Shiva had the answer: ‘Har Ek Hal Mahadev!’
The Meluhans stood astounded. Every single one a Mahadev?
‘Har Har Mahadev?’ bellowed Shiva.
The Meluhans roared. All of us are Mahadevs!
Pure primal energy coursed through the veins of each Suryavanshi. They were gods! It didn’t
matter that the Chandravanshis outnumbered them ten to one. They were gods! Even if the evil
Chandravanshis outnumbered them a hundred to one, victory was assured. They were gods!
‘Har Har Mahadev!’ cried the Suryavanshi army.
‘Har Har Mahadev!’ yelled Shiva. ‘All of us are gods! Gods on a mission!’
Drawing his sword, he pulled the reins of his horse. Rising on its hind legs with a ferocious
neigh, the horse pirouetted smartly to face the Chandravanshis. Shiva pointed his sword at his
enemies. ‘On a mission to destroy evil!’
The Suryavanshis bellowed after their Lord. Har Har Mahadev!
The cry rent the air. Har Har Mahadev!
Victory would not be denied. Har Har Mahadev!
The long spell of evil would end today. Har Har Mahadev!
As the army roared like the gods that they were, Shiva rode on towards a beaming
Parvateshwar who was flanked by Nandi, Veerbhadra and Vraka.
‘Nice speech,’ grinned Veerbhadra.
Shiva winked at him. He then turned his horse towards Parvateshwar. ‘General, I think it’s
time we start our own rainfall.’
‘Yes, my Lord,’ nodded Parvateshwar. Turning his horse around, he gave the orders to his
flag bearer. ‘The archers.’
The flag bearer raised the coded flag. It was red with a vicious black lightening darned on it.
The message was repeated by flag bearers across the lines. The Suryavanshi infantry
immediately hunched down on its knees. Shiva, Parvateshwar, Vraka, Nandi and Veerbhadra
dismounted rapidly, pulling their horses down to their knees. And the arrows flew in a deadly
shower.
The archers had been placed in a semi-circular formation, to cover as wide a range of the
Chandravanshi army as possible. Five thousand archers rained death on the Chandravanshis as
the sky turned black with a curtain of arrows. The hapless Swadweepans were easy prey in
their tight formations. The arrows, nearly as powerful as short spears, easily penetrated the
leather and wood shields of the irregular Chandravanshi soldiers. Only the regulars held metal
shields. It had been just a few minutes of the ruthless massacre with arrows raining down onto
the squads of the first legion that the Chandravanshi lines started breaking. The first legion was
taking too many casualties to hold on to their position. The irregulars started running back,
causing chaos. Confusion reigned in the legions behind.
Parvateshwar turned towards Shiva. ‘I think we should lengthen the range, my Lord.’
Shiva nodded in reply. Parvateshwar nodded to his flag bearer who relayed the message.
The archers stopped shooting for just a few moments. Turning their wheels right, they rapidly
raised the height of their foot rests. With the longer range quickly set, they drew their arrows.
And let fly. The arrows hit the second legion of the Chandravanshis now. The pincer attack of
the retreating first Chandravanshi legion and the concurrent hail of arrows created bedlam in
the second legion.
Shiva noticed the Chandravanshi cavalry moving into position to attack. He turned to
singke
(singke)
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