Birth of The Clans

(Hundreds of years ago- The birth of Asura and Deva clan)

"Why is King Bali so furious everytime a mention of Indra is made?" Kayaveli asked queen Vindhyawelli as she got up and came back to her massage bed. The maidens around her got back to their work of caressing each muscle of her hands with the aromatic jasmine oil.

"It's a long story. Kayaveli, Devas and Asuras have had this enmity since ages." She said as she looked out of her window.

"I wonder how this all started? How have the members of a family gone in so separate ways that they have become so revengeful? The genes of great Sage Kashyap have manifested in widely opposite ways in his clan." Kayaveli said, her large eyes grew wider.

"It was not Sage Kashyap alone who mattered. The daughters of Daksha who married him had an equal role in the progeny." The queen turned to her and said.

"I would like to hear the entire story in detail from you." Kayaveli got up and went behind the head end of the majestic bed. She put a few drops of the oil in her hands and held the forehead of the queen for a head massage.

"Sage Kahsyap was revered for being the fountain of knowledge, created from the mind of none other than Brahma, the Creator of the Universe. Brahma asked him to populate the entire Universe by marrying daughters of Daksha. He thus became the husband of thirteen sisters and resided with them in one of the stars of Ursa Major."

"Brahma asked none other than Sage Kashyap to populate the Universe?" Kayaveli showed her interest in the story.

"Yes, because He was an epitome of righteousness but his routine involved a lot of penance for his moral duties. He would worship the Supreme god for the whole day and night, dispassionate of the beautiful wives serving him."

"No wonder, a sage of such austerity would not have bothered."

"Aditi, one of the sisters, was the most compassionate and kind-hearted of them all. While all his sisters sought companionship of the sage, Aditi dutifully served Kashyap in his religious duties and with years of dedicated service, he got enamoured of her. One day as he got up from the meditation seat, he looked around for the water. Aditi came rushing with a small pot of water..." Vindhyawelli took a pause as she was reciting the incident, her eyes closed.

Kayaveli knew that the queen was translating into words the divine vision she was blessed with. Nobody on Asura loka could tell the story as vividly as Vindhyawelli, she knew well. Curiously she prodded further, "And then, what happened?"

Vindhyawelli didn't say anything. She was visualising in her blessed vision what had exactly transpired then and was finding it difficult to put it into words. She took Kayaveli's hands into hers and placed them gently at the back of her neck. She wanted Kayaveli to experience for herself what had actually happened.It allowed her mental screen to become a medium for projection into Kayaveli's mind. With their eyes closed, both could now see the sequence of events on their mental frame.

"I am sorry to have not being attentive, enough.'' Words of apology flowed from her mouth as if a nightingale was singing in the silent woods.

Kashyap took the water pot from her and started gulping down straight from it. As he looked up his eyes fell on the divine face of Aditi. Few strands of hair were dancing on her wide forehead, flirting with the vermilion on her head. Her one hand occasionally tried to keep the strands tucked behind her ears, though unsuccessfully, while the fingers of the other hand delicately touched his fingers as she supported the pot from below.

"Aditi, you have been selflessly serving me for years and yet have never asked for anything. I urge you to ask for anything that you desire."

Aditi looked at Sage Kashyap, his husband. She knew what she wanted, but the words won't come out. Kashyap came to know of her dilemma.

He said, "Feel free to ask anything. I have been given a responsibility which I have not been fulfilling."

"You are a Yogi, my master. With your knowledge and power, you know our hidden desires. Bless me with a son, If you wish to grant me a boon."

" So, be it." said Kashyap.

##

Vindhyawelli and Kayaveli were engrossed in visualising the events of the past.

Vindhyawelli who knew the after events said, "And then in due course of time Aditi gave birth to Indra, who became the King of devaloka. Aditi thus came to be known as Mother of Devas, Indra being one of her thirty three sons including Adityas, Varuna, Rudras and Vasus."

"So, that's how Devas came into being and Indra their king, I didn't know all this in detail. How did the Asuras come into existence?" Kayaveli asked, her curiosity getting deeper.

"Diti, Kashyap's another wife and one of the sisters of Aditi,is the mother of Asuras," said Vindhyawelli.

"Can we go through the sequence of events of our clan's origin, just like we did now. Please take me to the time travel once again, it seems very interesting to know it all."

" Your curiosity has rubbed its shoulders on mine, okay. Let's go to Rishi Kashyap's loka."

And they were transported once again in the past visualising every scene as it happened.