Maharaj Harshvardhan and the Mystery of Nagkund:-
When King Harshvardhan opened his eyes that morning, he found King Raichand sitting right before him. Startled, Harshvardhan asked, "O King! When did you arrive? You should have informed me, or at least woken me from my slumber."
Raichand replied with humility, "No, Your Majesty; I did not find it appropriate to disturb your sleep. I chose to wait until you woke up on your own."
Harshvardhan then spoke gravely, "Raichand, I require your assistance." Interjecting immediately, Raichand said, "My Lord, you are a magnificent monarch; what could I possibly offer you? Please, give me your command."
Harshvardhan explained, "A prophecy has foretold that a terrible calamity is about to befall my kingdom. I wish for you to join me and lend your aid in this crisis." Raichand bowed his head, "As you command, Your Majesty." Harshvardhan concluded, "Very well! I shall now set out for the Aravalli. Take care of yourself." With those words, the King began his preparations for the journey.
The Encounter with the Beggar:-
On the way, they encountered a beggar who blocked their path. "Who are you and where are you headed?" the beggar asked. "Do you not know that the place you seek is forbidden? Do you wish to embrace death?"
A soldier snapped at him, "Do you have any idea who you are speaking to?" The beggar retorted, "Regardless of who you are, if you truly intend to go there, how do you plan to cross that river?"
King Harshvardhan stepped forward and asked calmly, "O Mahatma, who are you? Why do you bar our way, and what is it that you wish to say?" The beggar remained silent, thinking to himself, 'Will these people ever reach their destination?' As the King moved forward, the beggar closed his eyes and whispered, "They are coming... and He is coming too."
In another realm, a beautiful young woman smiled faintly. "Good... very good," she murmured. "Now let us see if he is truly the One."
The Sight of Nagkund:-
When King Harshvardhan reached the vicinity of the Nagkund River, it was visible from a distance of twenty kosh (approximately 40 kilometers). Looking at the vast expanse, a soldier exclaimed, "Maharaj! This looks less like a river and more like an ocean! How shall we ever cross this?"
The King replied patiently, "Just as the Vanaras in the ancient ages crossed the ocean by writing 'Jai Shree Ram' on stones, we too shall cross by inscribing 'Jai Shree Hari' upon them. Go, gather stones and begin the work."
The soldiers set to work immediately. As night fell, they built temporary huts to rest. The next morning, the King woke to find the soldiers already toiling, but one soldier ran up to him in a panic. "Maharaj, a problem has arisen! We are casting the stones into the water, but they are sinking!"
The King rushed to the bank and asked, "What exactly is happening here?"
Yogmaya and the Protector of Dharma
Meanwhile, many miles away, a young woman opened her eyes and commanded, "Go and test him. If he can destroy this 'reflection' of mine—which holds 80% of my powers—then he is indeed the chosen one."
A beggar standing near her asked curiously, "Acharya, who is he?"
Acharya Yogmaya replied, "He is the Protector of Dharma—the one born directly from the very blood of Lord Krishna." The beggar began to object, but Yogmaya cut him short. "Yes, he belongs to the future—a fact you are unaware of. He is unique; there is no other like him."
Bewildered, the beggar asked, "What are you saying, Acharya?" Yogmaya retorted angrily, "It is beyond your understanding! Remain silent!" The beggar apologized and departed.
The Secret Beneath the Waves
Back at the river, Harshvardhan was deep in thought. "Is the prophecy from my dream coming true? I must descend beneath the surface to see what is transpiring."
He shed his royal robes and plunged into the deep waters. As he descended, the darkness grew terrifying. Suddenly, a gleaming light appeared in the depths. "This must be it," the King thought.
From a distant hill, a voice rang out with a sly smile, "Aha! The day has finally arrived. Now the real fun begins! He is down there, and She is down there too. Let us see what unfolds. But... no one who enters the Nagkund ever returns alive. If He were to awaken, it would mean absolute catastrophe. Well, let us wait and watch."
The King reached the source of the light and found a magnificent golden statue of Lord Vishnu. It gleamed as if it were being worshipped daily; fresh, fragrant flowers lay scattered around it. The King was amazed. "A miracle! I can breathe underwater, and I can even smell these flowers! This is surely the statue Lord Vishnu spoke of. But who worships it here? Let me take it to the surface."
The moment he touched the golden idol, two beams of light flashed from a nearby cave. A seven-headed black cobra emerged, hissing fiercely. "Who are you? Who dares to possess the audacity to take my Lord's statue?"
Harshvardhan replied fearlessly, "O Nagraj! I am Harshvardhan, King of Aryavart. I have come by the command of Lord Vishnu himself."
Instantly, the great serpent Kaliya lunged at him. The King began swimming upward with the statue. Just as he reached the stone bridge above, Nagraj Kaliya rose from the middle of the river. Suddenly, a melodious voice called out from behind, "So, you have finally arrived, King Harshvardhan? You certainly took your time!"
The King turned, startled. "Who are you? What are you doing here?" From a distant hill, a booming laugh echoed: "So, this is the final spectacle we were meant to witness!"
The scene was extraordinary—Nagraj Kaliya stood with his hoods flared in the center of the river, King Harshvardhan stood before him, and Acharya Yogmaya stood behind.
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Vedha:The Protector of Dharma! -
To Be Continues....