In front of her stretched a forest, with a thick carpet of grass, sparsely populated by trees. Unlike the forest on the other side of the rock, the trees here were well spaced out; not so close that they would appear dense, but close enough to provide shelter and comfort. Gently glowing orbs of light floated in the air at regular intervals providing sufficient light without hurting the eyes.
Cottages stretched on either side of her in a straight line, creating a kind of central avenue starting from the hillside. Each cottage had a thatched roof and small windows through which lights shone out. To her surprise, these lights seemed to be electric lights.
Illustration by Priyankar Gupta
Directly ahead of her at some distance, stood a large wooden structure with a thatched roof. It was the only building shrouded in darkness. The central avenue led straight between the parallel lines of cottages to the stairs leading into this structure.
As Maya looked around, she noticed that the injured were carried away to one of the cottages behind the ones that lined the avenue, which appeared to be a small hospital. Tiwari led her towards another cottage down a path that led off the central avenue. It turned out to be the guesthouse. Maya discovered it was a small cottage with six little bedrooms and a larger room that doubled as a dining room and a sitting room.
‘You’d better get some rest,’ Tiwari told Maya, kindly but firmly, his tone indicating that this wasn’t a request. ‘The Mahamati Council may want to see you.’
Maya nodded. She was too tired to ask who or what the Mahamati Council was. The cross country journey from Delhi to Panna, followed by the unexpected events of the evening had left her exhausted. She was only too happy to be able to retire somewhere she could relax and think. There were too many thoughts jostling for attention in her mind.
But before she could do that she had to tell Tiwari about what she had seen in the clearing outside the Gurukul.
Tiwari listened attentively to her. ‘You are sure about this?’ he asked her when she had finished.
Maya looked doubtful. ‘I can’t be very sure. The light from the torches didn’t exactly reach the edge of the clearing.’
‘Well, there’s nothing to be done at the moment,’ Tiwari said, conclusively. ‘Whoever or whatever it was would have left by now. Don’t think about it too much and get some rest.’
A girl who seemed to be just slightly younger than Maya, led her to one of the bedrooms in the guesthouse and left. Alone in her room, Maya tried to come to terms with the rush of events in the last two days.
She still couldn’t believe all that she had experienced in this short period of time. Just yesterday, she had happily returned from school with Arjun, blissfully unaware of the events that would unfold, which would change her life forever.
There were still a lot of things that she didn’t understand. To begin with, what was she doing here? What was this place—the Gurukul? She had never heard of it. Even Tiwari had never really explained where he was taking her.
Then, there was the big surprise of the evening: the mantra. Had it really worked? Was it the power of all those white-robed people, chanting the Narsimha mantra along with Tiwari and Maya, that had ultimately defeated Shukra’s army? A part of her didn’t want to believe it, wanted to cling on to her long-held beliefs that mantras and charms were merely symbolic — artificial crutches for people who couldn’t do things on their own and required the comfort of something that was more powerful than them.
Yet, she couldn’t dismiss what she had seen with her own eyes. And she had actually felt an inexplicable power course strongly through her while the mantra was being chanted. Could she have been wrong in being dismissive about mantras all her life? She didn’t know what to think anymore. She desperately wanted someone to explain things to her. She needed to know more. Once again, the memories of her father that she had suppressed with difficulty, rose to the surface. Maya brushed them aside. She had to seek some answers here, at the Gurukul.
Deep in the recesses of her mind, something tugged at her. A distant memory? A forgotten dream? An old friend? It seemed like a mix of all of these.
Then, it was gone, leaving Maya bewildered. Was she imagining things?
Her thoughts turned to Arjun. She hadn’t seen him among the injured who were carried off to the Gurukul sick bay for treatment. But a worry, a deep concern for him bubbled within her. She knew she wouldn’t be able to quell that sensation until she finally saw him with her own eyes and satisfied herself that he was okay.
Maya was surprised. Despite the fact that they had grown up together, practically living in each other’s house, she had never really thought about what he meant to her. It was only now that it dawned on her that she and Arjun shared some kind of a special connection, a bond forged by their years of togetherness, sharing each other’s secrets, having each other’s shoulders to lean on, cry on. She had never known her mother and Arjun had never known his father. But they had always had each other.
She thought of how aloof she had been with him when they had reunited near the gates of the park. She had felt anger and resentment in that moment that she saw him, but now all she felt was regret. It was not fair, she reflected, to throw away the years of togetherness, the special bond they shared, all for something that she knew Arjun had nothing to do with, and which had been no fault of his. A wave of guilt washed over her, increasing her apprehensions about his fate in the battle and her eagerness to see him again, safe and sound.
How was she going to find out if Arjun had survived the battle unscathed or not?
As Maya sat, lost in deep thought, a knock on the door made her jump.
Chapter Forty-two
The Mahamati Council
The clearing outside the Gurukul
Panna National Park
The last of the creatures had been dumped into the pit that had been excavated by a team of warriors who had escaped relatively unscathed after the battle. Arjun had helped, turning up his nose in disgust at the sight of the sticky, green slime that greeted his eyes everywhere — on the severed limbs and mangled trunks of the creatures and across the carpet of grass that lined the floor of the clearing.
He wiped his hands on his tee shirt and shuddered. Not that it helped, since his tee shirt, too, was fairly soaked in the slime.
The boy who had helped Arjun in the battle came up to him, a big grin plastered on his face.
‘Good work, eh?’ the boy remarked, oblivious to the damage done to his uniform — which was rent in several places — and to the sticky green ooze that clung to the silk fabric. ‘They never had a chance. The dim-wits of the spirit world against the finest Kshatriyas this side of the Narmada. By the way, my name is Varun.’
‘Arjun.’
Varun looked at Arjun appraisingly. ‘So you’re the scion of Yayati, huh?’
Arjun flushed. He didn’t know how to react. He didn’t even know if Varun was making fun of him or not.
‘I guess I am,’ he responded tentatively.
‘Did you enjoy it?’
‘Huh?’
‘The battle, dude.’ Varun sounded exasperated. ‘The fighting, the killing. Well, in a manner of speaking. You can’t really kill something that is already dead, right?’
Arjun didn’t have a clue as to what Varun was going on about. ‘Who were these creatures?’ he asked Varun.
‘Not “who”, but “what”. You have a lot to learn, my friend. Which Gurukul were you in before this?’
Arjun shrugged. ‘Never been to a Gurukul before.’
‘Seriously?’ Varun guffawed. ‘You’re kidding me, right?’ He saw the look on Arjun’s face and raised his eyebrows. ‘You aren’t kidding me. Wow. You mean this was the first time you encountered creatures like this?’
Arjun wanted to say that he didn’t even know creatures like this existed until tonight. But he thought it wise to keep his ignorance to himself. He simply shook his head.
‘Shoot me.’ Varun’s tone suddenly changed. ‘I would
never have guessed. You handled that sword like you’ve been in battle a million times before.’
‘I did enjoy it. For the first time in my life, I was actually fighting a real battle. It wasn’t a practice session. It was real. I could smell the danger. And it gave me a high,’ Arjun admitted. He looked at Varun. ‘Is that wrong? To feel good about killing someone?’
Varun made a face. ‘It’s complicated. For starters, those weren’t “someone”. Okay, fine, I don’t really know what they were either. I haven’t seen them before today, but I do know this. They were spirits in a physical form. And spirits are dead. We can’t do a thing to spirits with our swords and fancy fighting techniques. We can only attack their physical forms. Material objects can’t touch immaterial beings. That’s what the Rishis are there for. They can do stuff to the spirits that doesn’t need material objects. So you weren’t really killing them, you know.’ He grinned. ‘But if you enjoyed the fighting, well, then, you are a Kshatriya alright. If you were squeamish about fighting them or about getting their blood on your clothes, or whatever this thing is, since spirits don’t have blood,’ he indicated the green ooze on his uniform, ‘then you’re in the wrong place.’ He slapped Arjun on the back. ‘But that swordplay . . .’ He shook his head. ‘Man, that was good. Really good.’
‘Thanks.’ Arjun liked Varun. ‘I had a good trainer. My uncle.’
‘Really? You’ve been training out there without setting foot in a Gurukul? Is that even allowed?’
‘Okay everyone, back to the Gurukul and to your dorms!’ One of the uniformed adult Kshatriyas called out and the younger lot, who were still in the clearing, dutifully began trooping through the rock and into the Gurukul.
The Gurukul Guesthouse
Panna National Park
Virendra, Pramila and Tiwari sat facing a group of five individuals who sat in a semi-circle in the sitting room of the guesthouse.
The three men and two women were clearly from the Gurukul. Two of the men and one woman were dressed in white robes, while the other two were dressed in the raiment of Kshatriyas — colourful, well-fitting silk tunics and leggings with knee-length boots.
Virendra and Pramila knew the five well. These were the members of the Mahamati Council. The Mahamatis were the men and women — Maharishis, Rishis and Kshatriyas — who trained the children studying in the Gurukul. The Council comprised the Mahamatis who ran the Gurukul on behalf of the Saptarishis, overseeing all the other Mahamatis . The head of the Gurukul was Maharishi Mahesh, who sat in the centre of the group, flanked by the other two Maharishis — Jignesh and Usha. The two Kshatriyas — Amba and Parth — sat at opposite ends of the semi-circle.
The Council had just been briefed by Virendra, Pramila and Tiwari on the developments that had led to their presence here, tonight, at the Gurukul.
‘Vishwaraj!’ Jignesh was the first to react to Virendra’s news that Dhananjay Trivedi had been accosted by the young man shortly before his death. He shook his head in disbelief. ‘Are you sure that Dhruv heard the right name?’
‘Dhruv and I had the same reaction as you,’ Virendra said grimly. ‘I don’t know Vishwaraj personally, but Dhruv had taught the lad in Allahabad. We were aware of his standing in the Gana , his exceptional yogic powers, and the fact that the Sangha was grooming him to be Arjun’s Rishi partner once Arjun had completed his Kshatriya training. It was difficult for us to believe that Vishwaraj could be involved in Dhananjay’s murder. Especially once we established that Shukra was behind it all.’
‘We cannot imagine that Vishwaraj would assist Shukra,’ Usha joined in. ‘I know the boy. Not only is he strong in the siddhis, but he also has an exceptional value system. I cannot comprehend what would compel him to deviate from his own values.’
‘Nevertheless,’ Amba spoke up, ‘if he is indeed a traitor to the Sangha , then he must be found and stopped. It is entirely possible that Vishwaraj could have been co-opted to lead the Vikritis . A young Rishi, on the cusp of being inducted into the Sangha , would suit Shukra’s plans very well. If that be the case, then it may be necessary to obtain permission from the Sangha Council to destroy him.’
‘We don’t know that for sure yet,’ Usha protested. ‘I agree that we should find Vishwaraj. But we cannot pass a death sentence on the boy without giving him a fair trial. He is not so powerful yet that he cannot be subdued by us and brought to trial.’
‘I agree with Usha,’ Virendra said. Amba and Parth looked at him, surprised. ‘The Vikritis have been around for thousands of years now. For all these centuries, they have found a way to choose their leaders without poaching Rishis from the Sangha. Why should they start now? It doesn’t make sense. We must consider the possibility that the Vishwaraj who accosted Dhananjay was not the boy at all. It may have been Shukra himself, in the guise of an illusion.’
There was silence as they all pondered this possibility.
‘Very well, then,’ Mahesh said finally. ‘Let us bring him in and the Sangha Council will try him. If he is innocent of our charges, then let him prove it. I think that is fair.’ He looked around. ‘Any disagreement?’
Nobody disagreed. Amba and Parth, too, seemed to have accepted the decision.
Now, let’s talk about tonight. What happened, is definitely worrisome.’ Mahesh shook his head gravely. ‘Shukra’s army at our doorstep . . . This was something that was totally unexpected. We were woefully unprepared for it. This will not be the first time that Shukra’s actions will not fit into our plans to restrain him. It is critical that we understand the lessons we can draw from what happened tonight.’
Chapter Forty-three
The Council Debates
The Guesthouse
The Gurukul
‘His power has certainly increased,’ Parth observed. ‘All these years we’ve been trying to guess what he achieved through 5,000 years of meditation. What we saw tonight, I think, was just a glimpse of his powers.’
‘One thing is for sure,’ Usha stated, ‘he has definitely asked Lord Shiva for the command of the Bhuta gana , and it has been given to him. That’s the only explanation for his ability to command the spirits of the dead.’
Mahesh nodded. ‘Earlier, he had only the power to bring the dead back to life. Tonight, we have seen him cloak the spirits of the dead in material bodies; physical forms that he has crafted and designed.’ He looked at Amba. ‘What did you think? You fought those creatures.’
They are tough as nails,’ Amba replied. ‘Their bodies have a natural armour that protects them. Even our consecrated swords had difficulty cutting through their armour. If the black mist, their source, had not been tackled in time, funeral pyres would have lit up the Gurukul tonight. We would have been overwhelmed without a doubt.’
‘They have talons that can equal any sword that we possess,’ Parth added. ‘We didn’t have time to prepare for the battle, so none of us wore armour. We had to make do with our protective mantras. But I am not sure if even our armour would be able to withstand a sustained onslaught by those creatures. We were lucky.’
‘Lucky!’ Jignesh snorted. ‘Luck had no part to play in what happened tonight. It was the force of the mantra that stopped the process of the creation of the creatures.’
‘Not really,’ Usha sounded a note of dissent. ‘I agree that our numbers helped to reinforce the power of the Narsimha mantra and that would have definitely been a factor in stopping the growth of Shukra’s army. But I think there was something else that contributed to our cause tonight.’
Jignesh turned to her and raised his eyebrows. ‘And what was that?’
Usha shrugged. ‘I really don’t know,’ she admitted. ‘But I believe something happened tonight, that I cannot explain. Something which stopped the black fog from creating more of those creatures.’ She looked at Mahesh and Jignesh. ‘Didn’t you feel it, too?’
Mahesh nodded.
‘Well,’ Jignesh conceded reluctantly, ‘there was this point just before the fog disappeared. I did feel somethin
g, but I really can’t describe what the sensation was or what caused it. I thought I had imagined it but if all three of us felt it, then it couldn’t have been imaginary.’
‘We should meditate on this,’ Mahesh declared. ‘There are many things in this world that we do not understand. Many of our powers were gifted to us by the Devas and the Saptarishis before they retreated, in the face of Kaliyuga. The human race never had the powers we, the chosen ones, have now. If something happened tonight that we do not understand, we must reflect and seek to understand it. If it helped us today, who knows of what use it could be in the future.’
Tiwari opened his mouth to speak, then hesitated and kept quiet. He wrestled with an inner conflict, torn between sharing his thoughts with the group and keeping them to himself. Perhaps it was too soon, he reflected.
‘What I want to know,’ Jignesh turned to Virendra, his eyes narrowing and growing hard, ‘is how Shukra’s ghoul army knew that you were here. Surely they didn’t follow you all the way from Delhi!’
Virendra shrugged. ‘Beats me. I’ve been mystified by that myself. We told no one that we were coming here.’
‘The girl,’ Jignesh pressed. ‘What about her?’
‘She’s Dhruv’s daughter, for god’s sake!’ Virendra bristled. ‘She was witness to her father’s murder at the hands of Shukra. She didn’t even know that the spirits existed. Are you trying to insinuate that she told Shukra about our location while he was trying to kill her father?’
‘Easy, Kanakpratap, easy,’ Amba tried to calm Virendra. ‘No one is accusing anyone. Jignesh does have a valid point. You, too, wondered about Shukra trailing you all the way here. He’s just puzzled about it, that’s all.’
Virendra gave Jignesh a sullen look.
‘She didn’t know where we were going, anyway,’ Tiwari chimed in. ‘I drove her here and I didn’t disclose the location to her until we reached the gates of the park.’ Tiwari hesitated once, before deciding to contine. ‘There could be another explanation for their knowledge of our location,’ he said.
Son of Bhrigu Page 14
