by T. G. Ayer
"Surely not here." Maya laughed softly. "I can't see flies existing in a place as exquisite and godly as this."
"Lord Shiva is the creator, the Preserver and the Destroyer. He is the beginning and the end of life. What are flies if not a small part of the Lord's universe?" asked Chayya, her face serene.
Maya did a double-take. "I hadn't though of it that way." She nodded as they headed across the threshold, passing whisper close to the shimmering doors. "Is that glass?"
"It is quartz."
"I thought diamond would be more suited," said Maya craning her neck to see if she could make out the top of the doors.
"And where in the world would you find a diamond the size of these doors?" Chayya waved her hand at the twenty foot high doors.
"I guess you have a point there."
They entered a large room that had Maya's jaw dropping again. Numerous chaise lounges were scattered around the room, elegantly finished in cream fabric, with swirling paisley patterns done in golden thread. The arms were curved and comfortable enough to take a nap on. Cushions of every shade of gold and red were thrown artfully upon the beautiful couches. Gigantic handwoven carpets covered the floor, depicting Indian hunting scenes that dated back thousands of years. Small, artifact filled tables ran along the walls and beside the seats, brass decanters and cups gleaming in the sunlight.
Along one wall was a balcony of sorts. A stone platform, one large step in height and five feet to the window, gave out onto the garden. It was fashioned much like a bay window, complete with made to fit pads for seating and scattered with luxurious gold patterned cushions. Six slim, carved pillars divided the palatial window seat reminding Maya that this was no ordinary home.
"We can sit here while we wait to be seen."
"How do they know we're here?" asked Maya as she stared at the fresco's painted on the walls. Dancing nymphs, apsaras and men cavorted on bright green meadows and white crested seasides and lonely mountaintops. A number of strange animals were included, creatures Maya had never seen or heard of.
"They know. Nobody enters Kailas without an invitation."
"What would have happened if we came up the mountain without an invitation?"
Chayya smiled. "The mountain is well protected agings intruders."
Maya didn't like the goddesses cryptic answer. "Don't tell me intruders are killed?" Maya flushed at the thought and was relieved when Chayya shook her head.
"No. They are transported straight back down the mountain and no doubt suffer weeks of wondering if they had only imagined their success. Besides, it is near impossible now to get a permit from the Chinese government to scale the mountain."
"You mean they actually stop people on pilgrimage?" Maya frowned at the thought.
"No. They discourage the climbers. They seek to protect the mountain and to maintain the respect of it for religious reasons."
"I hardly see the Chinese as religious." Prejudiced much, thought Maya, wanting to bite her tongue.
"Remember to always look beyond what you see, Maya. The choices of the government may not always be so easily explained away. Perhaps they care about the safety of the potential climber because Kailas is almost certainly a deadly climb. Perhaps they seek to ensure a religious place is not overrun by hundreds of uncaring tourist climbers whose desire is merely to conquer the mountain."
"With no respect to the religions who hold this place close to their hearts." Maya nodded, finally understanding what the goddess was trying to say. She flushed, hoping her prejudice had not reduced her in Chayya's eyes. She knew she'd try to be a little less judgmental next time. She smoothed her skirt down and walked to the stepped balcony. Beside her, gigantic cushions invited her to sprawl upon them and relax in a royal fashion but her attention was on the scene beyond the window.
Peacocks strutted in the manicured gardens and in the distance, where the manicured lawn met the wild jungle she saw the flicker of black and orange stripes. The tiger still lurked, reminding her she was the outsider.
She sucked in a breath and shook her head. She was currently standing on a mountaintop that was fabled to be the home of Lord Shiva. Fabled? Ha. The very word was laughable.
The fable is now the myth and the myth is the reality.
Chapter 23
A sound behind Maya caught her attention and she turned to see a man approach Chayya. He was dressed in a long, brocade coat in tan with fine red paisley print. He wore a small red turban and a viciously curved knife hung from his belt. He looked like he belonged in another one of those well-illustrated stories she'd grown up with.
He smiled from behind a thick handle-bar mustache and bowed, leaving as quietly as he came. Chayya rose and dusted her sari out. "It is time," she said holding out her hand. "Come. We must not keep him waiting."
"Will he get angry if we take too long?"
"No. But it will be impolite." Chayya's voice held a tinge of dryness and Maya glanced at her wondering if she was annoyed with her. But the goddess seemed unaffected as she glided down the passage in the wake of the turbaned man.
They passed through a series of halls dotted with elegant marbled pillars until at last they reached a second set of gigantic doors. Inside, the doorway led into a enormous hall, where cream and white marble flagstones covered the floor. The room was divided into three by two rows of colossal columns that reached up to ceilings inlaid with gold scroll work.
Maya and the goddess of shadows walked down the avenue of columns until they reached the golden dais at the end. On it were a pair of tiger-skin covered low chairs. Quite unexpected as a throne for the god of gods.
As they stepped toward the dais a figure began to form upon one of the stools and within the blink of an eye Maya was face-to-face with Lord Shiva, Creator, Preserver, Destroyer.
The God of all things.
She shivered a little and her knees shook but thankfully she remained standing and didn't embarrass herself by toppling onto her face before the Eternal God.
She took in the physical form of Shiva. In reality, his skin was not as blue as some had claimed. He was a luxurious, golden complexion, but beneath the beautiful browned skin there was a blue glow. That was the best that Maya could describe it. It wasn't as if his skin was just blue. It seemed to glow with a deep blue phosphorescence. And the effect was incredible beautiful.
He wore a headdress of dreadlocks, wound neatly atop his crown, encircled by gleaming brown holy beads, much like the multitude of paintings and carvings she'd seen. But his ebony hair was luxurious and silky, far from the drab Rastafarian hairdos she'd come across in her lifetime.
Strangely enough there wasn't a snake in sight. Thankfully.
The god of gods was dressed in a long coat, mandarin-collared and fashioned from shimmering oyster silk, patterned in gold and black paisley print. Beneath the coat he wore a pair of baggy black silk pants. His feet were covered in soft, hand-woven leather slippers. She'd almost expected to see them turned up at the toe like many of the Sultans of old but was silently thankful they weren't.
His garb was beautiful but simple, and unlike anything that Maya had expected, although she suspected rivers flowing from his head would certainly cause a bit of a flooding issue within the hall. And the river Ganges no doubt preferred to be in the ground where she belonged.
Shiva sat with his feet crossed at the ankles and inclined his head to Chayya, his black eyes glittering like obsidian. "Goddess Chayya. Welcome to my home." His voice was golden and beautiful and echoed around the room like a soft bell, heavy and rich and almost sultry.
"Thank you, my Lord. It is a beautiful place and I am honored to be here." When Shiva bent his head again Chayya turned to Maya. "My Lord, this is Maya Rao."
Lord Shiva tilted his head in Maya's direction and she felt the full force of his perusal. A strange wave of energy pulsated from the god, not unpleasant, just unusual. "Welcome, Maya Rao. I am grateful that you accepted my invitation."
Maya blinked, her lashed closing and
opening so fast she could have doubted she'd moved them at all. Invitation? She swallowed as she stared at the blue-tinged skin on the god's beautiful face. From her recollection of what the gold-inscribed scroll had said, she was pretty sure it had read more along the lines of a summons than an invitation. Not that she was about to say as much to the god.
Instead she nodded. "I am honored that you chose me, my lord." Belatedly she realized that as the god of gods he could probably read her mind and she flushed at the thought.
But if he had availed himself to her thoughts, Lord Shiva seemed unaffected. He spoke in smooth tones, "You have not long come into the powers given to you by Mother Kali, and you have shown the qualities of a true warrior. And your skills are quite unique in that you possess godly power but you are only human." He paused a moment as Maya considered the words 'only human', finding that oddly, she was not offended. "I understand you have been learning to control the skills Mother Kali has given you."
"Yes, my Lord. Nikhil has been helping me." Her cheeks grew warm at the mention of Nikhil but she scolded herself silently. Shiva probably already knew everything that was in her heart. She may as well be standing her naked. She certainly had nothing to hide, nor could she hide anything even if she wanted to.
Lord Shiva smiled and Maya could have sworn his eyes twinkled with mischief. "Ah, yes. The son of Yama. I have no doubt that he will be an asset to you." Maya flushed then hoped the god hadn't noticed. She wasn't sure how to respond to Lord Shiva's comment regarding Nik so she chose to remain silent. "Well, I suppose I had better get to the point. We have no time to waste in the matter." He got to his feet and stepped off the dais. As he walked Maya noticed his hall was also blessed with the wide window seating, only here it spanned the entire length of one wall of the majestic hall.
At the window he paused and looked back at Maya for a moment before turning to the window to examine the stunning view. "We need you to retrieve Gandiv, the bow of Rama, and to bring it back to its true home."
Chapter 24
Silence fell heavily in the huge hall as the sound of Maya's thundering heart filled her ears. "Oh," was all she managed to say. The bow of Rama truly belonged to Lord Shiva and he was asking her to find it and return it to him. She cleared her throat as she realized she owed him a proper response. Something more than a tiny 'oh'. "Yes, my lord, I will do ask you ask."
"Do not worry, Maya. You will have sufficient assistance to perform your task. The bow has spend too many years in the hands of humanity and nothing good has come of it. It is time Gandiv came home to rest. Men have fought over that bow, avatars have wielded it, but it is time it achieved the peace it deserves." He stepped off the balcony step and came to stand before Maya.
She held in a shiver of apprehension as a gentle resonance flowed off his body and eased into her personal space. It felt almost like the wings of a butterfly, light and feathery, kissing the skin of her cheek. Maya raised her eyes and looked at the god's face. He was smiling, the expression beatific, godly. "You need not be nervous, Maya. Just do your job and make us all happy."
She nodded but he'd already turned away and didn't see her as he walked back to sit upon his simple throne. Maya glanced at Chayya, raising her eyebrows, uncertain of her next move. Should she leave or should she stay until he verbally dismisses her.
But she needn't have worried. Lord Shiva said, "Mother Chayya, take Maya to visit with Narada. He has knowledge of the whereabouts of Gandiv and he will help you find it." Chayya nodded and bowed. Maya followed suit. Again she wasn't sure if she should say something. Thank you for thinking she was worthy, maybe? Or thank you for the privilege? She should say something.
"You need not say anything, Maya Rao. It is my job to know your heart and your soul." Maya would have flinched with shock but she managed to retain some control over her shocked reaction. She should not be surprised. She'd suspected he could read her thoughts.
Instead she forced a smile to her wooden lips and bowed. She could not have spoken even if her life had depended on it. Not without revealing her shock. He continued, "Now go with Mother Chayya. And my blessings are with you. May you find the strength to overcome your obstacles - of both mind and body. May you have the wisdom to choose the method of your battles, and may you have fortitude in the face of failure. We are depending you, Maya Rao. Go with my blessings."
Maya straightened from her bow, the words Lord Shiva had spoken still resonating in her mind and in her heart. She felt a little shell-shocked as she followed Chayya out of the hall. When she glanced back over her shoulder she saw that the god of gods had already disappeared leaving the beautiful, cavernous hall, beautiful, cavernous and empty.
As they stepped over the threshold and passed the gigantic crystal doors Maya let out a sigh of relief. The fresh mountain air slammed into her, giving her something else to think about other than her audience with the god of gods. She shivered, drawing the shawl of the outfit closer around her shoulders to ward off against the sudden chill. She didn't recall feeling cold when she'd arrived but then adrenalin had probably surged through her in anticipation of her meeting, warding her body against the thin air and the cold that spoke of fresh snow and icy peaks.
They paused on the steps and Maya glanced over at Chayya. "Are we leaving now?"
Chayya nodded. "Yes."
"Straight to the sage?"
The goddess shook her head. "No. You must go home first and prepare. Gather your things and let Nik know where you are going. He would likely want to accompany you given he has a few special skills that you may need. I will speak to Narada and tell him to expect your visit."
"Okay then, home it is." Maya sighed as they set off, retracing their steps through the garden, and past a cheeky peacock that tipped his brilliant blue head at them as if asking why they had the audacity to pass without offering their whole-hearted admiration. The bird rustle its feathers then began to follow them, keeping a healthy distance. Peacocks from Patala to Mount Kailas. Seemed no place is belong the reach of the arrogant yet uniquely beautiful birds.
Maya sighed. "Tell me. I'm just a human girl. Why can't the gods do these kinds of special things themselves. Surely it's not hard for a god to appear wherever it is they are holding the bow and take it."
"What you say is true. But despite the powers of the gods most try to follow the rules. They will not involve themselves directly with humans, or travel within the human plan unless it is of paramount importance."
"Unless of course they are an avatar." said Maya dryly.
Chayya smiled. "That is correct. But there are no avatars at the moment."
"Why not? There have been for ages. Why not now?"
"Because the age of Kali Yuga is coming to an end." When Maya frowned the goddess continued, "Within the age of Kali Yuga, man will descend into darkness. Faith will flee the souls of man, selfishness and vanity, power and rage will reign. What use do humans have with an avatar when there are so few left to believe?"
"Won't the existence of an avatar make people believe?" Maya was convinced it would.
"And how with the unbeliever be converted when all his eyes see is a mere man?" Chayya face darkened, the Shadow of worry blanketing her features. Maya knew what she meant. Even with proof it would not be enough. "What use would there of a Jesus who walks the earth when so few people will look to him and believe, when so few have the humility to accept the word of another."
Maya sighed again, feeling the tingle of the icy air in her lungs. "It is the age of entitlement."
"That is the truth of it." Chayya nodded.
"My Dad always says that. He used to say it often when I was rebellious. But then he stopped and I always wondered why."
"Entitlement is a different animal to rebellion. Even Lord Krishna was rebellious. Every soul needs to find itself and you are no less worthy of a time of self-exploration Maya, than any other human."
Maya flushed at the goddesses words. Not that it was anything to have pride in, but she liked that
Chayya felt she was worthy. She cleared her throat as they reached the edge of the mountaintop. "So home it is."
Chayya held out her hand and Maya grabbed hold of her bangled forearm. The last thing she saw before they blinked out of existence was the flash of gemstones on the goddesses bracelets.
Chapter 25
Chayya deposited Maya in the front hall.
"I do have to go back immediately," she said with a quick apology for not staying to speak to Maya's parents. "Take this. Use it to call me if you have need of me."
Maya looked at the small brass container that sat gleaming in the middle of her palm. "How do I use it?"
"Open the lid and release the Shadow. Think of it as a distress call. Or maybe an emergency text message?" Chayya winked and then the goddess disappeared in a flash of black and grey shadows. Maya studied the engraved brass container, staring hard at the hinged lid that was now tightly shut. It wasn't heavy but Maya shook her head. A shadow wasn't likely to be heavy. Then she smiled at the goddesses comment.
Emergency text indeed.
Maya pocketed the small container and headed into the kitchen. It lay empty and silent and Maya wondered where everyone was. She tugged her phone out of the tiny beaded bag she'd taken with her and raised her eyebrows. It was three in the morning.
No surprises that nobody was around. Not even the pooch.
She headed for the stairs and grimaced. The balls of her feet were throbbing and she held onto the banister and balanced on one foot at a time to open the straps on her golden sandals. At last, barefooted and comfortable, Maya climbed the stairs, enjoying the feel of the cool wood beneath her fevered feet.
Reaching her door she stopped in disgust. She needed help to get out of the blouse she was wearing. Half a dozen hook-and-eyes traveled down her back and she'd never been very good at gymnastics. Unless she planned on sleeping in the hand worked garment she had to get help. She hesitated as she glanced at her parents door. She'd disturb them only as a last resort. Crossing her fingers she headed to the spare bedroom and tapped softly on the door.