Chapter 6

The massive golden hammer, forged from the cursed words of Indra, fell on Garuda's head with a heavy thud, resonating through the Svarga.

Boom!

Garuda's body trembled violently, pain etched across his face. He staggered back, raising his hand to cover his left chest. Within him, hot blood surged as his heart twisted painfully, a severe cramping sensation overwhelming him as if he had lost something precious. Unable to contain himself, tears streamed down his face.

It hurts!

It hurts so much!

The image of Vishnu, which had once lain comfortably in his heart, suddenly transformed into a golden light and vanished without a trace. The Lord's whisper faded from his ears, the fragrance of divinity disappeared from his senses, and the glorious figure of Vishnu was no longer visible to his eyes. Even in his mind, the faint, doting smile of the Lord began to dissipate.

"Lord! Lord!"

"Where are you, Bhagwan?!"

Garuda's panic surged as he frantically scanned his surroundings, exclaiming in desperation. The Devas fell silent, their expressions filled with fear as they held their breath in astonishment.

What a vicious and powerful curse! For believers, losing their faith felt like losing their very lives. No! It was even more terrifying than the loss of life!

Garuda was anxious and restless, his wings flapping erratically behind him, feathers cascading to the ground. In his panic, he clasped his hands together and closed his eyes to offer Prayers to the Lord.

" Om Namo Bhagavate Vasudevaya!"

…

The sounds of prayers continued to flow from Garuda's mouth, but he felt no response.

Alas…

At that moment, Agni, the God of Fire, shook his head and sighed. Drawing upon his remaining divine power, he ignited his hands, holding up a ball of brilliant red flame. From this flame emanated thousands of radiant hues, encompassing the Svarga, the earth, and all the beings within, both divine and mortal.

Suddenly, the flames flickered, moving like the wind. Garuda's praying figure, hands clasped together, materialized within the flames, his fervent prayers echoing for what felt like an eternity.

Yajna Agni!

For the power of faith in Yajna to reach the Devas, it must pass through the sacred fire. This Yajna Agni bridges the Svarga Loka and the Bhu Loka, connecting the human and divine realms, and transmitting faith to the Devas.

As the God of Fire, Agni also embodies the essence of Yajna Agni; thus, the Yajni Agni is under his control and rests in his hands.

"Garuda," Agni spoke in a deep voice, "your prayers resonate within this Yajna Agni, but they have not reached Lord Vishnu. It appears the curse has taken effect, and you will never see Lord Vishnu again!"

Hearing this, Garuda's face fell with sadness, and his clasped palms slowly dropped. Anger surged within him, reflecting a complex mix of sorrow and rage as his sharp eagle eyes locked onto the Emperor of Svarga.

At that moment, a fierce wind swirled around Garuda, and an overwhelming aura radiated from his being.

"Indra, how truly vicious you are! You interfere with a devotee's path to my bhagwan—how can you consider yourself worthy to be the King of Svarga?" Garuda's voice was tight with anger, his words carrying a powerful intensity.

"And now that you recognize your mistake, weren't just as vicious as me in disrupting my penance?" he continued. "Did you forget, Once Brahma, captivated by his creation, Shatarupa, grew a fifth head just to gaze upon her wherever she went? His pride swelled as he claimed supremacy as the ultimate Creator, upsetting the cosmic order. To curb this unchecked arrogance, Lord Shiva manifested as Bhairava, his most fearsome form, to humble Brahma."

"In his wrath, Bhairava severed Brahma's fifth head, restoring cosmic balance and ending Brahma's pride. Yet, by committing Brahmahatya—the sin of slaying a Brahmin—even Bhairava faced consequences. To atone, he journeyed to Varanasi and bathed in the sacred Ganga. Only then was he freed of this sin, and Brahma's skull fell into the river, marking the end of his arrogance."

"From that moment, Brahma was forbidden from receiving sacred offerings by Lord Shiva. Witnessing this, Brahma's son Daksha grew bitter, vowing never to offer his prayers and Sacred Offerings to Lord Shiva. This grudge planted the seeds for the tragedy of Devi Sati, Daksha's daughter and Shiva's beloved wife. Her unwavering loyalty to Shiva led to her self-sacrifice, casting a lasting shadow upon their family."

"All of this is part of Lord Shiva's divine play. As the Lord of Innocence, he provides a warning to the world: arrogance disrupts harmony. It is a reminder from the Trimurti and to all beings."

"Not only have you disturbed my penance, but you've turned against your kin, disregarding the Lord's command to honor us with an invitation. And now, you raise your weapon against me—your own brother. Such an act is no minor transgression."

He paused, his gaze steady. "Pride as lord Vishnu's vahana has led you astray, blinding you to the path of virtue. You have become lost, consumed by an arrogance that shadows even your devotion."

Indra opened his eyes wide, staring at Garuda as thunder and fire blazed within them. He raised his arms, ready to engage in a tussle with Garuda.

Boom!

In Svarga, a distant echo reverberated as lightning crashed like a dragon and a serpent danced wildly, illuminating Indra's face and sending forth bursts of deafening thunder to bolster his resolve.

Though he might not have the strength to win a fight right now, he was determined to maintain the moral high ground, even if it meant conceding.

"You… you… you…" Garuda stammered, his chest heaving with rage. His face flushed red as he pointed accusingly at Indra, momentarily at a loss for words.

Among the Trimurti, Lord Brahma originally had four heads, each representing one of the four Vedas. However, a fifth head emerged, which he used to gaze upon Shatarupa, a form of his creation. This caused Lord Shiva to become angry, as he witnessed the creator himself becoming enamored with his creation. Unable to tolerate this any longer, Shiva took action against Brahma's fifth head in his avatar.

This move infuriated Daksha, the son of Brahma. As the Prajapati, through whom most life in the world is born, he ordered all creatures not to pray to Lord Shiva. Sati, the reincarnation of Lord Shiva's feminine power, was now Daksha's daughter. Caught between her husband Shiva and her father Daksha, Sati ultimately set herself ablaze and died.

Garuda was well aware of this story.

"Damn Indra! Are you comparing me to Daksha?" he thought angrily.

In the end, Daksha's head was removed for his arrogance and replaced with a sheep's head. The outcome was quite dire! Garuda gasped, feeling a mix of grievance and fury. He wanted to retort loudly but found himself at a loss for words.

Garuda clenched his fists, his expression a mix of indignation and disbelief. "How could you, Indra? You've twisted the truth to turn me into a scapegoat!"

At that moment, a figure suddenly appeared in Svarga, letting out a long sigh.

"Well! Looks like I'm a bit late!" Brihaspati stepped forward, his demeanor thoughtful.

His black hair fell to his shoulders, and his complexion glowed like golden wheat. Dressed in a long golden shawl over a white dhoti, he exuded elegance and uniqueness. He was Rishi Brihaspati, the teacher of the Devas, one of the Navagrahas (Jupiter), and the son of Sage Angiras. Renowned for his proficiency in various incantations, chants, and sacrificial rituals, he served as an advisor to the Devas, including Indra, and held the esteemed title of their spiritual teacher.

"Pranam to the divine teacher!"

"Pranam to the divine teacher!"

"Pranam, Rishi Brihaspati!"

All the Devas saluted and welcomed their teacher. The Brihaspati clasped his hands together, bowed slightly, and said, "Pranam, Devas!"

His gaze then fell on Indra and Garuda, who appeared menacing and clearly at odds with one another. A slight frown creased his brow, revealing his concern. Having received an order from Brahma, he had come to mediate the conflict between Indra and Garuda. With the Devas losing their power and chaos reigning, there could be no civil war at this critical time.

"Indra! Can you take back the curse on Garuda?" Rishi Brihaspati asked after a moment's thought, addressing his student.

As the teacher of the Devas, he was the most suitable person to mediate this conflict. It would be more effective to discuss it calmly.

Indra maintained a calm demeanor, chuckling softly. "As we all know, once a curse is issued, it cannot be taken back," he replied.

"But conditions can be added to the original curse..." Brihaspati countered earnestly.

Once a curse issued by the power of penance is invoked, it cannot be altered. However, it's akin to writing code; conditions can be added before the original curse takes effect. This, too, requires the penance power of the one who issued the curse.

"This will consume my hard-earned energy!" Indra's tone suddenly faltered before he continued with a laugh, "However, it's not out of reach. He must sincerely apologize to me!"

"Moreover, to temper his arrogance and remind him of his duty to uphold the righteous Dharma, I want him to remember our bond as brothers. In the future, whenever he lays eyes on me, he must pranam to me three times!"

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