CHAPTER 18

Sati and the Fire Arrow

‘Nothing can be done, my Lord,’ said a visibly uncomfortable Ayurvati.
She and Shiva were standing in a corner of the hut, at what they thought was a safe
distance beyond the range of Sati’s ears. Parvateshwar was standing beside them, holding his
tears back.
‘Come on, Ayurvati,’ urged Shiva. ‘You are the best doctor in the land. All we have to do is
break the fever.’
‘This fever cannot be broken,’ reasoned Ayurvati. ‘There is no cure for the agnibaan poison.
We are only lengthening Sati’s agony by keeping the fever low. The moment the medicines are
stopped, the fever will recur with a vengeance.’
‘Let it go, Shiva,’ mumbled a frail voice from the bed. Everyone turned to stare at Sati. Her
face bore a smile that comes only with the acceptance of the inevitable. ‘I have no regrets. I
have told you what I needed to. I am content. My time has come.’
‘Don’t give up on me, Sati,’ cried Shiva. ‘You are not gone yet. We will find a way. I will find
a way. Just bear with me.’
Sati gave up. She didn’t have the strength. She also knew that Shiva had to find his own
peace with her death. And he wouldn’t find that unless he felt he had tried everything possible
to save her.
‘I can feel my fever rising,’ said Sati. ‘Please give me the medicines.’
Ayurvati glanced at Sati uncomfortably. All her medical training told her that she shouldn’t do
this. She knew that she was just increasing Sati’s suffering by giving her medicines. Sati stared
hard at Ayurvati. She couldn’t give up now. Not when Shiva had asked her to hang on.
‘Give me the medicines, Ayurvatiji,’ repeated Sati. ‘I know what I am doing.’
Ayurvati gave Sati the medicines. She gazed into Sati’s eyes, expecting to find some traces
of fear or anguish. There were none. Ayurvati smiled gently and walked back to Shiva and
Parvateshwar.
‘I know!’ exclaimed Shiva. ‘Why don’t we give her the Somras?’
‘What effect will that have, my Lord?’ asked a surprised Ayurvati. ‘The Somras only works
on the oxidants and increases a person’s lifespan. It doesn’t work on injuries.’
‘Look Ayurvati, I don’t think anyone truly understands everything about the Somras. I know
you know that. What you don’t know is that the Somras repaired a frostbitten toe that I had
lived with all my life. It also repaired my dislocated shoulder.’
‘What!’ said a visibly surprised Parvateshwar. ‘That’s impossible. The Somras does not cure
physical disabilities.’
‘It did in my case.’
‘But that could also be because you are special, my Lord,’ said Ayurvati. ‘You are the