Becoming God

by Trilok Nath Pandey

  In a separate secret session, Shiv taught Bhero the special skill of using Marmaghat by hitting with fist on the nape of adversary’s neck in order to make him temporarily concussed. He elaborated on how a hit, deliberate or due to inept use, might cause death to the opponent. Reiterating his firm conviction in compassion, Shiv emphasised that the Marmaghat is always a good weapon for winning people but not killing them. He warned Bhero against causing any serious hurt to the king Divodas.

  Bhero was brimming with confidence as he had been a champion of pugilism in Deul and had bettered his skill after tips and tricks learnt from Shakti Dev of Devkul.

  The next day, Narad called on king Divodas and conveyed to him Bhero’s challenge. The king gave a derisive laugh, and gibed: “Does that clumsy tribal consider himself an equal to a king for duel? If he is so yearning for fight, there must be someone in my army to give him a befitting reply.” Narad was hushed as he had not expected such a reply.

  Dejected, Narad returned to Shiv and friends. They again assembled to find a solution. Narad suggested that the king be kidnapped in a ruse and pressured into a compromise on letting Shiv settle in his city. The suggestion was acquiesced by Shiv, while Gannu hurriedly came up proposing that he might launch an intelligence operation in achieving that objective. The scheme was finalised immediately.

  Rajo, the woman who had sheltered Shiv and party, was spotted as an agent to collect intelligence on daily routine of the king as she had access to the palace. She did not prove to be a hard target. Gannu clinched her easily with a few amorous glances and a bit caressing. When she was besotted enough, Gannu trained her in the art of spying and launched her on the job.

  Rajo did an appreciable job, collecting enough information on the activities of the king. However, Gannu decided to test the waters himself before launching the operation. Taking cover of a labourer to carry Rajo’s baskets of flowers on the occasion of an approaching Madanotsav, festival of love, Gannu got entry into the interiors of the palace. Endearing himself to the chief decorator by his promptness in delivering the desired articles of decoration, Gannu kept a tab on the king’s routine.

  Preparations for Madanotsav were underway for quite long. The king’s palace was decorated with flowers and earthen lamps. Town hall, which was the main venue, was also decorated. Security at the entry gates of the city was as usual.

  Gannu was in constant touch, through Rajo, with Narad and Bhero. They were embarking on the well-worked-out plan. Bhero, along with Gannu, had to execute the plan, while Narad was to stay back with Plan B and wait for signal from Gannu and Bhero. Shiv, who was a bit bitter over the scheming of his friends, had, however, disinterestedly approved the plan.

  In the afternoon, when labourers were carrying bundles of woods on their heads into the city for campfire, Bhero was one of them secretly interloped by Rajo. Having entered the city Bhero soon contacted Gannu at the rendezvous and after assuming a suitable cover and alibi got well-entrenched in the palace.

  8.11

  Madanotsav was celebrated only once a year, on the night of full moon in the autumn. All rules in the book relating to morality and social order were set aside on that night. People - whether they were Aryas, Dasas or Kashis, or even king and queen and other royals – were treated alike and had freedom to booze and make love. That freedom was, however, available from sunset to sunrise on the night of Madanotsav only. Besides, nobody, even the king or the queen, could coerce any unwilling person for making love. The mutual consent was set as a must. The observers – drawn from security personnel who were provided an opportunity for similar celebration among themselves exactly after a month – would remain on vigil to arrest aberration. Every year dozens of people – both men and women – were punished for forcing sex on unwilling person or extending their acts beyond sunrise.

  On the Madanotsav night people, barring the old and children, would assemble at the town hall where a huge campfire was lit and they would sing bawdy songs - sometimes singly, sometimes in chorus. While in chorus, they would form groups of men and women, and challenge the rival group for the craziest congress. While singing individually, the singer would praise the target, he or she had been dreaming for the whole year, in various ways – wooing, exhorting and inviting for a lascivious union. Once an alliance was sealed, both partners would indulge in an orgy of heavy drinking and lusty love unmindful of onlookers or those who wait to woo one of the partners for similar acts with them. During a span of night some people indulged in many such acts and with many partners.

  In the wee hours, the king and queen, tired from libidinous orgy, returned to the palace escorted by flambeaux-bearing security personnel. As usual, the king signalled the security men to halt before entering his sanitised sanctuary, which he preferred to keep away from the din of security guards. The queen – more sozzled and jaded than the king – staggered into the bedroom, while the king trudged behind her.

  The two sleuths – Gannu and Bhero who were skulking in the palace - sneaked into the interior, tracking the king covertly and pulled him back catching his swaddling clothes before he could enter the bedroom. Flabbergasted with the swoop, the king put up a strong defence and when he could realise that the attackers were none other than Shiv’s friends he challenged them for a fight, slurring racial invectives. Gannu swiftly moved aside, while Bhero confronted the king accepting the challenge. The king scoffed at him, disparaging that he preferred to be liberated at the king’s hands rather than his army men’s, and charged a fierce fist at Bhero who saved himself by making a swift move. Trying to concuss the king in a bid to kidnap him Bhero hit him lightly at his nape. But, the blow came a bit heavily under the passion of fight. When he tried to take the king on his shoulder, he realised that the king had breathed his last. In fear and desperation, the two sleuths fled from the scene.

  The next day when Shiv called them to know the outcome of the operation, Gannu and Bhero cringed with guilt, confessing that the operation failed because the king died in the process. Contrary to his cool disposition, Shiv trembled with rage, shouting blames at them for failing him, despite his clear warning against any violence. He asked Narad to immediately accompany him to the king’s palace to condole the king’s death, and seek pardon from the queen and the people.

  The news of king’s death spread in the city like a fire in the forest. The people, who had dabbled in orgies - and most of them had not yet overcome the hangover, were deeply shocked over the tragic end of the king. They talked and argued fervently over who killed the king and for what, and how it was that the incident occurred in a place where even a bird could not ruffle its feathers without permission of the king. Someone among them mumbled that it was due to the magic of the ascetic from Devlok, named Shiv, who was camping outside the city and was pestering the king for permission to settle in the city. King’s refusal earned the ascetic’s wrath resulting in his death.

  Meanwhile, before the people could prolong their discussion, there was uproar that Shiv had entered the city. The people were extremely terrified that Shiv had such a supernatural power that he slayed the king in a remote-controlled attack and now even the army could not block his entry. The people started running helter-skelter, but some people reached them informing that the ascetic appeared an epitome of peace rather than a slayer. Burdened with deep sorrow and remorse, he was going towards the palace through the main thoroughfare. He appeared a real Rudra but very innocuous in countenance. The people, who were terror-stricken a few moments earlier, were now besotted with high regards for Shiv.

  In desperation to have a look at the divine intruder, people thronged on the sides of the main thoroughfare, and awed by stupendous appearance of the visiting dignitary, spontaneously raised slogans ‘Har Har Mahadev’. Subsequently, they were surprised what exactly made them to thus hail an apparent enemy of the country. Some interpreted that though he had robbed their king of them, he appeared a great god. Some argued that he was a great god and had descended on the earth to har, rob, peop
le of their miseries and sufferings.

  At the gate of the palace, Shiv was accosted by a group of courtiers led by the minister. They were all seething with rage for revenge. But, once they saw Shiv who appeared most benevolent, joining his hands together in remorse, they could not believe that he could be an enemy. Forgetting the intended enmity, they hailed him, raising an uproarious slogan ‘Jai Shiv Shankar’ hail to Shiv, the benevolent.

  When Shiv sought forgiveness from the queen, pleading his innocence, the queen burst with rage, wailing, “You got my husband killed, now you kill me”, and pushing her ten-year-old son towards Shiv she howled, “and kill him also so that your greed for capturing my beautiful city could be satiated.”

  Placing his right hand on the boy’s head and gesturing his blessings to the boy, Shiv clarified that he had never desired for a kingdom and had no enmity with the king. Seemingly not satisfied with Shiv’s explanation, the queen growled, “I can’t believe till you leave my city dropping your idea of settling here.” “As you wish,” said Shiv sadly with folded hands and turned to leave.

  Chapter nine

  Kashi

  9.1

  There was a pall of gloom at Shiv’s camp. Parvati was livid at Shiv’s decision to return to Mount Kailash as he had promised to the widow of the slain king that he would not settle in her city. Shiv was firm on his decision, while Parvati insisted that they had travelled so long seeking a settlement and would not retreat to be back at Kailash. Gannu and Bhero distanced from the arguments, fearing rebuke from Shiv. Narad, however, mustered courage to step in, suggesting to Shiv, “You might consider settling outside the city, and thus you may keep your promise to the queen and may also make Parvati happy.” Shiv did not seem to be convinced, but kept mum. Parvati, apparently convinced, expressed concern, “Where then, if not this city? There is no city around. There’ll be no civic amenities at a place other than a city.”

  After a long discussion, interspersed with sharp arguments, the matter finally settled that they would find a place nearby. After looking for a couple of days, Parvati acceded to Shiv’s choice at settling at a mound near the riverfront in the south of the city.

  Meanwhile, the courtiers and the minister of the slain king kept on assembling around Shiv and pestering him to accept the reign of the city state lest some enemy capture it in absence of a king. Shiv flatly refused to oblige them, expressing his reluctance for getting dragged into complexities of a kingdom and citing his promise to the queen. He, however, suggested that the king’s son was the natural heir to the throne and he be made the king. When the minister protested that how a ten-year–old boy could be able to rule a kingdom, Shiv suggested to let the boy remain a titular king till he achieved majority and maturity. He pacified the minister and the courtiers by suggesting that they worked as counsellors of the boy king. When they still highlighted the infirmities of the boy as a ruler and insisted that Shiv took the rein of the kingdom in his own firm hands, Shiv chastised them stating that the boy be treated as his alter ego and be paid all honours, if any, due to him.

  9.2

  A hut was erected by Gannu and Bhero at the top of the mound to house Shiv and Parvati. They fancifully named it Dham, the abode of god. When Shiv came to know about the name, he could not suppress his smile over lofty endeavour of his friends to emulate him as a god.

  Gannu and Bhero made a humble hut for themselves also, in the vicinity of Shiv’s Dham. Narad, the great wanderer, soon disappeared, as capriciously as ever.

  Vairat was abuzz with talks about Shiv. People would assemble in groups and discuss his prowess and magnanimity. Some thought that he was a magician who slew the king even from a distance, while some believed that he had supernatural powers to accomplish anything by just desiring. Some considered him as an ocean of compassion, citing that he blessed the slain king’s son with the kingdom which might have been easily his own, and honoured the widowed queen’s wish to leave Vairat.

  There was a small group who held that Shiv was malicious and revengeful, alleging that he got the king killed in a ruse when he had denied him permission to live in Vairat. They ridiculed Shiv that he tried to assume greatness by showering compassion on the slain king’s son and widow. They felt that the queen was wise enough not to fall in the trap of Shiv, and insinuated that she was a hurt nagin, she-snake, who would not spare its ravisher. But this group was overwhelmed by other groups who were firm in their belief in Shiv’s greatness and divinity.

  In the meantime, the minister accompanied by the courtiers would frequently approach Shiv, seeking clarifications on the modalities for counselling the fledgling king. As they were not acquainted with the concept, Shiv took a lot of pain to explain things threadbare to them. He clarified that by assuming the task of counselling, they would have to bear the consequences also and the king could not be solely held responsible if anything went awry. Highlighting that they were supposed to wield a lot of influence on the king, he advised them to work with utmost care and sincerity, keeping the good of the people in mind.

  When it came to actually implement the concept, the confusion among the courtiers further compounded. Shiv helped them find the way out, suggesting constitution of a council. He later corrected himself that actually two councils would be required – a council of elders which would counsel the king on matters of policy and another, which might be called the council of executives, to assist the king in day-to-day run of the administration. For the sake of their convenience, Shiv suggested to name the council of elders ‘Sabha’ and council of executives ‘Samiti’.

  To the query as to who would comprise these councils, Shiv recommended that people representing all walks of life in Vairat should figure in the councils. Wary that the humble Kashi tribe might not be left out, he recommended that representatives from the tribe should invariably figure in the councils. Shiv, however, rejected their persistent demand that he headed the two councils, though he subsequently relented to let Gannu and Bhero be included, as his representatives, in the councils – Gannu in the Sabha, and Bhero in the Samiti.

  The people of Vairat would throng to Shiv’s Dham. They approached him, mostly individually but sometimes in groups, recounting their numerous problems and ailments. Shiv, honouring their faith in him, would listen to their woes and try to redress them in his simple and rational ways. He tried his best to dispel their belief that he was some god or a man equipped with some supernatural powers, emphasising that he was a person as much like as they were. But people’s belief grew stronger than Shiv’s denial about his godhood. People would raise the slogans of ‘Har Har Mahadev’, acknowledging that Shiv was a great god and had descended on the earth in human form to mitigate their miseries.

  Parvati was weary of frequent crowds of people and the din created by them. She protested that she was being robbed of her privacy and her small household was being violated by people. Shiv did not want to disappoint the people who had reposed so much faith in him. On Parvati’s persistent protests, he declared that he himself would reach the people’s doorsteps. When someone reminded him of his promise not to enter Vairat, and sought permission to settle in the vicinity of Shiv’s Dham, he had no option but to allow him. This opened the floodgates for the people to flee Vairat and settle at the mound. Seeing the rush of the people and the resultant disorder, Shiv asked the people to wait for some time till he planned a city for them.

  9.3

  Gannu was tasked to prepare the plan of a new city. He worked for a couple of days, utilising the knowledge gained from Vishwakarma, the famous architect and town-planner of of Devkul in Prabhasharanya. He endeavoured to essay the plan, marking sites of various requirements as desired by Shiv. But, despite his best efforts the science learnt from Vishwakarma failed to help him draw a successful plan for a city on an elevated land like mound. What he had learnt was for an almost even, flat land. Eventually, Gannu approached Shiv, who after listening patiently to his difficulties, suggested that he drew a plan setting the lines of houses i
n an orbital way rather than setting it in the linear way, which was possible on a flat land only.

  Once the plan was finalised, the city started to come up very fast around Shiv’s Dham. With the allotment of houses being announced the Vairat residents rushed to occupy accommodations in the new city. When it came to naming the new city, there were many suggestions. But Shiv’s suggestion that the new settlement be named Kashi to acknowledge the relevance of the aboriginal Kashi tribe was accepted. Later, Shiv elaborated that Kashi etymologically meant light, and bore a great resemblance to his dear Kailash in meaning, pronunciation, and situation due to being located at an elevation.

  Though Shiv would reminisce a lot about Kailash, the memory of the Anand Kanan was so vivid that he often hankered for that. Gannu sensed what Shiv was missing in the new-found city of Kashi. When he broached the idea of making the city verdant, Shiv was more than happy to approve the plan and suggested that the vegetation be so lush and green that the city would become evocative of Anand Kanan. The plan went so well that the whole city became quaintly verdant within a few years, and earned a nickname of Anand Kanan, the forest of bliss.

  Meanwhile, Parvati continued complaining about difficulty in arranging water for her domestic use. When Shiv argued that water from the Ganga was arranged for her domestic use by engaging the water-carriers the way it was arranged for other householders, Parvati insisted that she preferred to bring water herself for use in her kitchen. Recounting that how it was tiring to bring water in pitchers from the Ganga to the top of the mound, she threatened to close the kitchen if Shiv did not provide an alternative source of water. One day, she really closed the kitchen. Finding no way out, Shiv started digging a well near his house with his trident. After digging for about a week a well was ready with its sweet water. Parvati was very happy, and the citizens rejoiced, claiming that it was the first well on the earth. Shiv knew that it was not true as he had already seen such wells at Prabhashranya. Shiv named the well Gyanvapi, the well of knowledge.