The Journey Beyond Bhuloka

by Krutant Iyer

  “You said this trial was our first lesson. How’s that?” Murari asked Vajra.

  “Let me explain to you the topography of this jungle island and why I particularly brought you here to train,” Vajra said, signalling the boys to sit in front of him, as he began unravelling the island’s secret.

  “Tell me this – what fascinates you the most about this island?” Vajra asked the boys.

  “The mist around the island,” Ballu responded.

  “Its unique structure,” said Mitra.

  “The fruits,” Raaka answered.

  Murari pondered for few moments before answering, “The Atman of the island.”

  Vajra smiled.

  “You are fascinated by what you see because right now sight is your dominant sense,” he explained.

  “In reality, there’s more than what meets the eye when it comes to Dvaitavana,” Vajra continued. “This island is one of the few entities in the Loka that rises from its nethermost to its uppermost echelons. In simple words, this island rises from Narakaloka to Balaloka, and possibly beyond that.”

  Vajra’s revelation was met with stunned silence from the boys.

  “This giant, rock island sits on the surface of Narakaloka, while it pierces the ground in Bhuloka. This is where we are right now. The jungle within the island, along with its structure rises as you have seen and experienced.” Vajra continued explaining.

  “Tell me something, when you were ascending the jungle, did you feel a sudden change in atmosphere, and notice any drastic changes in the surroundings at any point?” Vajra asked.

  “Yeah – on the third level, my body felt much lighter, but the air somehow felt more difficult to breathe than the levels below,” Ballu answered.

  “Hmm, what else?” Vajra asked.

  “There was a thick screen of haze. We couldn’t see anything, but Murari was somehow able to. So, he guided us through it,” Mitra added. “Also – the Tiger. Ballu would have been killed by the beast if Murari hadn’t killed it first.”

  “Hmm, interesting,” Vajra listened patiently, “So, it was a Tiger this time.”

  “What do you mean?” Murari asked.

  “As you may have deduced now, the third level of the jungle does not exist in Bhuloka. When you climbed onto the third level, you had already entered the realm of Balaloka.” Vajra revealed.

  “What!” the boys exclaimed in unison.

  “When I asked you about Balaloka upon your return, I wasn’t joking.” Vajra smiled.

  “By the way how did you managed to get away from the Tiger?” he asked.

  Mitra briefly recounted how Murari had managed to kill the Tiger.

  Vajra cast a quick glance at Murari’s sword, before looking at him.

  “That was a reckless move. If the beast had managed to get you in its hold, you would be dead by now.” Vajra lightly reprimanded Murari.

  “I had no choice. If I hadn’t acted, the Tiger would have killed him.” Murari retorted, pointing towards Ballu.

  “I am not questioning your motive or bravery. I only urge you to be more pragmatic when it comes to such situations,” Vajra explained.

  “Anyways, what’s done is done. Once your training finishes, you will not be in a helpless situation ever again.” Vajra assured the boys.

  “You all must be hungry. It seems the pirates have managed to catch some fish. That should make for a delectable meal,” Vajra said as he stood up.

  “Murari, please stay back,” Vajra said. “You boys go on ahead, we will join you in a while.”

  Once the boys were out of hearing range, Vajra turned to Murari, “Have you learned to control it yet?” he asked.

  “Control what?” Murari asked.

  “The Eye of Indriya,” Vajra said. “You don’t think I noticed your blinding headaches since we left the last island.”

  Murari’s eyebrows twitched on hearing this.

  “No, I haven’t yet. It just shows up on its own.” Murari said.

  “I did not expect it to awaken by itself on this quest. Originally, when I sent you boys into the jungle, I only wanted you to retrieve the Ashwagandha plant and experience the difference in atmosphere between Bhuloka and Balaloka,” Vajra explained. “I did not factor in the possibility of the Eye of Indriya getting activated on its own.”

  “But it was only due to it, that I was able to somehow defeat that beast and find my way through that misty jungle,” Murari said.

  “True. But it was also due to the same power that you encountered the beast and the mist-covered jungle in the first place.” Vajra said. “As you know now, this is not an ordinary island. That beast was one of the guardians of this jungle. The guardian beasts are known to be able to sense the powerful energy in other beings, much like your ocular power. Since you haven’t learned to control or conceal your power yet, it considered you as a threat. The mist around the jungle was its way of keeping you out of its territory. That’s why the mist dissipated as soon as you defeated the beast.”

  “I did not wish to kill it; I was only defending myself,” Murari said.

  “Don’t worry, you cannot kill the guardians of this jungle. They live eternally, or at least, as long as this island stands.” Vajra reassured him. “What you defeated was merely an embodiment of the guardian’s Atman. They come in different forms. The size and kind of beasts depend on their opponent’s power. The stronger the power, the more dangerous the beast.”

  “Tiger is a pretty strong beast.” Murari smiled.

  Vajra chuckled on hearing this.

  “Now don’t get ahead of yourself. Though a Tiger may be one of the strongest beasts in Bhuloka; in Balaloka, even an awakened Rat can easily defeat a Tiger.” He said.

  “Really! That’s awesome.” Murari exclaimed in amazement. “I cannot wait to go to Balaloka and see all these wonderful beasts.”

  “You have to undergo the training first. Only after you have awakened your Siddhi, and have absolute control over it, can you even think about entering Balaloka.” Vajra said. “The beasts of Balaloka may be powerful, but the awakened warriors are on a different level altogether.”

  Murari chose not to probe further. At that moment, as Vajra stood reminiscing about his time in Balaloka, he momentarily looked like just another tired and vulnerable old man.

  ✽✽✽

  Ashta

  Awakening the Siddhi

  The boys tore into the barbequed mackerel fish like wild animals. Even the pirates seemed civil in comparison to the boys at the moment. Once they had their fill, the pirates retired into a corner, for their post-meal nap. It wasn’t like they had anything better to do.

  The four boys gathered around Vajra. Even after enjoying the sumptuous meal, their energy had hardly depleted.

  Vajra led the boys through the tunnel into the jungle. Once they were out in the clearing of the jungle, Vajra took his seat on top of a large boulder, and the boys gathered in front of him.

  “Before we begin, I want you to understand one thing,” Vajra said, as he rested his lathi on the boulder. “As I told you before, once I accept you as my disciples, you will have to absolutely commit to the process, and follow all my instructions without questioning the method. If you have a problem with that, speak now.”

  The boys agreed readily, only eager for the lessons to begin.

  “In that case, let us begin,” Vajra said. “Now, whatever you may have understood of Sidhi by witnessing my power or by the power of your own imagination, I want you to let go of it.

  Every living creature in this world has an Atman. It is their spiritual essence, their real innermost essential being. It is the only entity that transcends the body and has the power to break the shackles of time, which makes it eternal.

  While Atman is everlasting and can live even outside your body, Siddhi is the form of energy that’s innate in all beings but dies with the body. Everyone is capable of using the basic form of Siddhi, like walking, running, and speaking. But the ones who have awakened the po
wer beyond the basics are known as Siddhas.”

  The boys listened with rapt attention.

  “Today I will help you awaken the Siddhi within your body,” Vajra said. “Now, bring me the Ashwagandha herb.”

  Murari stood up and handed the plant to Vajra. Following his instructions, Ballu brought him a blunt rock, about the size of his fist and another stone with flatter surface to use as a base.

  Vajra cleaned the flat stone by pouring water over it from his gourd. Then he went on to pluck the red berries and the leaves of the Ashwagandha plant. Once he had stripped the plant completely, he threw away the bare stem that remained. He carefully arranged the berries and the leaves and used the blunt rock to press the mixture. He poured a few drops of water over the mixture from his gourd and kept crushing. He repeated this until the mixture had become a fine paste. It looked gooey, like wet mud.

  The boys cringed on seeing the hideous concoction and wrinkled their nose as the paste gave out an awful stench.

  “Put out your palms,” Vajra said.

  The boys reluctantly did as they were told, while silently hoping Vajra would not ask them to put it in their mouth.

  But that’s exactly what he asked them to do, and more.

  “Make sure, you do not chew it or swallow it immediately. Let it slowly melt in your mouth, and experience every little nuance of its wonderful, complex flavour.” Vajra said as he finished giving out the paste.

  The boys looked at each other, as a lump formed in their throats. Even their own body was rejecting this awful, putrid concoction.

  “If you cannot even do this much, then I am afraid the path of Siddhi may not be for you,” Vajra said.

  His words had the desired effect, as the boys closed their eyes and licked the entire paste off their hands.

  Vajra silently sat atop the boulder and watched the colour drain from their faces as the flavour of the herb kicked in. The boys jumped vigorously; Ballu and Murari fell to the floor while desperately covering their mouth with their hands to avoid spitting out the nasty paste. Mitra found himself in a similar situation, rubbing his cheeks and wiping the tears off his face. Raaka remained as calm as ever. His face not betraying so much as a hint of emotion.

  After a few moments, Vajra finally signalled them to swallow the paste. They lost no time in doing so and emptied the water from their respective gourds into their throat, washing down the nasty taste from their mouths. They felt a burning sensation take over their entire body. They felt like their bodies were on fire and pores of their skin had opened up to release the fumes from within.

  They yelled in pain and fell on the floor, rolling on the grass. Vajra silently observed all this, impassive to their plight.

  The burning sensation finally subsided after what felt like an eternity. The boys had removed their vests and were now covered in the moist grass from the ground.

  “Ahh – What was that?” Ballu was the first one to speak.

  “It felt like my whole body was on fire. It was surreal.” Mitra said as he picked up his vest from the ground.

  “You don’t need to be alarmed,” Vajra spoke. “What you just experienced was the essence of the Ashwagandha paste coming into effect. Its essence was coursing through your body, opening up the previously closed pores, and awakening the powers of Siddhi lying dormant within your body.”

  “Teacher, does that mean – Now, we too can use the power of Siddhi?” Ballu asked earnestly.

  Vajra looked at the blockhead and said, “Not yet. We still need to identify the nature of your Siddhi and its elemental affinity.”

  The boys gathered around him once again, having put their vest back on.

  “Siddhi manifests differently in everyone. There are three kinds of Siddhi – Vasitv, Isitv, and Vivarta,” Vajra explained. “Let’s find out which one among these has manifested in you. Murari’s Indriya should help us quicken this process.”

  “Teacher, what exactly is Indriya?” Mitra asked.

  “Indriyas are essentially enhanced versions of your senses. They can prove to be very powerful, depending on their wielder’s control over it.” Vajra explained.

  “In Murari’s case, the Indriya bestowed on him by the divine tree enhanced his power of sight. Hence, it’s called the Eye of Indriya.” Vajra said as he gestured Murari to step forward.

  “But I don’t know how to use the power at will,” Murari said.

  “Close your eyes and listen to my voice intently.” Vajra directed him.

  Murari did as told.

  “What do you see?”

  “Nothing.”

  “Good. Now guide your eyes to look within and sense the warmth from the light of Indriya around your eyes.” Vajra’s said as he guided Murari.

  Murari tried doing as told. A frown formed on his forehead, and his head moved sideways, as he tried hard to sense the Indriya, but to no avail.

  “Don’t exert unnecessary force. Think back to the moment when the tree bestowed the power upon you.” Vajra guided him. “Try and remember how you felt, and what you saw back then.”

  Murari clearly remembered that moment. After all, it had seemed so surreal, how could he forget. As he thought back to the moment when the ball of light had entered his body, he saw a flicker of white light appear within his eyes. It was unclear at first, but within moments its brightness forced him to open his eyes, lo and behold, the world had become colourless once again.

  He had managed to activate Eye of Indriya on his own, and unlike earlier, he was spared the throbbing sensation that usually came with it.

  Unlike previously, when he could only see their silhouette, this time, he was able to see the boys and Vajra clearly. Not just that, the light being emitted from their bodies was quite a sight to behold. While his surroundings had submerged in darkness, he could clearly see the white light emitted by the boys, as well as Vajra.

  “Whoa, that looks scary!” Ballu remarked.

  “What’s wrong?” Murari asked.

  “Your eyes,” Ballu said, pointing towards his eye, “they look weird.”

  Murari closed his eyes and felt it with his fingers. He did not feel anything.

  Is Ballu making fun of me again? A frown formed upon Murari’s forehead.

  “That’s the Eye of Indriya.” Vajra explained. “Earlier, you weren’t able to control its power, but now you have managed to call it forth on your own. When you activate the Eye of Indriya, your pupils become white.”

  Murari nodded as he tried to process this new information.

  “Now, look at me and tell me what you see?” Vajra instructed Murari.

  “I see a very bright, white light covering your body. Your hands – they are shining even more brightly.” Murari said.

  “Good. The white light represents Siddhi within a person’s body, and the person’s level of cultivation can be gauged by its brightness.” Vajra explained. “The light surrounding my body represents the Siddhi known as Isitv, which is the power to become, create, and control an element of nature.”

  “How can a person become an element of nature?” Murari asked.

  Vajra smiled and tapped his lathi twice on the ground and hollered, “Jvala”.

  As soon as he did, a circle of fire appeared around them from the ground.

  “That’s the creation of element at will,” Vajra said. “Now for the transformation,” saying so, his entire frame burst into flame, including his lathi and bottle gourd, and whirled in the air in a circle, before landing back on the ground, and returning to his original form.

  The boys looked at him dumbfounded by the display of his Siddhi. They couldn’t contain their excitement to see what kind of Siddhi they had awakened. They all turned towards Murari, whose vision had returned to normal. But he wasn’t looking at them.

  Looking at Vajra, he questioned, “What about the white light around your palms? What does that do?”

  Vajra smiled at him, “Just like you have Eye of Indriya, I have Touch of Indriya. I can sense and tr
ack activities even from a great distance, by touching the surface and feeling the vibrations emitted by the movements.”

  “Oi – Murari! Stop wasting time and tell us about our Siddhi now.” Ballu yelled, getting impatient.

  The boys couldn’t contain their excitement any longer.

  “First you need to get down on your knees and cluck like a chicken,” Murari said, taunting him to get down.

  Ballu glared at Murari, while Raaka and Mitra laughed. Even Vajra couldn’t suppress a smile.

  “Okay, that’s enough fun for now,” said Vajra. “Murari, use your Eye of Indriya and tell me what you see.”

  Murari did as he was told and after looking at each of them carefully, he revealed what he saw to Vajra. Based on the details, Vajra deduced their types of Siddhi.

  Ballu and Raaka’s Siddhi turned out to be Vivarta, which allowed them to take the form of a hybrid-beast, at will.

  Mitra’s power type was Isitv, which meant he, like Vajra, had the ability to the ability to become, create, and control an element of nature. Apart from this, Murari also saw a white light around Mitra’s ears. Vajra identified it as Ear of Indriya, giving him enhanced auditory perception.

  Finally, it was Murari’s turn. Since Murari could not see his own Siddhi, Vajra helped him identify his type of Siddhi.

  Vajra his index finger on Murari’s chest. He couldn’t sense anything.

  He placed his entire palm on Murari’s chest, but still felt no vibrations or hint of Siddhi from within him.

  He pulled his hand back and wondered what was happening.

  “What’s the matter? What type of Siddhi do I possess?” Murari asked Vajra eagerly.

  Vajra did not respond. He seemed to be lost in his thoughts.

  “Something’s not right,” Vajra said. “I do not sense any vibrations from your body.”

  “What does that mean?” Murari asked, starting to get worried.

  “It seems the power of Siddhi failed to manifest in your body.”

  Murari’s heart sank on hearing this. He didn’t know how to react.

  “But I ate the Ashwagandha herb like everyone else. Then why has it not manifested within me?” Murari asked.