"Umph umph" puffed Varuna. A stream of sweat rolled down his lower cheek but the misty winds and water rose to their crest and pulled the sweat drop back. He shook his head and his whirly strands of hair lashed the creamy milk that he lay afloat on.
He sneakily looked around making sure that nobody watched. He gently left the snake that he had been holding. Again he sighed and puffed. He clenched his fists, flexed his muscles and pulled his arms towards his shoulders thrice. Molecules of air liberated themselves while he did that. He knew that it would be too much of a risk if he stayed out of duty for long so he caught the restless snake and held on to it - like before.
He sneakily looked around making sure that nobody watched. He gently left the snake that he had been holding. Again he sighed and puffed. He clenched his fists, flexed his muscles and pulled his arms towards his shoulders thrice. Molecules of air liberated themselves while he did that. He knew that it would be too much of a risk if he stayed out of duty for long so he caught the restless snake and held on to it - like before.
He heard the commands of Indra, who was at the end of the line on a gem-studden throne. The king roared, "Yes. Pull. Pull. Amrit should come out. Scare it off its seat. Where else can it belong, but in my throat, the King of gods and the God kings!?" Varuna sighed and rolled his eyes but then noticed Vayu who had been watching throughout. Varuna lowered his head, hiding his face. He peeked a couple of times and stuck his tongue out. The milk under his feet rose to his chest. Through it he peered and scorned at Vayu. Vayu simply smiled.
On the other side of Mount Manthara the Asuras seemed to face a fate no different from the Devas . The Asuras however were much larger and stronger than the Devas. They whipped the snake and twisted it. Some of them sat on it and let all their force curb the power of the notorious snake. While they did that, Kurma who was underneath the mountain simply sympathised for the snake and mumbled to itself, "Vasuki O, what are they doing?," and then called his mate, "O Sesha". To his Vahana, Ananta Sesha who was floating on another sea of milk, he cried out, "Are you hurt learning of the fate of your brother?" Sesha just nodded in the manner that befit him. The jewel on his head refracted the light emitted from the greatest event in the heavens. Sesha smiled at the futility and ignorance in the astronomity of the Manthan.
Indra sat on the throne and spoke to his Guru, Vrihaspati who floated in air. He said, "Guru, this beyond our capacity. Do you opine that this great Yagna will be accomplished? Is destiny on our side?" Guru just laughed and commented, "O Indra, who are we but players in the game of God? I shall however pray for our good, always. Only good should happen to the gods and you demigods. Thathastu!" Indra's face slipped into a frown. He muttered, "Hmm. What?" Vrihaspati raised his palm again and blessed, "Thathastu!" "No. No. Not that. Before that. Did you call me a demigod? Did you or did I hear something wrong?" Vrihaspati's ecstasy sank into stoicity. He let his eyes tilt upwards and let his third eye look imwards shutting himself from the ignorance of his shameless sishya, Indra.
Kurma's tilak became fainter and fainter as time progressed. Victory and success seemed nowhere close. Surya glared at some Asuras. He smiled with pride, ego, and even indignation. Shukra found it difficult to tolerate this. Like Vrihaspati did, for the Devas, Shukra too sat floating in air at the end of their line. He brushed his grey beard with his wrinkled fingers. He curled his dark moustache and slid his fingers on his lower lip and then slipped into his mouth and bit them. His eyebrows and slashed the Devas' ego with the scythe-like configuration.
As everyone - Indra, Vrihaspati, the Adityas, Aditi, Diti, Kasyapa, Vasuki, Sesha, the Asuras, and Shukracharya - watched and waited, hints and omens of an upcoming event manifested before them. A raven flew above them across the ocean. A shadow ran on their heads. Vishnu smiled. Kasyapa's eyelids shuddered. A poignant scent filled the air. A purple gas oozed out of the sea and slithered like a weightless snake in the air. It rushed into the ears of every one of them - but Kurma, who was Vishnu himself.
Ultimately a voice boomed and bellowed into every hearing ear. It said, "This is the voice of the sky. This is Akasavani. Halahala has seeped into your dehas, your bodies. It shall plague and corrupt you from the inside. Death is into you. You shall all die a death never witnessed by time. You shall all die a time-defying death. Vishwa, the universe will be shattered by your destruction. This is the formidable Ksheerasagara. You have no solution. Perish, children. Perish. You will perish. Annihilation is gaping at you. Do not fight back. Succumb. Let it possess. Aargh! Halahala. Halahala!"
This proclamation broke into utter chaos. Indra cried, "Oh. Is there no escape?" Vrihaspati did not answer. He did not listen, did not think, did not contemplate, did not anticipate. He just meditated. Shukra's eyes blazed like comets and against the tides of Halahala. Surya sank into darkness and Agni gave into cold. Ether sank into its knees and wept.
None watched Kurma who simply smiled. He finally spoke out aloud, "Vani, Akasavani! May my wrath burn you. May you crackle and cripple. Children. Children of God, listen. Brethren, these are God's words. You have only one saviour. Only one. He is a mendicant but prayer alone can make him a warrior. He is an ascetic. Your prayers can initiate him to societal functions. He alone can operate now. Pray to Shankara. Pray to Shiva. Pray to Maheswara! O Hara, Ramesha! Come and be the saviour of Gods and demons. Come, Siva! Come."
The gods were mad and the Asuras, skeptical. they remained unmoved and did not listen to Kurma's words and resumed the churning of Manthara. Someone had to begin. Shukra and Vrihaspati started almost exactly at the same time. They chanted the lord's name. the song of Shiva engulfed the Sagara, It broke stubborn rocks on Manthara and bathed Vasuki. It sweetened the milk. It healed all the cuts and bruises of the churners. Halahala and Haranama became belligerents of a spiritual, invisible, holy war. The song mesmerised, truly mesmerised. The Asuras and Devas joined in and sang. The song finally opened Shiva's eyes.
Nandi shook his head and its bells rang with the wind and crispy leaves. The snow on the Lord's matted hair melted and seeped in and washed his scalp. Shiva smiled and appeared at the scene. He stared straight at Kurma's tilak and smiled. Kurma just blew out some bubbles under water. Shiva opened his mouth and blew in air. With air went in Halahala - the poison. The participants choked as the gases rushed out of their nasal cavities. They were squeezed off poison. From purple, the Devas turned back to white and the Asuras, green. Surya got back his pride. Indra searched himself and watched with awe. The grey body of Shiva mildly darkened but his throat throbbed and grew in size. Halahala struggled to move ahead but the Tapa in Shiva tied it up and let it glow like fireflies. Halahal moved from purple to indigo to fluorescent blue, It glowed like a lamp. Sankara turned into Neelakanta.
As everyone - Indra, Vrihaspati, the Adityas, Aditi, Diti, Kasyapa, Vasuki, Sesha, the Asuras, and Shukracharya - watched and waited, hints and omens of an upcoming event manifested before them. A raven flew above them across the ocean. A shadow ran on their heads. Vishnu smiled. Kasyapa's eyelids shuddered. A poignant scent filled the air. A purple gas oozed out of the sea and slithered like a weightless snake in the air. It rushed into the ears of every one of them - but Kurma, who was Vishnu himself.
Ultimately a voice boomed and bellowed into every hearing ear. It said, "This is the voice of the sky. This is Akasavani. Halahala has seeped into your dehas, your bodies. It shall plague and corrupt you from the inside. Death is into you. You shall all die a death never witnessed by time. You shall all die a time-defying death. Vishwa, the universe will be shattered by your destruction. This is the formidable Ksheerasagara. You have no solution. Perish, children. Perish. You will perish. Annihilation is gaping at you. Do not fight back. Succumb. Let it possess. Aargh! Halahala. Halahala!"
This proclamation broke into utter chaos. Indra cried, "Oh. Is there no escape?" Vrihaspati did not answer. He did not listen, did not think, did not contemplate, did not anticipate. He just meditated. Shukra's eyes blazed like comets and against the tides of Halahala. Surya sank into darkness and Agni gave into cold. Ether sank into its knees and wept.
None watched Kurma who simply smiled. He finally spoke out aloud, "Vani, Akasavani! May my wrath burn you. May you crackle and cripple. Children. Children of God, listen. Brethren, these are God's words. You have only one saviour. Only one. He is a mendicant but prayer alone can make him a warrior. He is an ascetic. Your prayers can initiate him to societal functions. He alone can operate now. Pray to Shankara. Pray to Shiva. Pray to Maheswara! O Hara, Ramesha! Come and be the saviour of Gods and demons. Come, Siva! Come."
The gods were mad and the Asuras, skeptical. they remained unmoved and did not listen to Kurma's words and resumed the churning of Manthara. Someone had to begin. Shukra and Vrihaspati started almost exactly at the same time. They chanted the lord's name. the song of Shiva engulfed the Sagara, It broke stubborn rocks on Manthara and bathed Vasuki. It sweetened the milk. It healed all the cuts and bruises of the churners. Halahala and Haranama became belligerents of a spiritual, invisible, holy war. The song mesmerised, truly mesmerised. The Asuras and Devas joined in and sang. The song finally opened Shiva's eyes.
Nandi shook his head and its bells rang with the wind and crispy leaves. The snow on the Lord's matted hair melted and seeped in and washed his scalp. Shiva smiled and appeared at the scene. He stared straight at Kurma's tilak and smiled. Kurma just blew out some bubbles under water. Shiva opened his mouth and blew in air. With air went in Halahala - the poison. The participants choked as the gases rushed out of their nasal cavities. They were squeezed off poison. From purple, the Devas turned back to white and the Asuras, green. Surya got back his pride. Indra searched himself and watched with awe. The grey body of Shiva mildly darkened but his throat throbbed and grew in size. Halahala struggled to move ahead but the Tapa in Shiva tied it up and let it glow like fireflies. Halahal moved from purple to indigo to fluorescent blue, It glowed like a lamp. Sankara turned into Neelakanta.
Date read: March 2nd, 2016
This book is pretty good actually. It touches upon many issues that concern India's civil society. Why didn't I like it then? This is a tricky question. The best answer I can think of is that it has nothing new to offer. Tully's done a decent job. 
