42 How?
Part 42 How?
Arnav could not believe he had met someone named KASI who resembled KASI. Though he could not believe it, he could not be without believing it because it had happened in front of his eyes. He didn't want to leave it.
"Come with me," He told Kasi and walked to the palace.
When they reached the palace, they saw Arvind getting ready to go somewhere. He stopped seeing Arnav coming with Kasi.
"What now? Isn't a five-thousand-dollar monthly salary enough for you?" Arvind asked.
Arnav looked at Kasi, expecting him to repeat what he had told him.
"Your Highness, the manager, told me about it. Thank you so much... May God bless you with a long life."
Arvind frowned. Why was he overwhelmed again? Didn't he react to it in the morning?
"Kasi said he just returned from Rameswaram..." Arnav said with a profound meaning.
Arvind was stunned.
"whaaat? Did you go to Rameswaram?"
"Yes, Your Highness. We went to Rameswaram with my family and just came from Rameswaram."
Arvind looked at Arnav, speechless.
"Ok, your salary will reach you... You can go," Arvind said.
Kasi left the place with his family.
"If he went to Rameswaram, who did we meet this morning?" Arvind asked.
Arnav nodded his head from left to right.
"Where did you meet him?"
"I saw him going behind the Kali temple..."
Something kicked Arvind's mind.
"How do you know him? Did you meet him before?"
"I saw him in the cemetery one night."
"Cemetery? Why did you go to the cemetery?"
"I saw Gorakar in there, talking with the undertaker. That's where I met him."
"Did you meet Gorakar?"
"I saw him from my room, but he was not there when I went to the cemetery. That's when I met the undertaker, Kasi."
Arvind became thoughtful because Kasi would not stay in the cemetery unless there were a death in the village. If it was not Kasi, then who was he?
"Arnav, let's go to the Siddha temple."
Arnav nodded as he understood Arvind wanted to meet the pandit.
"Khushi, you too, come with us."
Khushi nodded.
They got into the car and headed to the Siddha temple. Precisely at the same time, the Harti was held. The Pandit of the Siddha temple saw them and gestured for them to wait. They waited for the Harti to complete.
Arnav stood looking at the Shivlinga. What was happening in his life? He had been an atheist who never trusted in God. Then, why were all the divine happenings taking place in his life? As Kasi said, what was that really, Lord Shiva? Arnav nodded his head. No way... he could not be Lord Shiva. He was not that blessed to meet Lord Shiva. Then who was that?
Arnav's concentration broke as the bells of hatred dragged his attention.
The Pandit came to them and gave them Prasad. Arvind took it from him.
"Welcome, Your Highness. Is there any problem?"
"How do you know?"
"You look stressed."
"Mmm... we met Kasi this morning near Kali Temple."
"You mean the undertaker?"
"Yes, Arnav brought him to me and asked me to fix his salary. I fixed five thousand as his salary this morning. We learned that Kasi went to Rameswaram and just returned with his family."
"But, you said you met him this morning...?"
"That's the matter. It was not only Arnav; I also met him this morning. Who was that?"
Pandit looked at Arnav, who nodded yes.
"Arnav met him in the Cremation ground with Gorakar two days ago..."
"Whaaaat?"
Arnav nodded yes.
"What's all this? Who did we meet this morning? Whom Arnav met in the Cremation ground?"
The Pandit became thoughtful.
"What are you thinking?"
"When I was a small boy, my father told me something."
"What did he say?"
"He said some evil power would dominate this village. When their bad deeds peak, Lord Shiva would appear in front of someone. That was the sign that everything was going to end."
Arnav looked at Arvind.
"You mean the man was none other than Lord Shiva?" Arvind asked while Arnav was speechless.
"I suppose..."
"Whom are you to be mentioned as the evil power?"
The pandit was silent.
"Whoever it is, tell me Panditji"
"You will understand that if you think deeply."
Arvind was thoughtful.
"There are many stories about God taking an avatar when the evil power dominates the world. All the Mahavishnu's avatars represent us the same."
"But, this is Kaliyuga..."
"So what? Do you think God will not answer in Kaliyuga?"
Arvind was silent as he didn't know what to say.
"God will not appear with eight hands... he will come for our help in someone's form. The name of this village is SIVAN KUDIL, which means Shiva's residence. Then why won't Shiva be here? He is everywhere in this world. There is nothing to be bothered. Everything is going to end soon. Feel happy about it."
Arvind didn't know what he was talking about yet, so he nodded. Arnav stood looking at Shivlinga, overwhelmed. Khushi came and stood next to him. He looked at her emotionally.
"I said I would not wonder if you see God, and it came true..."
Arnav gulped down hard.
"What happened, Arnav sir?"
"I... I hugged him..."
"Whom?"
"The undertaker... Kasi..."
"Really?"
Arnav nodded.
"But why?"
"He said Gorakar would always be with me. So, I became happy and hugged him..."
"Now, I understand why you are the chosen one."
"Chosen one?" Arnav frowned.
"Yes... there is no partiality in your mind. You treat all equally. This is a special quality that attracted God. According to God, every life on the earth is equal. You are doing that."
Arnav smiled.
"Trust me, Arnav, sir. God doesn't expect you to visit the temple and worship him daily, offering him Prasad. He expects unconditional LOVE. That's all he wants..."
"If it is so, why didn't he come in front of you? You are also selfless..."
"But I'm not rich like you."
"What do you mean?"
"You are leading a simple life even after becoming a Prince. You went to the mountain to bring medicine only to save me from the unwanted marriage without caring about your life; you took a risk. Who knows, I would change after becoming the Queen."
Arnav raised his brows, and Khushi chuckled.
"Maybe I could also experience the greatness you are doing, only if I'm humble after becoming the Queen..." She sighed.
Suddenly, her face glittered. Arnav lifted his brows and asked her WHAT?
"I think Lord Shiva became close to you when you received the Shivlinga from the Gorakar Siddha."
Arnav smiled.
"Why are you smiling?"
"I don't know what I should do other than smile."
"Everything will be all right, Arnav sir."
"I don't think it will happen easily."
"Why are you saying that?"
"What did the pandit say?"
"What?"
"He talked about Avatars..."
"Haan So?"
"At the end of every avatar, there was a huge destruction..."
Khushi nodded yes thoughtfully as she understood what Arnav was trying to say.
"Likewise, we will also face destruction, I suppose."
"We don't have to bother about the destruction because we are not evil."
Arnav sighed.
They saw Arvind coming.
"Shall we go?"
"One minute..." Arnav went to look at Siddhas' photos kept in the temple.
Khushi followed him. Arnav stood in front of Goraka Siddha's photo and gazed at it.
"Did he look like this?"
Arnav nodded no.
"No?"
Arnav nodded. Khushi sighed.
"Shall we go?" Khushi asked.
Arnav nodded and walked with Khushi. Arnav turned behind and looked at the Goraka Siddha's photo before leaving. He was stunned, seeing the same man's face he had met in the mountain instead of the one he had seen a few minutes before. He stared at the photo as if he was smiling. He squeezed his eyes, looked at the picture again, and found the old one. He sighed and left the Siddha temple.
The Palace
After coming to the palace, Khushi continued the shifting work. Arnav took his bags to the Prince's room. Khushi was supposed to take the silver bowl where she kept the Shivlinga. She pulled her hand and saw a lizard writhing in pain. Its leg was bleeding. Khushi jerked, seeing that. In that process, her hand shrugged the silver bowl, and the water from the bowl spilt into the cupboard, drenching the lizard.
Khushi's eyes opened widely, seeing the lizard run faster. She was amazed. How could it run that writhed in pain a few seconds ago? She looked at the Shivlinga in the bowl, bewildered.
To be continued...
Bạn đang đọc truyện trên: Truyen3h.Co