The Guardians of the Halahala (37 page)
Read The Guardians of the Halahala Online
Authors: Shatrujeet Nath
Tags: #The Vikramaditya Trilogy: Book 1
The other thing that was bothering him was how he would go about convincing the king and his council that the asuras had had no hand in the nocturnal attack. For things to go according to plan, it was imperative that the humans viewed the asuras favorably; but now, thanks to the Maruts, the asuras had ended up being projected in an unflattering light.
Yet, he couldn't just walk up to the council and tell them the Maruts had come to Ujjayini on Indra's bidding...
The head priest rose from the wrought-iron bench to return to the palace. He needed answers. He needed to consult the bones over everything that had transpired last night.
***
From where he stood, high on a turret at the pinnacle of his palace, Indra could take in the sweep of Amaravati, twinkling like a sequined bedspread in the light of the westerly sun. But the deva was in no mood for beauty, his brooding gaze fixed at a point high above the city, his mind full of dark thoughts and horrible deeds.
He had been that way ever since Narada had barged in upon him, as he watched Urvashi and two other apsaras disrobe one another, their exquisite and promising foreplay interrupted and spoiled by the news of the debacle in Avanti. Hearing Narada recount the fate that the Maruts had suffered, the lord of Devaloka had dismissed the nubile apsaras and broken a dozen swords in rage and frustration â before withdrawing into seclusion to plot his next move.
Vikramaditya. The Wielder of the Hellfires.
How he hated the sound of the human king's name. The king who had shamed him twice already. The king who had stubbornly denied the Brotherhood of the Ashvins and the Maruts their victories... who wouldn't yield him the dagger...
Such stubbornness had to be punished. With death.
Drawing a deep breath, Indra made up his mind. He would make the trip to Alaka to meet Kubera, lord of the magical yakshas. The idea wasn't in the least bit palatable, but he would swallow his pride and pay the loathsome and pompous yaksha king a visit.
Kubera's assistance would be crucial for the vengeance Indra had in mind for Vikramaditya.
End of Book 1
Glossary of Indian Terms
(In alphabetical order)
| alankara | embellishment techniques in the context of Indian classical music |
| apsara | beautiful, supernatural female beings in Hinduism |
| ashwagandha | a herb used in Ayurvedic medicine |
| badi-maa | elder mother; a form of address |
| ber | jujube; Indian plum |
| bhoota | ghost |
| chakram | a throwing weapon, circular in shape |
| chaturanga | ancient Indian strategy game; ancestor of chess |
| chhoti-maa | younger mother; a form of address |
| damaru | a small two-headed drum, symbolic of Lord Shiva |
| danava | mythical race in Hinduism |
| Dasa-Mahavidyas | wisdom goddesses; the ten aspects of the Divine Mother Kali |
| garuda | large mythical humanoid bird in Hinduism |
| ghat | steps leading down to a body of water like a holy river |
| guggul | a herb used in Ayurvedic medicine |
| gurudev | master or teacher; also a form of address |
| jamun | black plum; Java plum |
| katari | a fist dagger |
| Mahadeva | great God; another name for Lord Shiva |
| mahaguru | grandmaster or teacher; also a form of address |
| mahashilakantaka | a trebuchet or catapult |
| mandala | a spiritual and ritual symbol in Hinduism representing the universe |
| pishachas | mythical flesh eating demon in Hinduism |
| raga | melodic mode used in Indian classical music |
| rajasuya yajna | ritual sacrifice performed by ancient Indian kings before being anointed emperor |
| raj-guru | royal tutor; also a form of address |
| rakshasa | mythical humanoid being in Hinduism |
| rudra veena | a large plucked string instrument |
| rudraksh | prayer bead |
| sambrani | a balsamic resin used as incense |
| samrat | emperor or overlord |
| samsaptaka | a tribe of mythical warriors |
| soma | Vedic ritual drink |
| suryayantra | sun-device; heliotrope |
| tambulam | paan; a betel leaf and areca nut preparation |
| tilaka | mark worn on the forehead in Hinduism |
| urumi | a longsword with a flexible whip-like blade |
| yogi | ascetic |
Coming Soonâ¦
The rampaging hordes from Devaloka and Patala have
been successfully repelled â but the attacks have brought
Avanti to its knees. Ujjayini has been battered, its citizens
are scared, and morale is badly shaken. Elsewhere, cracks
are emerging between the allied kingdoms of Sindhuvarta,
even as the threat of the Hunas and the Sakas mounts â and
Magadha rises as a power to the east.
The only silver lining is that the Halahala is safe. For
now.
But Indra and Shukracharya will not rest till they get
their hands on the poison â they are already scheming
their own ways to destroy Vikramaditya's resolve. And
Narada might have the trick that not just breaks the king's
resistance, but spells the doom of the Guardians...
