"Our penance is not yet complete!" barked Rishi Atreyaka, gripping his staff as he stepped back.
"Yes, yes! I need to return to Tapovana immediately," muttered Rishi Devabala, already turning toward the sky. "My retreat has waited long enough."
"Gracious Devas, I offer my thanks," said Rishi Gritacharya, clasping his hands with a forced smile. "But I shall resume my own tapasya. I will not join another banquet in this lifetime."
"Tejavrata and Mantravaaka deserved their punishment," scoffed Rishi Arunmukha, his face hard. "Their karma was ripe. I will not remain here another moment to invite the same."
Their tense and hurried voices came one after another with a tinge of apology.
The long years in Svarga had softened their edge. Some had grown indulgent. And now, having seen two of their own cursed by Kashyapa before their eyes, their conviction to leave hardened like steel.
They wanted out.
"You could have stayed and rested a little longer," Indra offered mildly, taking a step forward.
But at once, the Rishis stepped back as if scorched.
"Indra Dev, no disrespect!" said Gritacharya, lifting both palms. "But rest in Svarga costs too much."
"My thanks to the Devas. My respects to Rishi Kashyapa," Atreyaka said, joining his hands in reverence. "With your blessing… I take my leave."
"I'm leaving too," said Devabala, already glowing at the edges.
"Not one more breath here," Arunmukha declared, and in the same instant....
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
The Rishis erupted into radiant light, shooting upward like streaks of divine fire, scattering across the firmament and vanishing into the clouds above.
And just like that, the assembly of sages had scattered. Curses spared no one, not even the learned, when pride overtook dharma.
"…"
Indra blinked. "They ran too fast."
He turned toward Agni, his expression unreadable. "Look at you. You must've done a horrible job hosting them. After Tejavrata and Mantravaaka got such a good lesson, they were terrified to stay another second."
"Be more careful when you're King of Svarga."
Agni's eyes widened. His mouth opened slowly as realization struck him.
"Wait… I'm still the King of Svarga?!"
"Of course," Indra said simply.
Lifting his chin, he turned and walked slowly away, leaving Agni staring at his back—the heavy, unshakable posture of a Deva who carried centuries of wisdom.
"During these trials, I've gained new insight," Indra muttered to himself. "The strength of Maya… It's grown stronger and subtler. I should test it in solitude."
Then, with a nostalgic breath, he added, "Besides, I haven't visited the Bhu Loka in a long time. I should spend some time with Mother."
He turned to Agni, placed both hands on his brother's shoulders, and gently guided him toward the golden throne.
"The world and Svarga will rely on you now."
Agni stumbled slightly, dazed, but didn't resist.
The other Devas watched in stunned silence, unsure what to make of this scene. A casual loss, and yet… this?
Still, at the mention of Mother, many Devas looked down guiltily. Had it been that long since they visited their mother, devi Aditi?
Rishi Brihaspati, watching from the side, sighed and shook his head.
"Indra… you gave up your throne again. How merciful," he whispered. "But without you… Can they hold Svarga?"
Doubt crept into his heart.
Agni sat stiffly upon the throne, his eyes blank. He had no idea what had just happened. He had lost, and yet, here he was.
On the throne. Again.
Rishi Kashyapa, watching this moment of sibling respect, smiled softly. There was warmth in his heart. True brotherhood, pure and sincere.
Yet as he recalled Indra's earlier words, a flicker of irritation passed through his eyes.
"Indra!" he called, his voice deep and slightly annoyed. "You say you're going to spend time with your mother... but your father is standing right here!"
Indra turned and smiled innocently. "Father, you have so many sons. One missing won't hurt."
"Besides… you're always meditating. If I stayed near your ashrama, it would disturb your silence. Over time, even you would grow weary of me."
Kashyapa frowned. He rolled his eyes, letting out a huff,"…Fair."
He remembered the last time Indra stayed near him, constantly chattering, disrupting his solitude. A shiver ran up his spine.
No… he preferred his peace.
"If you can protect Svarga and maintain harmony among yourselves, I'll be at ease," Kashyapa said with a faint smile. "I'm leaving too."
At his words, all the Devas turned their gaze toward him. Every eye in the temple focused on Rishi Kashyapa.
Indra stepped forward and brought his palms together in a deep bow.
Agni followed, rising from his throne. He clasped his hands respectfully and looked at Kashyapa with unshaken sincerity.
"Revered Rishi Kashyapa... may your path be clear, your penance undisturbed."
As the palace echoed with the voices of Rishis and Devas, Kashyapa smiled gently. He raised his staff, his form glowing with golden radiance, and slowly ascended as a pillar of light. In the next breath, he vanished from Svarga.
Indra let out a quiet breath.
He turned to Agni, his voice steady and full of faith. "Agni… you can do this. I'm leaving Svarga in your hands."
Agni's heart swelled. This was the trust of his big brother in him.
Even after Agni's failure in battle, after he had doubted himself, Indra still believed in him.
His eyes shone with determination as he stepped forward.
"I will not disappoint you, big brother. I will protect Svarga… and safeguard our people."
"Good!" Indra grinned, eyes gleaming. "Very impressive!"
Laughing loudly, he spun around, his crimson cloak flaring behind him. Under the reverent gazes of the assembled Devas, Indra strode out of the temple, radiant and assured.
In the crowd, some Rishis watched with quiet reluctance.
Vayu's face tightened in concern. Had Indra stayed, perhaps he would've led them straight into the heart of the Asura domains.
Varuna's gaze wandered. A memory sparked.
"Mother's ashram," he murmured, "isn't far from where we found Indra."
Surya's brow furrowed at that. "It's been a long time since any of us visited Mother."
The Devas said nothing, but each seemed quietly lost in thought.
Boom!
Thunder cracked across Svarga, and beams of divine light poured down from the sky, striking the center of the temple with blinding brilliance.
The Devas and Rishi Brihaspati all turned instinctively.
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
They felt Svarga's divine will awakening once more.
In that moment, Agni's spirit surged. The throne accepted him again. His strength merged with the divine realm, and his power began to rise swiftly.
"This time…" Agni murmured.
"I will not fail Indra. I will not be defeated by any Asura!"
He clenched his fists slowly, the fire in his pupils burning brighter than ever before. His resolve flared like a blazing inferno.
…
Bhu Loka.
The forest breeze danced gently through the leaves. The air was filled with the calming rush of rivers, birdsong, and the soft rustle of wind in the trees.
Indra strode confidently beneath the shade of the trees, his red cloak fluttering behind him, his mood as light as the breeze itself.
With Vajranga having returned to Patala, no Asura threat lingered.
It was time to relax and rest.
His smile widened. In the distance, he caught sight of a humble thatched hut.
His mother's cottage. A glimmer passed through his eyes.
"Perfect time to test my Maya."
A sly grin crept onto his face.
Since his retreat, his mastery over illusion had advanced greatly. Now was the time to have some fun.
Spinning on his heel, his cloak whipped around him in a whirl of wind and divine shimmer.
Dust settled. Silence returned.
In place of the king of Svarga stood a young boy, bare-chested and strong, with a white pleated dhoti wrapped like a warrior's kilt. Rudraksha beads adorned his neck. His hair was wild, but his presence noble, like a divine child descended from the heavens.
Indra grinned, satisfied with his transformation.
Then, with a playful light in his eyes, he stepped toward the thatched cottage, ready to greet his mother… as a stranger.
...
Author's note: Sahasrarjuna, also known as Kartavirya Arjuna, was the mighty king of the ancient Haihaya kingdom. His capital was Mahishmati, on the banks of the Narmada River in what is now called Madhya Pradesh. Kartavirya was the son of Kritavirya, ruler of the Haihayas. According to the Puranas, Haihaya himself was the grandson of Sahasrajit, who was a son of Yadu, king of the Yadavas. Kartavirya is described as bearing a thousand arms and as a great devotee of Dattatreya, from whom he received his boons.
Kartavirya Arjuna is counted as a contemporary of Ravana. It is said that once, while he was bathing in the Narmada with his wives, he used his thousand arms to hold back the river's flow from both sides, diverting its course through sheer strength. Nearby, the young Dasagriva, later known as Ravana, was seated in worship, reciting hymns to Shiva. The sudden disturbance in the river broke his concentration. Stung by the insult, Ravana challenged Kartavirya Arjuna to battle, but he was defeated and humbled in combat. Only when Pulastya, Ravana's paternal grandfather, one of the ten Prajapati and Saptarishi, intervened and requested mercy did Kartavirya Arjuna release the young rakshasa and allow him to depart.
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