The moon hung high in the dark canvas of the night as its gentle rays pierced through the dense canopy, casting a mysterious glow upon the forest floor, as Bhargav and Shankaraakshya walked through the woods.
The soft rustling of leaves under their feet created a sense of anticipation, as if nature itself held its breath in this fleeting moment. Bhargav's steps were slow and deliberate, guiding the boy through the labyrinth of the trees, while Shankaraakshya instinctively followed every move of the sage, walking in front of him.
As they ventured deeper into the forest, the night grew darker, and the sounds of animals echoed around them. The boy's tiny hand reached out to grasp the Bhargav's angvastra, seeking both guidance and reassurance.
The rhythmic croak of frogs echoed through the air, accompanied by the chirping of crickets and the hooting of unseen owls. Shankaraakshya's wide eyes darted around apprehensively, absorbing the sights and sounds of the nocturnal creatures.
Sensing the boy's growing unease, Bhargav held his small hand into his big ones, ever so slightly tightening his grip, offering solace and strength. His touch was warm, like a steady flame flickering in the dark.
"Waise tum jaante ho ki tum jis anushthaan ka palan karne Jaa rahe ho, woh kisne kiya tha ?" Bhargav asked, to ease the fear of the young lad.
"Dashanan Ravan ne." Shankaraakshya said.
"Kintu tumhe pata hai ki woh vifal kyu huya tha ?" Bhargav asked.
"Kyu ?" The boy asked, his fear of surroundings, slowly dissipating due to the soothing voice of the sage holding his hand.
"Kyuki usne Ganpati ki puja nahi ki thi. Aur uske anusthaan karne ka mantavya anuchit tha. Kintu Devi Harihareshwari ne fir bhi darshan diye the." Bhargav said.
"Parantu kyu ? Jab Ravan ne na sahi anusthaan kiya aur na hi uski mansha uchit thi, tab kyu darshan diya Mata ne ?" Shankaraakshya asked curiously.
"Kyuki woh Mandodari ke bhakti se prabhavit huyi thi. Devi-Devtao ko, ya Bhagwaan ko prasann karne hetu vidhivat puja ki awashyakta nahi hoti, woh keval sahayak hai. Yadi tumhari bhakti aur tumhara man pavitra hai, toh ek din tumhe Amarsri ke darshan ho jayenge." Bhargav said.
"Mai smaran rakhunga, baba." Shankaraakshya said with a smile.
Finally, the forest gave way to a small clearing, illuminated by the pale light of the moon. Standing majestically at the heart of the clearing was an ancient temple.
"Toh yeh hai Shardapeeth mandir aur vishwavidyalaya ?" The little boy muttered astonished, he had only seen this temple of Mata Saraswati from far away, since it was always crowded by the people.
Bhargav joined his hands and bowed his head in front of the temple. Shankaraakshya observed him for a moment, before doing the same.
"Gyaan aur Vidya ki devi Saraswati, ke goud mei tumhe sab mil jayega." The avatar of Srinav said.
He then walked to the other side of the temple, which had the library attached to it, adorned with intricate carvings and ivy-covered walls, it seemed to hold the secrets of generations past. a frown appeared on the face of Shankaraakshya for the doors were closed.
"Dwaar toh band hai. Kya humara yaha ana vyarth huya ?" The little boy asked.
Bhargav smiled at him, before stepping closer to the door and opening it with one gentle push, leaving Shankaraakshya surpirsed and flabbergasted.
"Yeh- yeh kaise huya ?" He asked with wide eyes.
"Gyaan ke dwaar kabhi kisi ke liye band nahi hote." Bhargav said.
He went inside and Shankaraakshya followed behind quickly, holding the sage's hand, his heart racing with anticipation and curiosity. Bhargav too firmed his grasp over the small tender hand.
The air inside the library was heavy with the scent of parchment and ink. Rows upon rows of weathered bookshelves stretched as far as the eye could see, each laden with secrets waiting to be unveiled. Shankaraakshya curiously looked around, as Bhargav led the young boy deeper into the library's labyrinthine expanse.
The avatar of Shreeshaktiswar then paused in front of a shelf, his eyes scanning all the books neatly kept there. Within moments he found what he was looking for.
Gently tapping the weathered spine of an aged book, he took it out carefully. With reverence, he opened the pages, revealing intricate illustrations and detailed instructions, miraculously preserved through the passage of time.
"Yeh raha woh anushthaan." Bhargav said showing the exact pages to Shankaraakshya, who stood there in awe with widened eyes, his lips slightly parted with wonder.
Bhargav looked at the boy with adoration as he gently handed him the book. "Ravan ne jaisa anusthaan kiya, waisa anushthaan awashya karna. Kintu Ravan ki bhul ko dohrana mat, putra." He said with a smile.
The little boy took the book in his hands and looked at it with amazement. Words written in archaic ink across the weathered pages, contained the steps to the rituals he sought to perform. He couldn't contain his joy and happiness.
"Dhanyawad Baba-" Shankaraakshya looked up to express his gratitude but he saw nothing but the empty alcove.
"Baba ?" The boy looked around and found himself in all alone.
Suddenly he was startled by a creak, he turned around and saw that the exit doors of the library had automatically opened, for him to leave safely. Where did the sage go ? How did the door opened ? His mind tried to make sense of the situation before the words of Bhargav played in his mind.
"Jab dridh-iccha shakti satya aur dharmparayan ho, toh daiviya shakti ke kripa se sabhi dwaar khul jaate hai."
"Toh kya.... Toh kya woh koi divyatma the ?" Shankaraakshya muttered.
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A/N
Mere ko bada maja aa raha yeh Shankaraakshya ka segment likh ke 😂
Waise, ab sabko samajh aa gaya na ? 🌝
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HARIHARESHWARI 13 : DVOU PADOU VRISHABHAH
Historical FictionThe age of Treta yug has ended, Vedas and sacrifices went into a decline and the lifespans of humans decreased, with the advent of Dwapar, the third yug. Now humanity is not plagued by external threats from demons or other supernatural forces but fr...
