Shiva nodded, as though sensing where this conversation was headed, holding his wife’s hand tighter.

‘That was a lie,’ sobbed Sati. ‘He...’

‘He was alive?!’

‘He is still alive!’

Shiva’s jaw dropped in shock. ‘You mean... I have another son?’

Sati stared up at Shiva, smiling through her tears.

‘By the Holy Lake! I have another son!’

Sati nodded, happy at Shiva’s joy.

‘Bhadra! Drive quickly. My son waits for me!’

Chapter 19

Rage of the Blue Lord

Shiva’s carriage quickly turned into the gates of Athithigva’s palace. As it sped along the road around the central garden, an excited Shiva lifted Kartik into his arms and reached for the door. He was off as soon as the vehicle stopped, setting Kartik on the ground, holding his hand and walking quickly ahead. Sati followed.

Shiva stopped in his tracks as he saw Kali, holding a puja thali, a prayer tray, with a ceremonial lamp and flowers.

‘What the...!’

Standing in front of Shiva was a splitting image of Sati. Her eyes, face, build — everything. Except that her skin was a jet black to Sati’s bronze. Her hair open, unlike Sati who usually restrained her flowing tresses. The woman was wearing royal clothing and ornaments, a cream and red coloured angvastram covered her entire torso. Then he noticed the two extra hands on her shoulders.

A nervous Kali continued to stare at Shiva, unsure. Much to her surprise, Shiva stepped forward and embraced her gently, careful not to disturb the puja thali.

‘What a pleasure it is to meet you,’ said Shiva, smiling broadly.

Kali smiled tentatively, shocked by Shiva’s warm gesture, clearly at a loss for words.

Shiva tapped the puja thali. ‘I think you are supposed to move this around my face six or seven times in order to welcome me home.’

Kali laughed. ‘I’m sorry. Just that I have been very nervous.’

‘Nothing to be nervous about,’ grinned Shiva. ‘Just circle the thali around, shower flowers on me and be sure not to drop the lamp. Burns are damn painful!’

Kali laughed and completed the ceremony, applying a red tilak on Shiva’s forehead.

‘And now,’ said Shiva. ‘Where’s my other son?’

Kali stepped aside. Shiva saw Ganesh in the distance, atop the stairs leading to Athithigva’s main palace.

‘That’s my dada!’ beamed Kartik at his father.

Shiva smiled at Kartik. ‘Let’s go meet him.’

Holding Kartik’s hand, Shiva walked up the flight of stairs, with Sati and Kali in tow. Everyone else waited quietly at the bottom, giving the family its own private moment.

Ganesh, in a red dhoti and white angvastram, was standing at the entryway of his mother’s wing of the palace, almost like a guard. As Shiva reached him, Ganesh bent to touch his father’s feet.

Shiva touched Ganesh’s head gently, held his shoulders and pulled the Naga up to embrace him, blessing him with a long life. ‘Ayushman bhav, my...’

Shiva suddenly stopped as he stared hard at Ganesh’s calm, almond-shaped eyes. His hands were rigid on Ganesh’s shoulders, eyes narrowed hard.

Ganesh shut his eyes and cursed his fate silently. He knew he had been recognised.

Shiva’s eyes continued to bore into Ganesh.

Sati, looking surprised, whispered, ‘What’s the matter, Shiva?’

Shiva ignored her. He continued to stare at Ganesh with repressed rage. He reached for his pouch. ‘I have something that belongs to you.’

Ganesh kept quiet, continuing to stare at Shiva, his eyes melancholic. He didn’t need to look in order to know what Shiva was bringing out of his pouch. The bracelet, whose clasp had been destroyed, belonged to him. He had lost it at Mount Mandar. It was frayed at the edges by flames that had tried to consume it. The embroidered symbol of Aum, in the center, was unblemished. But it wasn’t a normal Aum symbol. The representation of the ancient holy word had been constructed from snakes. The serpent Aum!

Ganesh quietly took his bracelet from Shiva’s hand.

Sati looked on with disbelieving eyes. ‘Shiva! What is going on?’

Furious rage was pouring out of Shiva’s eyes.

‘Shiva...,’ repeated Sati, as she touched her husband’s shoulder anxiously.

Shiva flinched at Sati’s touch. ‘Your son killed my brother,’ he growled.

Sati was shocked. Disbelieving.

Shiva spoke again. This time his voice was hard, furious. ‘Your son killed Brahaspati!’

Kali sprung forward. ‘But it was an...’

The Queen of the Nagas fell silent at a gesture from Ganesh.

The Naga continued to look straight at Shiva. Offering no explanations. Waiting for the Neelkanth’s verdict, his punishment.

Shiva stepped close to Ganesh. Uncomfortably close. Till his fuming breath blew hard on Ganesh. ‘You are my wife’s son. It’s the only reason why I’m not going to kill you.’

Ganesh lowered his eyes. Hands held in supplication. Refusing to say anything.

‘Get out of my house,’ roared Shiva. ‘Get out of this land. Never show your face here again. The next time, I may not be so forgiving.’

‘But... But Shiva. He’s my son!’ begged Sati.

‘He killed Brahaspati.’

‘Shiva...’

‘HE KILLED BRAHASPATI!’

Sati stared blankly, tears flowing down her cheeks. ‘Shiva, he’s my son. I cannot live without him.’

‘Then live without me.’

Sati was stunned. ‘Shiva, please don’t do this. How can you ask me to make this choice?’

Ganesh finally spoke. ‘Father, I...’

Shiva interrupted Ganesh angrily. ‘I am not your father!’

Ganesh bowed his head, took a deep breath and spoke up once again. ‘O Great Mahadev, you are known for your fairness. Your sense of justice. The crime is mine. Don’t punish my mother for my sins.’ Ganesh pulled his knife out, the same knife that Sati had flung at him in Ayodhya. ‘Take my life. But don’t curse my mother with a fate worse than death. She cannot live without you.’

‘No!’ screamed Sati as she darted in front of Ganesh. ‘Please, Shiva. He’s my son... He’s my son...’

Shiva’s anger turned ice cold. ‘Looks like you’ve made your choice.’

He picked up Kartik.

‘Shiva...’ pleaded Sati. ‘Please don’t go. Please...’

Shiva looked at Sati, his eyes moist, but voice ice cold. ‘This is something I cannot accept, Sati. Brahaspati was like my brother.’

Shiva walked down the steps, carrying Kartik with him as a shocked Kashi citizenry kept deathly silent.

‘Shiva doesn’t know the entire picture. Why didn’t you tell him?’ asked an agitated Kali.

Kali and Ganesh were sitting in Sati’s chambers in Athithigva’s palace. Sati, torn between her love for her long-lost son and her devotion to her husband, had gone to the Branga building, where Shiva had set up temporary quarters. She was trying to reason with him.

‘I can’t. I have given my word, Mausi,’ answered Ganesh, his calm voice hiding the deep sadness within.

‘But...’

‘No, Mausi. This remains between you and me. There is only one condition under which the secret behind the attack on Mount Mandar can be revealed. I don’t see that happening too soon.’