Call of the Aether.

Chapter 1

Queen Gandhari had been carrying her immense womb for two years now. Her sister in law Kunti had already born a son -Yudhistir. Kuntis recent childbearing troubled her and the Queen's own womb had worn her patience. Gandhari banged at it with her fists and the world around her shook. She stood there while the pain grew and shot at her between the legs. The Queen then fainted and fell.

In the forests below the Himalayan mountains, a pale man sat deep in thought. His beautiful wife Kunti sat with their son Yudhishtir on her lap. Kunti sat ardently studying her husband awaiting his decision. After the contemplation Pandu stood up and looked at Yudhishtir and then Kunti. “Yudhishtir being first born will be King. They say Gandhari will beget her hundred children today. They are said to be strong and hard. We must also have a strong child Kunti. Strong as the mountains above us and as hard as the ground below us. Come Kunti, Call on the Great Vayu to bless us with a son. A son as strong the great Wind God himself.”
Kunti looked at her husbands feet and replied, “You must remember this is not the first time you have asked me to…” Pandu raised his hands, “Yes I know of what you speak. It will not be the last my dear, lest you wish your husband to die with no heirs. Do as I say for it is my will.”

Kunti bowed and lifted the innocent Yudhishtir to her husband. Pandu picked him up and walked away leaving Kunti alone. Kunti sat in meditation. Her mind was in turmoil. She looked around but everything was quiet and still. Not a blade of grass moved. She waited and waited when suddenly but softly a breeze touched her skin and ran through her hair. She shivered and said the Mantra.

In the Hastinapur Palace compounds, Adhiratha the Royal Charioteer drove in haste. The King and his attendant Sanjaya had to be rushed to the Infirmary where rumours were abound that something had happened to the Queen. The Queen had been expecting for a long time now. Adhiratha thought about his own son. The Infirmary then appeared from behind the trees. Adhiratha drove his chariot in and stopped. The King dismounted the Chariot and strode into the infirmary followed by Sanjaya. Born blind the King watched with his sightless eyes as the Sage cut open Gandhari. The surgeon performing the operation was the Spiritually Omnipotent Vyaas. Vyaas had blessed Gandhari with a hundred sons. He was here now to redeem his words. But there were dark omens about -Inauspicious for a royal nascency.

At the foot of the Himalayas, Kunti closed her eyes in fear. The sky above her exploded and a tornado formed. The peaceful meadow tore itself to feed the tornado which grew immense and then, as suddenly as it had come it vanished. Everything became quiet. Kunti looked about and stood up. She heard the hooves and turned around. It was the most beautiful Deer she had ever seen. Atop the deer was the God she had just summoned. She didn’t dare look at his face but instead rested her eyes on the Wheel he carried. The Wheel spun around and then slowed down and finally stopped completely.

Meanwhile in the Royal Infirmary, the sliced open Abdomen fell to the sides to reveal a huge mass of dark flesh. The midwives screamed. The King's eyes grew wide as Sanjaya told the King of what he saw. The Sage ordered the room to be emptied. The Queen was taken away and The King, Sanjaya and The Sage pondered over the darksphere of flesh. It was alive in its horror and ugliness. It excreted fluids and shook itself. As ordered, many potsof warm ghee were put around the Sage and his blessing. He cut through the fluids and touched the tissue. It bled but was as hard as iron. He then drew from his dressing an amulet of holy water. He sprinkled a fewdrops on the mound of flesh. The ball shook and began to fall apart.The Sage hastened the break up of the flesh with his hands till he reached the center. At the center he grabbed one piece and looked at it as the rest of the parts of the mound fell to the ground. His eyes rested on it for a few moments before he discarded it into one of the pots of ghee.

Pandu waited listening to the screams of his wife. When it stopped and the cries of the child resounded he hurried. He saw Kunti lying there pent out. Her hair was disheveled and she looked worn but her eyes shone looking at the child in her arms. So intense was her admiration of her baby that she did not even notice the approach of Pandu. Pandu placed Yudhishtir on the ground and peered at this new child. He was beautiful and healthy. Pandu put his finger in the childs hand and the child gripped it tightly. Pandu smiled. "He is strong. Very strong. Haha." He then looked at Kunti and touched her cheek," You have done well Kunti. Very well." Kunti felt helpless between the greedy pride of her husband and the innocence of her newly born child.

Gandhari stood with her husband while the Sutas (Labourers) dug the ground. She stood there strong and cold. They had buried what she had given birth to. Bheeshma-the Grandsire, Vidhura - the Kings brother were also present. Then one pick axe struck something. They cleared the mud and a pot emerged. Everyone grew tense at the prospect of opening the pot. Bheeshma, who had grown hard and strong with age, deftly opened the lid and there it was. A child. It looked strong. But there was something wrong. Bheeshma picked up the infant by the leg and slapped it on the bottom to make it cry. The sound that came out of it drove a chill down everyones spine. From the grounds around them wolves howled, vultures turned and strong winds blew.