Live long and Wait for Her

After Veer jumped from the precipice, he closed his eyes as he was sure he was going to catch Priya in his arms.

Next moment he felt his whole body being light and the flow of wind. He felt like he is floating on the clouds.

He embraced tightly and felt warm in his arms. He slowly opened his eyes afraid that he was dreaming, but what greeted him was a sweet smiling face.

His eyes turned misty and he said "Priya! Finally, I found you."

Priya smiled and said "Yes Veer! We have met finally. Let us be together always."

Veer still was not able to believe that he has found Priya and she is in his arms. He put his lips on her neck and kissed slowly while inhaling the enchanting scent of his beloved.

Priya giggled and said "Stop that. It tickles."

"Let me make sure" Veer murmured, still inhaling her scent on her neck.

"What?" She asked stroking his hairs gently.

"That I am not dreaming. And this is all real." Veer whispered.

"We are not dreaming Veer! Our love is real and we are together. See, we are finally free and above the world. Now, there is no worry. No one can stop us from loving each other. I am really happy." Priya laughed and said.

Veer raised his head and looked around. He could see the passing clouds. He could see the world below. He could see the flying birds and sun in the sky. He is still holding Priya in his arms and both of them are looking the scene around.

Veer whispered dreamily "This is all so fascinating. With you in arms, it's all like heaven. If I am dreaming, I don't wish to wake up."

"Let us stay like this and never wake up," Priya whispered in his arm and put her head in his bosom.

They kept floating in the clouds while holding each other in their arms. No words are needed. Their hearts are content while feeling each other.

He looked in her eyes and smiled. She smiled at him. He lowered his head and kissed on her cheeks. She giggled.

Veer held her closer in his arms while she kept her head in his chest. He felt content and closed his eyes. He forgot about time and immersed himself deeply in the feelings of love. This is heaven, he felt.

Suddenly

CHHAPAAK...

Veer felt like everything changed suddenly. The weather turned cold, clouds disappeared. He felt suffocation. He got startled and found that everywhere is water and Priya is not in his arms.

He felt suffocation and pain. Priya is not in his arms anymore and this feeling was painful. He started moving his arms and legs crazily in the water. Finally, he pushed on the ground and stood up in the water and was able to breathe in the air.

Veer stood silent while his eyes closed. He felt the flowing water below his knees. He felt cold due to the slow breeze. His arms felt empty without Priya and tears flowed from his eyes. He opened his eyes and the sunlight felt like piercing in his eyes.

When his eyes got adjusted, he looked around and found himself in a narrow valley. He was standing in a stream and on the side of the stream, there was a Sadhu standing with a smile on his face. That Sadhu looked toward Veer and chuckled. There was another young Sadhu standing nearby who was looking at Veer with pity in his eyes.

Veer still is not able to get over his feeling and said sobbing "Why did you do that to me? Why do you have to separate us?"

"So, what did you want to do? Do you wish to stay in that dream always? But how will you stay in that dream if your body dies? I saved you and you are blaming us. You are ridiculous." The senior Sadhu scolded Veer.

Young Sadhu said "Teacher! He is sad and he looks pitiful. Can you please not scold him like this?"

Senior Sadhu said indifferently "You are my disciple. When did you become my Guru? Now you want to teach me."

Young Sadhu seemed afraid from his Guru's taunt and said hurriedly "No, Please don't be angry. Please help younger brother."

Sadhu scolded his disciple and said "I always tell you don't teach me. Sometimes you say, please do this, please do that. Now you say please don't get angry, please help. Don't I have eyes? Can't I decide what to do?"

Disciple understood that he has again made a mistake. He provoked his teacher. He wished to slap himself. Despite hundreds of reminder to himself, he did it again. He lowered his head and listen to his teacher's scolding obediently.

Veer stood in river stream stunned seeing this scene. He couldn't believe there was such type of Guru and Disciple. Does this Guru teach his disciple this way? It's like one is a hoodlum and another is destitute. He felt like this disciple is also pitiful.

Suddenly that Guru turned toward Veer and his eyes met Veer's stunned gaze and he shouted "have you cried enough for your lover? If you are done, come out of the water and dry yourself. Have you never seen a divine person?"

Veer almost smiled from listening to the outburst of this person. Divine person? He is more like a divine hooligan. He came out of the water slowly and stood in the sun.

For some time no one spoke. Veer remembered his talk with Priya and knew that it was all a dream. He felt sad again. He subconsciously looked up and felt startled seeing how high this precipice is. He did not understand how did he reach here from the mountaintop? He looked toward the Sadhu and found him also looking at him.

"Ask if you have any questions" He heard that Sadhu saying.

"I remember I jumped from the top of the mountain. Why did I not die?" Veer asked.

"How can you die if I have decided to save you?"

"How did you save me?" Veer felt confused.

"It just needs some physical powers. What is so difficult about it? Ask something else."

Veer felt like this Sadhu is especially interested in answering his questions. He seemed patient with him unlike when he talked with his disciple.

Veer thought for a while and then mumbled: "What should I do now?"

That senior Sadhu said indifferently "Do you think if you died, you will be able to meet your beloved person?"

"How did you know?" Veer got startled and asked. He remembered that he never mentioned Priya or his love in front of this Sadhu.

"It shows on your face. You look like a love-struck fool."

"You will never understand how painful it is. It would be good if you understood my pain instead of ridiculing my love" Veer felt sad again remembering Priya.

"I don't know and I also do not wish to know. But I know what happens after a body dies."

"What happens when someone dies?" Veer asked. He suddenly felt hopeful. It is strange but he wanted to ask this question.

"No one dies. It is the body only which dies. The soul leaves the body and takes the birth again in a new body. Everyone has their own path of re-birth. Do you think you can follow her if you died?" Guru asked. Suddenly his voice became solemn.

Veer looked at this Sadhu again and felt like his first evaluation of this person was not correct. His outer appearance is all a bluff. Seeing this person now feels so peaceful and heart wants to believe him.

Guru smiled and said "Now I do not look like a hoodlum to you? Call me Teacher and bow in front of me. Then I will help you understand." And then he laughed and said "Of course you don't have other option. Ho ho ho.." The young disciple of Sadhu felt helpless hearing the laugh of his teacher.

Veer looked at this Sadhu but it did not feel strange now. He felt this person can read the mind of people. He knew that Veer thought he was a hoodlum. Even this ridiculous laugh felt like the music of hope to his ears.

Veer suddenly felt emotional. He walked and with a thump knelt in front of the Sadhu "Teacher! Please accept me as your disciple. Please help me understand."

"Ho Ho Ho. I, Gorakh Nath found another successor for the path of Yoga" Guru laughed and then looked toward his first disciple who is looking at kneeling Veer with pity in his eyes.

Suddenly Guru stopped and asked Veer "Do you think my laugh is disgusting? You senior brother thinks I don't look like a refined person when I laugh."

Veer looked at the senior disciple and then looked at the Guru and said: "I feel like it's all your facade and only outward appearance."

Veer felt like he made his newly accepted Guru happy by seeing his happy expression. He suddenly remembered the name of his Guru. Guru Gorakh Nath. This name he has heard from his brother and also from some folklore from wandering groups. This name is quite famous in the northern parts of Bharatvarsha. This person is called a Mad Sadhu by many people. Many people ridicule him due to his new practices in Yoga but he also has many staunch devotees. He is a person trying to revive the ancient practice of Yoga and spirituality.

Veer has also known that Guru Gorakh Nath only has one disciple and he is King Bhartri Hari of Magadha. This king left the kingdom to his younger brother Vikram and became a spiritual practitioner due to some unknown reasons. It happened almost 200 years before. He looked at the face of his senior brother and did not feel like it was the face of a 200-year-old person.

Guru laughed and said, "This is all correct." He mentioned toward his senior disciple and said "This is your senior brother Bhartri Hari" and then he pointed toward Veer and told to his senior disciple "And this is your younger brother Veer Raj"

Guru has known his name, this did not surprise Veer anymore. This thing he is sure that his Guru can read the people's mind. But this all does not matter, what matters is if his Guru can help him find his love.

"You are really ridiculous. We just met and you accepted me as your Guru. Instead of showing your devotion to your Guru, you are thinking about your lover." Voice of his Guru fell in his ears.

Guru Gorakh Nath walked and sat on a rock and looked at his both disciples and felt proud. He said while pointing at grass in front "Both of you come here and sit. Let me redress some of your doubts."

Veer and his senior brother Bhartri Hari walked and sat in front of Guru folding their legs. Guru looked at his disciples and then said "Bhartri Hari when met me, he said that he wanted to know what is the purpose of life. He wanted to know why are we born and why do we live in this world." Guru smiled and then looked at Veer and said: "Now tell us what do you want to know?"

Veer looked at his Guru and said "I want to meet her. I want to know what happens when a body dies. How can I meet her again?"

Guru looked at the earnest face of Veer and then looked toward the sun and asked him "Look there and tell me what do you see. If you could, what would you change in this view."

Veer looked toward the sun and felt the warmness of sun on his face and then mumbled: "I would like to watch the sun and feel the wind on the face while holding her hands."

Guru looked at Veer and seeing the dazed expression he understood that his new disciple has only one thing in his heart and that is love. He smiled. He can feel the depth of his emotion. He can also feel the sorrow of that girl because she has not yet left the mortal world because her memories are still with her. With time she will lose those memories and cross to the soul world to enter the cycle of re-birth. He has created a new path of Yoga, he also wants to see how long it can take his new disciple. Can he make him understand about life and death? Can he understand that soul never dies? Can he understand about God?

Guru said, "She also loves you so much."

Veer looked at his Guru. Hearing the words of his Guru he felt like crying and said in the hoarse voice "But how would I meet her? She is gone."

Guru smiled and said "Did you not hear what I said? She loves you. Still loves you. Due to her attachment to you, she is not able to cross over yet but she can not stay in the mortal world for long. With the loss of her spiritual energy, she will ultimately lose her memories and then float into soul world."

"Teacher! Can you see her? Can you please..." Veer felt emotional but he did not know what should he ask his Guru.

Guru looked at his disciple and felt happy in the heart. Due to the loss of all emotions, Veer has only one emotion left and that is love. It makes him an ideal candidate for the Yoga practice. Guru Gorakh Nath has decided that he will help him become an ascetic. Then he can find his loved one himself. Meanwhile, he will help that girl remain in the mortal world and take re-birth with her memories.

Guru understood the anxiousness of Veer and that said calmly "I can not see her but I can feel her presence. I will help you by strengthening her spiritual powers and helping her take re-birth. But I will only do this for the next 500 years. If you cannot be joined with her within this time, this can be your fault and also within this time you have to take over this responsibility."

Veer listened to his Guru attentively. But as he kept listening, his eyes kept enlarging slowly due to surprise. 500 years? Help in re-birth? How is that even possible.

Guru laughed and said "Then how did you wish to reunite with your loved one? Did you wish to die and meet her? Who can ensure where you will go after your body die and what your place and time of re-birth will be?"

"Then how will teacher help in this?" Veer asked.

"Of course I have my own ways" Guru smiled and said mysteriously.

"Can teacher at least tell me what should I do then? Please give me some hope so that I can move forward" Veer cried.

Guru looked at Veer and smiled and said "Fine. I will tell you some secrets of this world." Both of his disciples were curiously looking at him.

Guru continued "Every living being has a soul. So, you must think how some souls are born as animals and some are born as humans. It is because of their soul power. If a soul has accumulated enough virtue while in her previous body, they increase it's spiritual power and soul power. Spiritual power is like external protection while soul power is like energy. Memories are like cloths it is wearing. If spiritual power is less it will be corroded and the soul can not retain its memories."

Guru smiled and looked at his disciples satisfied. His senior disciple already knows these things but the expression of Veer was amusing to him.

Veer pondered and then asked "Teacher! Then how is it decided which soul will be born at a particular place, time and in a particular body?"

Guru laughed and said "That is the most interesting part. This depends on two souls of father and mother. Fetus initially has only spiritual powers from mother and father and it has only one function initially and that is to attract a compatible soul."

"If the fetus in womb attracts souls, won't it attract too many souls with lesser power" Veer felt confused and asked.

Guru smiled and said "It is possible but how can a soul enter the womb of a woman with higher soul power? The only soul which has more soul power than mother's soul and spiritual power of the fetus combined can occupy the fetus." Guru laughed and said "That is why it is called that a good woman gives birth to a better child. Mother's nature and soul power play a major role in the child's soul power and spiritual powers."

Guru felt satisfied with his own explanation but when he saw the curious expression on the faces of his disciples, he rebuked "I won't talk much on this now. Now you have to practice Yoga and find the answers by yourself." Veer and his Senior brother could only stop themselves forcefully.

Guru smiles and looked at his disciple and then said to Veer "If a soul has enough spiritual power it can stay in the mortal world as long as it wants. It can take birth in a compatible fetus when it wishes to. I will help her with spiritual powers. I will not do anything else. You have to do other things with your own powers."

Veer felt earnest and asked, "How would I do that?"

Guru Gorakh Nath looked at Veer and said: "Believe in your Guru and practice Yoga as your Guru tells you."

"What is the purpose of me practicing Yoga?" Veer asked.

Guru smiled and said, "Live long and wait for her."

"Understand soul and find her," Veer added in his mind. His looked at his Guru and found him smiling. Suddenly he felt enlightened and full of hope.

Veer felt like Priya was around him giving him the courage to live on with a promise to meet in future. For Priya, for their love, he will become a Yogi who understands the secrets of life and death.