|| 𝐘𝐀𝐆𝐘𝐀𝐒𝐄𝐍𝐈 || 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐟𝐢𝐞𝐫𝐜𝐞 𝐭𝐚𝐥𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐚 𝐅𝐢𝐫𝐞𝐛𝐨𝐫𝐧

𝟑|| 𝐁𝐨𝐧𝐝 𝐨𝐟 𝐋𝐢𝐟𝐞 ||

Breath by breath, the bond binds
Step by step, I unleash the sign.

Shuffling the reddish cotton curtains, the brownish stone curved room opened up in front of me. The uneven surface of the wall glistened by the illumination of thousands of golden lamps spreading the serene essence of ghee and the various fragranced flower had been carpeted over the floor.

The room was not so enormous but was enamored in an auspicious depth. It was quiet. From the ceiling, a few bells were hanging. Maa proceeds first and lifting her right arm, she pecked its clapper with three fingers.

Donggggg-
The shrill, loud sonorous sounds echoed around. All my ears to internals rhymed in the same rhythm, like a hymn. I felt like, from a distant time ago, I recited this, heard this, felt this.

"Come putri-" Maa said with a smile.

"What's this?" I asked pointing my fingers upward. Due to the play, those iron bell attached to the long golden chain was still swinging, keeping continuous that sonorous rhythm.

"That's? That is the bell." Maa replied. "It's like the announcement that, we, the devotees entering into the god's arena."

"God's arena?"

"Hmm" Maa smiled. Holding my shoulder, she pointed me towards a unique curved black idol, placed exactly in the middle of that room. The idol was quite cylindrical on top, but downward there was a hemispherical base. Above the idol, there's a pot with a hole through which water is dripping. Around the idol, there's numerous purple and white flowers were placed.

"That's the god. The lord Shiva." Maa stated. "The god of ultimate reality." She said, "Now join your palms and bow and yes, close your eyes."

Looking around all those new things. Yet, that idol seemed known and familiar to me. I followed Maa's order. Placing my arms together in front of me, I lowed my head a bit, and then closed my eyes.

Something flashed as I felt as soon as I closed my eyes. Though after closing all I first saw darkness, but then became all white, in brilliant shine. Tall and large snowy mountains throughout the horizon, the thick similar clouds had been covered their peaks. Amidst those chains of mountains, there was one unusual-looking peak too. Something more triangular, topmost was shining with sunshine like molten gold. It had a more wide structure with a steep slope appearance. A narrow path on the edge of the slope is going. Saints, sages, men, women all with semi-closed eyes, their fingers were rotating the same brown beads, and the puffy red attire ends were flowing with the high snowy wind. Yet, all their lips were mumbling a hymn. I could hear that-

"Om Namah Shivaya!" they chanted.

A crack in my dream. My eyes opened with a jerk. At a single moment, I felt a spark run through all of mine.

Maa noticed it. "What happened putri?" She held me.

"I think I know it, for a very very long time," I murmured. "I saw him before. Some- some" I stammered. Was trying to say what I saw by closing my eyes, but all in vain. I wasn't able to recollect. The fresh visuals had become faint. Something I could feel, could see, but can't express. I deep inside became anguish.

"Om Namah Shivaya!"

Somewhere from around the sound came and immediately my lips flooded with sentences. I said, "I saw snow-capped mountains, men, women, sages and heard them, they were uttering the same."

Maa's mouth was wide open. Pitashree too glared at me with blank eyes.

"Yes, putri". An aged man, in the same red attire, wearing the garland, and wristband on the same brown beads appeared behind one of the backdoor pillars. His eyes in between the heavily wrinkled face glistened up. With a surprising vision, he repeatedly glared at me. "I can see a lot of penances of yours, sacrifices of yours have assembled up. From the north, the wind which is coming is bearing these words." He murmured. "Ma-" his right palm touched my head and his glowing eyes were enveloped by a thin layer of water. "Whatever you chose is now chosen you. Stay happy."