Shiva noticed that the second amulet on Brahaspati’s arm showed him as a swan. A very
select chosen-tribe among Brahmins.
‘This is Lord Shiva,’ said Kanakhala, pointing towards Shiva.
‘Just Shiva will do, thank you,’ smiled Shiva, with a polite namaste towards Brahaspati.
‘Alright then. Just Shiva it is. And, who might you be?’ asked Brahaspati, turning towards
Nandi.
‘This is Captain Nandi,’ answered Kanakhala. ‘Lord Shiva’s aide.’
‘A pleasure to meet you, Captain,’ said Brahaspati, before turning back to Shiva. ‘I don’t
mean to sound rude Shiva. But would it be possible for me to see your throat’
Shiva nodded. As he took off his cravat, Brahaspati came forward to examine the throat. His
smile disappeared as he saw Shiva’s throat radiating a bright blue hue. Brahaspati was
speechless for a few moments. Slowly gathering his wits, he turned towards Kanakhala. ‘This is
not a fraud. The colour comes from the inside. How is this possible? This means that...’
‘Yes,’ said Kanakhala softly, with a happiness that seemed to emanate from deep inside. ‘It
means the Neelkanth has come. Our saviour has come.’
‘Well, I don’t know if I am a saviour or anything like that,’ said an embarrassed Shiva, retying
the cravat around his throat. ‘But I will certainly try my best to help your wonderful country. It is
for this reason that I come to you. Something tells me that it is important for me to know how
the Somras works.’
Brahaspati still seemed to be in a daze. He continued to watch Shiva but his attention
seemed elsewhere. He appeared to be working out the implications of the true Neelkanth’s
arrival.
‘Brahaspati...’ said Kanakhala, as she tried to call the chief scientist back into the here and
now.
‘Huh!’
‘Can you tell me how the Somras works, Brahaspati?’ asked Shiva again.
‘Of course,’ said Brahaspati, as his eyes refocused on the people in front of him. Noticing
Nandi he asked, ‘Is it alright to speak in front of the captain?’
‘Nandi has been my friend through my time in Meluha,’ said Shiva. ‘I hope it is alright if he
stays here.’
Nandi felt touched that his Lord still trusted him so openly. Nandi swore once again, on pain
of death, to never lie to his Lord.
‘Whatever you say, Shiva,’ said Brahaspati, smiling warmly.
Shiva noticed that Brahaspati was not submissive or excessively deferential on discovering
that he was the Neelkanth. Just like Parvateshwar, Brahaspati called Shiva by his name and not
‘My Lord’. However, Shiva felt that while Parvateshwar ’s attitude was driven by a distrusting
surliness, Brahaspati’s was driven perhaps by an assured affability.
‘Thank you,’ smiled Shiva. ‘So, how does the Somras work?’
The royal procession moved slowly on the road to Mount Mandar. There was a pilot guard
of one hundred and sixty cavalrymen who rode before the five royal carriages in columns of four
abreast. A rearguard of another one hundred and sixty rode behind the royal carriages, in a