The Last Rudra

After Drona left to take some rest, Onish didn't go to bed. He worked his attire off, and after washing him clean. He sat on this woolen mat, musing over what he had learned from his cousin.

The spirit, when circulated through well-defined routes, gives us power.

There was no way he could trace out these paths out of 72000 nadis. He had to wait to get his hand on such a method before he tried anything. As a yogi, he was well-aware of the consequences of messing recklessly with nadis and chakras. Many had gone insane and seriously ill in his previous world, trying the secret arts of yogis without a proper guru.

So he put aside the wild thought to sense the spirit and rechecked his body. Everything seemed fine, so fine save for the meal he ate. The dark tamasic energy was lingering around it. He knew it already when he had dined in the clamoring hall.

According to Ayurveda, food is a very receptive thing. It steals virtues, good and bad, from everything that comes in contact with it.

It steals emotions from a cook, nature from the material and kitchen, and diseases from the dining table.

Brahmin from his previous world never used to dine in a house where he couldn't oversee the kitchen. The meal, not being cooked by saatvik methods, would disturb their mind and body.

Countless incidents had proved this fact.

One such tale he had heard from his Guru,

Long ago, when the king used to rule Bharata, a mystic got invited to a palace to dine with the king. The king was a very pious being; he strictly ordered his cooks to follow all the guidelines set by the yogi for the kitchen. And thus making sure his guest could enjoy his royal dinner.

When the mystic had enjoyed the sumptuous meal in the evening, he was guided to his bedroom by the king himself. The yogi was nothing but pleased with the king's hospitality. However, as the night deepened, a thought came to his mind why only a king could enjoy such luxury. He, too, had the right to have all this richness and pleasures. If not always, one or two months of such life wouldn't be wrong.

Tossing and turning in his cozy bed, his mind began to weave plans. And at midnight, he was in the royal treasury, greedily piling jewels, diamonds, rubies in his dhoti. When he realized he couldn't carry more, he sneaked out of the palace unnoticed and fled to the forest.

He found a well-hidden cave and decided to wait for the daybreak.

The next day when the yogi woke up, he chuckled.

"What a strange dream it was! The mind never stops playing its tricks. "

He got up for his morning rituals. However, when his eyes fell on the glittering treasures piled on the floor. His mind reeled. So it was not a dream. He did plunder the royal treasury.

What had got into him? He was utterly dumbfounded. What would he do with this pile of gleaming dust? There was no way he would return to the same gutter from where he had escaped years ago.

He reflected over his visit to the castle. Everything was fine till he ate the dinner. There must be something wrong with the food. He thanked parmatman for taking care of him all the while. It was only a theft; he could return it and begone on his way. What if he had done something more immoral. The yogi felt resentment towards the king for trying to corrupt his dharma.

He left the cave to confront the wicked king. When he got the capital guards rushed to arrest him. However, seeing his red eyes, they cowered and didn't dare to stop him.

The king was listening to the treasurer's account. When the raged voice of the yogi startled him.

"O, King! Have you become so powerful that you dare to corrupt ascetic's dharma? Is the tale of Chakravarti Samrat Bhanu Pratap not enough? Or You see us a joke."

The king hurriedly got up from his royal throne. He pleaded with the enraged sage to have mercy as he didn't know how he offended the descendant of Lord Brahma.

It was said after listening to the yogi, the king summoned the cooks and his assistants.

A thorough interrogation of the cowering lot revealed the cause.

It so happened the royal guards had arrested an infamous bandit and confiscated his property. However, the problem was that the seized grains ended up in the royal kitchen somehow. The polluted grains disturbed the spotless sage mind.

The king apologized for his mistake, and when the yogi calmed down, he asked why the meal hadn't affected him.

The ascetic laughed and replied, "The black spot can only be spotted on a white cloth."

Onish was sure that if he didn't erase the tamasic energy soon, it would affect his mind. Having no yogic power, so he could only use a mantra.

।। अन्नाद् भवन्ति भूतानि पर्जन्यादन्नसंभवः। यज्ञाद भवति पर्जन्यो यज्ञः कर्म समुद् भवः।।

As he pronounced the words syllable by syllable, he saw the mysterious spirit energy, which he wanted to sense, began to gather around him. Caressing him like a mother. Onish tried to feel it but couldn't reach it. After a few attempts, he gave up.

Nonetheless, he found the tamasic energy had vanished from his body, making him more energetic.

There were still a few hours before Brahm mahurat (ambrosial hours). So he decided to go to bed.

************************

The next day, Onish woke up to the loud knocks on his door. When he unlatched the door, Drona stood there, fully dressed, to bid him goodbye as he left for Taxila. His bright smile was nowhere to be seen.

"Would you like to see me off at the airfield?" He asked while Onish fumbled the cupboard for a less embroidered and gaudy tunic.

"I would love to, "Onish replied as he donned the blue silk tunic, seemingly a way better than the others.

"Uncle wouldn't allow. Not now after the fire dancers incident." Drona sighed sadly.

"What happened?" Onish reckoned the fire dances must be spirit-wielders. As he left the chamber. The scanted morning breeze welcomed him in the corridor. The castle servants were up and scurrying for their duties.

"The fire that they had commanded like a tamed beast burned them to ashes. The whole city is in a shock now; I reckon even Atlantia will be interested in the mishap." Drona said as he led him to the castle door. Onish had no idea who this Atlantia was. He only hoped the accident wouldn't affect his meeting with the awakener. He couldn't wait to find out whether the spirit could mend his soul or not. The feeling of the crisis was not gone.

At the castle door, Oman, along with a hooded figure, was waiting for them. From the lord's look, it was apparent he had been up the whole night.

Onish recognized the hooded man at a single glance; he was fowler Bhadra.

"Uncle, we can leave now. And ... " Drona furtive look to Onish, "Ishit wants to see me off at the airfield. "

Oman seemed a bit surprised. As he looked at the emotionless face of his young son. His son's effort to hide the uncomfortableness hadn't gone unnoticed. The lad still hadn't accepted him as his father.

"I'm afraid he cannot." Oman saw his nephew's face fallen.

"The city is in turmoil from the night incident. Besides, he has an appointment with Awakener Chalukya," he added. The stubborn old man was not ready to see the boy who had long passed the awakening age. It took him quite the effort to persuade the dwiza (twice-born).

"Oh, It's good news," Drona said, trying hard to look happy.

"Ishit, You must send the pigeon to me, telling me about the good news." He said, chirping.

"I will see you after the term-end. That's mean after two years. Take care of yourself."

After giving a tight hug, Drona left with the fowler who hadn't uttered a word. He didn't look back.

Oman kept watching till they disappeared around the corner on their ashvas (spirit horses). How much he looked like his father, Ayan.

Oman wished again that Ayan were alive. He was cut for the ruler. It was...

"Did Drona leave?" Padma's gentle voice broke his stupor.

"Yes, he left with Bhadra," Oman replied, his mood lifted up a bit, seeing his wife happy again. Since Ishit had woken up, Padma seemed more beautiful and younger. Though the lines traced by the gloomy three years were still around her fish-like eyes.

"Why didn't you tell him to wait for me? I wanted to see him off." She said while arranging Onish clothes, who looked troubled. Oman was happy, Ishit was there, or the Padma would have been setting his attire.

" I forgot. Besides, he was getting late. Now can we leave for the guild? You Chalukya how fussy he is. I only hope the result doesn't disappoint him too much."

"Okey, I will talk to him. How can he be so ungrateful? My father supported him when he was nothing but a failed apprentice of Vihaan." The Padma said as she let go of the boy.

They climbed down the marble stairs. Onish was half excited and half worried about this early appointment. He followed his parents into the luxury cart, pulled by the two horses. The coachman was a middle-aged man.

When they got settled in the carriage. Oman looked at Onish with a serious face.

"Son, I can understand. It is hard for you to accept us as your parents. We have no qualm about it. As we are content to have you back.

But Son, this world is cruel and unforgiving. You must learn this sooner than later. Nothing is sure here.

The world is changing, and a dark time is ahead." Padma pressed Oman's head as if to warn him not to reveal too much.

"...So you must understand. You can't allow others to know about your amnesia. Of course, We will help you to cover up this. After this meeting with the awakener, Suta will fill you in with the necessary knowledge.

And can you put a happy boy face when you're with us? " He finished with a light laugh as he pinched Onish's serious face.

"Stop teasing him. Oman. Son, you can put any face you want as long as you call me mom a dozen times a day." Padma said with a gentle smile. Onish didn't know what he should do. The love, affection that was nothing but a fetter to a soul was gushing out of the couple.. He looked at the beaming faces and stifled his urge to tell them the truth.