The Sage's Secret

by Abhinav Menon

  Krishna opened his eyes. Satisfied with his artwork, he looked at the conch shell in his hand, wiping the remains of wet, crumbly bark off the edges. Then he sprinted to the stream.

  The water flowed briskly, glowing silver in the moonlit night. Krishna stood on the bank and waved his hand over the waterbody. The flow immediately slowed down. He then stepped into the water, letting the coldness immerse him, and waded through it to reach the other bank. Once he reached land, he stepped out of the rivulet and walked to another tree. The one with a circle inscribed on its bark. Once again, Krishna pressed the trunk directly behind the circle.

  Closing his eyes, he ran his fingers over the bark and, for a brief moment, the etched circle glowed a brilliant white. He required this tree, too, to remain intact for several centuries. The lord opened his eyes and gazed at the rivulet behind him. As expected, there was a crater in the centre, with water gushing into it. Krishna approached the hole.

  He had come to hide his flute.

  Anirudh sat up in his bed, the dream still fresh in his mind. He walked to the window and looked out thoughtfully. This time, his former avatar had ventured to the underwater chamber to hide his beloved flute. Apart from that, two things about this vision stood out: the symbol of the conch shell inscribed on the tree and the rivulet.

  Anirudh wanted to meet Dweepa as soon as possible. But it was too early. The sun was yet to rise. He checked the clock by his bed. A few minutes past five o’clock. As he was much too excited to sleep again, he lay back, thinking. His plan for the weekend was set.

  ‘I know where Krishna hid the locket—the remaining half of the conch-shell locket—as well as his flute!’ Anirudh exclaimed.

  Dweepa gasped. They were seated at the sage’s small dining table, cups of tea in front of them. ‘That’s why you stopped by so urgently? This is good news, Anirudh!’

  Anirudh nodded, barely able to conceal his excitement. He waited for Dweepa to ask him how he had figured out the hiding place.

  Dweepa, controlling his eagerness, finally asked the question.

  ‘I dreamt it, of course.’

  The sage nodded, having expected the answer. Anirudh then narrated the dream in which Krishna had drawn the symbol on the tree, crossed the rivulet, pressed the button and headed for the crater in the middle of the river. Anirudh didn’t leave out any details. He described every single aspect of the dream.

  Dweepa stared in awe. He sat quietly, thinking, then asked again, ‘How did you find the location of the place from this dream?’

  Anirudh smiled mischievously. ‘The first clue is the symbol of the conch shell.’

  Dweepa looked at Anirudh with surprise. ‘The symbol drawn on the tree?’

  Anirudh nodded. ‘I have seen the symbol with my own eyes.’

  Dweepa was wide-eyed. ‘What?’

  ‘Yes, it’s true. I have indeed seen that symbol …’

  ‘Where? How can you be sure that it’s the same tree? That tree could be anywhere!’

  Anirudh’s eyes twinkled. ‘I know that the tree could be anywhere, and the one I saw may just be a coincidence. But here is where the second clue, the rivulet, comes in.’

  ‘How so?’ Dweepa asked.

  ‘After drawing the symbol on the tree, Krishna headed to the rivulet, right? Well, I have been there too.’

  Dweepa’s jaw dropped. ‘Wh-where?’

  Anirudh took a couple of moments. A dramatic pause, before he revealed everything.

  ‘In Gujarat, outside Dwarka! Just a few feet from your house!’

  Dweepa exhaled and stared at Anirudh in disbelief. Words failed him.

  ‘The stream is the same one whose loud gushing waters you taught me to shun, so I could focus on the other, less audible sounds in the surroundings.’

  Dweepa was still reeling from shock of finding out that the rivulet was the one by which he had lived most of his life, something he’d seen every single day!

  ‘In my previous dreams,’ Anirudh went on, ‘I had approached the rivulet from the opposite bank. But in yesterday’s vision, I walked towards it from the bank on which your house stands. I recognized it!’

  Dweepa started taking slow, deep breaths to calm his nerves. Once he felt better, he asked, ‘What’s your next move?’

  Anirudh smiled. ‘We are going there this weekend, Sage. I want to find out what I have hidden there and why I have hidden it.’

  ‘It’s indeed a mystery … Why would you hide your flute, of all things?’

  Anirudh shrugged. ‘Hopefully these questions will be answered when we go there.’

  ‘I’m excited to find out.’

  ‘Me too.’

  Over breakfast, the two talked some more.

  ‘Now I know why I had to go back to Dwarka,’ Anirudh said.

  Dweepa stopped eating and looked questioningly at his student.

  ‘In my Krishna avatar, I gave instructions to your ancestor that I should be taken to Dwarka for my training as Kalki, right?’

  Dweepa nodded.

  ‘Well, it wasn’t just because I died there. It was also because I was supposed to discover the hiding place.’ He continued. ‘You remember, my first day there I had strolled into the woods alone? And when I returned, you warned me to never venture out alone?’

  ‘I do.’ Dweepa remembered that incident vividly. He had been scared for the safety of his lord.

  ‘When I was strolling in the woods, I saw the tree with the conch symbol on it. I even remember thinking it was peculiar … So I had to be brought back to Dwarka because only I knew how to identify the hiding place, based on my dreams!’

  Dweepa smiled thinking about the mysterious ways in which his lord worked. A conch-shell symbol on a tree! Then he remembered a line he had read in the palm leaves. His lord had spoken it to his ancestor.

  ‘Dwarka will have a secret that I will need in my Kalki avatar.’

  The sage felt foolish for not recognizing such an important connection sooner.

  ‘Actually, Anirudh, do you remember I mentioned a secret on our last day in Dwarka? That Lord Krishna had wanted Kalki to be brought to Dwarka because there was a secret hidden there? My lord never said what the secret was or where it was hidden … But now I know.’

  Anirudh’s mind was already elsewhere by now. Still no clue about the circular locket. ‘It’s good that we found the hiding place, at least,’ he consoled himself aloud.

  While Dweepa made arrangements for flight tickets so that his student wouldn’t miss college, Anirudh returned home after discussing the plan for the weekend. His mind was clouded with questions about the mysterious locket.

  TWENTY-NINE

  All the Kalabakshakas had gathered in the great dining hall. A deathly silence prevailed over the assembly. Kalarakshasa had called for an urgent meeting, but the throne was unoccupied. Everyone was waiting for his arrival.

  After a few minutes, the Lord of Time entered. The group of sorcerers, including Kalanayaka, stood up silently and bowed. Kalarakshasa bowed back and gestured for them to sit. With the hood pulled over his face, he prowled around the table.

  ‘Kalanayaka, please stand up.’

  Kalanayaka was startled to hear his name called out. It instilled great fear in him. Trembling, he got up.

  Kalarakshasa walked up to him, patted his shoulder and said, ‘Don’t be afraid.’

  Though this calmed the newest sorcerer, it didn’t cure his shivering.

  ‘Do you know why you were named Kalanayaka?’

  Kalanayaka nodded. ‘My guruji gave me that name. It means “hero of time”.’ He felt foolish for explaining the meaning to the Lord of Time himself.

  ‘But do you know why he named you Kalanayaka?’

  ‘Because I waited patiently until the time came to seek my revenge?’

  Kalarakshasa clapped his hands. ‘That’s one. But do you know the main reason?’

  Kalanayaka shook his head.

  ‘You were named Kalanayaka because your guruji thought you w
ere worthy of being a Kalabakshaka one day. You mastered sorcery … better than any of his other students.’

  Kalanayaka remained quiet, trying to figure out why his name was such an important topic today.

  ‘He recommended that you be recruited into the Kalabakshakas,’ the master went on. ‘Your guruji was sure you were worthy. So he named you Kalanayaka … And I must confess, he wasn’t wrong. You are indeed worthy of being a Kalabakshaka.’

  Kalanayaka didn’t know what to say to this. His head was bursting with myriad thoughts.

  ‘I am impressed, Kalanayaka. A few years back, you successfully performed a complex sacrifice to placate Goddess Kali. And just two days ago, you accomplished another complicated ritual for her—satiating her hunger with the sacrifice of a goat. Yes, I am impressed.’

  Kalanayaka flashed a slight smile. He had asked for her blessings to vanquish Kalki in the coming days.

  ‘You are brave, I will give you that,’ the Demon of Time declared. ‘But you are also foolish.’

  Now Kalanayaka grew frightened again.

  Kalarakshasa turned to the other Kalabakshakas, a finger pointed at Kalanayaka. ‘This man, Kalanayaka, attempted to kill Dweepa a few months back. I appreciate his efforts. But he could have got himself killed. Or, worse, thwarted our plans. But he was brave, so I brought him to our palace.’

  Kalarakshasa faced Kalanayaka again, who was staring at the man in the silk robe, unable to comprehend what was happening. ‘Yes, it is I who brought you here. And if you had been successful in killing Dweepa that day, we would have lost our only link to Kalki.’

  Kalanayaka dropped his head in shame. In his head, though, he confirmed that it was the Lord of Time who had teleported him here. He recalled that his guruji had told him Kalarakshasa was a master of the skill.

  ‘I made you a Kalabakshaka, and I am happy to see that you have been a quick learner. You have pleased me very much.’

  Kalanayaka bowed low.

  ‘So I offer you a special assignment. A mission. Your first mission as a Kalabakshaka.’

  Kalanayaka felt overwhelmed. He was excited and terrified at the same time.

  Kalarakshasa now addressed everyone at the table, ‘Dweepa and Kalki have met, as you know. They went to Gujarat, to Dwarka, and Dweepa has been teaching Kalki. They returned to Kalki’s home two weeks back. But Kalki hasn’t been able to master energy conversion.’

  The Kalabakshakas listened with rapt attention, amazed at the knowledge of their master.

  ‘But yesterday, Dweepa booked two plane tickets to Gujarat.’ He paused and looked directly at Kalanayaka. ‘I want you to kill Dweepa and Kalki, Kalanayaka. I will tell you where to wait for them.’

  Kalanayaka couldn’t believe the sequence of events presented before him. Mechanically he bowed to Kalarakshasa, and once again in response to the short applause he got from the Kalabakshakas. And just like that, it had been decided.

  Kalarakshasa signalled for dinner to be served and walked up to his throne. Under his hood, his eyes were fixed on Kalanayaka. He smiled. There was a reason why he had chosen Kalanayaka and none other—his rage. Yes, he had shown the man his place a few weeks ago, but only because he’d wanted him to control it. And Kalanayaka had been doing well since then. He meditated religiously, and had learnt to channel his anger. Kalarakshasa was very pleased with his decision.

  Dweepa wouldn’t stand a chance against him. And Kalki doesn’t even know energy conversion yet, the child! I doubt things have changed in Chennai.

  Owing to Kalki’s lack of even the most basic duelling abilities, Kalarakshasa felt it was an easy enough mission for Kalanayaka. All Kalanayaka had to do was believe in himself and harness the powers correctly, with patience. And once he subdued Dweepa and Kalki, he would take control of the situation and kill them both.

  The Demon of Time pushed these thoughts out of his mind and focused on his dinner. Yes, he was eagerly awaiting the moment Dweepa and Kalki would be dead.

  Sage Dweepa and Kalki will never know what hit them!

  THIRTY

  ‘What is your dream, Kalanayaka? Your dearest wish? What do you want to become?’ Kalarakshasa asked.

  Kalanayaka was standing in Kalarakshasa’s chamber, who was seated behind his table, while Kalaguru Bhairava sat across from him. Once dinner was done, Kalarakshasa had summoned Kalanayaka to his chamber.

  Kalanayaka hesitated before answering, for he didn’t know whether the answer would be appropriate. But he decided to take the risk.

  ‘I wish to be as powerful as you, my lord.’

  Kalarakshasa’s lips curled into a smile underneath the red hood. He exchanged a glance with Bhairava. ‘So you desire more power? You want to be as powerful as me? That’s … That’s a great dream to have, an ambitious one at that.’

  Kalanayaka looked up at the hooded figure. ‘Apologies, my lord. I didn’t intend to offend you in any way …’

  Kalarakshasa laughed. ‘How can you offend me, son? I am proud that you are ambitious. But, truth be told, you cannot be as powerful as me. Do you know why?’

  Kalanayaka shook his head unsurely.

  ‘What I’ve learnt from my life is that you cannot be powerful with just sorcery and brawn. True power comes from knowledge. I have the knowledge of many great things, things you cannot even fathom. And that makes me more powerful than you.’

  Without answering, Kalanayaka thought, What use is knowledge?

  As if on cue, Kalarakshasa answered, ‘Knowledge is the most potent weapon a person can have. Knowledge of your enemy is certain to lead to your enemy’s defeat. I have knowledge about Kalki. I have knowledge about the weapons that can be used to destroy him. So I am certain that I can defeat Kalki. It’s not because I am a skilled sorcerer, it’s because I know how Kalki can be defeated. It’s because I know the means to do so.’

  Kalanayaka stared at Kalarakshasa, astonished. But before he could speak, Kalarakshasa added, ‘You are one of my weapons, Kalanayaka. You desire more power? I shall give it to you. Vanquish Kalki, and I shall give you all of India to rule over! You have my word.’

  Kalanayaka was dumbstruck. As he gaped at his lord, Kalarakshasa waved his hand, dismissing him.

  Kalanayaka bowed and left the chamber, his mind clouded with the dream of ruling over India. I will kill Kalki!

  After Kalanayaka left, Bhairava turned to his lord. ‘Are you really going to let Kalanayaka kill Kalki? I thought you intended to kill him yourself!’

  ‘I am not going to let him kill Kalki, quite obviously. I will do that myself. I will follow Kalanayaka tomorrow. And when the moment comes, I will step in and kill Kalki! I won’t let my long wait be in vain!’

  Bhairava nodded. ‘Then why did you make him such a promise?’

  Kalarakshasa chuckled. ‘That promise will motivate him to put his soul into the battle. He will fight with all that he has. And that will be beneficial to me. He could eliminate Dweepa for me. And yes, I will keep my promise to him. I will give him Bharat, but after I finish Kalki.’

  THIRTY-ONE

  Two Months after the Great War of Kurukshetra, Dwapara Yuga

  Krishna walked through the grove, towards the rivulet. He was happy that the Pandavas had won the Great Battle of Kurukshetra, but disliked the aftermath of the war. ‘Hated’ would be a more fitting word. He strongly hated the consequences of the bloody battle. Though evil had been defeated, Krishna knew it would resurface, stronger and more powerful than ever, in the coming ages.

  I have been assured of it!

  The thought sent a chill down his spine. Ever since the war, sleep had eluded him. He had known that the repercussions of the war wouldn’t be pleasant, but what he discovered was nothing short of horrifying. He’d realized that he would have to do as much as possible to help the Kalki avatar in the coming yuga. He knew he had about three to four decades to make arrangements, and was ensuring that he completed all his elaborate designs as soon as possible. Even now he was on his way to oversee the progre
ss of one of the tasks he had undertaken to help Kalki.

  Krishna could hear the sound of men at work as he approached the stream. The sight before him took his breath away. It was one to behold. The otherwise rampant river wasn’t flowing that afternoon; instead there was a gaping hole in the centre of the riverbed!

  Maya, the one responsible for this astonishing feat, was standing at the bank, shouting instructions. A month ago, Krishna had summoned Maya to Dwarka from Indraprastha to start working on his first task. The lord had sincerely hoped that he would not have to commission that assignment. But he had weighed the consequences after the Great War and offered the task to Maya, for he was the best architect for the job, the only one who could execute his mission.

  Spotting Krishna, Maya approached him, half-running. Krishna was about to ask him about the curious absence of water, when he saw his answer. Large rocks were placed across the stream, acting like walls and diversions. The stream had changed its course, and kept lashing against the rocks.

  Krishna looked at the centre of the riverbed, where a large cubicle—in the dimensions of a spacious room—was being dug up. Workers were scooping the wet sand out and placing marble slabs around the circumference. The cavity was around ten to fifteen feet below the level of the riverbed.

  ‘Maya, why so deep down?’

  ‘To protect the room from being filled with water, my lord,’ the asura replied.

  Krishna looked at him questioningly.

  ‘A set of stairs will lead to the room below. At the top of the stairs will be the door to this underwater chamber. When the door is opened, water will gush in, of course. But to keep the room from flooding, I will build a series of drainer outlets that will border the staircase. These vents will send the water back to the river through drainpipes.’