Chapter 7

"Unthinkable! Totally out of the question! Humph! How dare you question my resolve!"

Garuda snorted dismissively, holding his head high and showing no hint of fear. He stepped back two paces, his gaze fixed on Indra with disbelief. The proud Garuda would never lower himself to bow before Indra, no matter the situation!

"I will find a way to break the curse myself!"

With that declaration, Garuda spread his immense wings and soared into the sky, his powerful wings propelling him swiftly away from Svarga.

"Alas…"

Rishi Brihaspati watched Garuda's retreating figure, shaking his head with a long sigh. If Garuda left like this, his mission to promote peace would remain unfulfilled.

Now he could only advise Indra and the other Devas to go to Vaikuntha to seek Lord Vishnu's help.

"Indra, devas, and the Asuras have lost your powers. Devi Lakshmi has also vanished from Lord Vishnu's side. This is detrimental to the universe's development. You must meet the Lord Vishnu at once…" Rishi Brihaspati urged sincerely.

Indra was surprised by Rishi Brihaspati's words.

"Wait!"

The light in his eyes flickered as he raised his hand. "Teacher, what did you just say?"

"You must hurry to meet Lord Vishnu at once!" Rishi Brihaspati replied, his brow furrowed in confusion.

"No, the sentence before that."

"Is this detrimental to the development of the Universe?"

"No, say another sentence!"

Indra waved his hand and pressed on.

Hearing this, Rishi Brihaspati blinked in surprise. "The Devas and Asuras have also lost their power?!"

Snap!

Indra clapped his hands, the sound sharp and crisp. His eyes sparkled with a sudden realization as he murmured, "Since the Asuras have lost their power, they probably won't attack Svarga. In that case, I don't have to worry too much."

Indra felt more at ease but he didn't dare to let his guard down. He knew that this era was one of explosive growth for all living beings and the universe itself. The Universe brimmed with vitality, and countless races and creatures were competing for dominance.

Vishnu, the protector of the universe, had manifested his first incarnation, Matsya, to save Manu, the progenitor of humanity, from a great flood that threatened to engulf the entire Bhuloka (Earth).

Manu, forewarned by Matsya of the impending flood, constructs an ark to preserve the seeds of all plants and the saplings of various life forms. When the deluge arrives, Matsya guides the boat through the tumultuous waters, ensuring the survival of Manu. The second incarnation, the tortoise Kurma, had yet to appear, as the Devas and Asuras had not yet begun churning the Kshira Sagara. The remaining incarnations after that had never materialized!

"The current Asura King of Pataloka should be Hiranyaksha! I wonder if his penance has been completed. He possessed the power to lift the entire Earth, and he assaulted the defenseless Bhumi, pulling her deep beneath the Cosmic Ocean. Vishnu assumed the avatar of a wild boar (Varaha) to rescue the goddess. When Hiranyaksha attempted to obstruct him, Vishnu killed him. Perhaps he could fight better than I can," Indra thought.

There was a little friction between the Devas and Asuras, though it was limited to small-scale skirmishes between their subordinates. The strongest Devas had never engaged in direct combat with the Asura King. Even Indra could not ascertain the true strength of the Hiranyaksha.

As the son of Rishi Kashyapa, Hiranyaksha's power was not inferior to Devas in terms of talent. If he practiced diligently and after receiving the boons from Brahma, he might surprise them.

"I still have to obtain the boon first!"

"It's all Garuda's fault for wasting all my hard work!"

Indra felt secretly frustrated. He had once squatted in Svarga, practicing diligently, only for this troublemaker to disturb him. It was truly irritating.

"Indra!"

Seeing Indra lost in thought, Rishi Brihaspati spoke up, concern etched on his face. "What's wrong? Are you worried about the Asuras?"

Indra nodded and cast a furtive glance upwards toward Brahmaloka, where Brahma resided. He was genuinely concerned and needed to find a way to obtain the Sahraskavacha. However, he knew his current level of penance was inadequate. Indra feared that without sufficient aesthetic power, Brahma would be unable to grant him the divine armor, which required a greater depth of asceticism to imbue it with the necessary abilities. It appeared that he would have to adjust his expectations.

"Truly!" Indra continued, "The current Asura King, Hiranyaksha, is my half-brother, and I do not wish for Asuras to come to Svarga and history has to witness brothers fighting one another for a throne."

"Garuda forced my hand, which is why I had to curse him. I hope it can humble his arrogance."

"As for the Asuras, if they do decide to attack Svarga, I hope they will bear the consequences of their actions. If the burden of Dharma and Throne of Svarga falls on them, which may awaken the truth, goodness, and beauty within the Asuras."

Indra feigned sadness, though his hope was for something different. Let's first seek the Boons!

With that thought, Indra shifted his tone, clasping his hands together as he addressed Brahma.

"Om Brahma Devya Namah!"

In an instant, a radiant light enveloped the space, and Brahma manifested before Indra, his four faces glowing with divine wisdom. He regarded Indra with a mixture of benevolence and authority.

"Indra, my child, your devotion is commendable," Brahma spoke, his voice resonating like thunder across the heavens. "What do you seek from me?"

"Brahma-pita I sincerely hope that you can bless me with a divine armor," Indra replied earnestly. "This armor should have one hundred layers, each requiring a thousand years of ascetic power to destroy. Let me be worthy of its strength," he spoke solemnly.

He did not ask for the original Sahasrakavacha; instead, he only sought a hundred layers and requested the removal of the ability to kill the enemy with each shattered layer.

Brahma considered Indra's request, a thoughtful expression crossing his face. "Your wish is noble, but your penance is not yet sufficient. Only with greater devotion can this armor be forged," he stated, his gaze unwavering.

Upon hearing this, the surrounding Devas couldn't help but display expressions of surprise, astonishment, and gratitude. The Rishi Brihaspati opened his eyes wide in disbelief, studying Indra from head to toe as if seeing him anew. Is this still the Indra I knew, the one who was never a troublemaker?

"I thought Indra was as arrogant as I am, but I didn't expect him to show such kindness. The last time he approached me, it was to ask for penance to attain the Sun Deva Armor for this very purpose!" Suryadev mused to himself.

"Pranam to Brahma-pita, the Creator of the Universe!" Agni Deva Fire, couldn't help but feel a surge of reverence as he clasped his hands together. The surrounding Varunadeva, Vayudeva, Gandharvas, and Goddesses immediately echoed sentiments of respect.

"Pranam to Brahma, the Creator of the Universe!"

At that moment, Brahma's countenance radiated with streams of light, his divinity towering like a dream. It was as if the laws of Svarga and the earth had converged to bless him, transporting him into a unique realm of unity between Brahman and the self.

Brahma slowly raised his right hand, positioning it in front of him as he pointed his palm at Indra.

"I will grant you the Golden Sahasrakavacha!"

"This armor will be forged with the power of your ascetic practice. For every thousand years of ascetic effort you achieve, a layer of armor can be constructed. It's offensive and defensive and efficacy will be determined entirely by you."

"As you wish!"

As soon as the words left his lips, a brilliant golden light surged from the palm of Brahma.

Swish!

The golden light floated gracefully before settling onto Indra. Suddenly, a dark golden armor enveloped him. The armor shimmered with a rich blend of gold and color, intricately engraved with images of the sun and stars, intertwined with shapes of thunder and lightning—symbols of the bond between Brahma and Indra.

Indra's eyes sparkled with excitement. This was not the Sahasrakavacha he had originally requested; in many ways, it was even more valuable. This Golden Sahasrakavacha was a piece of growth-type equipment!

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Manu is the seventh Manu of the fourteen Manus. Vaivasvata Manu is the son of the Sun God, Surya (or Vivasvan), and is often mentioned in the context of the flood myth, where he survives the great deluge with the help of Vishnu's first avatara.

Avatara: In Hinduism, an avatar (from the Sanskrit word "avatara," meaning "descent") refers to the earthly incarnation of a deity, particularly Vishnu. It is believed that deities take on avatars to restore cosmic order (Dharma) and protect the righteous.

Matsya is the first avatar of Vishnu in Hindu mythology, often depicted as a fish.

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