Bodhi: The Path of Enlightenment

The Blood of the Pure

The air in the cave was thick with anticipation, the dim light flickering off the amulet that lay at the center of the ritual site. Dr. Mehra and Guruji had been chanting for what seemed like hours, their voices weaving together in ancient hymns that reverberated through the stone walls. Yet, nothing had happened.

Frustration began to creep in. The ritual wasn't working.

Guruji help the amulet delicately, his fingers tracing the intricate yantra etched on its surface. The cryptic riddle accompanying the amulet had troubled them all.

"Only the blood of the pure can unlock the divine essence," it had read, the words twisting their meaning like a serpent. It seemed straightforward at first, but now, doubt gnawed at the edges of their resolve.

Guruji, believing his spiritual purity would be the key, had drawn a small knife and made a tiny cut on his hand. A single drop of blood fell onto the yantra, and everyone held their breath. But the amulet remained dormant, its surface as lifeless as ever.

Dr. Ravi crossed his arms, impatiens radiating from him. "So much for all the wisdom in the world," he muttered under his breath.

Nanadita, her brow furrowed, glanced over at Sudeep, who was leaning against the cave wall, trying to conceal the pain from the earlier battle. His shirt had a tear, and beneath it, a bruised wound oozed faintly. "Sudeep, you're hurt" she exclaimed, rushing over to him.

"It's nothing", he tried to dismiss, waving her off.

But Nandita was persistent, pulling out a small first aid kit. "Let me just--"

In the brief struggle to get a look at the wound, Sudeep stumbled, instinctively placing his hand forward to steady himself. In doing so, a single drop of blood from his bruise trickled down his arm and fell onto the amulet's yantra. As the drop touched the surface, the amulet pulsed with a deep, red light, glowing like a burning ember, before returning to its original state.

The group froze. Ravi's eyes widened in disbelief , and Mehra gasped audibly. The air around them hummed with power, and the amulet seemed to hum in resonance.

"Impossible," Ravi scoffed. "A man who is not even living in India, not even spiritual, and-what? His blood is pure?" He chuckled, but the mocking edge to his voice was clear. "A regular guy from the tech world, and he is the chosen one?"

Sudeep's face hardened. Before he could speak, Guruji raised his hand silencing the room.

"Enough." His voice was firm yet calm. He turned to Ravi and said,"You mock what you do not understand. Purity is not about rituals or birthright. It is the heart that matters."

Sudeep looked at Guruji with a questioning gaze. Guruji smiled softly, as though sensing his doubts.

"In the Mahabharata, there was a simple washerman named Dharmavyadha. He was not a sage, not a warrior, but an ordinary man who earned his living but washing clothes. Yet, his heart was pure, he followed his duty with complete honesty. One day, a learned sage, Kaushika, came to him, expecting to teach him wisdom, but Dharmavyadha-thought unassuming-imparted the true meaning of dharma. He taught the sage that it is not rituals, nor scholarly knowledge, that purifies a person. It is how one treats others, and how one fulfills their duty, and how they live their life in harmony with dharma."

He paused, his eyes settling on Sudeep. "Purity comes form action, from intent. You do not need to be a scholar or a saint to be pure."

Sudeep listened quietly, his initial anger fading into something more contemplative. However, Ravi could not help himself. "It's all a little convenient, isn't it?" he muttered under his breath. "Spirituality by convenience."

Sudeep clenched his fists, taking a step toward the cave's entrance, unable to bear Ravi's insinuations any longer. He needed air, space to think. Without a word, he turned and talked out of the cave, the cool mountain breeze meeting him as he stepped into the open.

Nandita quickly followed, catching up to him. "Sudeep," she called softly, "wait".

He turned to her, his expression conflicted. "Do you think Ravi's right? I'm just some guy. I didn't grow up doing pumas or meditating on mountains. How can I be...'pure'? I've made mistakes, Nandita. I have wronged people, chased after ambition without thinking about who I might hurt along the way. What if I'm not the right person for this? What if....what if I'm not deserving?"

She stepped closer, her eyes searching his. "The fact that you're asking these questions, that you feel guilt for what you've done, that you can admit to your mistakes-that is what makes you deserving. Purity does not mean you have to be perfect. It means you acknowledge your flaws and try to be better. And that...that is what you've been doing."

Sudeep looked at her, the weight go her words sinking in. For a moment, they stood in silence, the wind rustling the trees around them. He could feel something shifting between them, something that went beyond their mission.

"You really believe that?" he asked softly, his voice barely above a whisper.

Nandita smile gently, her gaze unwavering. "I do. And I think you're a lot more than what you give yourself credit for."

After a few deep breathes and silence, Sudeep eased the tension . "I've never been with anyone really," he admitted quietly, his tone hesitant. "I have never found the time or maybe I just never met someone who made me want to."

Nandita's eyes flickered with understanding. "Neither have I," she said softly. "I never allowed myself to...to feel that way."

After a short pause her heart skipped a bit and she added, "Until now". There was no need to say more.

As they stood together, side by side, overlooking the darkening valley, Sudeep felt a warmth in his chest that had nothing to do with the battle they just fought. It was something deeper, something he wasn't sure how to name just yet. But it was there, and it was real.