The Secret of the Nagas

by Amish Tripathi

  The Kashi soldier knew what he was running away from and yet his feet were unsteady. Ganesh knew what he was running towards, but his pace was sure and strong.

  He used a side stone as leverage to leap over the park fence without a sound.

  He landed on the other side, close to a lioness busy crushing the broken neck of a soldier between her jaws, asphyxiating an already dead man. Ganesh slashed at her as he ran by, cutting through a major vein on her shoulder. Blood poured out of the lioness’ wound as Ganesh raced towards Krittika, another Kashi soldier and Kartik, who were at the centre of the garden. Two other soldiers were lying dead in a far corner. Judging from their positions, they were probably the first to be killed.

  Ganesh dashed to Krittika’s side. They were hemmed in from one side by a lioness and a massive liger.

  Bhoomidevi be merciful! They have followed us from Icchawar!

  The other side was blocked off by the lioness whose shoulder was bleeding profusely after Ganesh’s blow.

  Kartik, his wooden sword drawn, was ready for battle. Ganesh knew Kartik was childishly brave enough to charge at the liger with just his wooden sword. He stood in front of his brother, with Krittika on one side and the soldier on the other.

  ‘No way out,’ whispered Krittika, sword drawn.

  Ganesh knew Krittika was not a trained warrior. Her maternal instincts would drive her to protect Kartik, but she probably wouldn’t be able to kill any of the cats. The soldier on the other side was shivering. He was unlikely to be much help.

  Ganesh nodded towards the bleeding lioness limping towards them. ‘She’ll not last too long. I’ve cut a major vein.’

  The liger was circling them while moving towards the front, as the lionesses flanked the humans. Ganesh knew it was only a matter of time. They were preparing for the charge.

  ‘Pull back,’ whispered Ganesh. ‘Slowly.’

  There was a hollow in the main trunk of a banyan tree behind them. Ganesh intended to push Kartik in there and defend it from the lionesses.

  ‘We can’t last long,’ said Krittika. ‘I’ll try to distract them. You run with Kartik.’

  Ganesh didn’t turn towards Krittika, staring hard at the liger. But his admiration for Veerbhadra’s wife shot up. She was willing to die for his brother.

  ‘That won’t work,’ said Ganesh. ‘I can’t move fast enough with Kartik. The walls are high. Help is on its way. The Mahadev is coming. We just have to hold the lions off for some time.’

  Krittika and the soldier followed Ganesh’s lead as they edged slowly to the rear, pushing Kartik back. The liger and lionesses crept forward, their blind aggression from just a few moments earlier dissipating at the sight of the giant man holding a blood-stained sword.

  A little while later, Kartik had been pushed into the banyan hollow, with the tree’s hanging roots tied around it to prevent him from charging out. He was safe. At least for as long as Ganesh stood.

  The cats charged. Ganesh was surprised to see the limping lioness bounding forward. Krittika was covering that area.

  ‘Stay low!’ shouted Ganesh. He couldn’t move to support Krittika since the liger could charge through the opening to attack Kartik. ‘Stay low Krittika! She’s injured. She can’t leap high!’

  Krittika had held her sword low, waiting for the wounded lioness to reach her. But to her surprise, the big cat suddenly veered left. As Krittika was about to charge after her, she heard a blood-curdling scream.

  The lioness from the other side had used the distraction and crept up to the Kashi soldier. He was screaming in agony as the lioness dragged his body back, slashing at him with her claws. The soldier kept screeching, trying to push the lioness back, hitting her with weak blows from his sword. She kept biting into him, finally getting a choke hold on the convulsing soldier’s neck. Moments later he was dead.

  The liger remained stationary in front of Ganesh, blocking any escape. The other lioness left the dead Kashi soldier and returned to position.

  Ganesh breathed slowly. He marvelled at the intelligent, pack-hunting behaviour these animals were displaying.

  ‘Stay low,’ said Ganesh to Krittika. ‘I will cover the liger and this lioness. You have to focus on the injured one. I cannot see to all three. These animals hunt as a pack. Whoever gets distracted is dead.’

  Krittika nodded as the injured lioness started ambling towards her. The animal was losing too much blood from her shoulder injury. She was slow in her movements. Suddenly, she charged at Krittika.

  As the lioness came close, she leapt high. As high as her injured shoulder allowed. It was a weak jump. Krittika bent low, holding her sword up high, brutally stabbing it into the lioness’ heart. The beast fell on Krittika and was soon dead.

  Ganesh glanced at Krittika out of the corner of his eye. Before being felled, the lioness had managed to dig her claws into Krittika and rip away a part of her shoulder. Krittika was bleeding profusely, practically immobile under the lioness’ corpse which was pinning her down. But she was alive. She had Ganesh in her line of sight.

  Ganesh flipped his shield onto his back, pulled out his second shorter sword and stood close to the banyan tree. The short sword had a twin blade, which clipped together as the victim’s body moved. It was a fearsome weapon if it was stabbed deep into a body as it would cut again and again.

  Ganesh waited, biding time, hoping the Mahadev would arrive before it was too late.

  The liger moved to Ganesh’s right. The lioness to his left. There was enough distance between the beasts to make it difficult for Ganesh to observe both of them at the same time. Having established a good offensive position, the animals moved forward slowly, in sync.

  The lioness suddenly charged. Ganesh lashed out with his left hand. But the shorter sword did not have the reach. The movement forced him to look left. The liger, taking advantage, charged into Ganesh and bit hard into his right leg, at the same spot that Ganesh had been injured in, at Icchawar.

  Ganesh screamed in agony and swung hard with his right sword arm, slashing the liger across the face. The liger retreated, but not before he had bitten off a chunk of Ganesh’s thigh.

  Ganesh was losing blood fast. He stepped back, leaning against the banyan tree. His kid brother was screaming behind him. Shouting to be let out so that he could battle the lions too. Ganesh did not move. And the cats charged again.

  This time the liger came first. Seeing a pattern in their attack, Ganesh kept his eyes dead centre, able to now see both the liger and lioness. He held his right sword out to stop the liger from coming in too close. The liger slowed down and the lioness came in faster. Ganesh jabbed hard with his short sword, straight into the lioness’ shoulder, but not before she had bitten into Ganesh’s limb. The lioness retreated with Ganesh’s short, twin bladed sword buried in her shoulder after having left another gaping injury in Ganesh’s left arm.

  Ganesh knew that he couldn’t stand on his feet much longer. He was losing too much blood. He did not want to fall sideways because Kartik would then become vulnerable. He fell back and sat against the tree, covering the hollow with his body. The animals would have to go through him to get to his brother.

  Due to the severe loss of blood, Ganesh’s vision was beginning to blur. But despite that, he could see that the wound on the lioness had been telling. She was still struggling at a distance from him, trying to lick her shoulder, unable to stand straight. As she moved, the twin-blade cut further into her, hacking tissue away from bone. He saw the liger moving in from the right, edging closer. Once close enough, the liger bounded and lashed out with his paw while Ganesh slashed with his sword at the same time. The liger’s claws tore through Ganesh’s face, causing a deep gash on his long nose. Simultaneously, Ganesh’s blow gouged the liger’s left eye. The animal retreated, howling in agony.

  But Kartik had seen what Ganesh hadn’t. He was trying to reach out with his wooden sword. But he couldn’t get far enough. ‘Dada! Look out!’

  The lioness had used Ganesh�
�s distraction to crawl closer. She lunged forward and bit into Ganesh’s chest. Ganesh swung his blade, slashing her face. The lioness retreated, snarling in pain, but not before ripping out a large amount of flesh from Ganesh’s torso. The Naga’s heart, pumping blood and adrenaline through the body at a furious rate, was now working against him as the numerous wounds leaked blood alarmingly.

  Ganesh knew his end was near. He couldn’t last much longer. And then he heard a loud war cry.

  ‘HAR HAR MAHADEV!’

  A warm, comforting darkness was beckoning Ganesh. He struggled to stay awake.

  Nearly fifty furious Suryavanshi soldiers charged into the park. They fell upon the two big cats. The weakened animals did not stand a chance and were soon killed.

  Through his rapidly fading vision, Ganesh thought he saw a handsome figure rushing towards him, bloodied sword held to the side. His throat, an iridescent blue. Behind the man, he could barely make out the blurred vision of a bronzed woman racing towards him. A warrior Princess, the blood of the liger splattered all over her.

  The Naga smiled, delighted to be the bearer of good news to two of the most important people in his world.

  ‘Don’t worry... baba,’ whispered Ganesh to his father. ‘Your son is safe... He is hidden... behind me.’

  Saying so, Ganesh collapsed. Unconscious.

  Chapter 20

  Never Alone, My Brother

  Ganesh thought he should feel pain. But there was nothing.

  He opened his eyes. He could barely distinguish the formidable Ayurvati next to his body.

  He shifted his eyes down towards his ravaged body; skin torn asunder, flesh ripped out, blood congealed all over, arm bone sticking out, a gaping hole in his chest, ribs cracked and visible.

  Bhoomidevi be merciful. I don’t stand a chance.

  Ganesh returned to darkness.

  A sharp sting on his chest. His eyes opened slowly. Barely.

  Through the slits, he could see Ayurvati changing his dressing.

  He could feel again.

  A good thing, right?

  He slipped into his dream world once again.

  A soft caress. Then the hand moved away. A sleeping Ganesh moved his head. He wanted the hand back. It returned to his face, stroking it gently.

  Ganesh opened his eyes slightly. Sati was sitting next to him, leaning over, her eyes swollen, red.

  Maa.

  But Sati didn’t respond. Maybe she hadn’t heard him.

  Ganesh could see outside the window behind Sati. It was raining.

  The monsoons? How long have I been unconscious?

  Ganesh saw a man leaning next to the window, against the wall. A strong man, whose normally mischievous eyes were expressionless. A man with a blue throat. A man staring intensely at him. Trying to figure him out.

  Sleep snatched Ganesh away yet again.

  A warm touch on his arm. Someone was gently applying the ointment on him.

  The Naga opened his eyes slowly. And was surprised to see the hand applying the medicine so tenderly was not soft and feminine, but strong and masculine.

  He turned his eyes slowly to see the kindly doctor. The torso was powerful and muscled. But the neck! It was different. It radiated a divine blue light.

  Ganesh was stunned. A gasp escaped his mouth.

  The hand applying the medicine froze. Ganesh could feel a pair of eyes boring into him. And then the Neelkanth rose and left the room.

  Ganesh shut his eyes again.

  Ganesh finally emerged from his sleepy cocoon after a long, long time without the immediate need to slip back into its safety. He could hear the soft pitter-patter of raindrops.

  He loved the monsoon. The heavenly whiff of a rejuvenated earth. The melody of falling rain.

  He turned his head slightly to his left. It was enough to wake Sati. She immediately rose from her bed at the far end of the room and walked up to Ganesh. She pulled a chair up close and rested her hand on her son’s.

  ‘How are you, my son?’

  Ganesh smiled softly. He turned his head a little more.

  Sati smiled and ran her fingers across her son’s face. She knew he liked that.

  ‘Krittika?’

  ‘She’s much better,’ said Sati. ‘She wasn’t as badly injured as you. In fact she was out of the ayuralay very quickly. Just two weeks.’

  ‘How long...?’

  ‘How long have you been here?’

  Ganesh nodded in reply.

  ‘Sixty days. In and out of consciousness.’

  ‘Rains...’

  ‘The monsoon is almost over. The moisture led to complications, slowing down your healing process.’

  Ganesh took a deep breath. He was tired.

  ‘Go to sleep,’ said Sati. ‘Ayurvati ji says you are well on the road to recovery. You will be out of here soon.’

  Ganesh smiled and went back to sleep.

  Ganesh was woken up abruptly by Ayurvati, who was staring at him pointedly.

  ‘How long have I been sleeping?’

  ‘Since the last time you were awake? A few hours. I sent your mother home. She needs to rest.’

  Ganesh nodded.

  Ayurvati picked some paste she had kneaded. ‘Open your mouth.’

  Ganesh winced at the foul smelling paste. ‘What is this, Ayurvati ji?’

  ‘It will make the pain go away.’

  ‘But I don’t feel any pain.’

  ‘You will when I apply the ointment. So open your mouth and keep it under your tongue.’

  Ayurvati waited for the medicine to take effect. Then she opened the dressing on Ganesh’s chest. His wound had healed dramatically. Flesh had filled up and some scar tissue had formed.

  ‘The skin will smoothen out,’ said an aloof Ayurvati.

  ‘I’m a warrior,’ smiled Ganesh. ‘Scars are more welcome than smooth skin.’

  Ayurvati stared at Ganesh, impassive. Then she picked up a bowl.

  Ganesh held his breath as Ayurvati started applying the ointment. Despite the anaesthetic, the ointment still stung. She finished applying the paste quickly and covered the wound again with a bandage of neem leaves.

  Ayurvati was quick, efficient and sure, qualities that Ganesh admired deeply.

  The Lord of the People took a deep breath, gathering some strength. ‘I didn’t think I would survive. Your reputation is truly deserved, Ayurvati ji.’

  Ayurvati frowned. ‘Where did you hear of me?’

  ‘I was injured in Icchawar as well. And Maa told me that you could have healed me twice as fast. She said that you are the best doctor in the world.’

  Ayurvati raised her eyebrows. ‘You have a silver tongue. Capable of making anyone smile. Just like the Lord Neelkanth. It’s sad you don’t have his untainted heart.’

  Ganesh kept quiet.

  ‘I admired Brahaspati. He was not just a good man, but a fount of knowledge. The world suffered when he died before his time.’

  Ganesh did not respond, his sad eyes looking deep into the doctor’s eyes.

  ‘Now, let me look at that arm,’ said Ayurvati.

  She yanked his bandage open. Hard enough to make it sting, but soft enough to not cause any serious damage.

  Ganesh didn’t flinch.

  The next day, Ganesh woke up to find his mother and aunt in the room, whispering.

  ‘Maa, Mausi,’ whispered Ganesh.

  Both the sisters turned to him with a smile.

  ‘Do you want something to eat or drink?’ asked Sati.

  ‘Yes, Maa. But can I also go for a walk today? I’ve been sleeping for sixty days. This is terrible.’

  Kali smiled. ‘I’ll speak with Ayurvati. For now, stay put.’

  As Kali left to find Ayurvati, Sati pulled her chair closer to Ganesh.

  ‘I’ve got parathas for you,’ said Sati, opening a small ivory box that she was carrying.

  Ganesh beamed. He absolutely loved the stuffed flat breads his mother made. But his smile vanished just as quickly when h
e remembered that so did his step-father, Shiva.

  Sati rose to find the mouth rinse Ayurvati had prescribed for Ganesh before he could eat.

  ‘Has father returned to your quarters, Maa?’

  Sati looked back from the medicine cabinet. ‘Now you don’t worry about these things.’

  ‘Has he started speaking to you at least?’

  ‘You needn’t worry about this,’ said Sati as she walked back to Ganesh.

  The Naga was staring at the ceiling, guilt gnawing at his heart. He narrowed his eyes. ‘Did he...’

  ‘Yes he did,’ replied Sati. ‘Shiva came to check on you every day. But I don’t think he’ll be coming from today.’

  Ganesh smiled sadly and bit his lip.

  Sati patted him on the head. ‘Everything will become all right when it is meant to become all right.’

  ‘I wish I could explain what happened at Mount Mandar. I wish I could explain why it happened. I don’t know if he would forgive me. But at least he would understand.’

  ‘Kali has told me a little bit. I understand somewhat. But Brahaspati ji? He was a great man. The world lost something when he died. Even I cannot understand completely. And Shiva loved him like a brother. How can we expect him to understand?’

  Ganesh looked at Sati with sad eyes.

  ‘But you saved Kartik’s life,’ said Sati. ‘You saved me. I know that’s worth a lot to Shiva. Give him time. He will come around.’

  Ganesh remained silent, clearly sceptical.

  The next day, with Ayurvati’s permission, Ganesh left his ayuralay room to take a short walk in the garden next door to Athithigva’s grand palace. Ganesh walked slowly, leaning on Kali’s shoulder, with a walking stick taking the bulk of his weight. He had wanted to walk alone, but Kali would hear none of it. As they reached the garden, they heard the loud sounds of clashing steel.

  Ganesh narrowed his eyes. ‘Someone’s practicing. Practicing hard!’

  Kali smiled. She knew Ganesh liked nothing better than seeing warriors practice. ‘Let’s go.’

  The Naga Queen helped Ganesh to the central area of the garden. Ganesh was, meanwhile, commenting on the quality of the practise, based on the sounds he heard. ‘Quick moves. These are steel swords, not meant for practice. Accomplished warriors duel over there.’