(A/N):
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Divine Realm...
Mt. Kailash...
The eternal snow peaks shimmered under the pale moonlight.
Inside a marble-pillared hall scented faintly of sandalwood,
Lord Kartikeya sat cross-legged, his spear Vel resting beside him.
His brows were slightly furrowed, though his posture remained regal.
"____"
"Brother,"
He began, his voice calm yet thoughtful,
"Have you noticed? Mother has been… busier than usual lately. It is almost as if she's keeping something from us."
Across from him, lounging comfortably on an ornate cushion,
Lord Ganesha paused mid-bite of a sweet modak.
"____"
His large, wise eyes twinkled with a knowing sort of mischief.
He slowly nodded.
Nod~
"Yes, I've felt it too. Her presence has been… distracted. And when I asked her directly, she smiled and changed the subject."
A faint chuckle escaped him, though he kept chewing.
Chuckle~
"When Mata Parvati Devi does that, it means she's planning something. And when she's planning something…"
Kartikey gave a small smirk.
Smirk~
"…it usually means trouble for someone."
At their feet, Mushak—
Ganesha's loyal mouse mount—
Was scurrying nervously, guarding the small plate of modaks left on the floor.
But Ganesha's trunk moved with the precision of a seasoned warrior, snatching each sweet at exactly the right moment, leaving Mushak squeaking in despair.
Squeak~ Squeak~
"____"
Kartikeya raised an eyebrow.
"Brother, must you torment him every single time?"
Ganesha grinned.
Grin~
"What can I say? The modak(food) calls to me… and my timing is flawless."
The two brothers laughed softly, but the unspoken tension lingered.
They both sensed it—
Something was stirring, and their mother's secrecy was tied to it.
After finishing their meal,
Lord Ganesha brushed the last traces of jaggery(sweet) from his fingers, his eyes glinting with playful curiosity.
"You know what, brother,"
He said, leaning back with his hands resting comfortably on his belly,
"I think we should simply ask Mother what she's been hiding. No riddles, no guessing. Let's go to her directly."
Across the hall,
Lord Kartikeya was already preparing to mount his majestic Paravani, the great peacock whose feathers shimmered like molten sapphires.
He had been intending to take a short flight over the peaks,
But Ganesha's suggestion made him pause.
"____"
He stood still for a moment, thoughtful.
Then, with a decisive nod, he stepped away from Paravani.
Nod~
"Very well. If you're going, I'll join you. Mother is far less likely to evade answers if both of us are there."
Paravani ruffled his feathers with a disappointed squawk,
But Kartikeya stroked his neck reassuringly.
"Another time, my friend."
Mushak, meanwhile, squeaked and darted to Ganesha's side,
Clearly sensing this was going to be no ordinary visit.
And so, side by side—
The god of wisdom and the god of war—
Began their walk through the golden corridors of Kailash toward their mother's private chambers.
On their way to Parvati's chambers,
Lord Ganesha and Lord Kartikeya passed through one of Kailash's vast courtyards.
The air was alive with movement—
Nandi and the other ganas were bustling about, carrying garlands, arranging ceremonial lamps, and clearing a grand path.
Mushak, trotting alongside Ganesha, tilted his tiny head and squeaked in a childlike voice,
"____"
"Nandi, why is everyone in such a hurry?"
Nandi slowed for just a moment, his deep eyes kind despite the sheer bulk of muscle and strength he carried.
"Ah, little one,"
He said in a gentle, rumbling tone,
"Lord Parashurama is coming to Kailash. It has been many decades since he last visited to see his guru—our Lord Shiva. We must prepare to honor him properly."
The moment the name Parashurama was spoken, everyone's eyes—
Nandi's, the ganas', even Kartikeya's—
Turned toward Ganesha.
"____"
"____"
"____"
Ganesha blinked, a little caught off guard, then his hand instinctively rose to touch his broken tusk.
For a heartbeat, the courtyard seemed to grow quieter.
Then, with a soft chuckle, Ganesha said,
Chuckle~
"Ah… memories."
Kartikeya smirked faintly,
Smirk~
Already sensing there might be a story behind that reaction—
One that, perhaps, their mother also knew.
As they approached Devi Parvati's chamber, Lord Ganesha called out warmly,
"Mother, it is us."
Devi Parvati's chamber...
Inside, Parvati sat alone before a wide,
Shallow plate filled with still water.
But it did not hold her reflection.
Instead, the surface shimmered with the image of Rudra,
Seated cross-legged, bathed in the radiance of the golden pillar that speared into the heavens.
"____"
Her eyes softened, yet sorrow lingered there.
Gently, she reached out and touched the water where Rudra's face appeared.
The surface rippled at her touch, and with it came the cruel reminder—
It was only a reflection, not the man himself.
"____"
A quiet ache weighed on her heart.
But the moment her sons' voices echoed through the chamber doors,
She straightened.
With a quick motion,
She brushed her hand across the water,
And the vision dissolved into faint ripples before vanishing entirely.
She wiped the trace of moisture from her eyes,
Masking her sadness with the practiced grace of a goddess,
And turned to greet her children with a warm, motherly smile.
Both Lord Ganesha and Kartikeya stepped into the chamber,
Welcomed by the warm, familiar smile of their mother.
Yet, beneath that gentle expression, they both caught it—
The faint shadow in her eyes,
The kind of sadness she could hide from the world but never from her own children.
Their gazes met briefly, sharing an unspoken understanding.
Kartikeya was the first to speak, his tone steady but laced with concern.
"Mother… what's troubling you? Did something happen?"
Ganesha, still watching her closely, added softly,
"You can tell us… has some misfortune occurred?"
Parvati hesitated, her smile faltering.
"____"
She knew—
After all this time—
She could no longer shield them from the truth.
Yet speaking it plainly was too heavy a burden,
Even for her warrior sons.
So, she answered obliquely, her words wrapped in veiled meaning, like a riddle meant to prepare them without revealing too much.
"A seed sown in shadow, yet blessed by the sun.
Born not in Kailash, yet carrying the mountain in his blood.
His fire is his father's, his calm is his mother's…
But the world knows him not as ours.
When the three rivers meet in his soul, the world will see the storm and call it fate.
But to me… a child I could not cradle."
She looked at them both, the faintest shimmer of tears threatening her composure.
"When that day comes, my sons… the storm will not choose its side."
Kartikeya frowned, not fully understanding.
But Ganesha… his eyes widened, the modak in his hand forgotten.
"No… that cannot be,"
He whispered, as if piecing together something unthinkable.
Kartikeya blinked, his brows furrowing,
Frown~
"____"
Trying to untangle the cryptic meaning of his mother's words.
Moshak tilted his tiny head, whiskers twitching in equal confusion.
"____"
But Ganesha…
His round eyes widened as if a hidden door in his mind had just been thrown open.
The words replayed in his head —
'fire is his father's… calm is his mother's —'
And a cold, almost electric realization crawled down his spine.
"Mother…"
He began, voice low and trembling with questions,
But before he could finish, Devi Parvati rose from her seat.
Her warm smile returned, though it was now a mask barely hiding the glisten in her eyes.
"I must prepare the feast for our guest,"
She said softly, turning away before either son could speak further.
The rustle of her silks faded with her steps, leaving behind only the lingering scent of jasmine… and the heavy silence between her two sons.
"____"
"____"
Ganesha's gaze remained fixed on the doorway she had just left through,
His heart pounding with both wonder and unease, while Kartikeya finally asked,
"What did she mean?"
Ganesha did not answer.
Not yet.
Ganesha's thoughts churned like a storm-tossed sea, the cryptic words of his mother echoing over and over.
Pieces of meaning began to fit together in his mind —
Yet every time the picture grew clearer, something deep within him pushed it away, refusing to accept it.
'No… it can't be…'
His round face hardened, the warmth in his eyes replaced by a grave seriousness rare for him.
Without a word, he rose abruptly,
The bells on his anklets jingling sharply in the quiet chamber.
"Ganesha?"
Kartikeya called, puzzled, but his brother didn't answer.
With long, urgent strides,
Lord Ganesha headed straight for the doorway.
Moshak, startled by the sudden movement, scampered after him, squeaking in protest as his small legs worked furiously to keep pace.
Kartikeya hesitated for only a heartbeat before following as well, confusion knitting his brow.
The three of them spilled out, the air still carrying the lingering scent of their mother's presence.
And the unanswered questions she had left behind.
They wove their way through the bustling throngs of ganas, who were hurrying about with garlands, offerings, and trays of fragrant incense.
Even in his urgency, Ganesha's nature couldn't help but emerge —
With a single hand he caught a falling basket before it hit the ground, passing it back to a startled gana,
While Kartikeya bent briefly to steady a tray a young attendant was struggling to carry.
Moshak darted between ankles, occasionally pausing to chitter helpful directions before rushing to catch up.
The climb grew steeper, the air crisper, the chatter of Kailash fading behind them.
Soon they were at the sacred peak —
A place few dared to disturb.
There, upon a tiger skin, sat Lord Shiva.
His eyes were closed in deep meditation, his matted locks resting across his shoulders, the crescent moon gleaming faintly against the soft glow of his skin.
The air around him shimmered with a faint, golden vibration, as if the very mountain breathed in harmony with him.
The single, resonant sound of "Om" pulsed through the space —
Not heard, but felt in their bones —
Wrapping the peak in an eternal stillness.
Lord Shiva's smile lingered for a moment,
But there was a depth in his gaze now —
A stillness that was different from his meditative calm,
As though he were weighing whether the world was ready for the truth.
The wind at the peak whispered through his matted hair,
Carrying with it the faint scent of wildflowers from valleys far below.
His trident stood planted in the stone beside him, its tips catching the early light,
While the sound of Om still resonated faintly in the air, like an echo reluctant to fade.
Ganesha stood firm, his eyes unblinking, his normally playful demeanor gone.
Kartikeya, though confused, could feel the tension between father and brother —
He knew Ganesha had already pieced together part of the puzzle.
Lord Shiva's gaze drifted past them for a brief moment, to the distant horizon where clouds churned over the mortal realm.
Then his eyes returned to his sons.
"The meaning of your mother's words… is not one that can be spoken lightly. It is a truth bound by time itself. If you choose to hear it, you cannot unhear it — and your path forward will never be the same."
His voice was calm, but there was a weight behind every syllable, a promise and a warning woven together.
Both brothers exchanged glances —
"____"
"____"
Ganesha's expression was resolute, Kartikeya's tinged with curiosity and unease.
Kartikeya's brows drew together.
"A worry of a mother?"
He echoed, the words tasting strange on his tongue.
Shiva's gaze lingered on them both, warm but unreadable, as if he held a thousand lifetimes behind those eyes.
A soft, almost wistful chuckle escaped him.
Chuckle~
"Even the goddess who holds the universe in her heart,"
He said,
"is still a mother."
Before either son could speak again, his form shimmered like moonlight breaking apart on water, dissolving into the thin air of Kailash.
The wind carried away his presence with a faint, resonant chime, leaving only the vast silence of the mountain.
Ganesha stayed rooted to the spot, tusk resting against his palm, his mind turning over the cryptic words again and again.
Kartikeya glanced at him, searching for clarity,
But found only the guarded stillness in his brother's face.
Far below, laughter and music from the Ganas celebrating Rishi Parashurama's arrival floated upward,
But here at the summit, the quiet felt heavier —
"____"
"____"
As though the air itself was holding back a truth too dangerous to speak aloud.
Ganesha exhaled slowly,
The weight of unspoken thoughts pressing on his chest.
His gaze drifted to Kartikeya,
And there was a strange mix of hesitation and certainty in his eyes.
"There's… a chance,"
He began, each word sounding almost reluctant to leave his lips,
"that we have a sibling we've never known about."
Kartikeya's head snapped toward him,
"____"
But Ganesha continued, voice low, as if speaking it aloud might make it too real.
"For some reason, our parents have hidden it from us. And whatever it is… it might be what's troubling Mother."
He rubbed his tusk absently, frowning.
Frown~
"If I'm right, brother, then something serious is unfolding—something they've kept in the shadows for far too long."
Kartikeya froze, the weight of Ganesha's words sinking in like a sudden drop in the air.
His brows knitted, but no words came.
Even Moshak, who had been lazily curling and uncurling his tail, stopped mid-motion, ears twitching in the heavy silence.
Before either brother could speak again, soft footsteps approached.
Ashoka Sundari and Jyoti appeared, their expressions warm yet touched with urgency.
"Brothers,"
Ashoka Sundari greeted, her voice calm but insistent,
"Mother has sent us to fetch you."
Jyoti stepped forward, her eyes glimmering with curiosity.
"She says the guest has arrived."
The tension between Ganesha and Kartikeya lingered, unspoken,
As the brothers exchanged a glance.
Whatever this hidden truth was, it would have to wait… for now.
As the brothers followed their sisters back, the air in Kailash seemed to hum with anticipation.
By the time they reached the grand courtyard,
Lord Parashuram had already arrived.
The ganas lined the path, welcoming him with deep respect, their chants resonating through the sacred mountain.
Parashuram stepped forward with deliberate grace, his eyes calm yet sharp.
Before Mata Parvati, he bowed deeply, his voice steady.
"Reverence to you, Mother."
He turned to Kartikeya and Ganesha, offering them equal respect.
The brothers returned the greeting, though Ganesha's mind still churned with the weight of his earlier thoughts.
Without lingering,
Parashuram began the steady climb toward the peak, where Lord Shiva's meditation chamber lay.
When he arrived, the sight before him was empty—
Only the sacred tiger skin rested at the summit, its presence alone radiating power.
Folding his hands together,
"Om Tryambakam Yajamahe
Sugandhim Pushtivardhanam
Urvarukamiva Bandhanan
Mrityor Mukshiya Maamritat." (Rudra Mantra)
The sound was deep, resonant—
Each syllable struck the air like a chisel on stone, shaping reality itself.
The ground beneath him seemed to pulse in time with the chant, and a faint vibration spread outward, climbing up the cliffs and curling through the clouds above.
Parashuram closed his eyes and uttered a mantra,
Each syllable rolling like thunder and wind across the mountainside.
With every repetition, the mantra grew heavier, older—
Like it had existed since the first dawn.
A shimmer rippled through the air.
Light gathered, weaving itself into form.
In the next heartbeat,
Lord Shiva appeared upon the tiger skin, seated in stillness, eyes half-lidded with a knowing calm.
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(Author's POV)
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