Immortals of Meluha (17 page)
‘Of course we may, my Lord,’ smiled Daksha, pulling himself together.
‘I have got the story so far, your Highness. While I can understand your reasons for not wanting to attack right now, you clearly have a plan, in which my blue throat has some strange role to play’
‘Yes, we do have a plan, my Lord. I feel that as an emperor, my giving in unthinkingly to the righteous anger of some of our people will not solve our problem. I believe that the people of Swadweep themselves are not evil. It is their Chandravanshi rulers and their way of life that has made them evil. The only way forward for us is to save the Swadweepans themselves.’
‘Save the Swadweepans?’ asked Shiva, genuinely surprised.
‘Yes, my Lord. Save them from the evil philosophy that infects their soul. Save them from their treacherous rulers. Save them from their sorry, meaningless existence. And we can do this by giving them the benefits of the superior Suryavanshi way of life. Once they become like us, there will be no reason to fight. We will live like brothers. This is the unfinished task of my father, King Brahmanayak. In fact, it is the unfinished task of Lord Ram.’
‘That is a big task to take on, your Highness,’ said Shiva. ‘It is sweeping in its kindness and reason. But it is a very big task. You will need soldiers to defeat their army and missionaries to bring them to your side. It is not going to be easy.’
‘I agree. There are many in my empire who have concerns about even attacking Swadweep, and I am putting forth a much bigger challenge to them, of reforming Swadweep. That is why I did not want to launch this without the Neelkanth, my Lord.’
Shiva remembered his uncle’s words, spoken many years back, in what was almost another life.
Your destiny lies beyond the mountains. Whether you fulfil it or run away once again, is up to you
.
As Daksha spoke once again, Shiva refocused his attention on him.
‘The problems that we are facing were prophesied, my Lord,’ continued Daksha. ‘Lord Ram had himself said that any philosophy, no matter how perfect, works only for a finite period. That is the law of nature and cannot be avoided. But what the legends also tell us is that when the problems become insurmountable for ordinary men, the Neelkanth will appear. And that he will destroy the evil Chandravanshis and restore the forces of good. My Lord, you are the Neelkanth. You can save us. You can complete the unfinished task of Lord Ram. You must lead us and help us defeat the Chandravanshis. You must rally the Swadweepans around to the side of good. Otherwise I fear that this beautiful country that we have, the near perfect society of Meluha, will be destroyed in years of endless war. Will you help us my Lord? Will you lead us?’
Shiva was confused. ‘But I didn’t understand, your Highness? What exactly would I do?’
‘I don’t know, my Lord. We only know our destination and that you will be our leader. The path we take is up to you.’
They want me to destroy the entire way of life of eighty million people by myself! Are they mad?
Shiva spoke carefully. ‘I empathise with your people and their hardships, your Highness. But to be quite honest, I don’t really understand how one man like me can make a difference.’
‘If that man is you my Lord,’ said Daksha, his moist eyes opened wide in devotion and faith, ‘he can change the entire universe.’
‘I am not so sure of that, your Highness,’ said Shiva with a weak smile. ‘Why will my being present make such a difference? I am no miracle worker. I cannot snap my fingers and cause bolts of lightning to descend on the Chandravanshis.’
‘It is your presence itself that will make the difference, my Lord. I invite you to travel through the empire. See the effect your blue throat has on the people. Once my people believe that they can do it, they will be able to do it!’
‘You are the Neelkanth, my Lord,’ added Kanakhala. The people have faith in the bearer of the blue throat. They will have faith in you. ‘Will you help us, my Lord?’
Will you run away once again?
‘But how do you know that my blue throat makes me the genuine Neelkanth?’ asked Shiva. ‘For all you know, there may be many Meluhans with a blue throat waiting to be discovered!’
‘No, my Lord,’ said Daksha. ‘It cannot be a Meluhan. The legend says that the Neelkanth will be a foreigner. He cannot be from the Sapt-Sindhu. And that he will get a blue throat on drinking the Somras.’
Shiva did not answer. He looked stunned as truth suddenly dawned upon him.
Srinagar. The first night. Somras. That’s how my body got repaired. That’s why I’m feeling stronger than ever.
Daksha and Kanakhala looked at Shiva breathlessly, waiting for his decision. Praying for his
right
decision.
But why only me? All the Gunas were given the Somras. Was my uncle right? Do I really have a destiny?
Parvateshwar stared at Shiva with narrowed eyes.
I don’t deserve any destiny. But maybe this is my chance to redeem myself.
But first...
Shiva asked with controlled politeness, ‘Your Highness, before I answer, may I ask you a question?’
‘Of course, my Lord.’
‘Do you agree that honesty is required to make any friendship work? Even if it means deeply offending your friend with the truth?’
‘Yes, of course,’ replied Daksha, wondering where Shiva was going with this.
‘Complete honesty is not just the bedrock of an individual relationship, but of any stable society,’ interjected Parvateshwar.
‘I couldn’t agree more,’ said Shiva. ‘And yet, Meluha wasn’t honest with me.’
Nobody said anything.
Shiva continued in a courteous, but firm tone. ‘When my tribe was being invited to come to Meluha, we had the impression you wanted immigrants because you needed people to work. And I was happy to escape my benighted land. But now I realise that you were systematically searching for the Neelkanth.’
Turning to Nandi, Shiva said, ‘We weren’t told that a medicine called the Somras would be administered to us as soon as we entered. We weren’t told that the medicine would have such effects.’
Nandi looked down with guilty eyes. His Lord had the right to be angry with him.
Turning to Daksha, Shiva continued, ‘Your Highness, you know that the Somras was probably administered to me on my first night in Kashmir, without my knowledge.’
‘I am truly sorry about that dishonesty my Lord,’ said Daksha, with his hands in a penitent namaste. ‘It’s something that I will always be ashamed of. But the stakes were too high for us. And the Somras has considerably positive effects on your body. It doesn’t harm you in any way.’
‘I know. I am not exactly upset about having to live a long and healthy life,’ said Shiva wryly. ‘Do you know that my tribe was also probably given the Somras that night? And they fell seriously ill, perhaps because of the Somras.’
‘They were under no risk my Lord,’ said Kanakhala apologetically. ‘Some people are predisposed towards certain diseases. When the Somras enters the body, it triggers the immediate occurrence of these diseases, which when cured, never recur. Hence, the body remains healthy till death. Your tribe is actually much healthier now.’
‘No doubt they are,’ said Shiva. ‘The point is not about the effects of the Somras. Both my tribe and I are better for it. Yet, from what I understand of Meluha, getting somebody to do something without telling him all the facts would not have been Lord Ram’s way. You should have told us the complete truth at Mount Kailash. Then you should have let
us
make an informed choice rather than
you
making a choice for us. We probably would still have come to Meluha anyway but then it would have been
our
choice.’
‘Please forgive us the deception, my Lord,’ said Daksha, with guilty regret. ‘It is not our way to do something like this. We pride ourselves on our honesty. But we had no choice. We are truly sorry, my Lord. Your people are well taken care of. They are healthier than ever. They will live long, productive lives.’
Parvateshwar finally broke his silence, speaking what was always in his heart since the search had begun many decades ago. ‘Shiva, we are truly sorry for what has been done. You have every right to be angry. Lying is not our way. I think what was done is appalling and Lord Ram would have never condoned this. No matter how serious our troubles, we have no right to deceive someone into helping us. I am deeply sorry’
Shiva raised his eyebrow a bit.
Parvateshwar is the only one apologising instead of making excuses. He is a true follower of the great king Ram’s way
Shiva smiled.
Daksha let out an audible sigh of relief.
Shiva turned towards Daksha. ‘Let us put this in the past, your Highness. Like I said, there are some things about your nation that could be improved. No doubt about that. But it is amongst the best societies that I have seen. And it
is
worth fighting for. But I have a few conditions.’
‘Of course, my Lord,’ said Daksha, eager to please.
‘At this point of time, I am not saying that I can perform the tasks that you expect of me nor am I saying that I cannot do it. All I am saying is that I will try my best. But before that, I want to understand more of your society before I can be sure of how I can help. I am assuming that nothing will be hidden from me nor will I be misled.’
‘Of course, my Lord.’
‘Secondly, you still need immigrants to expand your population. But you should not mislead them. I think that you should tell them the entire truth about Meluha and let them make an informed decision on whether to come here. Or you don’t invite them at all. Is that fair?’
‘Of course it is, my Lord,’ said Daksha. Nodding briefly towards Kanakhala, he committed, ‘We will implement that immediately.’
‘Furthermore, it is clear to me that I am not going back to Kashmir. Can my tribe, the Gunas, be brought to Devagiri? I would like them to be with me.’
‘Of course, my Lord,’ said Daksha with a quick look at Kanakhala. ‘Instructions will be sent today itself to bring them to Devagiri.’
‘Also, I would like to visit the location where you manufacture the Somras. I would like to understand this drink of the gods. Something tells me that it is important to do so.’
‘Of course you may, my Lord,’ said Daksha, his face finally breaking into a nervous smile. ‘Kanakhala will take you there tomorrow itself. In fact, my family is also scheduled for a visit there day after tomorrow for a puja at the Brahma temple. Perhaps we could meet there.’
‘That would be nice,’ said Shiva smiling. Then taking a deep breath he added, ‘And lastly, I guess that you would like to announce the arrival of the Neelkanth to your people.’
Daksha and Kanakhala nodded hesitantly.
‘I would like to request that you don’t do that for now.’
Daksha and Kanakhala’s face fell immediately. Nandi’s eyes were glued to the floor. He had stopped listening to the conversation. The enormity of his prevarication was tearing him apart.
‘Your Highness, I have a terrible feeling that when people know I am the Neelkanth, every action and word of mine will be over-interpreted and over—analysed,’ explained Shiva. ‘I am afraid that I don’t know enough about your society or my task to be able to handle that at this point of time.’
‘I understand my Lord,’ said Daksha, willing a broken smile back on his face. You have my word. Only my immediate staff, my family and the people you allow will know of the Neelkanth’s arrival. Nobody else.’
‘Thank you, your Highness. But I will say it again: I am a simple tribal man who just happened to get a blue throat because of some exotic medicine. Honesdy, I still don’t know what one man like me can do in the face of the odds that you face.’
‘And I’ll say it again my Lord,’ said Daksha, with a child-like smile. ‘If that man is you, he can change the entire universe!’
CHAPTER 8
Shiva and Nandi were walking back to the royal guest house. Shiva had decided he wanted to eat lunch alone. Nandi walked a few steps behind, his head bowed in self-recrimination. ‘My Lord, I am so sorry’
Shiva turned around to gaze at Nandi.
‘You are right, my Lord. We were so lost in our own troubles and the search for the Neelkanth that we didn’t realise the unfairness of our actions on immigrants. I misled you my Lord. I lied to you.’
Shiva didn’t say anything. He continued to stare intensely into Nandi’s eyes.
‘I am so sorry my Lord. I have failed you. I will accept whatever punishment you give me.’
Shiva’s lips broke into a very faint smile. He patted Nandi lightly on his shoulders, signalling he had forgiven him. But his eyes delivered a clear message. ‘Never lie to me again, my friend.’
Nandi nodded and whispered, ‘Never, my Lord. I am so sorry’
‘Forget it Nandi,’ said Shiva, his smile a little broader now. ‘It’s in the past.’
They turned and continued walking. Suddenly Shiva shook his head and chuckled slighdy. ‘Strange people!’
‘What is it, my Lord?’ asked Nandi.
‘Nothing really. I was just wondering at some of the interesting things about your society.’
