WHEN THE STARS ALIGNED / A Mahabharat AU

27. The tale of the Temple

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Shivanya had returned from Dwarka. Her heart was filled with joy as she got to see the face of her baby nephew, Revati's son. She had spent the time of her life with the Yadavas with occasional quarrels with Kanha himself and Satyaki's awkward attempts at conversations.

But it has been far too long since she could quench her thirst for adventures. The Yadavas were way to protective of her to let her wander off to anteh alone, which she figured originated from the absence of her twin sister. But it was painful for her to sit idle and do nothing.

Hence, she ventured into the deep forest of Achichatra borders, a little far from the borders of Panchal. During her months of stay she had discovered a Shiv Mandir, right in between the peaceful greenery of the forest. It was a small temple, but the Shivling had a glow to it which she couldn't explain. Only a priest would come by in the morning and after daily Puja would leave the dangers of the forest premises immediately.

With her miniscule amount of fear of dying and loads of recklessness, this was Shivanya, or Niyati's, third time at this mandir.

Despite her fearlessness, to avoid too much fussing by the King of Achichatra that called her a sister, she hid her face behind a cloth, garment as simple as a common soldier to avoid being spotted at a woman.
Jumping off she patted Tara, her horse before fastening her reign with a tree.

Entering the quiet temple she bit her tongue, in the echoes of the room she heard the soft twinkling of her anklet which she evidently forgot to take off.
Looking around, she found no one in the vicinity. Sighing, she picked up the big clay pot kept beside a plate of flowers, left to be used by anybody who dared to come this far.

She walked out through the back door of the temple, spotting the glistening water of the small pond behind the temple. It was quiet, the only sound other than the chirping of the early morning birds and buzz of few insects, was the tinkling of her anklets.

She stared up at the slowly rising Sun and smiled before kneeling down to fill the pot with water. Filling the pot almost to the brim, Niyati stood up, balancing the heavy pot with both her hands. But she stopped her jolly walk towards the mandir as she heard a faint rustling in the bushes near by. Her sharp eyes scanned the area, finding nothing out of order she continued her journey to the temple.

"Baba." She called the God, an ancient name slipping from her mouth as she folded her palms infront of the vigraha. "I have come to ask nothing for myself." She says, voice shaking slightly. "All I ask for...is to keep Prakriti safe. Wherever she is. May she be out of harms way. May no pain touch her until I'm there to fight it off with her." She sniffled.

Then she hummed a soft tune as she softly poured the water on the Shivling.

Shiv Kailashon ke waasi
Dhauli dhaaron ke raja
Shankar, sankat harna
Shankar, sankat harna

Shiv Kailashon ke waasi
Dhauli dhaaron ke raja
Shankar, sankat harna
Shankar, sankat harna

She sang, her voice echoed through the forest. The sheer faith and devotion that she poured at the feet of the Vigraha along with the water reached the ears of the meditating Shiva sitting with his Gauri.