below. The Neelkanth raised his hand in acknowledgment. Following him was General
Parvateshwar, accompanied by Nandi and Veerbhadra.
Vraka was off his horse in a flash as Shiva approached him. Parvateshwar dismounted
equally rapidly and was next to Vraka before Shiva could reach him.
‘The Lord will lead the right flank, Brigadier,’ said Parvateshwar. ‘I hope that is alright’
‘It will be my honour to fight under his command, my Lord,’ said a beaming Vraka. He
immediately pulled out his Field Commander baton from the grip on his side, went down on one
knee and raised his hand high, to handover the charge to Shiva.
‘You people have to stop doing this,’ said Shiva laughing. ‘You embarrass me!’
Pulling Vraka up on his feet, Shiva embraced him tightly. ‘I am your friend, not your Lord.’
A stardled Vraka stepped back, his soul unable to handle the gush of positive energy flowing
in. He mumbled, ‘Yes, my Lord.’
Shaking his head softly, Shiva smiled. He gently took the baton from Vraka’s extended hand
and raised it high, for the entire Suryavanshi army to see. An ear-splitting cry ripped through the
ranks.
‘Mahadev! Mahadev! Mahadev!’
Shiva vaulted onto his horse in one smooth arc. Holding the baton high, he rode up and down
the line. The Suryavanshi roar got louder and louder.
‘Mahadev!’
‘Mahadev!’
‘Mahadev!’
‘Suryavanshis!’ bellowed Shiva, raising his hand. ‘Meluhans! Hear me!’
The army quietened down to hear their living god.
‘Who is a Mahadev?’ roared Shiva.
They listened in rapt attention, hanging on his every word.
‘Does he sit on a sad height and look on idly while ordinary men do what should be his job?
No!’
Some soldiers were praying inaudibly.
‘Does he just lazily bestow his blessings while others fight for the good? Does he stand by
nonchalantly and count the dead while the living sacrifice themselves to destroy evil? No!’
There was pin-drop silence as the Suryavanshis absorbed their Neelkanth’s message.
‘A man becomes a Mahadev only when he fights for good. A Mahadev is not born from his
mother’s womb. He is forged in the heat of battle, when he wages a war to destroy evil!’
The army stood hushed, feeling a flood of positive energy.
‘I am a Mahadev!’ bellowed Shiva.
A resounding roar arose from the Suryavanshis. They were led by the Mahadev. The God
of Gods. The Chandravanshis did not stand a chance.
‘But I am not the only one!’
A shocked silence descended on the Suryavanshis. What did the Mahadev mean? He is not
the only one? Do the Chandravanshis have a god too?
‘I am not the only one! For I see a hundred thousand Mahadevs in front of me! I see a
hundred thousand men willing to fight on the side of good! I see a hundred thousand men willing
to battle evil! I see a hundred thousand men capable of destroying evil!’
The stunned Suryavanshis gaped at their Neelkanth as the import of his words permeated
their minds. They dared not ask the question: Are we gods?
singke
(singke)
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