Vishwamitra

by Vineet Aggarwal

  Saying so, Vasishth got down from his horse, took the Brahmadand he used to rest his arm on and, in a swift movement, planted it in front of the king’s horse.

  The unicorn immediately bucked and backed away from the wooden staff and Vishwarath wondered what could have frightened it so much. He reined it in and calmed it before jumping off its back.

  Then he raised his bow and said to Vasishth, ‘You represent Nandini so why don’t I deal with you instead of that damn creature! Be ready to withstand my onslaught, O wretched Brahmin, for I am fully prepared to raze you and this entire ashram to the ground within the next few minutes. Beware, you haughty Brahmin, for this is what comes of humiliating a Kshatriya!’

  Before Vasishth could reply, Vishwarath had already summoned the Mohana Astra and launched it from his bow. His plan was to prevent the rishi from using any of his powers by stupefying him first and then slowly torture him to death using the other deadly weapons he possessed.

  As his missile hurtled towards Vasishth, creating a sonic boom, it abruptly disappeared as soon as it reached the level of the Brahmadand!

  Vishwarath watched in horror as his first weapon failed to even reach the Brahmarishi. He thought it was a trick the Devas had played on him, that perhaps they had given him fake missiles, and launched ten of his normal arrows in quick succession, targeting his enemy’s vital organs, but the same fate befell them as well.

  When that didn’t work, he resorted to the divine weapons once again, summoning the Paishach Astra that could suck the blood out of the rishi like a vampire. But again, the missile could not pass the threshold set by the Brahmadand.

  Vishwarath had neither seen nor imagined anything like this. He went on shooting weapon after weapon but, to his utter despair, every single one of them was annihilated by the invisible shield created by the Brahmadand. It was as if a vortex had opened up in thin air that was swallowing each of his weapons and he did not know what to do about it.

  What was the power in this staff? It seemed to be made of regular wood that was twisted around itself in a five-feet long projection. At the top of it was a rounded base that was polished to perfection but other than that he did not see anything special in it. He was sure the power vested in it was actually coming from the Brahmarishi.

  Still, he wondered, how a mere staff, used by an old sage, could stop mighty weapons like the Vayu Astra and the Brahmashir! He felt utterly defeated and his ego hurt more than ever. How could this have happened to him after all the preparation?

  He had thought this attack through and had been completely prepared to face any kind of onslaught. He had been ready to deal with the SOS and their laser weapons; he had come prepared with weapons that could wipe out entire platoons of those bloody aliens but he couldn’t even get past this man-giant!

  All the magical weapons he had obtained from the yagnya had become useless before the power of this sage. He dropped down from his steed, completely stumped.

  Once the onslaught from Vishwarath was over Vasishth proudly declared, ‘Dhig-balam shastra-balam, Bramha-tejo sarvocch balam,’ reminding the king that the power of arms was useless in front of the power obtained through penance.

  When his adversary did not look up, the Brahmarishi heaved a deep sigh and said, ‘Rajan, all your weapons are futile in front of my Brahmadand because it possesses the power of the Infinite Brahman while the so-called invincible missiles you used, even though of the latest technology, are still material in nature.

  ‘This material world can never encroach upon the spiritual one and the weapons you obtained from Devas can’t even scratch the surface of something that exists beyond the four dimensions of this world. The Devas and their weapons exist in the material creation of Brahma, and no object from any of the material worlds can penetrate the Divine effulgence that we identify as the Supreme Brahman, a part of which exists in the Brahmadand.’

  Vishwarath felt as though he was back in school and was being admonished for doing something naughty. Not only had the Brahmarishi defeated him without moving a muscle, he was now lecturing him as if he was an errant boy!

  ‘The Supreme Lord is the Parmatma, the super soul whom weapons cannot cut, fire cannot burn, water cannot wet and wind cannot desiccate. The Brahmadand contains a small portion of His essence and cannot be damaged by anything you throw at it. So understand this basic principle and think twice before setting your eyes on this ashram and Nandini again.’

  He concluded with a final warning. ‘I hope today’s lesson will stay with you for a long time to come.’

  Vasishth’s words stirred up some forgotten lessons from Vishwarath’s time in the gurukul about the true nature of the universe. He had taken those theories with a pinch of salt and never imagined them to be this literal. Now, he was learning it all the hard way.

  He shook his head in despair; this lesson would definitely not be forgotten easily.

  MENAKA

  Adhyaye 21

  Vishwarath returned to the capital a dejected man. The sky was breaking into orange as he galloped into his city in the early hours of the morning.

  His grand scheme to humble that self-proclaimed son of Brahma had failed. He was fortunate that he had gone alone to face his adversary and no one in the kingdom knew how complete his failure was. Their faith in him would be shattered if they knew how badly Vasishth had demolished the so-called superior technology for which he had organized such a huge yagnya.

  And on top of it, the kingdoms he had recently conquered might be motivated to rebel and reclaim their sovereignty. No, he had to keep this defeat a secret.

  While his city slept peacefully, he quietly entered the palace and went straight to his room, followed by the man he trusted the most in this world. Yamdagni’s yogic powers had grown enough for him to keep track of Vishwarath’s whereabouts and he knew of the king’s return even though he was unaware of the events that had transpired at the ashram.

  As Vishwarath was bathed and massaged by his personal attendants, he bared his heart to his nephew. ‘I am sorry I did not share my plans with you, Yama, but I wanted to do this as discreetly and quietly as possible. Killing a Brahmarishi, whatever the motivation, wouldn’t have gone down well with either the council or my subjects.’

  Then he shook his head in disbelief. ‘So sure I was of defeating that arrogant sage that I took my victory for granted. Yet, it was I who was humbled and humiliated!’

  Yamdagni sympathized with his friend’s condition but also knew that his actions had not been honourable. He tried to talk some sense into him and said, ‘Vishwa, I agree this has been a huge personal setback for you but don’t let this distract you from the things that actually matter in our lives. You have a stable kingdom that is thriving under your leadership, your enemies cower in front of your might, you have three strong sons to take care of you in your old age and your dream of becoming a universal monarch is still possible with the use of the Divya Astras you obtained!’

  Vishwarath nodded but said, ‘I could still use the Divya Astras on other adversaries and become a Chakravarti, but what would be the challenge in that? I find my existence meaningless if, as a human, I have to keep bowing down to beings who do not even belong to our world.’

  Yamdagni shook his head and said in a serious tone, ‘This is not the right way to talk about a spiritually advanced being like Vasishth. I can feel your pain, for you are more than a brother to me, but your thoughts are completely overwhelmed by your recent experiences and your judgement is clouded.’

  Vishwarath sulked and did not retort.

  When he didn’t get a reply, Yamdagni continued, ‘Brahmarishi Vasishth does not command these spiritual forces as a birthright. He has earned them through his own severe penance. He has toiled for eons and honed his telepathic potential to such an extent that he can directly communicate with Indra and ask for help whenever required.

  ‘And remember, the current Indra, Shakra himself, did not obtain the title because he is the son of Aditi but only aft
er he proved his candidature by killing the dragon Vritra and releasing life-giving waters for our world. So when you say that Devas don’t help humans unless they are cajoled and pampered, you are ignoring all the efforts they have made to safeguard us humans.’

  Vishwarath knew what Yama was saying was true but he could not reconcile himself to being a second-rate citizen of the world. He asked pointedly, ‘If they have done so much already why don’t they let us humans achieve some milestones now? Why do they have to poke their long noses in our affairs even today?’

  Yama smiled at this and said, ‘Don’t forget, brother, that you yourself took their help to obtain the divine weapons that you thought could settle your score with the Brahmarishi. If they wanted, the Devas could have refused to share their technology with you, yet they did not do so. I would say that shows their sportsmanship and you should appreciate the gesture.

  ‘As men, we may wish to achieve a lot of milestones and reach great heights but, do not forget, in the grand scheme of things, we are insignificant. Gurudev taught us that this universe is but one out of billions of such universes, each with a Brahma of its own, and even these billions exist but for a single breath of Shri Maha Vishnu! Still we wage wars and hoard our possessions as though they will last us forever . . . as if we are going to last forever,’ he said philosophically.

  Vishwarath felt exasperated and finally asked, ‘So you suggest I accept defeat and prostrate myself in front of every Deva or, worse still, their obnoxious representatives, the Brahmins?

  I am a Kshatriya and a king. All my subjects should bow to me irrespective of their personal achievements for it is I who provide them this secure environment to thrive in. Why should any being living in my kingdom be exempt from this?’

  Yamdagni countered him again, ‘As a Kshatriya, it is both your responsibility and your duty to protect the other three castes. That is the very reason the caste division exists in the first place, to ensure a clear distribution of labour in society, so we may know our roles in this world.

  ‘If you were to negate your duties, it would force the Shudras to raise arms or Brahmins to till the land and the Vaishyas to become kings. Remember, brother, nothing is more important for a king than maintaining the fabric of the society, especially not his own personal ambitions. Let go of your ego and look ahead to the other opportunities life is giving you.’

  Vishwarath could not take it any more and lashed out, ‘Why should I do what I have been told to do? Why can’t I chart my own course and create my own destiny? I relinquish the throne and all my responsibilities right this moment! Stop me . . . if you can.’

  Saying so, he walked out of the chamber while Yamdagni looked at him aghast. He hoped his friend’s outburst would be short-lived and instructed the maids to inform him as soon as the king came back. Lost in thought, he walked towards his mother’s chamber and found her kneeling in front of the idol of Lakshmi Narayan, praying for her brother’s safety. She did not know that Vishwarath had returned so he updated her on the events of the last praher.

  Satyavati knew how crushing such a defeat would have been for her brother. Together she and Yamdagni set out to look for him. They found him walking in the garden beside the pool with fountains and blue water lilies. He had cooled down by then and quietly followed them back to her palace.

  Satyavati hugged him tightly and then led him to her favourite swing-cum-bed. The slow swinging motion calmed her mind whenever she was perturbed and she hoped it would do the same for her brother.

  Vishwarath lay down on the soft cushions of the swing with one arm hanging over the side and other one on his chest while Satyavati and Yamdagni sat beside him.

  He spoke in a calm tone now. ‘You and Yama have been right all along, sister. I wanted to appropriate Nandini at any cost and her refusal to come hurt my ego. Indra’s soldiers who protected her showed me how inferior I was and I vouched to return as an equal to get her back. But in front of Vasishth’s staff, even my divine weapons failed.’

  Satyavati began to say something but her brother raised his hand to stop her. ‘You don’t have to say anything to make me feel better. I’m fine . . . But as a result of my humiliating defeat, I consider myself unworthy of bearing the mantle of kingship any more.’

  Satyavati ignored his directions and said, ‘Don’t be so hard on yourself, Vishwa! You can’t abandon your duties just because you were defeated by someone who is not our equal in any measure. The Brahmarishi is almost as old as Creation itself and possesses mystical powers obtained through a lifetime of penance. No human being can outperform his abilities or match him in a duel of the sort you fought.’

  Vishwarath listened to her patiently so she continued, ‘You are the bravest man in Aryavarta today and you possess weapons that make you invincible. Even if you don’t use them on anyone, they will still act as deterrents for anyone who looks at our kingdom with evil intentions. This could be the golden era of our kingdom and we can grow it from strength to strength.

  ‘You and Yama can work together to expand our boundaries and your sons may well be the future rulers of the entire Nabhivarsh, nay . . . the entire Jambudveep! You could become their guides, watch them get married and sire children who will rule the world and lead lives full of satisfaction and happiness.’

  Vishwarath smiled at his sister’s words and said, ‘You have painted such a beautiful picture in my head that I am almost tempted to break my resolve. But if I do that, I will never be able to live with myself. You don’t understand the abject humiliation I faced; I alone can do something to get rid of it.

  ‘I cannot accept inferiority to anyone whether it is a Manas putra of Brahma or even Indra himself. I will show them what a man can achieve once he puts his heart into it. I will show them that a Manav can be as powerful as a Deva and as spiritually advanced as a son of Brahma.’

  Satyavati and Yamdagni looked in despair as Vishwarath made his final declaration. ‘I will not rest till I become a Brahmarishi myself! My decision is irrevocable.’

  Further entreaties proved futile and Satyavati realized that the effect of Ruchik’s potion was finally showing itself. Her father and Rishi Dattatreya had tried their best to change his destiny but she knew that no one, least of all Vishwarath, could escape his true nature forever.

  It was time to let her brother go on a spiritual journey of self-discovery.

  Adhyaye 22

  The king’s decision to renounce everything and become a sage was greeted by his council with panic.

  They had a million questions: Had the king contracted an incurable illness that he was willing to leave everything at the height of his powers? He was hardly twenty-five and had a full life ahead! Had he taken diksha from his erstwhile guru and decided to follow him to the Himalayas? Who would take care of the kingdom now? Was the eldest prince capable enough to handle the responsibility on his own? Who would guide the princes in running the kingdom?

  Vishwarath explained his decision to them patiently, presenting his logic in a way they could appreciate.

  Addressing them for the last time, he said, ‘Dear friends, I know my decision has come as a shock to all of you but I believe the time is right for me to leave Grihasth Ashram and begin Vanprasth. My father had prolonged the second stage of the householder’s life because he needed to ensure a strong heir for the kingdom; however, I have no such unfulfilled obligations.

  ‘Our kingdom is bigger and stronger than it has ever been before and my children have astute mentors like you to hone their skills and guide them in the future. My sister has graciously agreed to bear the burden of regency to free me from my responsibility and I cannot thank her enough for this. Instead of accompanying me to the forest, my queens will stay with their sons as their guides and emotional support.’

  He looked at Yama and said, ‘My brother will continue to be the principal advisor to the king for as long as he deems necessary. I look forward to the time when he will be free of his responsibilities and will join me in the forest.
Together, we will relive the days of our youth spent in our guru’s ashram. Till then, I require good wishes from all of you to succeed in my endeavour.’

  His council members, especially the younger ones he had inducted himself, were sad to see him leave. His rule had ushered in a new era of optimism in the youth and for the first time Mahodayapur was looking outwards at the world.

  The elders knew that when the time for self-awakening came, no amount of arguments or logic could dissuade anyone. Their king had realized the transitory nature of material things and, after fulfilling his responsibilities, was moving towards self-actualization. They blessed him and asked him to stay in touch through Yamdagni and come back to the kingdom in case they required his help.

  He agreed to their suggestions but for now he needed to get as far away from here as possible. He was impatient to forget the ignominy of his defeat and take the first steps towards becoming an equal to his nemesis.

  He bid farewell to his family and left Kanyakubja in the garments of a Yogi, leaving all riches and weapons behind. The royal chariot dropped him till the city limits but he insisted on walking from thereon, saying his last goodbyes to the sights of the city he had loved since childhood.

  He hitched rides from passing trader carts plying the east– west highway and reached the eastern bank of the Yamuna where he decided to follow the river on foot for the remainder of his journey.

  The winding course brought him to Shatrana, the point of confluence of the Yamuna and the Shatadru with the widest river in Nabhivarsh that sustained huge populations along its banks—the Saraswati.

  The blue waters mesmerized him, for this was the first time he had seen the sun set in water, unlike the Ganga near his city where it rose every morning. As far as his eyes could see, the river spread uninhibited.