After an eternity of silence, the sage’s eyes fluttered open. He looked at Aryavardhan not with surprise, but with recognition. "Young man," the sage spoke, his voice like the grinding of distant glaciers, "Goddess Saraswati sits upon your throat, and Sri Narayana dwells within the chambers of your heart. Truth is your only master. You are a man without confusion—so tell me, what purpose brings a king to these heights?" "O Rishivar," Aryavardhan replied, his voice humble despite his royal stature. "I am a prince of the south, yet I am a student of the universe. I have questions that