Chapter 137 Uchchaihshravas's Fury
Twenty seconds gone in a snap of the fingers. A single moment stretched across a thousand lives. Nine hundred rebirths and deaths passed like ripples across time.
And in that timeless loop of rebirth and oblivion, Vajranga and Agni clashed again and again. Blow for blow, flame against fury, until even Agni seemed little more than a heap of burnt-out ash.
"You think soma gives you strength?" Vajranga mocked, his voice low and disdainful. "You think I've never trained, never been defeated, never bled? Fool. You've been drinking too much."
The divine horse beneath him snorted, iron hooves clinking against the void as it turned slowly, ears pricked. Vajranga raised his colossal mace, pointing it at the god of fire, who now knelt in the empty heavens. His laughter was cruel. "Get up, Agni. Burn a little brighter before you fade out."
But Agni did not reply. The fire god's body, half-crouched, battered, began to rise.
BOOM.
A thousand radiant lights burst from his back in that moment. His form surged upward, swelling in size until he towered across the battlefield. Three heads. Four arms. His skin shone with blazing crimson light, and thick, black smoke billowed from his body, rising like a battle standard in the stars.
Vajranga's smile faded. He tightened his grip on the mace, eyes narrowing with caution.
Agni now burned with a light that was not wild, but ancient. Resolute. Heavy with memory.
His gaze swept across the battlefield, across the ruins of worlds and the shattered fragments of heaven. His voice rang out, low and solemn:
"I do not understand..."
"Why must the Asuras relentlessly seek to seize Svarga as though the fall of the Devas is predestined, carved into the very fabric of fate?"
"Since the dawn of the Satya Yuga, we have cast down Asura kings, one after another, reclaiming Svarga time and again. The Tri-Loka resounded with joy. Life flourished. The bhūtas and ātmanas danced in celestial harmony. That memory still burns brightly within me."
"And yet now, in the span of a single millennium... must every soul who ascends the throne of Svarga face inevitable ruin?"
His words hung in the void like funeral bells. There was sorrow in them. The weight of a deva who remembered better times.
Then, Agni's arms tensed, muscle and bone coiling like serpents. The staff in his grasp glowed bright, then brighter still, until it could no longer bear the light.
CRACK.
The staff shattered. In its place came a searing red light, coalescing into a wave of black smoke so thick it seemed to fall like a veil across the cosmos.
BOOM!
The smoke spread in all directions, blanketing the stars, drowning the battlefield in shadows.
Up. Down. Past. Present. All were swallowed in the dark.
And from within that smoke.
Whoosh!
Agni leapt downward, landing atop his golden goat in one swift motion. He spun around, roaring into the chaos:
"Withdraw!" The goat galloped with divine speed, vanishing into the horizon like a comet.
"So fast...!" Surya muttered, astonished.
From his burning chariot, still hovering on the edge of the battlefield, the sun god had been watching. He saw Agni vanish into the smoke like a candle being snuffed out.
"Aruna!" he barked to his charioteer.
Aruna nodded before the order was finished, flicking the reins. The seven divine horses reared and pivoted, hooves thundering against the emptiness.
Tap tap tap!
"So fast!" Surya repeated. "He didn't say anything about retreating before!"
"Drive! Hurry! We must reach Svarga as soon as possible!"
…
The devas cried out in alarm, their composure shattered. Without hesitation, they turned and fled.
BOOM!
A thunderous shockwave erupted, and Vajranga burst forth from the black smoke like a tsunami of wrath, riding atop the divine steed Uchchaihshravas. His eyes burned with fury, and in his hand, the colossal mace danced like a living tempest.
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
The mace twisted in the air, multiplying mid-swing, thousands of maces materialized from the void, blotting out the sky like a meteor storm.
The skies themselves seemed to tremble. Gandharvas fell like leaves in a cyclone, scattered across the battlefield.
Amid the chaos, Varuna rode his mount Makara, weaving through the downpour of divine maces with serpentine grace.
Feng Shenfa spun, bow in hand, losing a shining arrow to intercept an incoming mace. It exploded mid-air, sending ripples of light across the field as he deflected another from behind.
Soma, the god of the moon, had already leapt aboard the solar chariot, fleeing with Surya through the torn sky.
"You think you can escape?" Vajranga roared.
The giant mace vanished from his hand, replaced in a flash by a radiant divine bow. He drew the bowstring taut like a full moon, and in the blink of an eye, four flaming arrows blazed into existence.
WHOOSH!
The first arrow screamed across space, colliding head-on with Vayu's arrow. The air shattered with a crimson flash, and then, with a sudden burst of acceleration, the fire arrow pierced forward, striking Vāyu in the chest.
The wind god, brave and defiant to the end, fell from the sky.
The second flaming arrow surged toward Varuna.
The god of the seas turned sharply, scanning the chaos, then brought his hands together in a solemn mudra. A surge of divine power burst forth, forming a sphere of blue light that collided with the arrow.
BOOM!
A cloud of white mist exploded across the battlefield.
But even before Varuna could exhale in relief, more red light surged from the mist. A net of living flame expanded midair, then snapped closed, wrapping around both Varuna and Makara, shrinking, tightening, trapping them in a sphere of burning light.
Meanwhile, Agni had finally reached Surya's chariot atop his swift golden goat. His eyes burned once more, not with sorrow, but with renewed resolve.
"Do not fear!" he shouted. "I'll cover the rear!"
Confidence restored, Agni raised his staff high and swung with divine precision.
BOOM! BOOM!
Two fire arrows shattered to nothingness beneath his blows.
Vajranga narrowed his eyes, then let out a cold snort.
Uchchaihshravas, the king of horses, neighed violently, tossing its head and lashing its gleaming white tail. With a crack of the void, its hooves launched forward, chasing after the fleeing solar chariot.
"Keep moving!" Surya called. "He won't catch us. We must reach the Kṣīra Sāgara! Only Lord Vishnu can save the others now!"
Relief softened his stern features. His mount had been forged through lifetimes of divine discipline. No being alive could match its speed.
Not even Vajranga.
Tap tap tap!
The thunder of hooves echoed across the heavens, shaking constellations from their courses.
Behind them, Vajranga gave chase. Ahead, the sun god fled with the moon.
But no matter how Uchchaihshravas accelerated, the divine chariot ahead only seemed to widen the gap.
Vajranga gritted his teeth.
"It's faster than Uchchaihshravas...?" he muttered in disbelief.
That shouldn't have been possible. His mount was born from the Kshira Sagara itself, peerless, unmatched, the sovereign of all steeds.
And yet, Surya's chariot flew faster still.
"Impossible…" Vajranga growled, eyes narrowing.
"Haha! So what if your horse was churned in Samandura Manthan itself? You still can't catch us!" Agni turned on the chariot, laughing with reckless bravado. If I can't beat you, I can at least outrun you!
Vajranga hadn't even opened his mouth to respond, but Uchchaihshravas beneath him had heard enough.
The stallion's wide, gleaming eyes flashed with fury. With a sudden jerk of its neck, its snow-white mane whipped like lightning across the sky. Foam sprayed from its open mouth as it let out a violent, guttural snort, tongue lolling madly, ivory teeth bared.
The sound was no ordinary neigh. It was the cry of the Horse King, the stallion of stallions. A roar that split the atmosphere, echoed through the heavens, and tore through the layers of Patala below. It was not just a sound; it was a proclamation of dominion.
The seven divine horses pulling Surya's chariot shivered like newborn foals. Terror overtook them.
Their ears flattened. Their necks pulled back. Their front hooves locked mid-gallop, hind legs tucked up in a trembling clench, tails drooping straight down and then clamping tightly between their legs. Even their divine fire seemed to flicker.
The sacred chariot lurched to a halt.
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
The impact of their sudden stop thundered through the skies.
Inside the golden frame, three devas, Agni, Surya, and Soma, clung to the edge of the carriage like they'd just been caught in a celestial earthquake.
Their jaws slackened.
Their eyes twitched.
Their divine composure collapsed.
"Why did you stop?!"
"RUN!"
"WHY AREN'T YOU RUNNING?!"
None of them moved. Not one dared breathe. The silence stretched.
Agni, whose bravado had frozen solid, turned around very slowly, like a guilty child caught red-handed, his fiery aura dimming with shame.
"…I may have taunted him too soon."
...
Chapter 138 One Last Chance
"We can still talk this through…" Agni turned slowly, sweat sliding down his brow as he swallowed hard. His voice was low, forced into composure as the enormous shadow behind him closed in.
Vajranga approached atop his pale warhorse, a vision of annihilation, like the final incarnation of destruction heralding the world's end.
He said nothing. Only silence. Then, without ceremony, he raised his mace.
Zhhh!
Blue light burst from the weapon in sharp beams, like bindings made of lightning and judgment.
Snap! Snap! Snap!
The radiance twisted through the air like divine nooses, latching onto Agni, Surya, and Soma in the blink of an eye. The war mace flashed with ruthless purpose, its grip sealing around them, suppressing their divine energies, suspending them mid-air like trophies of war.
"This… are the proud devas that claim to protect the Svargas?"
Vajranga's voice was a low murmur, almost disappointed.
"Pathetic."
A wicked smile crept to the corners of his mouth. Slowly, he lifted his head to the starless sky above. His eyes gleamed with red malice, glimmering like blood beneath moonlight.
Next stop: Svarga and the seat of absolute, unchallenged dominion.
Svaraga. The court of the King of Svarga.
Rishi Brihaspati stood frozen before the divine mirror, its surface glowing with visions of the battlefield. His expression darkened the moment Agni's defeat became clear.
"In the end, Agni… still lost."
The attending Rishis, troubled and unsettled, began to pace with agitation, their once steady mantras dissolving into unease. They had placed their hopes on Agni, at least enough to stall Vajranga. But the match was over too swiftly. The balance had tipped.
"What do we do now?!"
Even Rishi Brihaspati, for a moment, seemed stricken with uncertainty.
Then s soft light descended.
A gentle radiance formed in the space above the temple altar, and from it emerged a figure, a silhouette of divine perfection.
He appeared with calm grandeur: one head, four arms, wielding the chakra, the shankha, a massive mace, and a blooming lotus. His presence brought stillness, his smile shimmered with infinite serenity.
"Pranāma, Lord Vishnu!"
"Pranāma to Narayana!"
The assembled rishis joined their hands in pranam, voices trembling in awe.
Vishnu nodded softly. "Do not worry. Seek out Indra. He is in deep penance. Wake him. He must rise to face Vajranga."
He spoke not in haste, but in certainty. "The boon that empowers Vajranga in Svarga is formidable, yes, but not absolute. There are paths even now to defeat him."
As Vishnu's voice echoed through the chamber, the air shimmered once more.
A new figure emerged from the light, older, earthbound, yet still divine.
Rishi Kashyapa.
He stepped slowly toward Vishnu, staff in hand, every motion filled with urgency and quiet sorrow.
"My Lord… Please… grant Vajranga one more chance."
He bowed deeply, voice laced with pleading. "Let me speak to him. Let me try again. If he refuses to turn back this time… then I will not stand in your way."
Kashyapa's eyes glimmered with emotion. He knew how the Devas felt about Asuras, especially those who rose in power. But Vajranga… Vajra was still his kin. Still redeemable. He couldn't let this end without trying.
Vishnu's gaze lingered on Rishi Kashyapa. Long. Measured.
Then he smiled, faint but sincere.
"Rishivar, I honor your resolve. But know this: if Vajranga turns from dharma once more, the consequence will be his to bear."
"Go."
"Go now, and lead him back to dharma."
Vishnu's blessing flowed in his words, soft yet iron-clad.
For even if the world believed him partial to Devas, the Lord of Preservation would always grant one final chance to choose the path of truth.
He turned his head slightly, eyes calm as they locked onto Rishi Brihaspati.
"I've told you where he is. If Vajranga insists on walking this path… then go to him yourself."
The words had barely left his lips before the golden light surrounding Vishnu began to fade, dimming softly like the last warmth of a dying sun.
"Pranāma to Narayana!"
"Pranāma to Narayana!"
Their voices echoed as the chief priest and Rishi Kashyapa bowed in unison. The divine radiance vanished completely, and with it, Vishnu's presence dissolved from the sacred halls of the celestial temple.
Court of the King of Svarga.
Silence blanketed the air, brief, heavy, and absolute.
"Hahahaha!"
"AHAHAHAHAHA!"
An arrogant laugh suddenly erupted through Svarga, echoing like the voice of a tyrant drunk on conquest. It reverberated through the clouds, loud enough to crack the calm and rattle the heavens.
BOOM!
Black clouds swirled ominously outside the temple, thunder crashing like war drums. Lightning split the sky as a terrifying roar of thunder shook the pillars of Svarga.
BOOOOM!
Rishis and Rishi Kashyapa exchanged grim glances. Their faces were cold, solemn.
Vajranga was here.
Brihaspati turned, brows furrowed. "Rishi Kashyapa… can you truly persuade him to turn back?"
Rishi Kashyap stood silent for a breath, then slowly shook his head. "I don't know. But I must try, one last time."
Gripping his wooden staff tightly, Kashyapa stepped forward and walked out of the temple. His lone figure shrank into the distance, a silhouette framed by stormlight, an old man against the tide of fate.
The Asuras had entered Svarga.
Vajranga rode at the front, mounted atop the white horse Uchchaihshravas, whose ears twitched as divine energy surged around them. Vajranga opened his arms wide, eyes closing for a moment as he inhaled the celestial air.
He could feel it. His Blessing. Unparalleled Power.
"Svarga… is mine now." His cold gaze sharpened, and his hand clenched into a fist.
Behind him, the Asura army surged forward like a tidal wave.
Trailing from Uchchaihshravas were divine cords of light, glowing restraints that dragged behind them five battered figures: the Devas.
Soma, Surya, Agni, Vayu, and Varuna stood with disheveled hair, shattered armor, and bowed heads. They hung like broken relics, stripped of dignity, bound and humiliated.
Raktaksha, his crimson eye glinting beneath a cracked helm, threw his head back and roared."Hah! The realm of cowards and hypocrites welcomes us once again! Let them tremble!"
Bhimasura, hulking and scarred, dragged a chained Gandharva by the neck and sniffed the air like a beast."Still reeks of polished pride and stale incense. Just how I remember it."
Krodhan, lean, vicious, with black tattoos spiraling down his arms, barked a laugh as he struck a gong with the pommel of his axe."Ten thousand years of silence, and now they'll sing for us till their throats bleed! That's justice!"
Shambaraka, dressed in scavenged Deva armor, shoved a captured Rishi to the floor, then knelt beside him mockingly."Look at you now, 'Rishivar~' divine wisdom can't stop a boot from crushing your spine, can it?"
The Asuras laughed louder, the kind of laughter that no longer feared punishment, retribution, or karma. They had returned not as invaders, but as conquerors reclaiming what was once denied.
They jeered as they marched, dragging behind them the remnants of Svarga's defenders. Gandharva warriors were bound and limping, Rishis shoved forward by kicks and whips. None could resist.
None dared.
At the gates of the court of the King of Svarga, Vajranga reined in his horse.
His gaze rose, locking on the three towering stone statues that stood at the place's threshold, massive, carved in solemn reverence.
"Oh…?" His eyes narrowed as he read their faces. "Hiranyaksha… Hiranyakashipu… Hayagriva?"
His brow furrowed. "Why are these three Asuras still honored here?"
Confusion tingled in his mind.
With a sharp tug of his reins, Vajranga dismounted. His cape billowed behind him, a blood-red banner flaring against the storm-lit sky.
He stepped forward, slow, deliberate, and ascended the temple steps.
"Vajranga!"
The name echoed threefold, carried by a deep, resonant voice from within the temple. It rolled across the storm-swept skies like a divine bell tolling in judgment.
In an instant, the Asura army fell silent. The clamor of boots and laughter ceased. One by one, they lifted their heads, eyes turning toward the entrance of the celestial sanctuary.
There, standing against the light of the sacred hall, was Rishi Kashyapa.
Vajranga's gaze shot upward and froze.
"Father...?"
He blinked, startled for a moment, but then a smile slowly bloomed across his face. It was wild, genuine, and full of boyish pride.
Throwing back his head, he laughed.
"Hahaha! Look, Father! I have finally reached Svarga! I told you, one day I'd reach this place. And now, it's mine. This is my Svarga from now on."
He spread his arms wide, as if to embrace the sky itself.
But Rishi Kashyapa did not smile. He shook his head softly, mournfully. "No."
His voice rang with clarity, sharper than thunder. "This is not your Svarga. Svarga belongs to the upholders of dharma. It is the reward for those who live with virtue and sacrifice. Any soul, whether Deva, Asura, or mortal, if they walk the path of righteousness, they may dwell here."
Vajranga faltered. The flame in his eyes flickered. "That's... nonsense."
His voice was lower now, not defiant, almost wounded.
"It doesn't matter. This place is mine now."
He didn't want a lesson. Not here. Not now. Not after everything he'd endured. He didn't want the truth. He wanted Svarga.
Rishi Kashyapa stood firm, the weight of grief in his gaze.
He slowly raised a hand and pointed toward the three towering statues that watched in solemn silence at the temple's edge.
"Son… Do you see those statues?"
...
Author's Note: Triśaṅku, born as Satyavrata of the Ikṣvāku (Same as Rama) dynasty, was a mortal king with an impossible desire: to ascend to Svarga in his physical body. This wish defied all established dharmic law, as Svarga was a realm for the pure spirit, not the flesh.
He first approached his guru Vasishtha, who refused the request outright. When Vasiṣṭha declined, Triśaṅku turned to Vishvamitra, Vasiṣṭha's rival in spiritual power and pride. Driven by a desire to surpass Vasishtha, Vishvamitra accepted the challenge.
Vishvamitra performed an extraordinary yajña, invoking unparalleled tapas to raise Triśaṅku bodily to heaven. The devas were outraged. Indra himself hurled Triśaṅku down from the threshold of heaven, denying him entry.
But Vishvamitra, in fury, created an alternate Svarga in the sky, complete with stars, planets, and a parallel Svarga. There, he stationed Triśaṅku, suspended upside down, trapped between the Svarga and the earth, a symbol of violated cosmic order.
Yudhiṣṭhira is the only man said to have ascended to Svarga in his physical body while consciously accepting death.
...
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