their actual import ould be tantamount to aa#ening. Avatar A holy incarnation an emanation of a formless deity into form. 3ha$avan One of =ishnu6s soubri7uets% implying illustrious fortune and sanctity. 3ha#taCs Forshiper% devotees *from bhakti. 3han$ Cannabis% either smo#ed or concocted into a drin#. 3rah'in ;ember of learned caste. 1rom the fourfold Varna system: "rahmin *priest% shatriyas *arrior #ings% =aisyas *farmers / traders and Shudras *artisans. G%nas &ir$%na *RaBas? Sattvas? Ta'as As heretofore eBplained the three unas govern material and immaterial manifestation. Even physical atoms are #non to contain positively charged protons% neutrons and negatively charged electrons in their nuclei. 2irguna therefore means 5ithout 7ualities or tendencies6. Hiranyareta 5olden seed6% a euphemism for Shiva6s superheated seBual emission. Fal1aCs These are cosmic ages but conversely% parallel universes. Far'a o$a arma is 5volition6 hereas ?oga translates into 5union6. 4ence% practitioners of arma ?oga unify their intentions ith action and thereby attain to
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supreme irvana by "uddhists. M%+raCs 5Seal6% 5sign6% 5symbol6% or 5gesture6. Often refers to ritual hand-poses. O'#ara 5Om syllable6% see S1an+a . Par'a A#asha 8rimordial Ether that subtle medium ithin hich all else ta#es shape. Pra9h% An honorific used for male lords and masters. Pra#riti P%r%sha !n amkhya cosmology the former is li#ened to 5mother nature6 *phenomena hereas the latter is more along the lines of a 5spiritual father6 *noumena. Pretas 4ungry ghosts. Their souls are damned to feed on bile% eBcrement% etc. Sa+hanaCs – egimented spiritual techni7ues employed for numerous purposes. Sa'a+hi A state of 5non-dualistic6 trance in hich sub&ect and ob&ect are as one. There are progressive degrees ascribed to consciousness thus altered through meditation% these are *briefly: >aya% aikal*a% 2irikal*a and aha#a. Sat47hit4Anan+a "eing-Consciousness-"liss. Sha#ti The feminine 5energi+ing6 principle. !t is said that Shiva is inert ithout Sha#ti.
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