Chapter 126 - A Strange Vision

The ancient method they taught every spirit wielder called Padma Manasa (lotus mind) was a way to achieve a clear mind void of all thoughts so that the laws ould descend on a wielder. 

Pulishta, an Occum shrine priest, had devised the method long ago. 

The method was si

mple; one just had to focus on one's breathing, listening to them as one listened to the song of a city bride. Letting go of everything- worries, ambitions, desires and the world. Slowly, just the turbulent sandy wate

r became clear after putting it unstirred for a while, the mind lake tuned limpid. So it did.  However, it didn't stop there. A strange instinct arose in him, telling him to let go of his identity too. A weird feeling disturbed his rhapsody. It told him his name was a shackle tying him down. His identity was a wall separating him from his true self. 

It was not the only thing that had arose in him. A horror, a dread, warning him not to be reckless was there too. 

Maybe it was the reason, Ishit plunged into the unknown.

As far as Ishit could recall, it had been his weakness. If something made him afraid, he would face it. Or he couldn't live freely. Without confronting fear he felt suffocated, restless, humiliated.  Maybe others felt it too. He didn't know. 

There was nothing to let go of.  A mere thought was enough, and Ishit died then there.

A nameless, identity-less, pure awareness left behind. This pure awareness looked at itself. Fine cobwebs were running all over its body. They were cracks. 

The pure awareness scrutinised the fine thread-like cracks.  After examining them for a while, it seemed to forget its old injury and turned its awareness towards the elemental energies surging around it. 

It merged with them as salt blended into the water. 

And a miracle happened. If Onish could see it, his jaw would have hit the floor. The fine cracks of his subtle body began to heal with a visible speed. The untamed elements and laws under some unknown powers' control began to fill fissures, running all over the soul. 

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Balinor couldn't believe his eyes. Elin Fire didn't burn the boy or it to say precisely. It couldn't burn the lad, whose body was guarded by the transparent flames. The angry fire melted away the entire platform, and the boy's body dropped into the blue lava. 

What surprised Balinor was that the boy still hadn't awakened.  What kind of fucking meditation it was!

The furious fiery flames engulfed the boy, making him disappear from the dwarf's sight.

It was then something else occurred into the chaotic world.  The giant idol of Bala opened his eyes. The whole world trembled as if got scarred. Balinor saw the two gigantic eyes were sun and moon. 

An ancient hymn began to reverberate into the small world. 

||  Om Vasundharaya Vidhmahe.

Bhutadhatraya Dhimahi.

Thanno Bhumih Prachodayat Om,||

Meaning:

(let us meditate on Bhumi Devi, 

The One who provides all, 

bless us with an abundance

And let the Earth Goddess illuminate my mind)

||Om Sarvapranaya Vidhmahe ,

Yashtihastaya Dhimahi ,

Thanno Vayuh Prachodayat Om||

Meaning: 

(Let me meditate on the life-giving air One who holds the sceptre, give me higher intellect, And let the God of Winds illuminate my mind. )

||Om Akashaay cha Vidhmahe

Nabho Devaay Dheemahi 

Thanno Gaganam Prachodayaat Om,||

Meaning: 

(Let us meditate on the Aether O God of the Skies, give me higher intellect And let the Sky illuminate my mind)

||Om Jala Bimbhaya Vidhmahe,

Nila Purushaya Dheemahe ,

Thanno Varuna Prachodayath Om,||

Meaning: 

(Let me meditate on the reflection of water, Oh, the person of ocean blue, give me higher intellect, And let the God of water illuminate my mind.)

||Om Mahajwalaye Vidhmahe

Agnidevaye Dhimahi Thanno

Agnih Prachodayat Om,||

Meaning:

(Let me meditate on the great flame, Oh, God of fire, give me higher intellect, And let the Fire God illuminate my mind. )

{Note: Want to listen to this hymn, just type "Panchatatva Gayatri Mantra" on youtube. }

With the hymn, all the elements --earth, water, fire, air, ether- began to churn, forming torrents, whirlpools, and storms. The already chaotic world turned into a mess. Even with his powerful elemental shield, Balinor found it difficult to stay in the world. 

The giant mountains flew up clashing with each other. The lightning covered the whole sky as it thundered down like thick serpents of Vashuki's valley. Enraged fire erupted from the earth as if wanting to burn the heaven above. 

The frenzied wind howled. The water rained down from everywhere. Ether wind created fissures in the world. 

Balinor, like a ragged ball, was thrown by the natural forces out of the small world. His clothes were now rags. His red long hair and beard was a tangled mess. His eyes were wide in horror that he had seen before he was thrown out. 

A  terrifying face with eyes of volcanos, the tongue of flame, hair of eternal night, and teeth of snow-capped mountains had appeared in the sky out of thin air. Its eyes were searching for something in the chaos. 

In his aeons long life, Balinor had seen all kinds of horrors. He had even ventured into Ghost Town of the Howling Desert and dined with the ghosts. He had taken a peek into the Well of Barhout. He had explored dark valleys of the Nagini ravine. He had seen Baba Yaga  laughing. However, nothing had unmanned him like the face had done today. 

He stopped his shaking legs and sat down on the boulder. 

What he should do now? He looked around. The ruins of the ancient city Nagiri scattered under the watchful stars. 

It was soon going to dawn. Udolf would be returning. What would he tell him? That a face unmanned him, the master of all Haras, and his own abode thrown him out like a stray dog. 

Balinor got up, deliberating over where he should go in or not. It was then something else came flying out of the shrine's door. 

The blazing orb of fire's target was him, as he was standing just before the adamantine gate. Balinor hurridly dodged. The fireball swept past him. He hurriedly looked back, as the ball crashed into the boulder. 

No, it was not a fire ball. It was the boy in his birthday suit. His eyes were burning just like the face Balinor had seen in the sky. His untamed black hair was flying in the air. Furious flames were erupting from his lithe body. The boulder turned into powder, as the boy got up and without sparing him even a single glance he flew into the adamantine gate again, like a meteor, the heavenly punishment. 

However, even before the boy could step in the gate, the powerful force threw him out again. 

"Boy, stop! " Balinor shouted. He was afraid the boy's rash action would enrage the strange being. 

However, the boy continued attacking the gate, howling like a wounded beast. 

His roar filled with anger and pain awakened the night wind, and the stars. The slaves of the moon dropped fire from heaven. 

Balinor was dumfounded at the strange happening. The boulder, fire and wind began to dance around the boy who had collapsed on the ground. All of a sudden dark clouds appeared in the sky, obliterating the stars. The lightning rumbled loudly as it came down like a giant net of glowing ropes. The divine pressure capable of crushing even the Mount Abu of Nellore bore down on them. 

Balinor's face turned pale as he came to his sense, he swiftly cast a shield around the boy, cutting off the elemental flow. 

"What kind of monster the watcher has brought here! " 

He couldn't help but curse. As he summoned his giant axe. The air trambled because of the fierce aura of the ancient weapon, that had drunk blood of every race. 

Balinor looked up, the cloud had darkened and the lightning was flashing more threateningly. The pressure was increasing on them. 

"What the hell did the boy do to make the spirit so furious?"  Balinor wondered as he faced the coming torrent of lightning. 

The lightning as thick as a banyan tree trunk rained down on the dwarf. The master of Haras swung his hand and a space rift-cut open in the air. He folded that space and lightning vanished. 

"I, Balinor, the servent of Bala, command you to go away. The boy is under my protection." He shouted as he faced another attack of heaven. His voice thundered over the rumbling of the clouds. 

The dark cloud rumbled as if grunting in displeasure. And surprisingly they did disperse, revealing shushed stars in heaven. 

The agitating wind too went back to sleep. The ruined city Nagiri which celebrated the reputation of the most advanced city of its times fell into silence. 

Balinor dissolved his shield and checked the boy. For some reason, the aura around him had solidified and became more intense. 

From calm breathing and regular pulses, Balinor made sure the lad was in good condition and was in deep sleep.