‘You think I am scared of you? Bring it on! Let’s battle! Say when!’ Vashishtha proclaimed.
Vishwamitra raised his hand, then with great effort, controlled himself and stepped back. ‘I will fulfil her dream. I will show her that I am better, better than you are.’
‘You are nobody to do anything for her! She was mine. I will—’
‘Guruji!’
Vashishtha opened his eyes, coming back to the present from the ancient, nearly-century-old memory.
He said a quick prayer in his mind and asked, ‘What happened?’ He had sent his friend Hanuman to save them, to save Sita and Ram. He could only hope Hanuman had reached in time.
‘We received word from Lord Hanuman, Guruji. I am sorry, but Raavan has kidnapped Princess Sita.’
‘And Ram?’
‘The Lankans killed all the Malayaputras who were with Princess Sita. But from what we’ve been told, Prince Ram and Prince Lakshman are still alive. Our Vishnu is safe. The news is not as bad as it first seemed.’
The Vayuputras had supported Vashishtha’s decision to recognise Ram as the Vishnu. They too believed that it would be good for India. Technically, though, as the tribe of the previous Mahadev, they only had the right to recognise the next Mahadev and not the next Vishnu.
‘The news is bad, my friend,’ said Vashishtha. ‘The war has been triggered.’
‘But… but I am not sure Raavan wants a war, Guruji. We know that Lanka is very weak.’
‘It doesn’t matter what Raavan wants. He’s a mere puppet. He’s not the one who is behind this.’
‘Then who is?’
‘Vishwamitra.’
‘But—’ The Vayuputra messenger held his tongue. He knew of the animus between Vashishtha and Vishwamitra. The worst enemy you can have is someone who was once a dear friend. He knew better than to get in the way of a battle as titanic and malignant as that between Vashishtha and Vishwamitra.
‘What do we do now, Guruji?’
Vashishtha’s fists were clenched tight, his muscles tense. His eyes, normally kind and gentle, burned with fury. His face was a picture of determination.
‘Now… we fight!’
… to be continued.
Other Titles by Amish
The Shiva Trilogy
The fastest-selling book series in the history of Indian publishing
THE IMMORTALS OF MELUHA
(Book 1 of the Trilogy)
1900 BC. What modern Indians mistakenly call the Indus Valley Civilisation, the inhabitants of that period knew as the land of Meluha – a near perfect empire created many centuries earlier by Lord Ram. Now their primary river Saraswati is drying, and they face terrorist attacks from their enemies from the east. Will their prophesied hero, the Neelkanth, emerge to destroy evil?
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THE OATH OF THE VAYUPUTRAS
(Book 3 of the Trilogy)
Shiva reaches the Naga capital, Panchavati, and prepares for a holy war against his true enemy. The Neelkanth must not fail, no matter what the cost. In his desperation, he reaches out to the Vayuputras. Will he succeed? And what will be the real cost of battling Evil? Read the concluding part of this bestselling series to find out.
The Ram Chandra Series
The second fastest-selling book series in the history of Indian publishing
RAM – SCION OF IKSHVAKU
(Book 1 of the Series)
He loves his country and he stands alone for the law. His band of brothers, his wife, Sita and the fight against the darkness of chaos. He is Prince Ram. Will he rise above the taint that others heap on him? Will his love for Sita sustain him through his struggle? Will he defeat the demon Lord Raavan who destroyed his childhood? Will he fulfil the destiny of the Vishnu? Begin an epic journey with Amish’s latest: the Ram Chandra Series.
SITA – WARRIOR OF MITHILA
(Book 2 of the Series)
An abandoned baby is found in a field. She is adopted by the ruler of Mithila, a powerless kingdom, ignored by all. Nobody believes this child will amount to much. But they are wrong. For she is no ordinary girl. She is Sita. Through an innovative multi-linear narrative, Amish takes you deeper into the epic world of the Ram Chandra Series.
Non-fiction
IMMORTAL INDIA
Explore India with the country’s storyteller, Amish, who helps you understand it like never before, through a series of sharp articles, nuanced speeches and intelligent debates. In Immortal India, Amish lays out the vast landscape of an ancient culture with a fascinatingly modern outlook.
Raavan- Enemy of Aryavarta Page 32
