They taunted me, that's what they did. The wind harshly blew over me, while the ground trembled, trying to disrupt my balance and concentration. But, no. No. My body remained still. My eyes stayed fixed on the sun, just about to rise. Mother Nature herself feared me, or rather, what I would become after this harsh penance. Waves from the sea below me trashed at my body, but, I stood strong like a tree in a storm. My feet were in great pain. I did not dare to look down. Somehow, I knew the forest animals were gnawing at my body, expecting me to give up. A laugh racked my throat. There was absolutely no chance I would give up. I stood still... After what seemed like eternity, a gentle hand touched my head. I knew it was the sign to end my penance. I opened my eyes and set my bleeding feet on the ground. "My child," His voice gurgled with the sound of thirst quenching steams, shone with the light and warmth of the sun, and rustled with the cooling, calming wind. " I am so very pleased with your seven month penance. You may ask me any boon of your choice. Go ahead." His voice put me at ease, though it was filled with reluctance. " My lord, Bramha. I am so honored you have come. I have one boon in mind. I know that you are the most generous of lords, my Almighty, so this boon will not be difficult for you, I am sure." " Well, what is it?" "O my lord, O best of the givers of boons , if you will kindly grant me the boon I desire, the boon of immortality." " Very well. You will die in neither day nor night, indoors or outdoors, by man or beast, nor in the air nor in water and of no man-made weapon." With a ray of light, Bramha disappeared. Now I could claim my kingdom and marry the most beautiful lady in the three worlds. I laughed a thunderous, booming laugh. I had done it. I was immortal. I found my son, Prahalad, in a room chanting the glories of Lord Vishnu over and over again in the pooja room. I sighed. I never dreamed that my only child was tutored by the idiot, Narada, who had no right to teach my son about the gods, especially Vishnu. Now Prahalad was an accursed, poisoned child. " Prahalad, my son, come sit in your father's lap." "Yes, father. In a minute, after I finish my prayers to Lord Vishnu." His voice was cheerful and happy. He came and sat on my lap in an orderly manner and curled into my arm. Accursed or not, he was the heir to my kingdom and I had to teach him the right ways to rule the kingdom... " Prahalad, what makes you so happy?" "Father, the world Lord Vishnu has created so beautifully makes me happy." " Who is the greatest person in the world?" I asked, carefully controlling my anger. " Father, the answer is obvious. Lord..." I waited eagerly for my name to be spoken. " Vishnu, of course." My anger exploded and my arms threw Prahalad off the five-foot throne. He crumpled at my feet and lay there. Kayadhu, the boy's mother, who had been gazing at us behind a pillar, ran to his side. She looked attractive today. Her black hair polished back and her honey colored eyes glistened with worry. I was convinced Prahalad was dead. Before I could decide whether it was a good or bad thing, my minister came in. " O Greatest one, your armies are ready for battle. We can set forward in our quest of conquering our rivals" I grunted in appreciation. "Prepare my chariot." In a few minutes I had taken the blessings from my elders and my wife, who whispered, " Prahalad lives. Be careful, my Lord." What had Narada called her? 'Sinless.' Sinless indeed. Today was the day. The day I would be returning to my kingdom in victory after months of long battles with neighboring kingdoms. We marched in and were greeted with cheers and tearful reunions. I saw that the women must have been working for weeks to get the kingdom in the state it was now. Everything was polished, clean and shining in the sun. While I had gone, the palace had been newly designed. The tiles were lapis-lazuli and emitted a greenish-blue hue. The walls were ornately carved with topaz, gold and diamond. Everything echoed inside the palace's dome roof, which is what Prahalad's prayers were doing. I ran to the pavilion. " Prahalad, come sit in your father's lap." "Yes, father. Please let me quote these last two lines." "NO! You will come sit on my lap and you will do it now. Prahalad's voice stopped and he climbed on my lap, looking puzzled. " Who is the greatest person in the world?" my voice was dangerously soft. "The greatest person in the world is Lord Vishnu." was his pleasant reply. I let him jump off my lap and run off. I summoned my minister and whispered to him... " This is between just the two of us." "Yes sire." Tonight was the Great Feast. Foods from all over the kingdom were served. We were given the tastiest of foods. Tender meat, lush, juicy fruits and thousands of sweets. Prahalad was adamant. He refused the meat saying it was a sin to eat meat and the sweets which were bad for his health. Meanwhile, I tore off chunks of boar, chicken and deer meat and stuffed myself with sweets. It was time for entertainment. I arranged for a 'juice' to be brought to Prahalad. He took a sip and gradually drained the cup. All throughout the dancing and singing, I kept glancing at Prahalad, waiting for a seizure to take place. Nothing happened. He wore a look of utmost delight, watching the dancers. I summoned my minister. " Why is the poison not effecting him?" I hissed. " O Lord, his devotion towards Lord Vishnu must be protecting him." The celebrations ended and we were escorted to our chambers. I could not sleep. When I finally did, I had a nightmare. I watched as Vishnu killed my brother Hiranyaksha all over again. I felt the grief and misery of losing my brother again. But inside I felt reluctance. What I was about to do was unthinkable, unheard of. 'No son of mine will worship Lord Vishnu.' I walked to the throne room and ordered my guards to bring Prahalad to me. " Yes father?" he asked. " You say that Lord Vishnu will protect you no matter what?" " Yes, father." "Very well. Guards, kill him." "O most unfortunate Prahlad, you have always described a supreme being other than me, a supreme being who is above everything, who is the controller of everyone, and everything. But where is He? If He is everywhere, then why is He not present before me in this pillar?" "He is in the pillars, father, and he is in every twig. He shall come to destroy evil..." With that sentence, my enemy, began to sing... his voice was quite beautiful, his mouth was fit only to say the name of Lord Vishnu. I concentrated on his voice, but my mind...it was elsewhere. It replayed scenes from months ago when the guards had failed to place one mark on his body, even with their swords. When the herd of elephants, instead of trampling him, caressed him and placed him on their backs. When he was locked in a room full of venomous snakes overnight, they made a bed for him instead. When my dear, dear sister Holika, immune to flames, burned, while Prahalad stayed safe on her lap. When my brother, Hiranyaksha, was destroyed by his Protector. With a rage of sadness, anger, misery I slammed the pillar with my mace, imagining it was Vishnu. Flakes of stone flew out to the court yard, where the colors of twilight were painted in the sky. But something astounding happened. Out of the pillar came a half man, half lion, who hissed and showed his claws. He came towards me and for once, I did not try to run away. This was the payment for my sins and mistakes, I knew. He lifted me and took me to the courtyard, where he laid me on his lap. Then he laid his claws on my stomach and dug it into my flesh. A searing pain started and grew to my chest. The red liquieI screamed. It was a scream of pain that I had caused, a scream of pleasure at seeing my brother and sister in the dark abode of hell. Then a feeling... a feeling so intense that it filled my body. All I could think was sorrow...not for myself, but for all I had killed. Something else as well: Regret. I saw the vague shape of Prahalad and tears fell from my eyes. " The greatest person in the world is Lord Vishnu." I said. I felt myself stripping away from the world of living....
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2/19/2017 10:30:59 pm
Superb!!!!!
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AuthorAnanya Raghu . Archives
March 2017
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