THE DIVINE ASTRAS

Prologue

Mount Kailāsh
Kailāsh Ranges
Tibet
Kali Yug
The year 2050
As the icy winds ravage the mountains with their cold slashes, amid one of the most inhospitable environments known to man, a man sits calmly on a rock, on which had any other man been sitting, his butt would have frozen to ice. His eyes were closed, he was meditating, his taut, muscular body, was wrapped in leopard skin, his long hair tied in a bun, and a crescent moon insignia sitting on it, sitting cross-legged on such a platform, as if it were a couch, he smiled, his blue throat visible, different necklaces made of rudrākshas, and a snake in his neck, the Lord of Destruction slowly opened his eyes.
"It shall soon be time, beloved." said he, to his beautiful companion sitting on his left, who by no means was inferior to this legendary man, God, most would say.
"Time for what, O Shiva?" said she, playfully, knowing the answer, a slight naughtiness visible in her eyes.
He simply closed his eyes and replied,
"Yahary ālayeshv api satām na hareh kathāh syuh
Pāshandino dvij-janā vrishalā nridevāh
Svāhā svadha vashad iti sm giro na yatra
Shāstā bhavishyati kaler bhagavān yugante."(Srimad Bhagavatam 2.7.38)
She smiled knowing what he meant.
"This time, what is the plan?"
"All this, all our children, what we planned for them and what have they done, fighting over such petty issues, I think, it's time, to remind them their true purpose. They don't have to live like this, we have tried time and again to teach them, through our books, our teachings, sometimes ourselves, yet they refuse to learn. This time, we make sure they learn."
"We? What do you mean?"
"You are such a prankster, Pārvati, you know everything and still ask. Why?"
"Well, I suppose I did ask you, what is the harm in answering, hmm? Or is it you don't love me anymore?"
"Really? I don't love you anymore?"
"Okay, okay, still tell me, what do you mean by we?"
"We are three, yet we are one,
Each one as powerful and as mighty,
Different roles we have done,
Still we are one and almighty.

I am Shiv, they are Vishnu and Brahma,
Together we are the Parabrahma,
Soon, there will be akaal,
And once again, we shall be Mahakaal."
"You brothers, sometimes I don't get you, you stay apart, you don't even talk and when work is to be done, you just do it? Don't you?"
The Lord just smiled.
She closed her eyes and with a slight grimace, murmured,
"Kalki."

*

At the end of Kali-yuga, when there exist no topics on the subject of God, even at the residences of so-called saints and respectable gentlemen of the three higher castes, and when the power of government is transferred to the hands of ministers elected from scum or those less than them, and when nothing is known of the techniques of sacrifice, even by word, at that time the Lord will appear as the supreme chastiser.(Srimad Bhagavatam 2.7.38)
Author's note: Whenever, Sanskrit verses are written in the English language a few words are spelt with a few different characters, if possible, I'll try to incorporate all of them otherwise, I'll just put in the normal Sanskrit to English conversion. e.g. Ā sounds like 'AA' and A sounds like 'UH'. Also, I will be using these two for any Hindi names used in these books.