Mahayagya
Vrittakanth took a long and peaceful breath. "That night the water of this fountain seemed white and cool like milk. Father and son kept sitting here for hours talking. In the course of conversation, Pururava told Ayu that secret which he had learned from Urvashi — that the conspiracies of the palace are more dangerous than the battlefield."
5.1 Today there was a strange echo in the water of the fountain, as if somewhere far away mantras were being recited. Vrittakanth moved his paw in the water and looked toward Narkumi, who was listening very calmly.
Narkumi: "Grandfather, when father and son became one, then why did Emperor Pururava decide to perform a yajna? Did he still want to call Mother Urvashi?"
Vrittakanth (in a serious tone): "No, little one, this yajna was not to obtain someone, but to offer everything. Pururava had understood that he had become the king of earth, but half of his life-force was still stuck in the Gandharva world. He decided to ignite the Tretagni on the highest plateau of Pratishthanpur. This was the same divine fire that he had produced by churning Shami and Peepal."
Narkumi: "Was that yajna ordinary?"
Vrittakanth: "Ordinary? Narkumi, that day sages from the entire Aryavarta had gathered there. The smoke rising from the offerings of ghee was touching the clouds. Emperor Pururava had abandoned his royal garments. He wore only deer-skin. Prince Ayu standing beside him had tears in his eyes, but the emperor's face was shining like the sun. He declared, 'Today I hand over this mortal kingdom of mine to my son Ayu, and I myself take refuge in that fire which is eternal.'"
Narkumi: "But grandfather, in a yajna offerings are given. Did the emperor also sacrifice something?"
Vrittakanth: "He sacrificed his ego. In the middle of the yajna, a wondrous event happened. As the sound of the mantras grew louder, a form began to emerge from the fire of the sacrificial pit. That form was not of a human, but of pure light. People saw that the fire itself was speaking to the emperor. Pururava folded his hands and said, 'O Agnidev! I have fulfilled my duty on earth, now dissolve me into that truth where there is neither separation nor death.'"
Narkumi (astonished): "Then what happened? Did he disappear?"
Vrittakanth: "The sight was such that the eyes of the onlookers were dazzled. As soon as the final offering was made, that fire came out of the pit and formed a circle around Emperor Pururava. Slowly, the emperor's body began to merge into that light. Prince Ayu ran forward, but Sage Chyavana stopped him and said, 'Wait, son! Your father is not attaining death, he is attaining divinity. He is now going to the world of Gandharvas with Urvashi, to that place where time has no effect.'"
Narkumi: "So did Ayu truly remain alone now?"
Vrittakanth: "Not alone, Narkumi. When the fire calmed down, there was not just ash at that place. There remained a shining jewel and a divine bow. Ayu lifted that bow and touched it to his forehead. At that moment flowers rained from the sky and a divine voice said, 'Ayu, you are now the protector of the Chandravansh. Your father has joined the stars with his father Budha.'"
Vrittakanth took a long breath. "Since that night, Emperor Pururava was never seen on earth again. But whenever we look at the sky at night, the bright glow near Budha gives the feeling of Pururava's presence. Ayu was now the sole emperor, and it was in front of this very fountain that he addressed his subjects for the first time."
5.2 Coronation
The sound of the fountain today was especially clear, as if it was preparing for a celebration. Vrittakanth firmly placed his feet on the stone and looked at Narkumi, who was listening very peacefully today.
Narkumi: "Grandfather, Emperor Pururava left, but did little Ayu… I mean, now he had become emperor — did he not feel nervous sitting on that great throne? And did he not feel the absence of a companion?"
Vrittakanth (in a soft and gentle voice): "Nervousness comes to every person, Narkumi, who realizes their responsibility. When Ayu sat on that golden throne for the first time, he felt that the seat was not just for sitting, but for bearing the burden of justice. First of all, he forgave his stepmothers and those courtiers who had conspired against him. He said, 'A new era should begin not with revenge, but with love.'"
Narkumi: "That was a very great thing, grandfather! But what about his marriage? Did he also get an apsara like Mother Urvashi?"
Vrittakanth: "No, Narkumi, Ayu's love was even deeper and steadier. He married Prabha, the daughter of Rahu (Svarbhanuja). Prabha's nature was exactly like her name — 'a calm and pleasant light.' When Prabha came into this palace, the anklet sounds echoed again in these silent corridors. The union of Prabha and Ayu was like the union of penance and attainment."
Narkumi: "Did they have children? You said they had five mighty sons?"
Vrittakanth: "Yes! And the birth of those five spread the roots of Chandravansh from the netherworld to the sky. The eldest was Nahusha, whose intelligence amazed even Devguru Brihaspati. Then came Kshatravriddha, Rambha, Raji, and Anena. These five brothers were like the five senses — different, yet protecting the same body. Ayu taught them not only scriptures but also the knowledge of weapons and service."
Narkumi: "Did Ayu also fight wars like his father Pururava?"
Vrittakanth: "In Ayu's time there were fewer wars and more justice. He became such an emperor who performed Ashvamedha yajnas not to seize kingdoms, but to unite the entire Aryavarta. In his reign, agriculture flourished and people forgot the word famine.
Narkumi, I have seen near this very fountain that Emperor Ayu would smile for hours watching his five sons play. In his eyes there was the same satisfaction that must once have been in the eyes of his grandfather Budha."
Narkumi: "So was everything fine now? Was there no more crisis to come?"
Vrittakanth (becoming serious): "Crisis is the nature of time, little one. When the sun of happiness is at its highest, the shadow of the future begins to grow longer. Something like that was written in the fate of Ayu's eldest son Nahusha, something even the emperor had not imagined. Nahusha's future was to take him to the throne of heaven, where sitting often makes a human forget his limits in the pursuit of becoming a god."
Vrittakanth fell silent and dipped his neck into the water, as if he was listening to the approaching storm.
6.1 Shadow of Indra's Throne
The night was about to end, but the silence around the fountain seemed to be waiting for a great event. Vrittakanth narrowed the wrinkles of his eyes and looked toward Narkumi.
Narkumi: "Grandfather, you said Nahusha became so powerful that he became the lord of even the gods? But can a mortal of flesh and bone sit on the throne of heaven? Did Indra not stop him?"
Vrittakanth (smiling seriously): "This is the play of destiny, Narkumi. Nahusha was not an ordinary child. When he was born, there was a strange radiance on his forehead. Emperor Ayu sent him to Sage Vashistha's ashram for education. There Nahusha did not only learn archery, but also conquered the senses — something even gods do not always achieve. With his gaze, he could reduce any warrior's strength by half."
Narkumi: "But how did he reach heaven?"
Vrittakanth: "A time came when Indra, the king of heaven, committed a great sin — the sin of Brahma-hatya. Out of fear of that sin, Indra abandoned the throne and hid inside the stem of a lotus. Heaven became orphaned without a king. Demons began to dominate. Then gods and sages together thought — who on earth has such purity of character and immense strength that he can hold the position of 'Indra'?"
Narkumi: "So they chose Nahusha?"
Vrittakanth: "Yes. A group of sages came to the royal palace of Pratishthanpur. Emperor Ayu had grown old. He saw that Devguru Brihaspati himself had come to take his eldest son. When Nahusha heard this, he did not panic. He touched his father's feet and said, 'Father, if I must go to heaven to protect dharma, I am ready.'"
Narkumi: "How proud Emperor Ayu must have felt!"
Vrittakanth: "There was pride, but also fear. Ayu knew that the splendor of heaven corrupts even the greatest minds. While sending him off, he said only one thing: 'Son, you are going there as a king, but remember that you are a human. The poison of ego is sweeter than nectar — stay away from it.'"
Narkumi: "Then what happened? Did the gods accept him when he sat on Indra's throne?"
Vrittakanth: "At first everything was wonderful. Nahusha dispensed such justice that even the gods were astonished. He drove away the demons and the offerings of yajnas became pure again. But as time passed, a subtle change began within him. The service of apsaras, the songs of Gandharvas, and the folded hands of gods…
What was feared had begun to happen.
Slowly, the sage-like boy within Nahusha fell asleep, and an arrogant emperor awakened."
Vrittakanth paused and sighed. "Narkumi, when a person starts believing he is greater than God, that is when the first brick of his downfall is laid. Nahusha made such a desire that shook both heaven and earth."
6.2 Poison and the Sage
The silence of the night near the palace fountain had grown so deep that every falling drop sounded like a hammer. Vrittakanth lifted his neck fully and began speaking in a very serious tone.
Narkumi: "Grandfather, what did Nahusha demand? Did he ask for the treasure of the gods? Or the boon of immortality?"
Vrittakanth: "No, Narkumi. Wealth and immortality were small things. Nahusha's arrogance had blinded him. He thought, 'If I sit on Indra's throne, then everything that belongs to Indra is mine.' He told the gods, 'Go, and tell Indra's wife Shachi (Indrani) to present herself in my service!'"
Narkumi (shocked): "What? Mother Shachi? But she was someone else's wife! Did the gods not oppose this?"
Vrittakanth: "The gods were afraid, because Nahusha had both his own power and the blessings of the gods. Shachi was deeply distressed and took refuge with Brihaspati. Brihaspati devised a plan. Shachi sent a message to Nahusha: 'O king, I will certainly come to serve you, but I have one condition. Come to me seated in a vehicle on which no one has ever sat before. Come carried in a palanquin borne by sages.'"
Narkumi: "A palanquin carried by sages? Did Nahusha fall so low that he made sages into bearers?"
Vrittakanth: "Arrogance steals a person's wisdom, Narkumi. Nahusha thought making sages his servants would be his greatest victory. He summoned the great Saptarishis and ordered them to carry his palanquin — including great sages like Agastya and Bhrigu. The sages remained calm; they were waiting for Nahusha's sins to fill their pot."
Narkumi: "Then what happened? Did he reach Shachi?"
Vrittakanth: "No! Sitting in the palanquin, Nahusha was so eager to meet Indrani that the sages' pace seemed slow to him. The short-statured sage Agastya was walking slowly. Nahusha struck his foot on Agastya's head and shouted, 'Sarpa! Saro!' (in Sanskrit it means 'move faster, move faster')."
Narkumi: "A foot on a sage's head? That is a great sin!"
Vrittakanth: "Yes! The moment Sage Agastya was kicked, his penance blazed up. He stopped the palanquin and turned toward Nahusha. His eyes held the fury of Mahakal. Agastya thundered, 'O Nahusha! You have insulted sages and called me a serpent? Go, fall from heaven this very moment and remain on earth as a python for thousands of years!'"
Narkumi (shivering): "The king of heaven… became a python in a moment?"
Vrittakanth: "Yes! At that very moment Nahusha's golden crown vanished, his divine garments fell away, and he transformed into a huge, heavy serpent, falling from heaven into the caves of the Himalayas. All his knowledge and brilliance mixed with dust. He writhed in pain and fell at the sage's feet, begging for forgiveness."
Narkumi: "Did the sage forgive him?"
Vrittakanth: "A sage's curse does not return, but Agastya felt compassion. He said, 'Nahusha, your redemption will come when, in the Dvapara Yuga, a great Dharmaraja from your own lineage answers your questions correctly. Until then, you must atone in this serpent form.'"
Vrittakanth took a deep breath. "Narkumi, that day grief spread in the great palace of Pratishthanpur. When Emperor Ayu heard of his son's downfall, his heart broke. That shining star of the Chandravansh had now become a crawling creature in a dark cave."