The golden brown cashews seemed to glow like gems on the smooth surface of pearly white milk. The ghee formed tiny swirls around the raisins, as if it had a mind of its own. This was truly the most divine payasam in the whole world! Little Audarika licked off his last portion from the leaf, as waiters clad in silk stood patiently next to him, as if they knew this would definitey not be the last. He loved this festival! He wanted the King to conduct Yagynas every month. The streets were filled with song and dance all day, there were new clothes for anyone who asked, horses and people from strange lands that he loved to stare at, and best of all - free food that tasted out of the world! His nerd friends were even able to drag him to the scholarly debates and tharkas he usually avoided, tricking him into thinking the food would taste extra special there (It did taste special alright, but mostly because he was just glad to get away).

Thousands of children like our Audarika and his friends, their fathers, mothers and grandparents, were having the time of their lives at the Ashwamedha Yagnya, even as the ritwiks toiled all day long to perform the initial invocations to Indra and several other Gods. The King was asked to crush the medicinal soma creeper and its juice was offered to the Gods. Once that was done, it was time to bring out the wooden ritual posts - twenty-one in all. Each was 21 cubits in length (a cubit is roughly 1.5 feet), with eight smooth surfaces pleated with gold - on Guru Vasishta’s precise instructions. The ritual posts were erected in the hall, decorated and worshipped. Various sacrificial animals were then tied to the posts, the bejewelled horse that had conquered several kingdoms, taking pride of place. It was time for the sacrifice.

Kausalya stepped up. Her sweaty palms gripped the thin golden needles tight, as she went around the horse three times. And then, as custom demanded, the Chief Queen began the sacrifice by piercing the horse at three strategic points. The other queens followed suit. The ritwiks took over from there and the women were sent to their chambers. The horse’s fat was drawn out and added to the sacrificial fire. The pungent smell was unbearable, but Dasharatha readily moved closer to take a strong whiff. It smelt like magic to him. The agni gleefully swallowed everything that was sent its way and the sacrifice was soon complete. Dasharatha’s heart was so gladdened, that he offered his entire kingdom to Rishyashringa, as part of the thanking ritual. The wise sage, however, promptly returned it to the king, in exchange for cows and gold. He then proceeded to address his now beloved master.

"I am satisfied, Dasharatha! The world is yet to see a king as dutiful and rightful as you. Your devotion to this Yagnya has been monumental and rest assured, it will not be in vain. I will now perform the Putrakameshti Yagnya, by which you will have four majestic sons".

The king thought he was going to burst. He watched spellbound, as the sage began another series of ritual procedures, his mantras echoing louder and louder across the hall. He clanged bells, poured more ghee into the fire and almost commanded it to rise higher and higher. Gods lined up in the skies above. The crowd grew pregnant with anticipation. They knew they were about to witness a miracle. And BANG!

Right there, in the middle of the fire, stood a towering figure. His skin was red, eyes jet black and his whole body translucent. Flowing hair and a long beard framed his face, quite like a lion’s mane. He looked like fire itself had assumed a human form. He held in his hand what seemed to be a pot of molten gold, filled with a payasam that would put our Audarika’s favourite to shame. He spoke in a booming voice.

"Blessed be you, O King! Give your wives this divine dessert that I bring from the Gods. It will give you the progeny you so desire", he declared.

Overcome with emotion, Dasharatha prostrated before the Being, before accepting the offering. No sooner had Dasharatha’s hands touched the divine pot, that the Yagnya purusha vanished without a trace. After seeking the blessings of Rishyashringa and the other wise sages in the hall, the King half-ran to meet his queens. Excited and out-of-breath, he narrated the events of the hall, quite like a child that had won a special prize in school. He then proceeded to distribute the elixir among his queens, who were by now more exhilarated than he. Kausalya, being the Chief Queen, received half of the pot’s portion and consumed it immediately, should the others rise in protest. Sumitra, coming second, received half of the remaining half. Kaikeyi, being last, received one-eighth of the portion. And then after much thought, the king gave the little that remained to Sumitra again, drawing pangs of jealously from her sisters.

"Release the horse!", he ordered. "Send our most valiant soldiers along for its protection. Clear the northern banks of Sarayu for the Yagnyashaala. Let the requisite prayers be offered every day as per scriptures. Make sure to take the advice of Guru Vasishta every step of the way. Let no stone be left unturned. I want this to be flawless. Sumantra, can you take care of the invitations? You know my priorities, but consult our Guru before you do anything..."

Dasharatha was giving out instructions left, right and centre. Preparations for the Ashwamedha Yagnya had just begun. There was so much to be taken care of, and Dasharatha the perfectionist was at the top of his game. He had brought in the best of the best to conduct this great sacrifice, and he had better live up to their expecations. Convincing Rishyashringa to make the journey had been far easier than he had assumed. All it took was a humble request from Dasharatha and some cajoling by Romapada to get him to agree. Little did both men know that Rishyashringa had been waiting for this - and considered it the prime purpose of his life.

The day Rishyashringa arrived in Ayodhya was one of great joy and an unexplainable nervousness for the people of Koshala. The king had sent word that he would be arriving with Rishyashringa and Shanta, and that the city be readied for a grand welcome. The streets were cleaned and lined with flowers, the most learned scholars appointed at prominent locations to recite the vedas as a mark of welcome, the royal army was stationed at the entrance to the city, with the three queens and all of the king's ministers. Everyone wanted to see the man who was rumoured to be a magician, a strange soul who could transform their king's fortunes. But Kausalya alone, was filled with anticipation of a different kind. All she could think of was her first-born, whom she willingly gave up years ago. A mother who had disowned her baby instead of finding a cure for its illness. The act tormented her to this day and sometimes, she even attributed her subsequent childlessness as a punishment for the sin. But today was going to be her day of redemption. Her little girl had now grown up and was coming back to change their lives forever. She weeped when she set eyes on Shanta, seated majestically next to her husband on a royal elephant. The moment she entered the palace, the three mothers took her in, showering her with the love they had been denied all these years. It was time for them to be mothers again.

Several months passed, in which Rishyashringa and his wife settled into the palace - the former enjoying the company of the intellectuals of Ayodhya and the latter finally finding peace in her home. Winter passed and spring arrived, the time for auspicious beginnings. It was then that the King convened a meeting with Rishyashringa, Vasishta and all his ministers to start the pre-yagnya rituals. A sacrifice of this scale required preparations to be started a year before the actual yagnya could be performed. The royal horse had to be decorated and released, which would travel around to various territories and establish the king's invincibility. Any king that dared stop the horse would have invited the mighty Dasharatha to war. The vedic ritual hall had to be built at an appropriate place, with precise measurements as given in the ancient architectural texts. Kings from across the world had to be invited and due prepartions made for their stay. These kings usually brought with them small armies, horses and elephants, which had to be tended too. Huge sheds had to be erected for onlookers, mammoth kitches that would supply food and drink at all hours of the day, and large stages at different locations where song, dance and entertainment would take place in the evenings. Large quantities of clothes, gold, silver, cows and other gifts had to be kept at the ready. Certain hymns needed to be chanted at certain times of day, and all the Gods worshipped to ensure their support for a trouble-free event. Dietary restrictions were imposed on the King and his queens, and they were also to perform certain rites at requisite times. All of these needed to follow exact vedic prescriptions.

On instructions of the King, Vaishta summoned scores of brick makers, builders, supervisors, carpenters, sculptors, accountants, musicians, dancers, scholars, preists, foot soldiers, animal caretakers and the many others who needed to work together for the grand event and informed them of their duties. They were to follow his instructions to the last grain of salt and could not afford to err on any account. More importantly, they had to do it all with utmost devotion and respect, without a sign of negligience. Even a small mistake could prove costly, as the tiniest of errors could bring disaster to the entire kingdom, if the Gods were displeased.

Once all departments had been sent off to carry out the tasks cut out to them, Vasishta and Sumantra sat down to draw the guest list.

"We must invite all the rulers of the earth, Sumantra, who are righteous and perform their duties without flaw. All the people of their kingdoms shall be invited too - the Brahmanas, Kshyatrias, Vaishyas and Shudras, without any discrimination", said Vasishta. "And then of course, there are some kings I want you to invite personally".

"It shall be my honour, Gurudeva. Where would you like me to travel?", asked Sumantra.

"Firstly, invite the valiant Janaka, king of Mithila, for he never falters from the truth. The King of Kashi has always been friendly with us, so be sure to visit him too. And then of course there are Kaikeyi's father Kekaya, Kausalya's father Bhanumanta and King Romapada, without whom this Yagyna wouldn't have happened."

"And the southern kingdoms?"

"Ah yes, please invite all the kings of the south. And don't miss the mighty Magadha, Sindhu and Sauraashtra kingdoms either".

"I can do that. Are you sure we haven't left anyone out?"

Lists got longer, hours flew faster and the men toiled harder than ever. Four seasons came and went, all witnessing the earnest labour of the King and his people. Soon it was spring again. Sumantra was back from his long and ardrous journey. Slowly the visitors trickled in, surrouded by mighty armies and laden with generous gifts. The ritual hall was completed, the kitchen was doling out delicacies for all the guests, the entire city wore a festive look and the ritual steed flew back into Ayodhya, untouched and unbowed. The King and his queens, having completed a year of prayers and rites, bathed in the Sarayu and entered the packed Yagnyashaala. The servants kept double checking their lists and moving around tensely. The preists took their positions. The visitors fidgeted in anticipation. All the devas lined up on the skies to watch the spectacle unfold.

Rishyashringa made one final survey of the ritual hall and signalled to the King.

"The Ashwamedha Yagnya shall begin".

Recap: Dasharatha learns that his estranged daughter is now married to the man who holds the magical solution to his troubles. Previous post here.

~~~

Deep within a dark jungle, somewhere in the middle of modern day Nepal, sat a scantily clad man, eyes closed in deep meditation, oblivious to the singing birds and slithering snakes around him. 'Weird' is the word that would best describe him. His skin was flawless, almost translucent and seemed to glow from within. His hair was matted, gathered into a long bun at the top of his head, making him look like a human unicorn. He spent all his time praying, meditating, cleaning his place of worship, or just simply staring into space. Quite unusual for a young man hardly into his twenties. When he spoke, it was almost a whisper, yet his voice rang with the clarity of a bronze temple bell rung with fervent devotion. His life revolved around only two things - his father, and God. He did not know of anything beyond them and did not wish to. One could have said he was happy, if only he knew what it was to be happy. The only emotions he knew were the peace of his forest, the anger of his father and the devotion to God. He had never been sad to know what happiness meant. It never occurred to him that there might be other inhabitants on the planet, or that there might be a bustling royal city full of pleasures, just a few miles away from where he sat meditating everyday. And that was probably why, on this given day, he felt something new for the first time in his life.

While roaming about the forest aimlessly as he did on some afternoons, Rishyashringa, son of the great sage Vibhandaka and the lovely divine damsel Urvashi, chanced upon a curious creature. It looked similar to him in height and structure, but was somehow different. It had slender hips, long, lustrous hair that flowed down like a black waterfall, and a voluminous chest which was covered by a rich cloth and shining jewels. He felt himself feeling fear, confusion, excitement, and some strange feeling at the pit of his stomach, all at once. He couldn't take his eyes off the thing. And before he could get a grip on himself, the thing spoke.

"Greetings, O great tapasvin! I am honoured to have finally met you. I wander these forests in search of enlightenment and was hoping you could help me". Rishyashringa heard music for the first time in his life. He wanted to keep hearing it all day.

"I..um..What are you?", he managed to blurt out.

"I seek englightenment and liberation, O great soul. Please allow me to pay obeisance to you".

And Rishyashringa was half forcibly and half delightedly, taken to the thing's dwelling place. It made him an offering of flowers, the most delicious sweets and a soothing drink that calmed his nerves. In their clan, prostration was not the supreme mark of respect, he was told. The thing, instead, clasped Rishyashringa with its hands and held him close. He wondered if what he heard was his heartbeat or the thing's. When he finally broke away and rushed back to his hut, he was in a dizzy. He had never felt this way before. He just sat and stared and stared and stared into space, till he heard his father yelling at him.

"Shringa! Why haven't you offered the evening prayers? Why is the hut so dirty? Dare you ignore my questions? LOOK AT ME!", Vibhandaka shook his son out of his reverie.

"I am sorry, father. Something strange happened today. I chanced upon a student of spirituality, who looked so...different. It was fair, had long hair and two ball-like things on its chest. It was covered in shiny things and made a sound that was sweeter than the song of the koel. It showed me a new method of worship, which made me feel real spiritual bliss..", said the dutiful son and attempted to hug his father, to show how it was done. Vibhandaka, who hated women and had so carefully kept his son away from them since his birth, was furious. His son had been a mistake. He was the result of Indra's treacherous scheme to spoil Vibhandaka's penance and stop him from becoming more powerful than the King of Gods. Indra had sent his most beautiful apasara Urvashi, to seduce the sage and disturb his tapasya. In a moment of lust, Vibhandaka had given her a son. Mission accomplished, she had flown back to the heavens, with not an iota of guilt, leaving the baby's care completely to the rishi. Rishyashringa was a constant living reminder of his one moment of weakness that had stopped him from achieving the greatness he deserved. And now there he was, telling him how irresistible womenfolk were!

Shringa had never seen his father get so out of control before. He was admonished severely and told that the thing he saw was a rakshasa in disguise, who wanted to stop their continuous penance. He was warned never to get close to such a thing again. But try as he might, the new creature was all that Rishyashringa could think of day and night. He refused food and slept scarcely. He could not concentrate on his prayers. He longed to set his eyes on the creature again. He wandered the forests when his father was away, trying to spot a glimmer of shiny garment, or hear a whisper of its musical sound. Finally one day, he struck gold. And what a treasure it was, when he found not just one creature, but a whole flock of them! They welcomed him with glee and pampered him like he had never been. They sang and danced around him and fed him with foods that tantalized his senses. He realized what it was to feel happy. He was taught how to laugh. He learnt the magic of touch. He became aware of lust. And so, when those beautiful creatures invited him to visit their capital city, how could he refuse?

The entire population of Champapuri gathered on both sides of the road to watch this strange man who was supposed to be their bringer of good fortune. Romapada awaited at the entrance to the city, with his wife Varshini, daughter Shanta and a whole royal entourage. And the moment Rishyashringa set foot at the gateway, they say, the clouds darkened. When the king offered him the traditional royal welcome, they say, one could hear the thunder above the drums and dholaks. And as Rishyashringa walked the royal path towards the King's palace, the crowds gathered on either side had to run for cover. The parched earth of the kingdom of Anga finally saw rains, after years of drought. The king bowed in reverence, the people danced in joy and Rishyashringa just stood there, bewildered.

~~~

"Incredible!", exclaimed Dasharatha, as the father of his daughter finished recounting the tale of Rishyashringa. "It was quite a risk you took there, sending your courtesans to woo him. But it seems to have worked well". There was a hint of mischief in his voice. Romapada didn't miss it.

"Haha! You should have seen Vibhandaka when he arrived in my court a few days later. I almost thought my kingdom was going to be destroyed forever. He calmed down only when he heard of his marriage to Shantha. I still think he secretly hates me, though", Romapada chuckled as he took another sip of madhubaanam. He was glad to have finally found a chance to discuss these matters with an old friend. Someone who wouldn't judge him for what he did. Someone who would understand that a rightful king would do anything to end the misery of his citizens, even if that meant seducing holy men to visit his land.

"Do you really think this is the man that I ought to trust with my Ashwamedha Yagya? All the magic apart, he seems like some who is not quite himself", Dasharatha finally got down to business.

"Don't be so critical, my friend. Would you have been any less awkward if you hadn't seen a woman for twenty years? Several years have passed since he first set foot on my soil and I can assure you today that I haven't seen a wiser man walk this earth. And when it comes to rituals and vedic adherences, he is the go-to man. All that aside, there is something divine about him that I can't quite put my finger on, Dasharatha. If his mere arrival could bring rains to my scorched country, imagine what he can do for you if he performs the Yagya", answered Romapada.

"I trust you, my friend. I know I can take your word on this", said Dasharatha. "After all, if a father-in-law has this to say about a man, I'm sure there must be something divine about him!", he added as an after thought, triggering another round of guffaws.