The Tranquil Three

19. Mayasarovar

Shashidhar was confused when Vikram mentioned that Mayasarovar felt familiar to him. Shashidhar suggested that Vikram should find out the reason behind it. Vikram agreed and asked Hriday and Mrinmayee to accompany him to Mayasarovar. They agreed and set out on their journey with Ahivati, Mrinmayee, and Hriday. Kadambari and Pavitra were meditating at the time, so Vikram didn't want to disturb them.

The four individuals were preparing to depart for Mayasarovar. Ahivati had the map to the destination. Vikram asked Shashidhar, "Aaba, how can we reach Mayasarovar? It's almost a thousand miles away." Shashidhar responded calmly, "Don't worry, my child," and proceeded to whistle. Suddenly, there was a loud noise in the lavender sky, and a giant white Amphiptere Dragon appeared. Vikram was awestruck by its beauty. It landed, and in a deep voice, it asked, "Greetings Maharshi. How may I assist you?" "Chandak! This is my grandson Vikramaditya and his wife, Princess Ahivati. Chandak will be accompanying you on your journey." Shashidhar introduced. Vikram and Ahivati greeted Chandak by joining their hands, and he nodded once after closing his eyes.

Chandak said, "Vikram and Ahivati, please sit on my back and hold the spines tight." Meanwhile, Hriday and Mrinmayee had called their Garuda. Both Vikram and Ahivati touched the feet of Shashidhar. Shashidhar gave them blessings and wished them good luck. The four of them flew in the sky. Vikram asked how much time it would take them to reach Mayasarovar. Chandak replied, "It would take us hours to reach. From the ground, it takes days to reach." Vikram then asked, "Chandak ji, from when do you know Aaba?" Chandak replied, "I have been knowing Maharshi for Centuries. I had been his assistant since the 1st Mahayuddh. There had been 9 Mahayuddh between the Dark Lord. During the 9th Mahayuddh, Maharshi Shashi managed to kill the Dark Lord with the help of Maharshi Indradatt and Maharshi Raghavendra.
When you were only 10 years old, Your Aaba came to Mayalok. He became a student of The Great Sage Ramaraman."

Vikram then said, "Well, I am a descendant of Ramaraman ji." Chandak was astonished. "You are his Descendant? Then you must be wielding a lot of power." Ahivati then said, "My Vikram killed Lower 6 and Lower 5 by himself." Chandak was speechless. He then said, "You truly are a descendant of The Great Sage. Well, Shri Ramaraman took Samadhi a while ago. Around 100 years ago. Near Mayasarovar, there is Mayaparvati. In the cave of Mayaparvat, Shri Ramaraman used to do his dhyaana. In his Cave, there is his Samadhi."

As Vikram practised deep dhyana daily, he became more aware and in tune with his surroundings. He sensed a certain wisdom in Chandak, a majestic figure with yellow eyes and sharp pupils. After some time had passed and the sky began to darken, Mrinmayee's Garuda approached Vikram, and she asked him how much longer it would take to reach Mayasarovar. Vikram then turned to Chandak and asked him the same question. Chandak replied that they would reach their destination by dawn. Vikram announced this to Mrinmayee, who then relayed the message to Hriday's Garuda. Meanwhile, Vikram and Ahivati admired the beauty of the night sky.

The sky was filled with numerous stars and the moon had a lavender hue that night. As the night progressed and the darkness deepened, they noticed that the spines on Chandak's back began to glow on their own. Vikram was seated behind Ahivati and as she slowly drifted off to sleep, her head fell on him. He gently patted her head and she slept peacefully. Gradually, Vikram rested his head on hers and fell asleep too.

The Next morning they both woke up and saw the beautiful lavender sky. They hadn't reached yet. Vikram asked, "Chandak ji, Where are we right now?"
Chandak replied, "We are about to reach Mayasarovar, Embrace yourselves!"
Chandak slowly started going downwards and then they landed.
They had landed in the forest. Vikram asked, "Is this Mayavan Chandak ji?" Chandak replied, "This is Mayaranya. The Forest of Mayalok has been divided into 2 regions. Mayavan and Mayaranya. The difference is, that Mayavan is governed by Mrigrendra and Mayaranya has no ruler or governor. Here it is said that the divine spirits live." Vikram was in awe. Meanwhile, Mrinmayee and Hriday landed. They asked their Garuda to stay here till they came back. Chandak shrank his size. Vikram asked how he was able to do that to which Chandak replied he had magical abilities to control his size.

As the five of them began to walk, they found themselves in a breathtakingly beautiful forest, known as Mayaranya. The forest was even more enchanting than the Mayavan, with light brown tree trunks that were adorned with glowing leaves and vines. The atmosphere was an unusual dark colour, which made it feel like they had entered a different world. Even the small plants that surrounded them seemed to glow with a life of their own.

As they continued further into the dense forest, the sky above them became less and less visible, as it was obscured by the thick canopy of trees overhead. Despite it being daytime, the atmosphere made it feel as though nighttime time. As they walked, Vikram began to feel as though he had been to this place before, as it felt oddly familiar to him.

As they walked further, they noticed that there were no living creatures in Mayaranya. Instead, they felt the presence of divine spirits all around them. The forest was alive with the energy of these spirits, which seemed to permeate every inch of the forest. It was an awe-inspiring experience, and they all felt privileged to be able to witness such a beautiful and serene place.

As they walked further into the dense forest, the air grew thick with a palpable sense of otherworldly presence. Gradually, the spirits of the long-departed residents of Mayalok began to reveal themselves to the group. Chandak explained to Vikram that when someone died in Mayalok, it was believed that their soul would come to reside in this very place until the judgment for their actions. Ahivati added that divine energy was responsible for tending to these souls, ensuring their well-being until the day that Shanidev, the god of karma, would be judged. Vikram couldn't help but notice the similarities between the beliefs of their world and those of Mayalok.

As Vikram's journey continued, he couldn't help but wonder what the future held in store for him. Who or what would guide his path towards Mayaparvat? And what secrets lay hidden in the shadows of Ramaraman's past? The unknown loomed before him like a vast, dark ocean, full of mysteries and wonders waiting to be discovered. With each step, his heart filled with anticipation for the adventures that lay ahead, and the answers that only time could reveal.

To be continued...