The Journey Beyond Bhuloka

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The Journey Beyond Bhuloka Page 6

by Krutant Iyer


  “Will they be safe from the Nisacharas while we are away?” Murari asked Vajra.

  “Don’t worry, my protective mantra still shields the portal from Narakaloka in the village. They will never be able to use it again.”

  Soon their ship crossed into the estuary and entered the ocean waters. The sun had started coming up, but the air was cool and breezy.

  Vajra addressed all of them collectively, “Our destination is Dvaitavana, the jungle island. We will reach the island within two days.”

  “What kind of island is Dvaitavana? Why are we heading there first?” Murari asked.

  “Dvaitavana is an isolated jungle island, that has not been colonized by Manavas. This is the island where I and Veera had first come across Shalva’s warriors. It will be our new abode for a while as I train you to awaken and control your Siddhi.” Vajra said. “Dvaitavana is unlike any other island you may have seen or heard of. But I will let you see it, instead of describing what awaits you.”

  Ballu, Raaka, and Mitra felt a lump form in their throat. They wondered what had they gotten themselves into. But Murari was unperturbed. Instead, he was excited.

  Even before Vajra’s arrival, and finding the truth about his origin, Murari had made up his mind to travel across Bhuloka and meet all kinds of people.

  As he sat on the ship admiring the vastness of the ocean, he couldn’t help but feel a tinge of excitement. He had finally set out on a journey that would lead him to his Tata. He couldn’t wait to meet him and kept wondering what kind of person he might be.

  There were no other ships or boats in sight. As they sailed further away into the ocean, the land beyond estuary became a tiny speck, far off in the distance. The merciless sun beat down on them from a cloudless sky. Before long, the four boys had exhausted their supply of drinking water. With no land in sight, their dehydrated bodies lay on the floor of the ship, languishing from thirst.

  After what felt like the longest day of their lives, the sun finally began to set on the horizon. It did not seem as menacing now as it had some time back. But what really got their energy up was the tiny dot they spotted off the reflection of the setting sun on the water. This far into the ocean, the tiny spot could only mean one of two things, it was either a ship, which meant they could get some water from the men on board, or it was an island. Which meant, they could get water and meet new people.

  Though the boys were excited, Vajra remained indifferent as ever. He had already made this journey over a decade ago and knew exactly where he was headed. As they went further in, the tiny dot was revealed to be an island. The boys were ecstatic to see the island.

  Vajra had a troubled look on his face as they neared the island. Something did not feel right.

  “What’s the matter? Is something wrong?” Murari asked him, having noticed his concerned expression.

  Vajra did not answer. It was as if he was lost in thoughts. Murari decided to not probe further.

  As their ship neared the island, they saw the island was quite unlike their own village. They immediately spotted several huts lined up in rows on the sandy beach. Palm trees rose from one end of the beach, braving the strong currents of the ocean.

  They got off the ship as it entered the shallow waters and the boys secured it to one of the palm trees with a thick rope.

  While they were busy doing so, Vajra stood gazing at the huts for a while, before moving towards the nearest hut. It was only then that they noticed the blackened rooftops of the conical huts. It was as if someone had tried to burn the huts. There was no sign of life anywhere. All the huts were deserted. As they walked further in, they noticed many huts had been demolished at the rear-end. Not just that, there was a huge trail on the sand, leading into the dark jungle beyond the beach. A massive load had been dragged into the jungle.

  Vajra emerged from inside one of the huts with a pensive look on his face.

  “Rest here tonight. Tomorrow we will head into the jungle to find out what exactly happened here.”

  ✽✽✽

  Pancha

  Delinquents of the Ocean

  Ballu and Raaka shared a hut, while Mitra decided to keep Murari company. Vajra occupied the hut adjoining Murari’s hut.

  Thankfully, there were large earthen pitchers full of water inside the huts. Murari and Mitra brought out their empty gourd canteens and dipped it inside the pitcher. The water was cold and refreshing. After having his fill, Murari lay on his back, while Mitra lay by his side. He could see the stars glittering in the sky through the doorless entrance of the hut. The boys quickly fell asleep, tired from the day-long voyage.

  Next morning, the four boys assembled at the back of the huts, facing the dark jungle. The sun had just risen over the other side of the jungle, and it was eerily quiet on the island. Unlike the previous night, there was no wind.

  “This island is called Ekadvipa. This isn’t how I found this settlement the last time I was here. The chief of this island had been kind enough to provide Veera and me with food and supplies the last time we were here. Something’s not right. A huge load has been dragged into the jungle.” Vajra said, pointing towards the deep trail in the sand, leading into the jungle.

  “Follow me closely. We need to be careful.”

  The boys responded in affirmative, before following Vajra into the jungle.

  The jungle seemed to be the heart and soul of the Ekadvipa. The essence of life radiated in its lush greenery. As they dwelled further into the jungle, the trail became more and more difficult to follow as the dry leaves covered the jungle ground all over. But Vajra had got a pretty good idea where the trail was leading them. He moved onwards, negotiating his way through the trees that stood tall like a castle. He was careful to avoid the areas with shrubs and creepers. After moving through the jungle for about an hour the density of trees began to taper. Vajra slowed down, motioning the boys to do the same with his hand. They were almost at the edge of the jungle, opening on the other side of the island.

  Hiding behind a tree, he counted twenty-three men idling on the beach. They wore shabby clothes and were carrying long swords in scabbards fastened to their waists.

  “Pirates,” Vajra muttered under his breath.

  Looking again, he saw the villagers bundled together in a large net, lying on the sandy beach near where the pirates were sitting.

  He did not want to charge blindly at the pirates. It would only put the boys and the inhabitants of the island in harm’s way. He did not wish to use the power of Siddhi as it would only give away their location to the Nisacharas or Shalva’s warriors. But how was he supposed to bring down these pirates without using his powers? He was in a tight spot.

  Even as he was contemplating his next move, Murari came out from behind the tree.

  “I will distract them and lead them away from here. Take the chance to free those people.” Murari whispered and dashed off in the direction of the beach, without waiting for Vajra or others to respond.

  “You fool! Get back in here.” Vajra tried to call him back, but Murari had already exited the jungle-line.

  But instead of heading towards the beach, he walked several meters to the left-hand side of where he had emerged from the jungle. Looking closely at the group of Pirates, he noticed they were standing around a heavily built man, who was the only one sitting on a boulder. Presumably, he was their captain. Murari picked up a smooth rock, about the size of his fist, sitting near his feet. Drawing his arm back he roughly measured the distance and thrust needed for the rock to hit its target. Once he was sure, he swiftly launched it in the aimed direction. The rock tore through the air like a knife and hit the captain of the pirates sitting atop the boulder, on the back of his head.

  The captain howled in pain as the rest of the pirates turned to look at Murari.

  Murari stood by the edge of the jungle-line and stuck out his tongue, with his hands resting on his hips. Taunting them to come after him.

  Consumed with mad rage, captain of the pirates sprang
up and dashed towards Murari, pulling out his sword from his scabbard while doing so. Seeing their captain charge, the rest of the pirates took after him, with own their swords drawn out as well.

  Murari quickly turned heels and fled into the jungle behind him. He pushed aside the shrubs and wild creepers blocking his way and dashed further into the jungle. He did not need to look behind to know the pirates had followed him into the jungle. He could hear them shouting curses at him. They were quickly gaining on him. He was surprised at the sprightly movement of the lethargic pirates. He had to quickly find a hiding spot, or the pirates would get hold of him in no time. He looked around as he ran, there were tall trees all around but he couldn’t possibly make the climb in time.

  The trees were bigger and fewer in number as he went further in. Murari knew he couldn’t hide from the pirates if he kept running in the open. He had to find a dense stretch to get them off his back.

  As if in answer to his unspoken thought, he saw a huge rock about the size of a small tree towards his right, entirely covered in the foliage. It was as if the jungle was camouflaging its existence. Creeping plants had covered the rock in most places. Murari immediately changed course and sprinted in its direction, intending to hide behind the natural curtain provided by the creeping plants. He did not slow down even as he neared the rock, he put out his hand in a swift motion to push some creepers aside and get behind it before the pirates spot him. But instead of touching the rock behind the creeping plants, his hands went through the green curtain. He lost the balance over his body as he fell down the crevice hidden behind the plants. He tumbled head over heel, even as he desperately tried to reach out and get a grip, but to no avail. Eventually, he rolled off the rocky terrain and fell metres feet down, landing on the sand. He was hurting all over, and even though he had landed on soft sand, the impact caused him sharp pain in the lower back. Thankfully, rocks were covered in moss, that avoided causing any serious bruises to him.

  Murari slowly sat up and looked around. There was sand all around him. The ceiling of the cave was made up of hard rock. Looking back in the direction he fell from, Murari wondered how he had survived the long fall. But what really took his breath away was the lone tree standing tall in the middle of the cave. Its root coming out of the sand in several places. It looked like a normal tree, except it was growing underneath a rock.

  The leaves on this tree-covered its entire structure, making its branches almost invisible. Murari was spell-bounded by its beauty. He got up, dusted his dhoti and walked towards the mysterious tree. The trunk of the tree emitting a strange light that was dimmer at a distance, but as he neared the tree it became brighter and more evident.

  Arriving at the foot of the tree, Murari noticed some text engraved on its trunk.

  He stepped closer to the trunk to read the text.

  The ones who seek shall get, not what they desire, but what they deserve.

  As soon as he had mouthed the words, the branches of the tree came alive. They opened up and spread out till they covered the entire expanse of the cave. The bright light that was earlier only visible around the tree’s trunk, was now illuminating every corner of the cave through the canopy of branches and leaves overhead.

  Murari stepped back to gaze at the miracle unfolding in front of him. He had never seen such beautiful scenery before.

  “What’s your name, child?”

  Murari looked around, wondering who else was there with him. Not seeing anyone around, he looked at the tree.

  “Don’t be alarmed. We are the only ones here.” the voice spoke again. Murari’s mouth fell open in wonder.

  “Did I fall to Narakaloka?” Murari thought out loud.

  “As far as I remember, this is still Bhuloka.” The voice replied.

  There was a sense of warmth in the voice. There was an undertone of vibration within the voice that echoed through the cave.

  “Tell me your name, child.”

  “I am Murari. Who are you?” Murari responded.

  “I do not have a name. I am but a small part of the Paramshakti Vruksha.”

  “What’s that?”

  “Paramshakti Vruksha is the divine tree of Siddhi. Many centuries ago, the divine tree broke itself into several parts and scattered across all the Lokas. Wherever its essence fell, a tree sprouted from the ground. You will find many trees like me all over the Lokas. We nourish the land with our roots and have helped it thrive over the millennia.”

  Murari peered at the tree with his head tilted, confusion writ all over his face.

  “Hmmm… Seems like it is too early for you comprehend this knowledge. Tell me, child. What do you seek?”

  “The way out of here,” Murari asked in all innocence.

  The voice burst out laughing, reverberating through the entirety of the cave. Murari had to block his ears with his hands.

  The laughter finally receded after some time.

  “Is that all you seek, child? Do you not wish to have power, wealth, or even immortality?” the voice asked.

  “I will get powerful on my own. Wealth doesn’t interest me, and who wants to live forever? It’s boring.” Murari answered as a frown formed on his forehead.

  There was no response from the tree for a while. The next moment, a small crack appeared on the tree’s trunk. It slowly opened to reveal a ball of bright light inside it. At the same time, the light that had illuminated the cave earlier vanished.

  “Your Atman is pure, child.”

  This time the voice did not echo through the cave, it came directly from the ball of light.

  “What are you?” Murari asked.

  “I am the Atman of this tree. I have been in Bhuloka since the beginning of time, and yet you are the first person I have come across to have a pure Atman.”

  “Other people have come here before me?” Murari asked.

  “Not here. I have lived in many places within this Loka. Once I am discovered, I move to another location. That’s how I have been able to survive and nourish this Loka for so long.”

  “So, now that I have found you, will you be moving again?”

  “Yes, that’s the way of things. But before I leave, I wish to give you something.”

  Saying so, the ball of light split into two, and the second ball entered his body through the head. Murari felt a burning sensation grip his head and then the entire body. He fell to the ground, holding his head in agony. After what seemed like a long time, the burning sensation receded.

  “Why do my eyes hurt so much?” Murari asked as he rubbed his eyes with his fingers to quell the pain.

  “I have bestowed upon you the Eye of Indriya, the power of vision.”

  “What’s that? Take it back. It hurts.” Murari shouted, while still rubbing his eyes.

  “The pain will subside in some time. It is normally not possible to gauge the power of Siddhi or the kind of energy within another being. But with Eye of Indriya, you will be able to not only measure their level of energy but also differentiate between its kinds.”

  “Kinds of energy?” Murari asked as he opened one eye to look at the ball of light. The pain in his eyes was slowly receding.

  “Yes, there are many kinds of Siddhis, as you will learn on your journey. The aura around the beings who have cultivated to a higher level of Siddhi will burn brighter than everyone.”

  The pain was now completely gone. Murari slowly opened his eyes and felt powerful energy within his eyes. He felt like a stranger in his own body.

  “This looks interesting.” Murari looked around.

  He could see nothing but absolute pallor all around.

  “You have piqued my interest, child. This power will aid your growth.” The ball of light said as it withdrew back into the tree’s trunk.

  As if in response to its call, the canopy of branches and leaves that had covered the cave’s ceiling recoiled back into their original position. The tree itself started shrinking, and got smaller with every passing moment, till it was reduced to the si
ze of a seed. Then the seed disappeared under the ground, leaving no signs of its existence behind.

  “Oh no! I forgot to ask about the exit,” Murari said out loud.

  With the tree gone, Murari looked around to try and find an exit. There was no opening in sight and he could only see sand everywhere. But then he saw a thick root left behind by the tree that rose all the way up to the mouth of the cave, from where he had stumbled down. The root seemed firm and strong enough to bear his weight. Using it as a rope, Murari climbed off the sandy floor, onto the rocky roof from where he had fallen. The mossy rocks on the slope made it difficult to find a secure footing, and he slipped several times while making the climb, but he resolutely held on to the root.

  Finally, with much effort, he was able to reach the mouth of the cave.

  He had not forgotten about the Pirates. He knew they would still be looking for him. He carefully peered through the natural screen provided by the creeping plant that hid the entrance to the cave.

  The pirates were nowhere to be seen. He couldn’t even hear their wild cries.

  Surely, they haven’t given up the hunt, he thought.

  After all, he had hit their captain. They weren’t going to let it go so easily.

  He knew he couldn’t stay hidden there for long. He couldn’t tell how much time had passed since he fell into the cave, but from the position of the Sun, it seemed that a couple of hours had passed.

  He parted the creeping plant with one hand, as he cautiously stepped onto the jungle ground once again. Seeing no one around, he quickly rushed to the nearest protection provided by the dense shrubs and crouched in its cover.

  After waiting a while, he decided to come out in the open. Just when he was about to step out of the shrub, he heard a sound. It was faint at first. Someone was calling out his name. Upon listening carefully, he could tell that it was coming from somewhere behind him.

  As the voice drew nearer, he recognized the person. It was Ballu, with Raaka and Mitra, close in tow. He waited to see if they were being followed or if it was a trap by the pirates. But sensing no one around, other than these three, he stepped out from behind the shrub.

 

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