Shatru Sesham: Sequel of Baahubali ✔️

Chapter Twelve

Downstream on the banks of Mandakini,
Eiravati sat pondering over the dreadful fate that awaited her. She had a miscarriage this time too. According to the law of the Kalakeyas, her husband, Subahu could abandon her for failing to give him a successor the third time in a row. She had tried her best. But what could she do if her womb deserted her every time? Was it her fault?

This mishap had happened when she was in her third month of pregnancy. She got scared. She did not reveal the truth. She kept up the facade. She thought she would look for an opportune moment and reveal the truth. Days passed and turned into months but she could not bring herself to reveal the truth.

Every day the hopes and anticipations of the Kalakeyas for a heir and successor kept increasing and building up. Only she and her doctor, Trinetrini knew this truth. She saw only death and disgrace awaiting her if she were to reveal this truth now.

Wouldn't it be better if she ended her life now itself? There was no one around her now. She could simply jump into this stream before her and drown herself. She would be answerable to none. She would be beyond the reach of these questions, conflicts, dilemmas and guilt for cheating everyone around her.

She started walking into the stream. But her bad luck was so bad that the water did not reach even above her knees. Perhaps she should submerge herself in the water until....Maybe that would work.....

Just then a tight slap landed on her cheeks. It was Trinetrini, her constant friend, companion and also midwife.

Trinetrini: Come to your senses Eira! I knew you were up to something when I saw the expression of your eyes today morning. That is why I came behind you. Death is not the solution for anything.

Eiravati: Why should I live and for whom? So that I am abandoned and disgraced?

Trinetrini: No....that will not happen....I have the ability to sense and see things that ordinary humans can't. Though you lost your child that day, I could clearly see the halo and aura of motherhood around you. I promised you that our Goddess Jwalamukhi will bless you with a son, a warrior, a hero, a savior of our race. He will surely come. But you have to wait till that blessing materializes.

Eiravati: When Trinetrini? When? It has been many months. I cannot continue this game for more than a couple of days. Only the other day, my mother-in-law, Kamaroopi was asking if I was going to keep my child in my womb forever and if there was really a child coming at least this time. Once the nine months are over, she will not wait. She will seek a second opinion from another doctor and everyone will know that we have lied. What awaits both of us then would be worse than death.

Trinetrini: Wait....wait....I can sense something.....The voice of the mother...Her blessing....and your deliverance....He is here....He is very near....I can sense him.....

Trinetrini closed her eyes and started muttering a few ancient and mystic chants. Eiravati stood watching spellbound and fascinated. Suddenly they heard the cries of a new born infant across the waters. Both of them swam to him. None of them had seen such a sight before.

A newborn infant floating on a huge banyan leaf with a red silk saree with a green peacock border beneath it that had been used to make a sort of makeshift cradle. He was a handsome and golden-hued baby boy with sharply chiseled features. Even in the midst of all that water, he had a bright and divine smile on his lips and brilliant, sparkling eyes. Both of them had never seen a child like that. He was curled up the way new born infants are. He held his right foot with the help of his hand into his mouth. He was sucking the big toe of his foot.

Trinetrini mumbled as though she was in a trance, "Vatapathrasaayi....Pralayanthaka Rupam.....Kararavindhena padharavindam, mukharavindhe vinivesayantham,vatasya patrasya pute shayanam, balam-mukundam manasa smarami!......" (One who sleeps on a banyan leaf......The form that comes after the Pralaya or mighty deluge....With soft lotus hands, he places his lotus-like toe in his lotus mouth, with red lotus-like lips smiling in amusement, resting on a banyan leaf, he contemplates on the next cycle of creation!...)

It seemed as though Trinetrini was herself unaware of the words that were stumbling out of her mouth. It seemed as though some higher power was voicing whatever she was saying with her lips, "'Before the beginning comes the end. Before the regeneration comes the mighty deluge, the Pralaya. The sun gets hidden in the black storm clouds. The lightening wreaks havoc all around.The heavens start pouring with unrelenting downpour. The seven rivers start swelling from their banks and the four oceans start overflowing. Waves as high as mountains drown the whole earth. From this final dissolution, comes the ultimate solution. Eiravati, this child here is not merely your son. He is a force of nature. A gift of the elements. A boon of our mother Jwalamukhi to you. He was born to accomplish great things. Guard him like the apple of your eyes. The Divine mother has fulfilled her promise. Now you fulfill yours!"

Eiravati held the child in her hands. He innocently and unwittingly scratched her hand with his nails that were a bit longer and sharper than newborns usually had. She smiled. She held him softly and lovingly to her cheeks, motherly love and affection overflowing from every fibre of her body, and whispered in his ears, "Narasimha!"