Suryavanshis in one manner and the Chandravanshis in an altogether different manner in the battle against evil.’
‘Why would I need to convince them? I don’t think either the Suryavanshis or Chandravanshis lack in courage.’
‘It has nothing to do with courage, my friend. Courage is only needed once the war begins. To begin with you need to persuade the people to embark upon the war against evil. You will need to influence them to give up their attachment to evil.’
‘Attachment! To evil!’ cried a flabbergasted Shiva. ‘Why in the name of the holy lake would anyone be attached to evil?’
The Pandit smiled.
Shiva sighed. ‘Now what? What’s the explanation for stopping the conversation at this moment? I’m not ready? The time is not right?’
The Pandit laughed. ‘I can’t explain it to you right now, O Neelkanth. You would not understand. And when you discover evil, you would not need my explanation in order to understand. Jai Guru Vishwamitra. Jai Guru Vashisht.’
Chapter 4
The City Where the Supreme
Light Shines
‘Prince Surapadman?’ asked a surprised Bhagirath. ‘Here!’
‘Yes, Your Highness,’ said Siamantak, worried.
Bhagirath turned towards Shiva. The Neelkanth nodded.
The prince of Ayodhya turned towards Siamantak. ‘Let Prince Surapadman in.’
Moments later a dashing figure marched in. Tall, well-built and swarthy, Surapadman sported a handle bar moustache smoothly oiled and curled up at the edges. His well-maintained hair was long and neatly arranged under an extravagant yet tasteful crown. He wore an ochre dhoti with a white angvastram, sober for a Chandravanshi royal. There were numerous battle scars on his body, a sign of pride on any Kshatriya.
He walked straight up to Shiva, went down on his haunches and touched the Neelkanth’s feet with his head. ‘My Lord, it is an honour to finally have your presence in India.’
A surprised Shiva had the presence of mind not to step back. That could easily have been seen as an insult. He blessed Surapadman with a long life. ‘ Ayushman Bhav , Prince. How did you know who I am?’
‘Divine light cannot be kept secret, My Lord,’ said Surapadman, turning towards Bhagirath with a knowing smile. ‘No matter how strong a veil one puts on it.’
Bhagirath smiled and nodded at Surapadman.
‘I heard about your brother,’ said Shiva. ‘Please accept my condolences.’
Surapadman didn’t say anything to acknowledge the commiseration. He bowed politely and changed the subject. ‘I would like to apologise to you for not receiving you with the ceremonial honour due to the long-awaited Neelkanth. But my father can be a little stubborn.’
‘That’s all right. I’ve not given anybody any reason to honour me just as yet. Why don’t we talk about what you actually came here for, Surapadman?’
‘My Lord, I suppose nothing remains a secret from you. My brother was killed a few days back while in the forest with some friends and his bodyguards. There is a belief that Ayodhya may have carried out this dastardly act.’
‘I can assure you we didn’t...,’ started Bhagirath. Surapadman stretched out his hand, requesting for silence.
‘I know that, Prince Bhagirath,’ said Surapadman. ‘I have a different theory about his murder.’
Surapadman reached into the pouch tied to his waist band and fished out a Branga gold coin. It was exactly similar to the gold coin that Shiva had recovered from the Naga Lord of the People .
‘My Lord,’ said Surapadman. ‘This is something I found near my brother’s body. I believe that you had recovered a gold coin from a Naga while you were in Ayodhya. Is this similar to that coin?’
Bhagirath stared at Surapadman with shock. He was wondering how Surapadman knew about the Neelkanth’s discovery. Rumours about Surapadman building his own spy network must be true. A network independent of the outrageously incompetent Magadh intelligence services.
Shiva took the coin from
‘Why would I need to convince them? I don’t think either the Suryavanshis or Chandravanshis lack in courage.’
‘It has nothing to do with courage, my friend. Courage is only needed once the war begins. To begin with you need to persuade the people to embark upon the war against evil. You will need to influence them to give up their attachment to evil.’
‘Attachment! To evil!’ cried a flabbergasted Shiva. ‘Why in the name of the holy lake would anyone be attached to evil?’
The Pandit smiled.
Shiva sighed. ‘Now what? What’s the explanation for stopping the conversation at this moment? I’m not ready? The time is not right?’
The Pandit laughed. ‘I can’t explain it to you right now, O Neelkanth. You would not understand. And when you discover evil, you would not need my explanation in order to understand. Jai Guru Vishwamitra. Jai Guru Vashisht.’
Chapter 4
The City Where the Supreme
Light Shines
‘Prince Surapadman?’ asked a surprised Bhagirath. ‘Here!’
‘Yes, Your Highness,’ said Siamantak, worried.
Bhagirath turned towards Shiva. The Neelkanth nodded.
The prince of Ayodhya turned towards Siamantak. ‘Let Prince Surapadman in.’
Moments later a dashing figure marched in. Tall, well-built and swarthy, Surapadman sported a handle bar moustache smoothly oiled and curled up at the edges. His well-maintained hair was long and neatly arranged under an extravagant yet tasteful crown. He wore an ochre dhoti with a white angvastram, sober for a Chandravanshi royal. There were numerous battle scars on his body, a sign of pride on any Kshatriya.
He walked straight up to Shiva, went down on his haunches and touched the Neelkanth’s feet with his head. ‘My Lord, it is an honour to finally have your presence in India.’
A surprised Shiva had the presence of mind not to step back. That could easily have been seen as an insult. He blessed Surapadman with a long life. ‘ Ayushman Bhav , Prince. How did you know who I am?’
‘Divine light cannot be kept secret, My Lord,’ said Surapadman, turning towards Bhagirath with a knowing smile. ‘No matter how strong a veil one puts on it.’
Bhagirath smiled and nodded at Surapadman.
‘I heard about your brother,’ said Shiva. ‘Please accept my condolences.’
Surapadman didn’t say anything to acknowledge the commiseration. He bowed politely and changed the subject. ‘I would like to apologise to you for not receiving you with the ceremonial honour due to the long-awaited Neelkanth. But my father can be a little stubborn.’
‘That’s all right. I’ve not given anybody any reason to honour me just as yet. Why don’t we talk about what you actually came here for, Surapadman?’
‘My Lord, I suppose nothing remains a secret from you. My brother was killed a few days back while in the forest with some friends and his bodyguards. There is a belief that Ayodhya may have carried out this dastardly act.’
‘I can assure you we didn’t...,’ started Bhagirath. Surapadman stretched out his hand, requesting for silence.
‘I know that, Prince Bhagirath,’ said Surapadman. ‘I have a different theory about his murder.’
Surapadman reached into the pouch tied to his waist band and fished out a Branga gold coin. It was exactly similar to the gold coin that Shiva had recovered from the Naga Lord of the People .
‘My Lord,’ said Surapadman. ‘This is something I found near my brother’s body. I believe that you had recovered a gold coin from a Naga while you were in Ayodhya. Is this similar to that coin?’
Bhagirath stared at Surapadman with shock. He was wondering how Surapadman knew about the Neelkanth’s discovery. Rumours about Surapadman building his own spy network must be true. A network independent of the outrageously incompetent Magadh intelligence services.
Shiva took the coin from
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