Aug 18, 2007

Chapter 28: Prahallada and Kritya

Shukracharya orders S&A to call ‘Kritya’, the Devil. S&A hesitate, because Kritya will destroy everything in its wake. Shukracharya orders. So S&A start the preparation. They line up all the disciples and prepare a cauldron. They call upon Kritya.

Seeing the demonic devil, all disciples run away, scared. Although scared, P stands his ground and prays Vishnu. Kritya throws him into the cauldron (for purpose of boiling first and then eating), which suddenly turns into a bed of flowers because of P’s prayers. Then Kritya tries to cut him into pieces, but P is sheltered in an invisible doom. Kritya is angered, as it did not have its food. So she turns to the only available humans – S&A who beg her not to kill them. To no avail. Kritya cuts their heads off.

Vishnu compares Kritya to fire. One who starts it may also get destroyed from it. So not to think ill of anybody.

P wakes up. He sees S&A’s dead bodies. He is shocked. Crying, he goes to inform Shukracharya. Stunned, Shukracharya arrives at the scene of crime. He mourns their death. He cant use the Sanjeevini on them, for it is applicable only for those dead in a war and not for those dead in magical fashion! He tells P that P is responsible for their death.

P is perplexed. How can he be responsible for his gurus’ death, gurus whom he liked so much. He says he is as much distressed at the sight of their dead bodies. But he asks Shukracharya that if he, P is alive, then how? If S&A is dead, then how? How is it he is winning all the time? Its about time Shukracharya accepted that Vishnu is the God and not HK, although he knows it. P knew S&A said HK is God only for fear, though they knew otherwise. Shukracharya bows his head, for he knows he has been defeated.

P crying, calls upon Vishnu and asks him what he calls his last request. Lakshmi shows first strains of irritation at P for him asking favours for his enemy. She has got bugged about his innocence, but Vishnu says, that is how one has to lead life. To ask help for others displays the broadness of one’s mind. It is not that his disciples are bound by him (Vishnu), but that he is bound by his disciples. His disciples asking for his help is the best thing that could happen to him and makes him that much more great, and then honour that millions of people have on him. And so, he shall always help his disciples.

P’s request is granted. S&A get back their lives. S&A, Shukracharya all are stunned. S&A immediately accept P as their guru. They forfeit their father’s orders. Shukracharya is shattered. S&A inform that they will be P’s followers. P tells that Faith does neither have leaders nor followers. It is a path traversed hand in hand.

Meanwhile, HK announces A to be his successor. People in court raise doubts that A is not HK’s son. He is, says HK and reveals the whole secret. People encore. A is happy too. HK also announces the intended murder of P by Shukracharya. Kayadu screams.

She says she is cheated by S&A’s act of luring away P from her. ‘They are unforgivable’. S&A appear: ‘Yes, we are. We are sorry.’ ‘Where is P?’ P appears: ‘Over here!’ HK is shocked. ‘You still alive? Where is Shukracharya?’ Shukracharya appears: ‘Over here’. Shukracharya relates all the happenings and, in the end says, for the first time in his life, he has been defeated, and he accepts the defeat.

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