"My father once said that." Vajranga's voice carried calm authority, echoing softly in the silence that followed. Around him, many of the Asuras stood still, their expressions a mixture of confusion, disbelief, and restrained resentment.
He glanced at them briefly, then shifted his gaze to Indra and Rishi Kashyapa. Speaking in a low tone only the two could hear, he continued.
"Those who carry a kind heart and build their path through righteous deeds will one day be worthy of entering Svarga."
He paused for a moment, his eyes unwavering.
"I will not claim this Svarga by conquest. I will earn it through karma."
Vajranga's voice held a quiet conviction that was not meant to be debated. He didn't proclaim it to the army. He had no desire to provoke ambition, jealousy, or rebellion among the other Asuras. His decision was personal, and once his responsibilities were complete, he intended to leave this world with his wife and seek his own path, far from the burdens of kingship.
Kashyapa smiled, clearly moved by the clarity of his son's purpose.
"You are welcome at my ashram any time," he said warmly. "You may even find someone waiting for you there. Someone unexpected."
Vajranga returned the smile and lowered his head in a respectful bow. His hands came together in reverence, and for a moment, he seemed almost at peace.
Indra exhaled, somewhat regretfully.
"You would always have a place here," he said. "Truly. You don't need to struggle to reach Svarga. With your strength and boon, it is already within your grasp."
He took a step forward, his tone lighter, though a note of disappointment lingered.
"Why not stay? Be the King of Svarga instead of just being another Asura King. Look around you. This place is yours, if you want it."
The devas watching nearby tensed. None of them had expected Indra to extend such an offer so openly. Some looked uneasy. Others, uncertain.
The Asuras were stunned.
Durmatha clenched his jaw. Balasura looked away, eyes dark. Ketuman crossed his arms tightly across his chest, saying nothing, though his silence burned.
Durmatha clenched his jaw, his teeth grinding audibly. "So what if he was appointed by Indra?" he muttered. "He'll rule Svarga all the same. That's more than any of us ever achieved."
Balasura averted his gaze, his eyes dark and clouded with disbelief. "So this is what it means to walk in the light?" he said bitterly. "Trading pride for paradise?"
Ketuman, arms crossed tightly across his chest, glared at Vajranga without speaking for a long moment. Then, his voice came cold, low, and venomous."I should have known he'd abandon us for the sweet words of sages. But to leave us now... after everything... is to betray the blood we spilled in his name."
Vajranga remained still, seemingly unmoved by their resentment. His gaze shifted toward Rishi Kashyapa, steady and unwavering. Then, slowly raising a single finger, he spoke with quiet finality.
"Svarga is not a throne to be seized by force. I pray that even the Asura Kings who come after me remember this: it must be earned, not taken."
He turned sharply, the crimson cloak on his back sweeping behind him as he strode toward the gathered Asura army. Each step echoed with a command. The crowd parted at once, clearing a wide path before him without a word.
"Release the Gandharvas and the Rishis," he said, his voice calm but absolute. "We are going home."
The Asuras hesitated. Several looked around as if seeking someone to challenge the order. But none spoke. One by one, they stepped forward and released the bindings that had held the Gandharvas and Rishis captive.
Chains of divine light crumbled and vanished. The freed captives staggered, some gasping in quiet disbelief. Others bowed silently.
"I will return," Shumbha said under his breath, unable to accept the turn of events. His voice was hard and quiet, and only a few heard it. But the fire in his eyes was unmistakable.
Moments later, the Asura legions began to rise into the air. One by one, they vanished into the sky, their bodies streaking like meteors across the firmament, heading for Patala beyond the stars.
A silence settled over Svarga as they departed.
Indra stood alone upon the golden platform, his gaze following the trails left in their wake. His hands slowly curled into fists.
"He could have stayed," he said softly to himself. "He could have had everything."
But he had chosen the harder path. "When will you ascend then, Vajranga?"
Behind him, Rishi Brihaspati watched in silence. He had heard Indra's quiet murmur and looked on with a thoughtful expression.
"Indra still has too much softness in him," Brihaspati thought. "Letting the Asuras go without punishment. That may seem noble, but too much kindness only weakens your image. If the lion stops hunting, soon it is mistaken for a crippled beast."
He said nothing aloud, but made a note to speak with Indra in the days ahead.
Meanwhile, Rishi Kashyapa let out a soft breath and closed his eyes for a moment.
"The Rishis and Gandharavas are safe," he said, voice calm and content. "And with that, our task is complete. It is time to return to the ashram."
His gaze lifted to the open sky, now clearing of smoke and thunder.
The battle between Svarga and Patala had ended without leaving a trace. Peace returned to the Svarga, and with it, a sense of closure. Rishi Kashyapa stood still for a moment, his heart calm. The mission entrusted to him by Brahma had been fulfilled. Vajranga had departed. With his withdrawal, there would likely be no more Asuras of such overwhelming might in the near future.
It was a relief.
Kashyapa exhaled slowly, eyes soft. The Devas around him shared his sense of release.
A ripple of divine energy pulsed through the crowd. Light shimmered across their skin. One by one, the Devas began to restore their forms, sacred garments manifesting in gold, silver, crimson, and azure flashes of brilliance. Threads of divine silk flowed around them, wrapping each in their rightful regalia, as if Svarga itself welcomed their return.
"They're finally gone," said Surya, breathing a long sigh of relief.
He turned his gaze toward the others, a hint of exasperation on his radiant face.
"I never imagined we'd be captured. What a disgrace. Completely unexpected."
There was bitterness in his voice, not toward the enemy, but toward the humiliation of the moment. His brow twitched slightly as he recalled the scene.
His divine horse, spooked by one of the Asura lieutenants with oversized ears, had refused to move, completely frozen, as if paralyzed. That alone was hard to live down.
Vayu stood nearby, arms crossed, silent. His jaw tightened slightly.
He hadn't even made it onto Surya's chariot before being knocked aside by an ambush. The shame lingered in his chest like smoke after a fire.
Next time, he promised himself, he would not be caught off guard.
"Fortunately, big brother was here in time," said Agni, stepping forward. His tone was loud, earnest, and impatient as ever.
"You're not meditating or secluded anymore, are you? Then you should still count as one of us! A proper King of Devas ruling over Svarga, not some wandering hermit!"
His hands were outstretched, his usually stoic face tinged with urgency. Though his voice was rough, the warmth behind his words was unmistakable.
Agni had believed the power of Svarga would carry him through any battle, but Vajranga's might had proven otherwise.
Indra chuckled and raised a hand, clapping it against Agni's shoulder. "You didn't fail," he said, voice light. "It was a miscalculation. That's all."
He smiled faintly, his expression somewhere between gentle and amused.
"Besides, you only lost once. Your courage didn't falter, and you fought with your full strength. That's what matters."
Agni blinked, eyes wide. He hadn't expected praise. "Really?" he asked.
Indra nodded, still smiling. "Vajranga chose to leave. The Asuras now lack a leader. The scales have tipped in our favor. It may not look like a grand victory, but it's one all the same."
Agni opened his mouth slightly, surprised. His doubt flickered away, replaced by something warm and prideful.
Just as Indra stepped forward to speak again, a sound interrupted him.
Tap. Tap. Tap.
Footsteps echoed gently across the marble floor.
Indra turned, his expression neutral but alert. A group of Rishis approached, their robes still frayed, but their steps firm and measured. The tension in the air shifted as they neared.
At the front, Rishi Brihaspati and Rishi Kashyapa moved forward to meet them. Their hands came together in a respectful greeting.
The elder Rishis, their faces bearing lines of age and wisdom, stopped just before the two priests. Each offered a small bow in return. Their expressions were varied. Some were warm, others unreadable, but all carried the weight of survivors who had been held captive.
But the next moment, the eyes of the assembled Rishis turned toward the Devas.
Some looked calm, their gazes cool but composed. Others, however, narrowed their eyes with visible irritation. Cold glints shimmered behind long beards and quiet steps.
Tread. Tread.
Two particularly formidable Rishis stepped forward. Their faces were hard as stone, eyes burning with indignation. They broke through the crowd, robes swaying, and stopped several paces from the gods.
Indra's expression tightened. A sharp breath caught in his throat.
Not good.
This was exactly what he had feared.
In the world of Karma, Rishis with unpredictable tempers were more terrifying than any weapon. And among them, there were always a few who resembled Durvasa—fiery, volatile, and entirely immune to restraint.
Sometimes, even an honest mistake, a misplaced word, or an awkward silence was enough to ignite their fury. And when that happened, curses rained like fire.
"Devas!" thundered the elder Rishi on the left, his voice rippling with the weight of sacred fire. His round form quivered as he raised his hand, eyes blazing with fury. "You, who are entrusted with the protection of Dharma and its seers—how could you allow this? You let Rishis be bound and thrown into darkness by the Asuras!"
The second Rishi stepped forward, his tone sharp and icy. "As yajamānas, you invited us into your realm. As adhvaryus, you were our ritual guardians. And yet... You failed to uphold your duty. You let guests be dishonored in the halls of Svarga!"
Their voices rose with each word. Their faces flushed deeper red. Their eyes locked onto Indra, Agni, Surya, and the others, reflecting not disappointment, but fury.
It was the kind of fury that boiled over into divine judgment.
And then it came.
Boom!
A tremor rolled through the air. Divine pressure pulsed out from their bodies. The very power of penance, accumulated over centuries, burst forth like coiled thunder.
Lightning streaked across the sky.
The skies rumbled.
Indra's eyes narrowed sharply. His body tensed, ready for impact.
Rishi Brihaspati stood frozen, lips slightly parted, eyes wide with dread. Rishi Kashyapa stiffened beside him, stunned and silent by the sudden eruption.
Even gods who had just survived the war with Patala now looked pale.
Agni blinked several times, stunned into place. His knees nearly buckled.
"I just escaped the hands of Asuras," he thought bitterly, cold sweat forming on his temple. "Now I have to prepare for a curse? From my own guests?"
Surya stood still, stunned. His usual brilliance dimmed slightly.
Vayu, Varuna, and Soma looked on with quiet horror, not daring to breathe.
And then, the thunder roared again.
Boom!
The skies crackled as the elder Rishis raised their hands.
"Devas!" the first Rishi shouted again.
...
One of the most famous and notorious welcomes of a guest in Itihas.
Right before the Mahabharata, Krishna came to Hastinapura as shanti doot, seeking peace. Duryodhana offered a royal feast and lodging, but Krishna did not accept hollow honor. To eat a man's food is to accept his welcome, his intent, and a share of his cause. He made it clear to Duryodhan that he would not eat the food of one who hates the Pandavas. He went to Vidura's home, where love and dharma were real.
In the sabha, with Dhritarashtra on the throne and the Kauravas arrayed in pride, Krishna asked for peace and conveyed that even five villages would satisfy the Pandavas.
Duryodhana mocked the plea and swore he would not grant land equal to the point of a needle. He ordered his men to seize Krishna. Bhagavan stood unshaken and revealed the cosmic form. The hall trembled.
Dhritarashtra cried out for sight. By grace, he received divine vision for a moment and beheld that form, then begged the Lord to return to his gentle shape. Krishna withdrew the radiance and stood as the same friend they had known.
He spoke peacefully. Peace was offered and refused. The sin of war would rest on those who chose pride. He bowed to the elders, blessed Vidura, and left the court. The Lord departed for Upaplavya to tell the Pandavas the truth, witness to the path Hastinapura had chosen.
...
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