In the cosmic tapestry woven by Anant, time was not a single, uniform thread. In the celestial realms of Swarg, it flowed with the languid grace of a wide, deep river. A single day in Heaven could see a hundred human lifetimes bloom and wither on Earth. The suns and moons of Swarg moved in a stately, eternal dance, their passage marking epochs rather than hours. This was why Shaurya's five-thousand-year penance, while an eternity of suffering for him, was but a significant chapter in Swarg's ageless chronicle.
Conversely, in the mortal realm of Prithvi, time was a raging torrent. It rushed forward with relentless speed, carving canyons of change in what, to a Deva, would feel like the blink of an eye. The infant Prince Advik, whose birth felt like a recent miracle to Shaurya's heart, was already taking his first wobbly steps in the lush gardens of Vasant Mahal, his laughter a new, vibrant note in the palace's symphony.
It was this very disparity that lingered in the air of Indra's personal chambers one evening. The Lord of Heaven stood on a balcony, watching the perpetual, gentle twilight, while his queen, the graceful and perceptive Indrani, observed him with a thoughtful expression.
"My Lord," she began, her voice soft as the rustle of celestial silk. "A question has been gnawing at my mind, born from observing the mortals below."
Indra turned, his stormy eyes gentle in his wife's presence. "Speak, Devi. What troubles your thoughts?"
"Dev," she said, choosing her words carefully. "If a Deva or a mortal meets their end, and an unfulfilled desire remains shackled to their soul... what becomes of them? I have seen many righteous humans on Earth, their karma worthy of Swarg, yet they seem unable to ascend. They remain trapped in a state of limbo, their spirits wandering. Is desire, then, more powerful than the bliss of Heaven? Can the pain of a mortal... or a Deva... be so potent that it refuses to die even after death itself?"
A faint, knowing smile touched Indra's lips. He gestured for her to sit beside him.
"You have asked a question that strikes at the very heart of creation, my Queen," he said. "First, know this: a Deva's form does not age. Whether they are a thousand or a million years old, they remain in their youthful prime; they do not become old."
"You speak the truth, my Lord," Indrani replied. "But my query lies elsewhere."
"The truth you seek is this, Devi," Indra continued, his gaze turning towards the infinite cosmos. "This creation, from the highest Deva to the lowliest insect, functions on the wheel of karma. As you sow, so shall you reap. A mortal, through the actions of their life, accumulates both sin and virtue, and based on this balance, they are granted a place in Swarg or Narak. However, as you have astutely observed, a human's yearning... an unfulfilled desire that binds them to their earthly life... this is a force to be reckoned with."
He paused, as if gathering wisdom from the ages. "A mortal may know, intellectually, that the life awaiting them beyond is far greater than any earthly wish. And yet, their desire can become a chain so strong, so intense, that it severs their very path to Heaven. The messengers of Yama themselves can find it impossible to lead a soul away if it is bound by such potent, unfinished longing. This is the law of destiny, as laid down by Anant himself."
Indrani listened, enthralled.
"It is the same for all beings," Indra explained. "Devas, humans, Asuras, Rakshasas—all are born from the energy of Anant and ultimately merge back into it. They are not destroyed. Energy can never be destroyed; it is merely transmuted into a new form, a new body. Just as a man changes his clothes, so does the soul, when its predetermined lifespan is over, shed its mortal coil. This soul-energy, this atma, then wanders, experiencing the fruits of its past deeds, until it is once again born into a new body."
"And for Devas?" Indrani queried.
"The process is similar, though on a different plane. When a Deva's tenure in their position ends, they too are reborn. But even for us, desire can challenge the cosmic order. A Deva's energy does not perish upon leaving their body, for it is composed of pure, divine essence. This is why some Devas, even after abandoning their forms, can choose to remain in Swarg through the power of their spiritual energy. However, recognizing them is not as simple as recognizing a human spirit, for Devas possess limitless powers that aid them in concealing their true nature."
Indrani absorbed his words, a wave of understanding washing over her. She bowed her head slightly. "Aapka bahot, bahot dhanyavaad, Dev. You have dispelled the doubt in my mind and brought peace to my heart with your answer. Now, come, your meal is ready. The handmaidens have served your food."
Indra's smile warmed. "Thik hai, Devi. Chaliye." (Alright, my Queen. Let's go.)
As they turned to leave, Indra's gaze inadvertently swept across the celestial vista, briefly resting on the distant, secluded silhouette of Shaurya's palace.
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In the quiet solitude of his chambers, Shaurya stood by the window, the star-metal bracelet resting heavily in his palm. The conversation about unfulfilled desires and the transmigration of souls, had it reached his ears, would have felt like a personal verdict. His was the most profound, unfulfilled desire in all the heavens—a five-thousand-year-old chain of love and guilt that bound him more tightly than any mortal yearning.
He looked down at the bracelet, its iridescent metal capturing the faint starlight. It was a cold, solid reminder in a universe of fleeting time and shifting forms. On Earth, time raced forward, carrying a child named Advik further into a life unknown. In Swarg, time stretched endlessly, prolonging a wait that was both a penance and a prayer.
And somewhere in the cosmic balance, the soul of the one he waited for existed, its energy perhaps closer than he dared to believe, veiled by the very divine laws that governed their existence. The wheel of time turned, the wheel of karma spun, and Shaurya, the heartbroken rebel, remained its most steadfast, tormented prisoner.
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Chapter End :
In Heaven, a god understood the chains of desire that bound all souls. On Earth, a prince grew older, unaware of the cosmic forces shaping his destiny. And between them, the wheel of time kept turning, bringing closer the moment when desire would once again defy destiny itself.