Curses and Blessings

It has been already more than two hundred years since Veer went out of Himalaya on their tour of Bharatvarsha for teaching his daughter Arya about the mortal world and their relation with nature and the value of their existence in nature's workings.

After completing the travel of Bharatvarsha in the south, Veer and Arya moved toward North. It is the start of fourth century from King Vikram's rule.

Gupta dynasty is on its decline and foreign invaders which are a tribe called Huna have entered the lands of Bharatvarsha breaking the protective walls maintained by Guptas on the western borders and have occupied many states on the northwestern side of Bharatvarsha.

While Veer and Arya are moving in the lands of north Bharatvarsha, while going through a secluded forest of a small kingdom, they saw a woman being chased by some men. It is evident that her fate is going to be worst if she is caught by those men. Her dressing is that of a soldier and another party of chasers also seem like soldiers of some other group.

Arya commented "How can these people chase after the defeated soldiers of the enemy? This goes against the rules of a war where we can not abandon the virtue of a righteous warrior. In this case, this also is suspicious when the person they are pursuing is a woman."

Veer smiled and said "You have already answered your own questions. With the points you noticed, it is evident that they are not some virtuous warriors. About ten males are pursuing a helpless woman in such a way. It shows they are driven by perverted thoughts and their mind has become a victim of degeneration itself."

Arya looked at the woman who is running ahead to save herself and is running up a mountain through the spiraling and shrubby paths of the mountain while panting heavily. In the process of running, she has fallen many times but her zeal of living and being safe is harder to be defeated.

The woman ran up the mountain and she reached the cliff of the mountain. Another side of the cliff goes straight down into the valley and when she looked back on the path where she came from, she found her pursuers approaching fast.

Her pursuers slowed down seeing that she has nowhere to run at this point. They also tried to catch their breath and looked evilly toward the woman. She is a woman of the enemy army and she has killed many of their brothers, so they do not need to hold back against her in treating her in whatever way they want especially when she is a beautiful woman.

Veer looked at the scene and commented "Their thoughts are not only due to their perverted mindset but also due to their anger. But a warrior should also remain calm and should not cross their boundary in certain matters." Veer looked toward Arya and said "We can not complain about these things because humanity is on the decline. Good and evil will exist in equal and sometimes evil can overpower good ones. But it does not mean nature is blind. We need to believe that nature has everything planned."

Arya looked at the helpless situation of woman and seeing her discouraged and sad face said "We are present at this place and are seeing her misfortune. Does nature not want us to help her." A woman being chased by men and there are high chances of her losing her dignity. This is a new type of thing Arya has faced and she suddenly is feeling pity and wants to help the woman.

Veer smiled and caressed the hairs of Arya and said lovingly "This might be her test by nature of her courage and determination and a way to reduce her sins of past and increase the soul power. You need to remember that this is the body which suffers and not the soul. And also as you can see nature has given this woman a few choices here."

Arya asked anxiously "What choices?" She looked toward the woman at the edge of the cliff and slowly and cautiously approaching pursuers.

Veer looked toward the woman and said "She can leave everything on the luck and allow her pursuers to do whatever they want with her body and hope they will not kill her later. She can use her sword and fight her pursuers or kill herself with it before they catch her. She can also simply jump off the kill and save herself from torture and she can also save her honor this way."

Arya felt emotional and said "Can't there be any other option? All these options are equal to death. Father! Can you please tell me how would we know if nature wants us to help her or not? Isn't it nature's will that we are here at this time?"

Veer smiled at Arya and said "Now my daughter has understood a few things already. Of course, it is nature's plan that we are here. Nature might be wanting us to do something but I cannot feel it yet. It might also be a test of nature for us, so we have to be calm, indifferent and not lose our patience. If nature wants us to help her, we will definitely feel it. Let us observe it."

Arya stood beside Veer and watched nervously. The pursuers have reached a distance of almost twenty feet from the woman. One of the men said with an evil grin "If you allow us to capture you obediently, we will leave you alive later."

"I wish to live and I also wish to experience many things in life. But I am a warrior and cannot leave dishonorably. I will jump off the cliff if you move forward." The woman said with a shaking voice. Her threat made the men halt their steps.

One of the men said trying to convince her "You see, you are the princess of his land. We only wish to capture you and use you to negotiate with the army of this state into submission to the King of Huna. You should know that our another King has destroyed a big kingdom of Rome in the far west and your measly state is no match of our armies anyway."

"You are such powerful people. Why do you need to go through this hassle of capturing and negotiation? Just attack and seize the kingdom." She retorted.

Another man laughed and said "We are the soldiers of the front army of Huna King. The main army has yet to come and if we could help negotiate the submission, wouldn't it bring us praise and reward from our commander? We Hunas also does not want to die if we could avoid it."

The woman warrior who is just a girl in her twenties has gained a bit of vigor while talking and said: "Don't think you can hide your own lascivious thoughts from me using all these words." She looked toward the sky with her misty eyes. Her face shows many feelings, her helplessness, her complain toward the gods, her determination to live and die with dignity and she finally said: "I can not live without dignity and you can also forget to use me as a tool to fulfill any of your wishes."

Veer and Arya felt like something happening in their surrounding. It felt like something has changed. Arya looked toward her father and mumbled "Father! What just happened. It feels like some command."

Veer smiled and said while mentioning toward the woman warrior "Look and you will know."

Next moment everyone heard the voice from the lips of that woman "I curse you whether Hunas win or get defeated, you will certainly be not alive to see it." And next moment she jumped off the cliff into the valley. All the men ran toward her to stop her but they were too late. The woman fell into the valley.

Arya felt something and cried "Nature wants us to save her. Father! I felt it." She herself felt emotional and with a wave of her hand the descent speed of the woman decreased significantly and she reached the bottom of the valley while floating slowly on the air.

The warrior woman stood on the ground confused that she did not die. When she looked toward the cliff of the mountain from the bottom of the valley, she could not see anything at such a height. Her eyes turned misty and she cried "Please forgive me that I suspected your existence." She felt emotional as well as guilty for suspecting the gods before she jumped off the cliff.

Arya smiled and felt tempted to talk with the woman who is also a princess. Veer nudged her slowly and said, "Go, talk with her if you want."

Next moment, Arya appeared in front of the crying woman and giggled. That woman suddenly fell in daze seeing such a divine girl appearing in front of her and did not know what to speak. After a few moments, she regained her voice and asked: "Which goddess are you?"

Veer looked adoringly toward his daughter from the distance who is in the mood of doing some mischief. Listening to the question of the warrior woman, Arya laughed and said while trying to think "Which name should I take? Laxmi or Saraswati or Gauri? Oh, this is so difficult." Then she laughed and said, "Let us say I am some little girl who knows a bit more about the working of the world."

The woman warrior felt overwhelmed by emotions in her heart and fell on her knees in front of Arya and said "I really do not know what to say. A simple thanks are not enough. It does not happen always that someone is saved by gods."

Arya smiled and said "Yes, it does not always happen. It feels that your feelings have really moved the gods this time."

The woman felt confused at the statement of Arya "Do you not help people when you see them suffering? There are a lot of cruel things happening in the world and unnecessary massacre is going on. Why can't the gods help us?"

Arya replied in a calm voice "Many people in the mortal world are living life to be free from their Karma. They are either gaining virtue or accumulating sins. Some people are also trying to get rid of their sins of the past by doing virtuous deeds. People doing sins are helping others in gaining virtue. All the things happening in the world are driven by these facts. How can the gods interfere with their destiny?"

The woman warrior asked "Then why did you help me this time? This is my destiny to die this way. Why would gods want me to live?"

Arya fell in thoughts. She really did not know why did she save her. She suddenly felt a command like feeling which made her act to save the woman. She just can't say that she saved her because she felt like it.

Veer smiled seeing Arya in the state of confusion and he understood her feeling. Veer appeared beside Arya and smiled at her. Arya smiled and pouted at him and said "Father! Can you tell why I helped her?"

Warrior woman is in daze seeing such an out of world divine being. She can tell that the person in front of her is not some simple person. His presence itself has changed the surrounding in a different way. She can feel a divine scent in her surrounding which has removed all her fatigue and her body feels invigorated and her wounds got healed. She can feel an overwhelming desire of prostration on his feet seeing him. Unknowingly her tears fell from her eyes and she kept looking at him unblinking. She did not feel this way when Arya has appeared in front of her.

Veer smiled seeing the stat of the mind of the warrior woman and said "When you were at the edge of the cliff, your overwhelming desire to save your life and also to save the dignity of the body has reached your soul. When your thoughts reach your soul and become the will of the soul, they do not remain superficial. The curse from a soul becomes effective and it's will also is obeyed by the gods. You wanted to live when you jumped and so did your soul and it made gods to help you."

The woman warrior came out of her reverie and asked: "Will it work next time as well?" The woman thought that if it worked, she might try this to defeat her enemies in war.

Veer laughed seeing through her thoughts and said "Probably not. You can not possibly ask the gods to help you in a war where it is not only related to your destiny but the destiny of thousands of mortals. War is the thing where many people enter to either live with the victory or die willingly. So many wills are working there. Your will is too weak to work against that many mortals."

Arya joined the discussion and asked "Father! But why did I feel like something happened when she cursed those people?"

"Because her curse has worked. Those people might not survive the next fight they will be involved in." Veer smiled and said.

The warrior woman felt in a daze and turned emotional and asked: "It means that my curse to them also was effective."

"It was but do not think it will work every time. A Yogi reaches this stage where he or she can give blessings or curse through an arduous process of moving step by step on the path of spirituality. The thing which happened with you is not the enlightenment but a sudden burst of emotion which were so deep that they got connected with your soul. Those men who got cursed were weak due to their thoughts and actions and thus got affected by it. But next time if you try the same thing due to your worldly desires or greed, it might not work." Veer explained.

Veer looked at the disappointed expression of the warrior woman and smiled and said "Disappointment in your heart tells that you are not free of worldly desires and are entangled with your emotions. That is why I said that all the desires cannot be heard and acted upon by gods because all the mortal people are doing the same."

Arya laughed and said "Haha. If it happened, it will look like mortals ordering gods around for their work. Then the wars of mortals will also be fought by those enlightened beings."

Warrior woman felt like she has shown her bad side to these people and felt embarrassed about it. She also felt like it would be good if she could do anything to be rid of this feeling of embarrassment.

Seeing her embarrassed expression, Arya felt pity toward her and came to her and helped her stand and said "Do not feel embarrassed. Your thoughts are not different from any other person in this world. But the things which happened only happen when your consciousness and your soul wish for the same thing. The soul never wants worldly things and it can not be influenced by worldly desires and that is why the calls of mortals can not force gods to help them all the time."

The woman warrior which is still in daze asked "But how did it suddenly happened? How could I curse and be able to make gods to hear me and save me?"

Arya looked toward Veer. Seeing the gaze of Arya, warrior woman also looked toward Veer. Seeing their questioning gaze Veer answered to the warrior woman "When you decided to jump off the cliff, your heart has abandoned the world and you have already forgotten about all the emotions except your desire to live. Your consciousness was overcome with grief due to the unwillingness of doing what you were going to do. In such case when you cursed them, it came from your soul and it worked on those men. Your unwillingness to leave the world also emerged from your soul and it moved the gods to help you."

Woman warrior looked toward Arya and said: "But you said that you are not gods."

"Yes, we are just some Yogis which were passing by. We can not help everyone and change their destiny. We can feel it if gods want us to help someone. In your case, I felt it and thus I saved you." Arya smiled and said.

Listening to the reply of Arya, warrior woman was in a daze and then she murmured "It feels like all the things which everyone in the world is doing are superficial things which do not matter in the eyes of gods. Then why are we doing these things? Why are there wars and invasions? What do we get by doing all these unnecessary worldly things?"

She looked toward Arya and said in a pleading voice "Please tell me what should I do. I am feeling like getting suffocated just with the thought of living the same life which I have been living till now. Why does it suddenly feel like dying will be better than that life I have been living?"

Arya looked at her and then smiled and asked: "Then tell me, what made you think this way."

That warrior woman looked toward Arya and said "When I jumped from the cliff, I felt like all the things in life are nothing because death will end them at last. It seems all those things we do in life are mere illusions and the death is the only truth. I don't wish to keep doing those things anymore."

That woman suddenly fell on her knees and said to Arya "Please guide me so that I can feel free of this illusion and can live a meaningful life."

Arya smiled and said "I am really moved by your answer and feel like I must help you understand a few things. I will allow you to travel with us for some time and let you decide on the path you wish to take."

After this conversation Veer and Arya resumed their journey being followed by a princess who has now changed into the dress of a hermit. Three people traveled toward north and Veer taught them many things.

Arya took it upon herself to teach the warrior princess she saved about the things of Yogic path. She also asked her to be with herself when Arya delivered sermons on some places.

After a few months Veer, Arya and warrior princess have met another group of yogis men and women who are headed toward the holy city of Kashi.

Warrior princess who has her dress and temperament changed to that of a recluse bowed to Veer and Arya and said: "Please permit me to join the other group to go to Kashi and gain my own attainment on this path you have guided me on."

Arya looked at this princess who has become so humble and is so pure-hearted. She does not wish to stick greedily with people like Veer and Arya. Other people would not let go of something like this so easily.

Arya gazed at her softly and said smiling "You are such a pure soul. You have no greed and no selfishness. Go on and do what your heart says. My blessings will be with you. You will remain safe and will be successful on the path you choose." Arya suddenly felt like she has consumed a bit of soul power of hers and something from her entered into the soul of woman bowing to her. "Oh, so this is how blessing works," Arya thought. She also felt a connection at the soul level to the woman.

After the warrior princess who has been with them for few months left, Arya started contemplating. She felt like due to her blessing, she has an extra burden on her soul. Once they are at a secluded place, Arya started the meditation to understand the things she is feeling now.

One day she asked Veer "Father! Why do I feel burdened due to the blessing I have given to someone?"

Veer smiled and said "Finally you have understood it. Curses or blessings are simply a responsibility which your soul has taken. To fulfill that blessing or curse, nature takes the power of your soul because that is your responsibility. That is why a Yogi does not waste his soul power on blessing people who are not worthy enough."

This thing raised more questions in Arya's mind but she will try to find the answers herself first. Veer smiled seeing the determined expression on the face of his daughter.

Veer and Arya kept wandering and after a few more months they reached Ratanpur again. Many things have changed in the past three hundred years since Arya last departed along with her father. She squealed and ran on the bustling street and made Veer laugh who is trailing behind walking calmly.

Arya stopped and waited for Veer to catch up and then said "Father! I see many things have changed. More buildings are created and people have also increased. It feels Ratanpur city area has increased and the palace also looks bigger than the past."

"Change is inevitable as per the cycle of nature. Things will somersault with the passage of time. Human life starts with birth, body and behavior changes happen and finally, it reaches its end with death. The same thing happens in the world. It keeps changing and growing in different ways and it will reach its destination one day." Veer replied calmly while walking ahead.

Arya became calm and then asked "Father! Is the destination of the world means its destruction? Are you referring to the holocaust? Is it a real thing?"

Veer smiled and said "Instead of calling it destruction, we should call it reconstruction, reorganization or rearranging. Not everything is going to end but the best ones of everything will remain for reorganization purpose. It is not going to happen soon as reconstruction or reorganization is only needed when the situation became irreversible."

"Leave it for now. You will know it if nature decides something big like that. For now, you should concentrate on improving yourself. Those things are not something a fifteen-year-old should think about." Veer patted her head lightly and said.

Arya pouted and said "Who is fifteen years old? Does father wish for me to look like an eighty-year-old lady? If I appeared so, it will feel strange if I call you father."

Veer laughed and said "Oh, so this the reason. My daughter wishes to look like my daughter and that is why she is maintaining the body age of fifteen years old. Haha. This is something where the thought process of my daughter has won over mine." Arya also giggled and looked proud of herself.

After walking through the market of Ratanpur city, the duo started their walk in the direction of the Temple of Goddess Mahamaya which is built outside the city on a hill. It is the time of just a few hours later the sunset and the path to the temple is lit with torches which are probably maintained by the kingdom to provide facilities to devotees.

The sound of chants and the songs of devoutness can be heard from the bottom of the hill itself. Veer and Arya started ascending the stairs. Temple seems to be bustling from the activity. It looks like some event is going on because many devotees are going up toward the temple and very few leaving it.

Some devotees who seem to be in hurry to reach the temple are moving fast on the stairs and talking about today's event.

"We have heard that Saintess Shri is going to deliver her last sermon today. Seems like evening prayer is still not finished. Thank God! We are on time." One devotee exclaimed.

Another one said "Saintess Shri has lived for more than three hundred years and everyone knows that she was the wife of Sage King Ritu Raj but she left everything due to sudden enlightenment. She was known as a divine beauty when she was young. It is not easy for someone to leave the worldly things, especially a pampered princess like Saintess Shri."

"Even the people from surrounding kingdoms have come to see her last time. Some kings from neighboring kingdoms and royals of Ambikapur kingdom have also come. I have heard that she is going to depart from this world and today will be her last time meeting people and provide her guidance." One other devotee said.

"She has lived in the temple for three hundred years and never went out of the range of this hill. She has been living for the sole purpose of spirituality. She has become a family for all the people who have come to pray or have known her in any way. It is really saddening to know of her departure." One lady who is also going to listen to the last sermon said with a sad tone.

Veer and Arya walked up the stairs among devotees. Arya looked at the calm expression of her father and understood his purpose of their visit from the discussions of devotees.

Arya also remembers her pitiful aunt Shri who was a pampered princess of the kingdom of Ambikapur. Due to a mistake of a jealous heart, she lived a life filled with scorn and neglect for ten years and finally decided to become a recluse. She looked at her father and from the light smile playing on his face, she remembers that it was her father who helped princess Shri in getting enlightened. She suddenly felt curious about meeting her aunt Shri.

Evening prayers are finished soon and all the devotees got seated in the temple hall and a woman with an aged body is sitting on the dais. Her body seems to be reaching the last of lifespan but the luster on her face and kindled glow in her eyes easily get the respect and devoutness from the onlookers.

Saintess Shri delivered her sermon on how people can live a spiritual life without leaving their family and worldly responsibilities. Veer and Arya also listened to the sermon. Veer commented "Her teachings are for mortal people to live a life filled with spiritual happiness. What I teach is to leave worldly things and relations to pursue spirituality. In a way, she has helped mortals better than I have done."

At the end of sermon many devotees asked questions and saintess Shri answered them calmly. At last Saintess Shri turned her head and looked at the corner among devotees where Veer and Arya are sitting and said emotionally "You have come at last."

Arya stood up promptly and went to the dais and stood in front of Saintess Shri and said "Aunt Shri!"

Many devotees gasped in surprise listening to this girl calling the saintess as an aunt. All the devotees looked at the young girl and then the other person following her. These both, the little girl and the elder with her look like a recluse and no less majestic than Saintess Shri.

Saintess Shri laughed and said emotionally "Little girl, you have not changed a bit from the time I remember. Aunt suddenly feels envious of you." She extended her hand shakingly and Arya held it in hers.

Veer walked calmly and stood in front of Dais and looked at the Saintess Shri who turned to Veer and asked emotionally "I have lived enough and can not hold any longer but I am not at peace. Is there a way?"

"Those are the worldly matters. The only way to find peace is to let go of them." Veer replied calmly.

Saintess Shri replied "How can I let go of that? That is the thing which decided my path. If I let go of that, many things will become meaningless. And if I can't let go, I won't be in peace." Her eyes looked cloudy due to sadness.

All the devotees are looking at the trio with gazes filled with curiosity, surprise, and devotion. No one has seen so many emotions on Saintess Shri and the people responsible to cause her to open her heart cannot be some simple people. Veer and Arya also became the center of attention but no one knows who are they.

"I and Priya are actually thankful to you. Something may feel unfair in present but might become the reason of great luck in the long run. By looking at the things today, I think you are the cause of the things to turn out so positive." Veer replied with a slight smile.

Saintess Shri looked at Veer expectedly and asked "Can I meet her? I wish to talk to her."

Veer pointed at the center of the forehead of Saintess Shri who is sitting in a lotus position on the dais and she suddenly entered the meditative state. Veer closed his eyes standing in the same position.

In the next moment, Veer is standing in the Vast universe along with Priya and Saintess Shri is standing in front of them looking in awe at the majestic view.

Saintess Shri looks like the young proud Princess Shri who is a beauty with playful vigor. She looked at herself and then looked at her surrounding and murmured "I could never reach this level of enlightenment in my life."

Priya smiled and said "Sister! Instead of asking about how young and beautiful you look. You are curious about surrounding."

Shri looked at her sister lovingly and said "Looks are the cause of all the envy and desires. The meaningful is this feeling of being in this place. This feeling has helped me understand many things." And she kneeled in front of Veer and Priya and said: "And I am thankful to you for that."

"Sister! What are you doing?" Priya said and moved to help Shri stand.

Shri looked at Priya and touched her face and said emotionally "I am happy to know that you can be together. But I am sad thinking I am the reason for your separation but won't be able to see your reunion." Both Shri and Priya looked at Veer expectedly.

Arya appeared suddenly beside Veer and said "Father! I wish aunt Shri can be there when father and mother reunite. It will also help her be in peace. Her being in peace is also related to our Karma."

Veer smiled at her daughter and said "Yes. She is a part of our Karma."

"I wish I will be born again as the beloved and trusted sister of Priya." Shri murmured and looked at Veer with teary eyes.

Veer looked at her and smiled while saying "I am not sure how it will work. I will it. I hope you wish comes true." Suddenly a light emerged from the Veer and entered the soul of Shri.

Veer could feel that he has delivered a blessing of rebirth to Princess Shri. It did not decrease his soul power by much because her own soul power and spiritual energy are also increased after three hundred years of penance. Both souls of Princess Shri and Veer and willing the same thing and it makes easier on the soul of Veer to deliver this blessing.

Priya looks lovingly at Veer and then smiles at Shri and says "Sister! Let us meet in the future and be loving sisters."

Next moment Saintess Shri opened her eyes and found herself sitting on the dais. Her tears are flowing and she looked toward Veer and whispered "Thank you. I feel at peace now." Next moment she closed her eyes again and her lifeless body tumbled at one side. Surprised cried could be heard among the devotees. Many people from the devotees sobbed.

In front of all the devotees, Arya stood up from beside the Saintess Shri and moved to Veer and said "Father!" Veer smiled at his daughter and then said: "Let us go." And next moment both vanished in front of all the devotees. Surprised gasps could be heard from the devotees. Many ran and picked the dust from the floor where Veer has stood. They thought that Gods have come to bless Saintess Shri at her last moment and the dust touched by his feet can be termed as a holy relic.

For the next two days, the body of Saintess Shri is placed in the temple in a meditative posture for the last visitation of devotees before performing her last rites as per religious teachings.

Many people started looking into historical documents to find out about the little girl who called Saintess Shri aunt. They have also heard the name Priya. After a few days everyone found out about the story of Prince Veer, his lover Priya and his adopted daughter Arya and how princess Shri was related to them.

People looked at Saintess Shri in a new light now and no one found faults with her but they all thought that she was the reason for all the positive outcome as Veer mentioned. Although what positive outcome Veer talked about and what he did to make Saintess Shri leave in peace, people could only make their guesses regarding that and many writers mentioned different things in their stories which were written after the departure of Saintess Shri. Of course, some guesses were almost near to the truth.