Demise of the Demon King

by Utkarsh Srivastava

  'The sun has set Sage Shankracharya. I succeeded, as I have protected my father. So now you should declare the end of today's battle, chief commander.'

  Shankracharya puffed his shell and indicated his warriors to stop the battle. This sound also stopped the duel among Yugandhar and the Demon King. Markesh was furious, Yugandhar insinuated him.

  'Your one akshauhini army have been destroyed today, and you couldn't do anything. Now, this will happen every day, I will block your path and the serpent's army will destroy your whole army.'

  Markesh was furious, he pushed back Yugandhar, and returned back. He was frustrated, Yugandhar continued laughing at him.

  While Sage Shankracharya praised Tejasvi for his archery skills.

  'You faced me till three prahars, successfully, my son. Today your father King Vikramajit could feel proud on you. Undoubtedly, you are the greatest archer of this time period.'

  Tejasvi joined his both hands towards Sage.

  'Be victorious my son, be victorious.' Suddenly, the blessings of victory uttered from Sage Kapish's tongue.

  'I am grateful for your blessings, Sage Kapish. Today's battle has come to an end, general. Perhaps, you will face me again tomorrow.'

  As the sun sets, the whole battlefield was filled with the echoes of the sounds of shells, it was the declaration of the end of the first day of war. All the warriors left their duel incomplete and returned to their camp.

  At night, there were lakhs of pyre burning in the battlefield. Prince of Balishthgadh Raajveer, was on the death bed, as he was stabbed by Subaahu. Tejasvi was standing near him.

  'Prince Tejasvi. Before…. I die… I want to meet my sister…. Suvarna… and want to… regret for my sins. Just provide me …. this last favour, before… my death.'

  On Tejasvi's call soon Suvarna reached that camp.

  Raajveer was very near to his end. He raised his hand signaled Suvarna. She came near him.

  'I am sorry….. sister, I am sorry…. for my every… sin.'

  Suvarna holds Raajveer's hand, and tried to reduce his pain.

  'I have already forgiven you on the day, when you came to fight for us, elder. This was actually a sacrifice, through which you have left us debtor.'

  King Bhargav and Vrishbhaan also entered in the camp, Raajveer was quite satisfied to see them.

  'Father,… I atoned for… my sins.'

  These were the last words of Raajveer. His body was lifeless now. King Bhargav lied down on his knees, seeing the dead body of his son. Vrishbhaan tried to convince him 'Have patience, father. We'll remember the sacrifice of our elder brother. Perhaps, we have to sacrifice much more, and we have to be prepared for that.'

  Suvarna was continuously crying on his elder's dead body.

  While on the other side, the Demon King Markesh was frustrated because of his failure in the battlefield. The demon's mentor Bhairavnath entered in his camp.

  'Why you are worried, Demon King.' Bhairavnath asked the reason for his frustration.

  'What is my role in this war, Gurudev? What shall I do with that Yugandhar? No one can defeat me, but until that Divine Axe is with Yugandhar, and the Vijay Dhanusha is in Tejasvi's hand, It's impossible to defeat both of them. Today our one akshauhini army was destroyed. If it continues, soon our army will be completely destroyed.'

  'There is one solution, Markesh. You should call 'Naagish' (son of Danshak), from Patallok. Now venom of the serpent demons will face the venom of the serpents fighting for Yugandhar.'

  'Perhaps, you are right, Gurudev. Why this plan didn't came in my mind? Naagish will participate in this war to avenge his father's death. Now the serpent demons will join this war, and then it will be the demise of the pride of that wretch Yugandhar.'

  The army of serpent demons were going to enter the battlefield. The battle of second day was about to start. Sun was about to rise, both the armies have kept their steps in the war zone.

  Sage Shankracharya was unaware about the entrance of the serpent demons in war. His strategy was as similar as day one. The sounds of shells was the indication for the beginning of war. The fierce battle among the two armies started once again. All the warriors were in search of their respective opponents. The Demon King Markesh was leading Vidarbh's army from the front side, in place of Sage Kapish. Tejasvi was in search of the commander of Vidarbh's army, but his path was blocked by the Demon King Markesh.

  'You were born to kill me, so I am here in front of you. Kill me if you can.' Markesh challenged Tejasvi.

  'Whether I could kill you today or not. But my divine bow will surely stop you from destroying of our army.'

  'You cannot even guess, how much destruction your army is going to face today.' The Demon King raised his bow to challenge Tejasvi.

  The duel among Tejasvi and the Demon King started. On the second day of battle, Sage Kapish proved to be a terror for the opponent army. Akhand blocked the way of Sage Shankracharya with all his strength. Sage Kapish was destroying the Balishthgadh's army like a wounded lion of a dense forest. But the next moment only, Yugandhar targeted his axe towards Sage Kapish, and destroyed his chariot.

  'The son of legendary warrior Vikramajit is here to challenge you for a duel, the disciple of Lord Parshuram, Sage Kapish.'

  'Naagraj Yugandhar, you are one of the great warrior of this time period. The whole Aaryavart knows about your bravery, which you have shown in Patallok. Let me see, that these stories are real or just rumors.'

  'I will also feel pride to face you Sage.'

  Both the warriors clashed with speed of light.

  The serpent army was rapidly destroying the demon's army. Soon the demon's army cleared that place, where they were fighting with the serpent's army and stepped backward. That place was vacant. Soon through that vacant place, the two lakhs of serpent demons arrived with their leader Naagish (son of Danshak) in the battlefield. Naagraj Vishandhar and the serpent's army were shocked to see them, then also they not lost their courage and clashed with their opponents.

  Seeing this, the demon's army changed their side. They clashed with the human army of Balishthgadh openly. The strategy of Sage Kapish, Tejasvi and Yugandhar was almost destroyed.

  While on the other side, Prince Vrishbhaan was eager for the revenge of his brother. He was searching for Subaahu in whole battlefield, but the youngest son of Bhanusen, 'Vasusen' crossed his path. But in front of the flame of vengeance of Vrishbhaan, he was not able to stand in front of him even half of a prahar. Vrishbhaan raised his sword, and attacked Vasusen ruthlessly with the lightning speed, as a result, the head of Vasusen was thrown several yards away, his body falls on the ground. The youngest Prince of Vidarbh was dead now.

  'Vrishbhaan…….. ' One another son of Bhanusen 'Sahishnu', pulled the sword from his sheath and rushed towards Vrishbhaan. Both the warriors clashed to avenge their respective brothers.

  On one more side Yugandhar was worried, due to the entry of serpent demons in the battle. He wants to reach his grandfather anyhow to help him, but Kapish (the general of Vidarbh) was continuously blocking his path.

  First time in a war, the army of serpents suffered a huge destruction. The army of serpent demons were not ready to step back at any cost. The fierce battle among them, was still going on.

  At last before the sun sets, Vrishbhaan killed one more son of Bhanusen, i.e. Sahishnu. Thereafter, the sounds of shells declared the end of day two.

  Today, the Balishthgadh army were harmed severely, the condition of serpents were also not so good. While in the camp of Vidarbh also, there was an atmosphere of mourning. The two sons of Bhansuen, Sahishnu and Vasusen turned martyr today. Their bodies were lying on the pyre. Bhanusen was ready to put it on fire. Soon Akhand reached there to pay the final tribute to his siblings. Bhanusen turned furious seeing him. He insinuated Akhand.

  'If you cannot fulfill your responsibility, then why you have taken it? Where were you, when that wretch Vrishbhaan was ruthlessly killing your siblings?'

  'My responsibil
ity is just to protect you, and I am doing my job with complete loyalty. Our army chief, commanded me to resist the attacks of Sage Shankracharya, so that he could not harm our army. And I have fulfilled this responsibility with all my strength. We can't even guess how much mighty warriors are going to sacrifice their life in this war, father. And regarding that Vrishbhaan, it's my words to you, he will not survive till the sunset of the third day.'

  The chief commander Sage Kapish reached there. 'Not only Vrishbhaan. If we have to win this war, we have to kill one more mighty warrior.'

  'One more mighty warrior? Who's that whose demise is important for us?'

  'Suryam, we have to kill him at any cost.' These words were uttered by the Demon King Markesh.

  Akhand turned furious, the flow of blood in his veins was increased, his head was shivering due to anger. But then also he controlled his anger.

  'Sage Kapish. How these things came in your mind? How could a single warrior Suryam could be too dangerous for us?'

  'He is the one, who is most dangerous. Today the serpent demons entered the battlefield, because of which the army of Balishthgadh have suffered a huge loss. To compensate this, and to destroy our army, if Suryam evocates Mahabali Vakrbaahu, then this could turn disastrous to us.' The Demon King was worried.

  'I have faced Vakrbaahu earlier also, if he enters the battlefield, then I will stop him. Undoubtedly, that Vakrbaahu has immense strength of thousands of elephants, but I have suppressed his strength earlier also. I have the capability to face him, my strength is not less than him.'

  'Yes, Your strength is not less than him, because…….. ' Before the Demon king could utter any word, Bhanusen grabbed his hands and stopped him.

  'Why you grabbed the hand of the Demon King, father? Why you are not letting him to complete his words?'

  'Akhand have the right to know about his boon, Bhanusen.' Leave my hand.

  After that the Demon King turned towards Akhand.

  'Your immense strength is the boon given by the great demon Vakrbaahu, Akhand. Before your birth, Vakrbaahu was a demon, he was the army chief of great Demon Lord 'Durbheeksh', and he was my great friend too. But because of the curse of Sage Omeshwar, he lost his memories. He knows only one thing that he has to serve the person who will rescue him from the sword of Sage Omeshwar.'

  'I want to know this story in detail, grandfather.'

  'When the time will come, you will get to know about the whole story. The last prahar of night is about to pass, go and take rest, we have to decide the strategy for war.' Demon King left that place.

  As the sun rises, the war of the third day, begin with the thundering sounds of the shells. On the third day, the army of Vidarbh have two motives, and that was to kill Vrishbhaan and Suryam.

  Although the army chief of Vidarbh was Sage Kapish, but the army was fighting on the strategy made by the D emon King. Markesh was to engage Tejasvi and Yugandhar. On his signal, Naagish rushed towards Yugandhar along with the serpent demons army. But Naagraj Vishandhar arrives there to protect him.

  'Yugandhar, you go from here my son. You cannot bear the venomous puffs of the serpent demons. I am capable enough to face Naagish.' Vishandhar want to send Yugandhar away from that part of the battlefield.

  'No grandfather, the existence of the serpent's army is important for us. Before that, we lose our more troops, we have to kill Naagish. You be with me, to protect me from the venomous environment, I will reach Naagish as soon as possible to cut down his head, in just one attack.'

  'I think your strategy is quite good, Yugandhar. We'll follow it.'

  The war among serpent's army and the serpent demons was still going on. While on the other side, the main motive of the Demon King was to kill Suryam, by hook or by crook. He was working on his plan.

  'Bhanusen, firstly you should design the Naagvyuha (army in form or shape of serpent), using your two lakhs troops to block the way of Sage Shankracharya.'

  'But the Naagvyuha could be easily destroyed through the Garunvyuha (army in form of a falcon), father.' Bhanusen asked his father.

  'Our priority is to engage Sage Shankracharya, today Veersen is with him. If we create the Naagvyuha, then it would take the time of at least three prahars for Sage Shankracharya to destroy it, i.e. till sunset from now. And this will be surely profitable for us. Army chief Kapish will resist the fierce attacks of Tejasvi. Yugandhar is engaged with Naagish. All the warriors except Suryam are engaged in duel with your sons. So Suryam is all alone.'

  'But I am very sure that, there would be some arrangement to protect him. And who will direct the Naagvyuha in front of Veersen and Sage Shankracharya?'

  'I will encourage Suryam, and will compel him to be trapped in my plan. And regarding the guidance of the Naagvyuha, I have one of my trusted demon 'Vibhatsu' for it. He will lead the Naagvyuha.'

  'But father, how can and until when he could face Sage Shankracharya?'

  'He will be at the back side of the Naagvyuha, till then we could kill Suryam.'

  'Awesome strategy, father. But how we'll trap Suryam in our plan?'

  'Wait for some time, my son. Just do what I am saying to you.'

  'As you wish, father.' Bhanusen was waiting for the command of the Demon King.

  Vibhatsu came in front of Sage Shankracharya with the Naagvyuha, Veersen was worried to see that vyuha.

  'What type of formation of army this is, Sage? It appears to be very difficult to destroy.' Veersen asked his chief Sage Shankracharya.

  'This is Naagvyuha, my lord. But you don't worry, I will soon form the Garunvyuha, to destroy this formation of army.'

  Sage Shankracharya started forming the Garunavyuha in the reply of Naagvyuha. But he was unable to find the leader of the Naagvyuha. He was leading his troops, hiding in the middle portion of the army.

  While on the other side, finally the search of Mahabali Akhand came to an end, his target Vrishbhaan was in front of him. He was eager to avenge the death of his brother.

  'Prince Vrishbhaan….. ' Your brother Raajveer was killed by Subaahu, then why you killed my two innocent siblings in your seek of vengeance?

  'Subaahu will be killed now also, Prince Akhand. When I was in search of that wretch Subaahu, your two siblings turned as a barriers in front of me, so it was their destiny to be killed by me.'

  'Ok then, now it's my turn to avenge my brother's death, Vrishbhaan.'

  'I know Akhand, that I am not capable enough to face you. But by rejecting this challenge, I cannot let my elder's sacrifice go down. Come on, fight me.' Vrishbhaan pulled out his sword and jumped from the chariot.

  Akhand also raised his sword and rushed towards him, soon the duel among them started.

  While on the other side in the battlefield, Suryam found Bhanusen alone at a place. He thought in his mind 'King of Vidarbh, Bhanusen is alone now, if I could kill him, then elder Akhand will surely come on our side.' Suryam rushed towards Bhanusen.

  'Be alert, uncle Bhanusen.' Suryam was in front of Bhanusen.

  But soon he realized that he was being ditched, hundreds of troops came with the long spears and shields. They all surrounded him, Suryam was completely trapped in that formation of army. Now Bhanusen challenged him. 'So Suryam, you were thinking to kill me and put a full stop on this battle. But you shouldn't have done this. Do you really think that the army chief of Vidarbh is a fool that he will leave his King alone like this?'

  Suryam smiled at Bhanusen 'Of course, I have been trapped by your troops, uncle. But it's not so easy to defeat me. I challenge you for a duel with the maces.' On his challenge Bhanusen raised his mace and rushed towards him, the fierce duel among them started.