The Oath of the Vayuputras by Amish Tripathi
The Mithra shook his head. ‘Manobhu didn’t have rebellious ideas. He had inspiring ideas. But an inspiration before its time appears like a rebellion.’
‘So you were not forced by the Vayuputras to stay away from my family?’
‘Oh I was forced all right. But not by the Vayuputras.’
Shiva smiled. ‘Uncle Manobhu could be stubborn at times.’
The Mithra smiled.
‘When did you know that I was your long-lost relative?’ asked Shiva. ‘Did you have spies following me?’
‘I recognised you the moment I heard your name.’
‘Didn’t you know my name?’
‘No, Manobhu refused to tell me. Now I understand why. It was a clue he’d left for me. If you emerged at all, I would recognise you by your name.’
‘How so?’ asked Shiva, intrigued.
‘Almost nobody, even from amongst the Vayuputras, knows that Lord Rudra’s mother had had a special and personal name for him: Shiva.’
‘What?!’
‘Yes. Lord Rudra’s name means “the one who roars”. He was named so because when he was born, he cried so loudly that he drove the midwife away!’
‘I have heard that story,’ said Shiva. ‘But I have not heard the one about Lord Rudra’s mother calling him Shiva...’
‘It’s a secret that only a few Vayuputras are aware of. Legend holds that Lord Rudra was actually still-born.’
‘What?’ asked a genuinely surprised Gopal.
‘Yes,’ said the Mithra. ‘The midwife and Lord Rudra’s mother tried very hard to revive him. Finally, the midwife tried something very unorthodox. She tried to breast-feed the still-born Lord Rudra. Much to his mother’s surprise, the baby actually started breathing and, as history recalls, roared loudly.’
‘By the Holy Lake,’ whispered Shiva. ‘What a fascinating story.’
‘Yes, it is. The midwife walked away soon thereafter, and was never heard of again. Lord Rudra’s mother, who was an immigrant and a believer in the Mother Goddess Shakti, was convinced that the midwife had been sent by the Goddess to save her son. She believed her son was born as a body without life, a shava, whom Goddess Shakti had infused with life; therefore, she felt the Goddess had converted a Shava to Shiva, or the auspicious one. So she started calling her son Shiva, in honour of the Mother Goddess and in acknowledgement of the state in which her son was born.’
An enthralled Shiva listened in rapt attention to the Mithra.
‘So,’ said the Mithra, ‘the moment I heard your name, I knew that Manobhu had left a clue for me about you being the one he had trained.’
‘So you knew that Lord Manobhu was planning this?’
The Mithra smiled. ‘Your uncle and I made the medicine together.’
‘You mean the medicine that is responsible for my throat turning blue?’
‘Yes.’
‘But didn’t that have to be given to me at a specific time in my life?’
‘I’m assuming that is what Manobhu did, for here you are.’
‘But Lord Mithra, this is not the way the system was supposed to work, as an unfolding series of implausible coincidences. There are so many things that could have gone wrong. To begin with, I may not have been trained well. Or the medicine may not have been given to me at the right time. I may never have been invited to Meluha. And worst of all, I may not have stumbled upon the Somras as the true Evil.’
‘You’re right. This is not the way our Vayuputra system was designed to work. But Manobhu and I had faith that this is the way the universe’s system is supposed to work. And it did, didn’t it?’
‘But is it right to leave such significant outcomes to a roll of the universe’s dice?’
‘You make it sound as if it was all left to dumb luck. We didn’t leave it only to chance, Shiva. The Vayuputras were sure the Somras had not turned evil. Manobhu and I felt otherwise. Had Manobhu been alive, he would have guided you through this period, but in spite of his untimely death, Good prevailed. Manobhu always said let us allow the universe to make the decision, and it did. We decided to set in motion a chain of events, which would work out only if the universe willed it so. Frankly, I wasn’t sure. But I didn’t stop him. I just didn’t think his plan would succeed. I did help him in making the medicine, though. And when I saw the plan coming to fruition, I knew that it was my duty to do whatever I could to help.’
‘But what if I had failed? What if I hadn’t identified the Somras as Evil? Then Evil would have won, right?’
‘Sometimes, the universe decides that Evil is supposed to win. Perhaps a race or species becomes so harmful that it’s better to allow Evil to triumph and destroy that species. It has happened before. But this is not one of those times.’
Shiva was clearly overwhelmed by the number of things that could have gone wrong.
‘You are still troubled by something...’ said the Mithra.
‘I’ve talked to Panditji as well, about this,’ said Shiva, pointing to Gopal. ‘So much of what I have achieved in my mission can be attributed to pure luck; just a random turn of the universe.’
The Mithra bent forward towards Shiva and whispered, ‘One makes one’s own luck, but you have to give the universe the opportunity to help you.’
Shiva remained stoic, not quite convinced by the Mithra’s words.
‘You had every reason to turn away after arriving in Meluha for the first time. You were in a strange new land. Peculiar people, who were evidently so much more advanced than you, insisted on looking upon you as a god. You were tasked with a mission, the enormity of which would have intimidated practically anyone in the world. I’m sure that at the time, you didn’t even think you could succeed. And yet, you didn’t run away. You stood up and accepted a responsibility that was thrust upon you. That decision was the turning point in your journey against Evil, which had nothing to do with the twists and blessings of fate.’
Shiva looked at Gopal, whose demeanour suggested he was in full agreement with the Mithra.
‘You are giving me too much credit, Lord Mithra,’ said Shiva.
‘I am not,’ said the Mithra. ‘You are on course to fulfil my mission, without having taken any help from me. But I will not allow you to do that. You must give me the privilege of offering some help. Otherwise, how will I face the Ahura Mazda and Lord Rudra when I meet with them?’
Shiva smiled.
The Mithra looked directly into Shiva’s eyes. ‘But there are some things I must be sure of. What do you plan to do with the daivi astra?’
‘I plan to use it to threaten...’ Shiva stopped speaking as the Mithra raised his hand.
‘I’ve seen enough,’ said the Mithra.
Shiva frowned.
‘Thoughts move faster than the tongue, great Neelkanth. I know you will not use these terrible weapons of destruction. I can also see that the reason you will not do so is not just because of the Vayuputra ban but because you believe that these weapons are too horrifying to ever be used.’
‘I do believe that.’
‘But I cannot give you the Brahmastra.’
This was unexpected. Shiva had thought the discussion had been going his way.
‘I cannot give you the Brahmastra because it is too uncontrollable. It destroys anything and everything. Most importantly, its effect spreads out in circles. The worst destruction is in the epicentre, where everything living is instantly incinerated into thin air. While there is less destruction in the outer circles, the damage is still significantly widespread in the vicinity. So even if those outside the primary impact zone are not immediately killed, they suffer from the immense radiation unleashed by the astra. With Lord Bhrigu on the other side, he is sure to bet that you are using the weapon only as a threat, because you would not want to hurt your own army, which would most certainly be in the zone of radiation exposure.’
‘So what is the way forward?’
‘The Pashupatiastra. It is a weapon designed by Lord Rudra. It has all the power of the B
This made sense. Shiva agreed.
‘But you cannot actually use the weapon, Neelkanth,’ reiterated the Mithra. ‘It will poison the area for centuries. The devastation is unimaginable.’
‘I give you my word, Lord Mithra,’ said Shiva. ‘I will never use these weapons.’
The Mithra smiled. ‘Then I have no problems in offering the Pashupatiastra to you. I will give the orders immediately.’
Shiva raised his chin as a faint smile played on his lips. ‘I think you had already made your decision about this, even before you met me, uncle.’
The Mithra laughed softly. ‘I am just Mithra. But you didn’t expect it to be so easy, right?’
‘No, I didn’t.’
‘I have heard stories about you, especially about the way you have fought your battles. You have behaved in an exemplary manner until now. Even when you could have gained by doing something wrong, you refrained from doing so. You didn’t fall prey to the logic of doing a small wrong for the sake of the greater good; of the ends justifying the means. That takes moral courage. So yes, I had already made up my mind. But I wanted to see you in any case. You will be remembered as the greatest man of our age; generations will look up to you as their God. How could I not want to meet you?’
‘I am no God, Lord Mithra,’ said an embarrassed Shiva.
‘Wasn’t it you who had said “Har Har Mahadev”? That all of us are gods?’
Shiva laughed. ‘You’ve got me there.’
‘We don’t become gods because we think we are gods,’ said the Mithra. ‘That is only a sign of ego. We become gods when we realise that a part of the universal divinity lives within us; when we understand our role in this great world and when we strive to fulfil that role. There is nobody striving harder than you, Lord Neelkanth. That makes you a God. And remember, gods don’t fail. You cannot fail. Remember what your duty is. You have to take Evil out of the equation. You shouldn’t destroy all traces of the Somras, for it may become Good in times to come, when it might be required once again. You have to keep the knowledge of the Somras alive. You will also have to create a tribe which will manage the Somras till it is required once again. Once all this is done, your mission will be over.’
‘I will not fail, Lord Mithra,’ said Shiva. ‘I promise.’
‘I know you will succeed,’ smiled the Mithra, before turning to Gopal. ‘Great Chief Vasudev, once the Neelkanth creates his own tribe, the Vayuputras will not remain in charge of fighting Evil anymore. It will be the task of the Neelkanth’s tribe. Our relationship with the Vasudevs will become like one between distant relatives rather than the one which has entailed a joint duty towards a common cause.’
‘Your relationship with the Vasudevs and with my country will exist forever, Lord Mithra,’ said Gopal. ‘You have helped us in our hour of need. I’m sure that, in turn, we will help Pariha if it ever needs us.’
‘Thank you,’ said the Mithra.
Chapter 39
He is One of Us
The Mithra called the entire city to the town centre the following morning. Shiva and Gopal stood next to him as he addressed the crowd.
‘My fellow Vayuputras, I’m sure your minds are teeming with many questions and doubts. But this is not the time for that; this is the time for action. We trusted a man who had worked closely with us; we trusted him with our knowledge. But he betrayed us. Lord Bhrigu broke the laws of Lord Rudra. Lord Gopal, the chief of the Vasudevs and the representative of Lord Ram, has come here demanding justice. But, in this moment, it is not just about retribution for what Lord Bhrigu has done. It’s also about justice for India, justice to Lord Rudra’s principles. There is a purpose that we all serve, Parihans; it is beyond laws; it is one that was defined by Lord Rudra himself.’
Pointing at Shiva, the Mithra continued. ‘Behold this man. He may not be a Vayuputra. But he does bear the blue throat. He may not be a Parihan, but he fights like one, with honour and integrity. We may not have recognised him, but the Vasudevs consider him the Neelkanth. He may not have lived amongst us, but he respects and idolises Lord Rudra as much as we do. Above all, he is fighting for Lord Rudra’s cause.’
The Vayuputras listened with rapt attention.
‘Yes, he is not a Vayuputra, and yet he is one of us. I am supporting him in his battle against Evil. And so shall you.’
Many amongst the Vayuputras were swayed by the Mithra’s words. Those who weren’t, were nevertheless aware that it was within the Mithra’s legal rights to choose whom to support within India. So, while their reasons to do so may have differed, all the Vayuputras fell in line with the Mithra’s decision.
Shiva and Gopal received a large crate the following evening. An entire Parihan cavalry platoon had been arranged to transport this incredibly heavy trunk safely back to the sea. Never having seen the material of the Pashupatiastra, Shiva assumed from the size of the trunk that they were carrying a huge quantity; probably enough to threaten an entire city. He was therefore amazed by Gopal’s clarification that they were carrying only a handful of the Pashupatiastra material.
‘Are you serious?’
‘Yes, Lord Neelkanth,’ said Gopal. ‘Just a handful is enough to destroy entire cities. The trunk has massive insulation, made of lead and wet clay, besides the leaves of imported bilva trees. Together, these will protect us from exposure to the Pashupatiastra radiation.’
‘By the Holy Lake,’ said Shiva. ‘The more I learn about the daivi astras, the more I’m convinced that they are the weapons of the demons.’
‘They are, my friend. That’s why Lord Rudra called them evil and banned their use. That is also why we will not use the Pashupatiastra. We’ll only threaten to use it. But to make it a credible threat to the Meluhans, we will actually have to set up the weapon outside Devagiri.’
‘Do you know how to do that?’
‘No, I don’t. Most of the Vayuputras are not privy to that knowledge either; only a select few are authorised to be in the know. There is a combination of engineering construction, mantras and other preparations that we would have to follow in order to set up this weapon. We would have to do this properly so as to convey a credible threat to Lord Bhrigu, since he does know how the Pashupatiastra is prepared for use. Lord Mithra and his people will commence our training from tomorrow morning.’
Parvateshwar moved his attention away from those sitting with him and cast a look outside the window of the Karachapa governor’s residence. They were on the dwitiya or second platform of the city, and from this height, Parvateshwar had a clear view of the Western Sea, which stretched far into the horizon.
‘The sea is the only way we have,’ said Parvateshwar.
Bhrigu and Dilipa turned towards Parvateshwar. Dilipa’s Ayodhyan army had finally arrived in Meluha, many months after the Battle of Devagiri. They had sailed on to Karachapa to join Parvateshwar’s Suryavanshi forces.
‘But General, isn’t that the entire idea behind coming to Karachapa?’ asked Dilipa. ‘To attack Lothal by sea? What’s new about that idea?’
‘I’m not talking about attacking the city, Your Highness.’
While there were now four hundred thousand troops based in Karachapa under the command of Parvateshwar, he knew that it was not really enough to defeat a well-entrenched force of two hundred and fifty thousand in the well-designed citadel of Lothal. And despite all attempts at provocation, Sati had resolutely refused to step out of Lothal, thus giving Parvateshwar no opportunity to bring his numerical superiority into play in an open battlefield. The war had, for all practical purposes, ground to a stalema
‘Please explain, General,’ said Bhrigu, hoping the Meluhan army chief had come up with some brilliant idea to end the stalemate. ‘What is your plan?’
‘I think we should send forth a fleet towards the Narmada River, making sure that these ships are visible.’
Dilipa frowned. ‘Have your spies discovered the route that Lord Shiva took?’
The Meluhans were aware that Shiva and Gopal had sailed to the Narmada, but they had lost track of them thereafter. They assumed that the duo may have used the Narmada route to steal into Panchavati or Ujjain. To what purpose, was still a mystery to the Meluhans.
‘No,’ answered Parvateshwar.
‘Then what’s the point of making our ships sail out in that direction? The Neelkanth’s scouts and spies will surely get to know that our ships are sailing to the Narmada. We’ll lose the element of surprise.’
‘That is precisely what I want,’ said Parvateshwar. ‘We don’t want to hide.’
‘By the great Lord Brahma!’ exclaimed an impressed Bhrigu. ‘General Parvateshwar, have you discovered the Narmada route to Panchavati?’
‘No, My Lord.’
‘Then I don’t understand... Oh right...’ Bhrigu stopped mid-sentence as he finally understood what Parvateshwar had in mind.
‘I’m not aware of the Narmada route to Panchavati,’ said Parvateshwar. ‘But the Lord Neelkanth’s army doesn’t know that I don’t know. They may assume that we have discovered this precious route and that the Lord’s life is in danger. Furthermore, the Nagas are a substantial segment of the warriors in that army. Will they keep quiet in the face of an imminent danger to their capital Panchavati, the city established by their Goddess Bhoomidevi?’
‘They will be forced to sail out of Lothal,’ said Dilipa.
‘Exactly,’ said Parvateshwar. ‘Since our contingent will be approximately fifty ships, they will have to match our numbers. We will make our ships wait in ambush in a lagoon far beyond the Narmada delta.’
‘And once they’ve begun sailing up the Narmada, we’ll charge in from behind and attack them,’ said Dilipa.