Chapter 18: The Three Channels and Seven Chakras — The Return of the Devas!

Blazing fire from Vasuki's mouth surged toward Hiranyaksha's face, the searing heat evaporating sea mist into the air. Flames struck the Asura king's head, swirling around him but leaving him unscathed. Instead, his hair seemed to grow darker and shinier under the fiery glow. With Brahma's blessing, even Vasuki's flames could not harm Hiranyaksha.

Hiranyaksha shook his head, brushed aside the flames with a cold snort, and glared intensely at Vasuki's head.

Vasuki: "..."

What? Useless?

The Nagas also resided in Patalloka, though they were not as powerful as the Asuras. Vasuki, however, had other plans—he wanted to "educate" these Asuras. Tilting his head, his large eyes glimmered with mischief, blinking innocently. His dark, forked tongue flickered in and out, almost as if mocking the Asuras.

Suddenly, Vasuki's mouth opened wide, releasing thick black smoke that shrouded Hiranyaksha, obscuring his vision from every angle. If he couldn't hurt Hiranyaksha, he'd at least throw him off balance and distract him.

"Undermining Asuras on propose!" Hiranyaksha roared, unable to contain his fury. He swung a powerful punch at Vasuki's head, landing a blow that sent the snake reeling in pain. Vasuki hissed furiously, no longer playing around.

This was war.

Hissing in unison, seven of Vasuki's heads reared back, mouths wide open, and unleashed torrents of flames. The fire spread like molten lava, weaving through the Kshira Sagara and igniting the divine waters. The flames licked at Asura's bodies, sending them into frenzied screams of agony.

"It's too hot! Too hot!"

Holika yelped, immediately releasing the snake's body she had been holding. She leaped back, hiding behind Vajranga, who was trying to shield himself.

"This Vasuki fire is powerful," Vajranga muttered, his tone tense. "It can hurt us—everyone, be careful! Don't underestimate him after all he is King of the Nagas."

At that moment, Holika felt a sharp, searing pain on the right side of her face, an uncomfortable mix of heat and itchiness. Quickly, she summoned her divine power to extinguish the flames around her body, and a mirror materialized in her hands. Gazing into it, she saw several burn marks marring her skin—small, pimple-like scars that looked painfully out of place on her beautiful face.

"Aah! My face!" she cried, her expression shifting to one of horror. Panicked, she covered her face with trembling hands, feeling an urgent need to erase the blemishes.

Channeling her remaining divine power, she attempted to heal the scars, but they remained stubbornly in place, untouched by her efforts. Her heart sank as her frustration turned to anger.

Holika lifted her chin, glaring at the colossal, fire-spitting Vasuki with a mix of anger, resentment, and a trace of fear. The terror within held her back, preventing her from retaliating directly. Inwardly, she vowed to one day restore her appearance and seek a boon that would render her invulnerable to fire.

...

The Asuras clashed fiercely with Vasuki, while the Devas grew increasingly empowered.

Vasuki's massive tail swayed rhythmically, stirring the Kshira Sagara, whose waves transformed into dark clouds and fell as fragrant, invigorating rain, filling the Devas with renewed energy. In this constant push and pull, the turtle moved, causing Mandara Mountain to shift closer toward the Deva side.

Noticing this, Rishi Shukraacharya struck his staff on the ocean floor and shouted angrily, "Enough! Hold them back! If Mandara Mountain moves any closer to the Devas, they will gain everything, and you will be left with nothing!"

Shukraacharya's words jolted the Asuras into action. Hiranyaksha's eyes flared with anger as he turned his attention back to Vasuki, ignoring the Naga's fiery resistance. He seized Vasuki's neck, pulling it back with all his might. The other Asuras, though suffering from the scorching Vasuki flames, tightened their grip on the serpent's body, channeling their divine power to shield themselves from the heat as they struggled to hold their ground.

Years slipped by in this relentless tug of war. After five hundred years, a colossal vortex began to form beneath Mandara Mountain, and the Kshira Sagara thickened, its waters transforming from the fluidity of the ocean to the viscosity of honey, rich and golden. The stirring grew more arduous with every moment as if the very essence of the ocean was solidifying, resisting their every effort.

Both the Devas and Asuras were tense, knowing that the Samundra Manthan of Kshira Sagara was nearing completion.

Indra, too, was fully immersed in the churning. His accumulated ascetic power had grown for eight hundred years, and with another two hundred, he would finally amass a thousand years' worth of penance, unlocking the first layer of his Sahasrakavacha.

With unwavering focus, he continued his efforts, fully absorbed in the monumental task before him.

Above the vast, swirling Kshira Sagara, a sudden flash of light split the horizon. From the milky depths shot a radiant beam of golden light.

Whoosh!

The golden ray soared skyward, illuminating everything in its path before unveiling a figure of dazzling beauty—Goddess Lakshmi herself.

Vishnu's face broke into a joyful smile; Brahma exhaled in relief; Shiva watched quietly, a soft smile touching his lips. The Devas erupted in celebration.

"Devi Lakshmi has appeared! Our power will be returning soon!"

"With the Goddess of Wealth, the prosperity of Svarga follows close behind!"

"Wonderful!"

Their excitement rippled through the Swarga residents, while even the Asuras observed in awe. Hiranyaksha narrowed his eyes, gazing thoughtfully at Lakshmi from afar, his expression unreadable.

Goddess Lakshmi radiated ethereal beauty, her rose-tinted lips curving into a serene smile. Dressed in a flowing red saree with golden edges, her skin shimmered like moonlight. With four graceful arms, she held blooming lotus flowers in two hands, a golden vessel in a third, and offered a gesture of blessing with her fourth, embodying prosperity, purity, and divine protection.

Whoosh!

Golden rays poured from her blessing hand, spreading throughout the universe and bathing the Devas and Asuras alike in its warm glow.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

A mighty surge of energy awakened as the Devas felt their powers reigniting.

"Ah!" Indra stirred, feeling the change within himself. Beneath Devi Lakshmi's radiant light, his strength blossomed anew, waves of energy rising from deep within.

The essence of all living beings flows through three Nadi (Chanells) and seven chakras:

The three Nadi: Ida Nadi, Pingala Nadi, and the Sushumna Nadi.

The seven chakras, ascending from the base, are the Muladhara (Root Chakra), Svadhisthana (Sacral Chakra), Manipura (Solar Plexus Chakra), Anahata (Heart Chakra), Vishuddha (Throat Chakra), Ajna (Third Eye Chakra), and the Sahasrara (Crown Chakra).

Among the three Nadis, the Ida Nadi, which is the left channel, is associated with lunar energy, representing the feminine, cooling, and intuitive aspects of the mind. The Pingala Nadi, the right channel, represents solar energy, symbolizing the masculine, dynamic, and active aspects of life. The foundation of all divine energy begins with the Sushumna Nadi, the central energy channel, which runs along the spine from the base (Root Chakra) to the crown (Crown Chakra).

Emerging from the root chakra, these three Nadi spiral upward, weaving through each of the seven chakras in a flow of continuous energy. The root chakra, also known as kundalini, gathers all energy—whether sourced from within or drawn from the universe itself.

Boom!

At that moment, Indra sensed a surge of boundless energy stirring just below his navel. His life force pulsed vigorously, but it wasn't just his internal strength—energies of faith and devotion streamed in from the realms of heaven and earth, converging within him. These forces, powerful and wild like dragons and serpents, burst forth from the root chakra, intertwining within the three Nadi and rising with intense heat toward the navel chakra above.

The navel chakra, seat of emotion and source of divine fire, acted as a vortex, pulling in all the gathered power from the root chakra. Spiraling upward, the vortex burned with intensity, mirroring the churning of the Kshira Sagara, refining and transforming raw energy into divine power. Pure streams of divine power flowed steadily from this vortex, ascending with a focused brilliance.

Indra felt a surge of heat and swelling in his lower abdomen, his power increasing continuously. Divine energy coursed upward, flowing into the abdominal chakra through the three Nadi. The abdominal chakra governs will and embodies divinity itself. As the divine power settled there, it transformed into a cascade of lightning—manifesting Indra's essence as the Deva of thunder and lightning.

Within Indra's abdominal chakra, bolts of lightning crackled fiercely, each one like a small storm contained within him. The thunder roared as if echoing from the heavens, and the skies above the Milky Ocean mirrored this intensity. Black clouds rolled in, and serpentine streaks of lightning danced through them, illuminating the scene with a blinding, divine brilliance.

Rumble!

A lightning bolt shot down, striking Indra and enveloping him in a radiant glow. The lightning within him surged, rushing upward toward the heart chakra. The heart chakra represents control and serves as the vessel for the divine body. With this power, Indra's entire being shone with an immense radiance, his form expanding in stature, his skin gleaming and unbreakable, like celestial iron. Divine power, divine fire, divinity, and his divine body were now fully restored.

Around him, one by one, the Devas were regaining their strength, each reborn with their unique essence and power. Yet, Indra's transformation was not complete—he was the Deva of thunder, the ruler of Svaraga, the eldest son of Aditi.

With eyes blazing like twin suns, Indra raised his gaze toward the heavens. A surge of lightning coursed through him, climbing the path of the three Nadis. It traveled upward, its energy intensifying as it reached the Throat Chakra, the seat of creation itself, where the essence of the divine realm dwelled.