Mahabharat: Shiva's Last Variable

(A/N):

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Patal Lok...

Meanwhile, deep within the volcanic depths of Patal Lok,

Kandarpaasura remained seated in the same place, continuing the penance he had maintained for years.

The magma beneath him had settled into the shape of his temporary legs, while the rest of the cavern remained filled with an oppressive heat that would have driven any ordinary being to death within moments.

Kandarpaasura, however, remained completely unmoved.

His breathing had slowed until it was barely noticeable, and his consciousness had withdrawn deep within himself.

Then the volcano trembled.

A deep rumbling passed through the cavern, followed by a sudden crack that travelled across the walls.

The magma surrounding Kandarpaasura began to move away from him, flowing toward the edges of the chamber until an enormous circular space had been formed.

The cavern itself seemed to open.

And then something appeared in the darkness.

A single enormous eye.

It was suspended in the empty space before Kandarpaasura, surrounded by an eerie radiance that seemed to swallow the light around it.

The eye slowly opened, revealing a dark iris that seemed far too deep to belong to any ordinary being.

Kandarpaasura’s meditation was immediately broken.

His eyes opened.

For the first time in years, his expression showed genuine surprise.

The eye stared directly at him.

Then a woman’s voice echoed throughout the volcanic chamber.

It was majestic, powerful and strangely calm, carrying an authority that made even the surrounding magma seem to become still.

"Kandarpaasura."

The ascetic slowly rose from his meditation.

He looked at the enormous eye for several moments before recognizing the presence before him.

His expression immediately changed.

He lowered his head and brought his hands together.

"Devi Kaalanetrā."

The name itself carried a dark weight.

Kaalanetrā, the Goddess of the Black Eye, was an ancient and feared divine being associated with consuming darkness, forbidden desire and the destruction that emerged when divine order was twisted into something unnatural.

Kandarpaasura bowed deeply.

"I offer my respects to you, Devi. I did not expect you to personally appear before me."

The enormous eye narrowed slightly.

A faint smile could somehow be heard in the goddess’s voice.

"You have been sitting in this volcano for far too long, Kandarpaasura. Did you truly believe that your penance would remain unnoticed?"

Kandarpaasura slowly raised his head.

"I knew eventually someone would notice."

"Someone?"

The goddess’s voice carried faint amusement.

"Do not mistake me for someone, child."

The magma around them suddenly surged.

"I am Kaalanetrā."

The entire chamber trembled at the declaration.

Kandarpaasura lowered his head once again.

"I meant no disrespect, Devi."

The enormous eye continued staring at him.

"Good."

For several moments, there was nothing but silence.

Then Kaalanetrā spoke again.

"I have come because the time you have been waiting for is beginning to approach."

Kandarpaasura’s expression changed.

"The time..."

His voice carried anticipation.

"Has it finally arrived?"

Kandarpaasura’s expression changed the moment he heard the goddess speak about his time finally approaching.

The years of penance, the countless hours spent sitting beneath the burning magma and the effort he had put into rebuilding his ruined body suddenly seemed worth it.

An excited smile slowly spread across his face.

He stepped forward and looked up at the enormous single eye floating before him.

"Then show me the path, Devi."

His voice carried an eagerness that he could barely contain.

"I have spent enough time waiting. I have rebuilt this body, mastered my desires and endured everything this place could throw at me. But there is still one thing I want."

The eye remained completely still.

Kandarpaasura’s smile widened.

"I want to become someone whom even death hesitates to approach."

He spread his arms slightly as the magma around him began to bubble.

"I don’t want another ordinary boon that merely keeps me alive for a certain period or protects me from a particular enemy. I want to reach a state where death itself must think twice before coming for me."

His voice grew more intense.

"I want Yama to hesitate when my name reaches him. I want the very force of death to question whether it can claim me. Show me how to become someone who can stand before death itself and make it retreat."

For several moments, the enormous eye said nothing.

It simply stared at Kandarpaasura.

The silence became so complete that even the bubbling of the magma seemed to disappear.

Kandarpaasura’s confident expression slowly became uncertain.

"Devi?"

Still nothing.

The single eye continued looking directly into him, almost as though it were examining not his body, but every desire buried inside his soul.

Finally, the goddess spoke.

"You ask for something that even the greatest among the gods do not possess completely."

Kandarpaasura’s smile returned.

"Then it must be possible."

The eye narrowed.

"Or it must be impossible for a reason."

Kandarpaasura remained silent.

Kaalanetrā’s majestic voice echoed through the cavern once more.

"Before I show you the path you seek, Kandarpaasura, you must understand one thing."

The magma around him began to glow brighter.

"Death is not merely an enemy that can be defeated."

A pause.

"It is a law."

The single eye stared into his soul.

"And if you truly wish to make death hesitate before claiming you, then you must first become something that death itself cannot easily understand."

Kandarpaasura listened to the warning without lowering his head or showing the slightest sign of hesitation.

The goddess had made the nature of his request clear, yet whatever doubt she had hoped to place in his mind simply failed to take root.

"I understand the price, But I still want it."

The enormous eye remained fixed upon him for several moments.

"You are certain?"

Kandarpaasura gave a slow nod.

"I have spent years rebuilding myself from nothing. I endured pain that would have broken most beings, and I continued my penance when even my own body was incomplete. I will not turn back now because the path is difficult."

For a long moment, Kaalanetrā said nothing.

Then the single eye began to glow.

"You have chosen your path."

The moment she spoke those words, the space before Kandarpaasura shimmered.

A strange astral light gathered in the darkness, slowly taking the shape of a woman.

Kandarpaasura stared.

The image became clearer.

A young woman appeared before him, surrounded by the faint golden radiance of Surya Lok.

Goddess Yami.

She stood within the astral projection with a serene expression, completely unaware that someone in the depths of Patal Lok was watching her.

Kandarpaasura’s eyes widened.

"The daughter of Surya Dev..."

Kaalanetrā’s voice echoed through the cavern.

"She is the path."

Kandarpaasura looked from the image of Yami back toward the enormous eye.

"How?"

"If you truly wish to become part of the lineage of Surya, you must enter that family not through conquest, but through marriage."

The words slowly sank into him.

"Marriage?"

The goddess continued to explain.

"Yami is of the Surya lineage. Through her, you can become connected to that divine family."

"If you successfully become her husband and establish yourself within that lineage, you will gain access to something far greater than the power you currently possess."

Kandarpaasura stared at Yami’s image.

His expression gradually changed from surprise to interest.

"You want me to marry her."

"I am showing you the road toward the thing you asked for."

The astral image of Yami remained before him.

Kaalanetrā’s voice became quieter.

"But remember what I told you. The path is not without danger. Surya Dev will not simply hand his daughter to an unknown being from Patal Lok. There are others who may stand in your way, and Yami herself may not accept you willingly."

Kandarpaasura’s smile returned.

"Then I will make sure she does."

The single eye narrowed.

"Do not misunderstand me. I showed you the path. I did not promise that you would reach its end."

Kandarpaasura looked once more at Yami’s image.

"Then I will walk it."

The astral image slowly began to fade.

Kaalanetrā gave him one final warning.

"If you choose this path, Kandarpaasura, remember that you are not merely seeking a wife. You are attempting to enter a divine lineage whose protection extends far beyond your understanding."

Kandarpaasura’s smile did not disappear.

"Then I suppose I have finally found a challenge worthy of me."

The image vanished completely.

The volcanic chamber returned to darkness.

But Kandarpaasura no longer looked like a being patiently waiting for his time.

He looked like someone who had finally been given a destination.

Meanwhile, far away from Surya Lok, the atmosphere in Vaikuntha was unusually quiet.

Lord Vishnu was resting upon the coils of Shesha Naga, but unlike his usual peaceful expression, there was a faint concern on his face. His eyes remained fixed somewhere beyond the vast expanse of Vaikuntha, as though he was looking at something that existed far beyond the realm itself.

Goddess Lakshmi, who was seated beside him, noticed the change.

She studied her husband for a moment before finally asking,

"You seem troubled. What happened?"

Vishnu’s gaze slowly returned to her.

"There is a disturbance coming."

Lakshmi’s expression became serious.

"From where?"

"Surya Lok."

He paused before continuing.

"Someone is going to seal Surya Dev’s light."

Lakshmi’s eyes widened slightly.

"Seal his light?"

Vishnu nodded.

"Not merely block it for a short period. The intention is to interfere with the very source of his radiance. If that happens, the consequences will extend far beyond Surya Lok."

Shesha Naga shifted slightly beneath Vishnu, sensing the seriousness in his master’s voice.

Lakshmi looked at Vishnu.

"What will happen to the other Lokas?"

"That is what concerns me."

Vishnu slowly sat up.

"Surya Dev’s light is not important only to his own realm. Countless beings and Lokas depend upon that light in ways they may not even realize. If it disappears for long enough, the balance that has existed for ages will begin to change."

Lakshmi remained silent.

Vishnu continued.

"Darkness will spread into places where it has been kept away by his radiance. Creatures that hide from the light will be able to move freely again. Beings whose strength is tied to darkness will begin recovering the power they lost over the ages."

His expression became more serious.

"Some of them have been waiting for an opportunity like this for a very long time."

Lakshmi looked toward the vast golden horizon of Vaikuntha.

"So this is why you are troubled."

Vishnu nodded.

"The problem is not simply that Surya Lok may lose its light. If that darkness remains long enough, the balance between light and darkness across the Lokas could shift."

"Do you know who is behind it?"

Vishnu was silent for a moment.

"I know that someone is moving toward it."

"But you don’t know who?"

"I know enough to understand the danger, But not enough to reveal every detail yet."

Lakshmi frowned hearing him.

"Then shouldn’t we intervene now?"

Vishnu looked at her with a calm but thoughtful expression.

"Not yet."

"Why?"

"Because there are events already moving into place. Surya Dev has received warnings. Shani has seen something through his Drishti. Even the astrologers have sensed the disturbance."

He looked toward the distant realms.

"They have been given enough pieces of the puzzle to begin searching for the answer themselves."

Lakshmi understood what he meant.

"But if they fail?"

Vishnu’s expression became slightly more serious.

"Then the consequences will not be limited to one family, one kingdom or even one Loka."

He looked toward the darkness beyond Vaikuntha.

"The entire order of the realms could experience a dramatic shift."

For a moment, neither of them spoke.

Then Lakshmi quietly asked,

"And who would benefit the most from such darkness?"

Vishnu’s eyes narrowed.

"Those who have been waiting in the shadows."

His voice became quieter.

"Some doors were closed because Surya Dev’s light was strong enough to keep them shut."

He paused.

"If that light disappears..."

A faint silence settled over Vaikuntha.

"...some of those doors may open again."

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(Author note:)

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