Sati looked down at her reflection in the waters. She frowned in surprise. She hadn’t aged a day. She still looked as young as always. She turned back towards her husband. ‘But I’ve stopped using the Somras. What does this mean?’

Shiva was horror-struck. Tears were flowing fiercely down his wrinkled cheeks as his face was twisted in agony. He reached out with his hand, screaming loudly. ‘SATI!’

Sati looked down. Her body was on fire.

‘SATI!’ he screamed once again, getting up and running towards the lake. ‘DON’T LEAVE ME!’

Still facing Shiva, Sati began to fly backwards, faster and faster, the wind fanning the flames on her body. But even through the blaze she could see her husband running desperately towards her.

‘SATI!’

Sati woke up with a start. The beautifully carved Kashi palace ceiling looked ethereal in the flickering torch-light. The only sound was that of the water trickling down the porous walls, cooling the hot dry breeze as it flowed in. Sati instinctively reached out to her left. Shiva wasn’t there.

Alarmed, she was up in a flash. ‘Shiva?’

She heard him call out from the balcony. ‘I’m here, Sati.’

Walking across, she could make out Shiva’s silhouette in the darkness as he leaned back in an easy chair, focussed on the Vishwanath temple in the distance. Nestling comfortably against him on the armrest, she reached out her hand and ran it lovingly through her husband’s locks.

It wasn’t a full moon night, but there was enough light for Shiva to clearly see his wife’s expression.

‘What’s the matter?’ asked Shiva.

Sati shook her head. ‘Nothing.’

‘Something’s wrong. You look disturbed.’

‘I had a strange dream.’

‘Hmmm?’

‘I dreamt that we were separated.’

Shiva smiled and pulled Sati close to him, embracing her. ‘You can dream all you want, but you’re never getting away from me.’

Sati laughed. ‘I don’t intend to.’

Shiva held his wife close, turning his gaze back to the Vishwanath temple.

‘What are you thinking?’ asked Sati.

‘I’m just thinking that marrying you was the best thing I ever did.’

Sati smiled. ‘I’m not going to disagree with that. But what specifically brought that up at this time?’

Shiva ran his hand along Sati’s face. ‘Because I know that for as long as you’re with me, you will always keep me centred on the right path.’

‘So, you’ve decided to do the right thing with...’

‘Yes, I have.’

Sati nodded in satisfaction. ‘We will win, Shiva.’

‘Yes, we will. But it has to be the right way.’

‘Absolutely,’ said Sati, and quoted Lord Ram. ‘There is no wrong way to do the right thing.’