‘Yes,’ said Shiva, playfully cracking a joke on the meaning of Jam. ‘But it’s all very confusing. The sea that “you come to”, will be the sea that “we go from” now! And then we have to travel east on the Western Sea! Only the Holy Lake knows where we’ll finally land up!’

Tara raised her eyebrows.

‘I know,’ said Shiva. ‘It’s a terrible joke. I guess the law of averages catches up with everyone.’

Tara burst out laughing. ‘It’s not your joke that astonished me. Though I agree, it really was a terrible joke.’

‘Thank you!’ laughed Shiva softly. ‘But what exactly were you surprised by?’

‘I’m assuming you think “Jam” means “to come to”.’

Shiva turned to Gopal with a raised eyebrow, for it was the Chief Vasudev who had told him the meaning.

‘Doesn’t “Jam” mean “to come to”?’ asked Gopal.

‘That is what everybody thinks,’ said Tara. ‘Except for the Parihans.’

‘What do they believe?’ asked Shiva.

‘Jam is the Lord of Dharma. So, this sea is actually the Sea of the Lord of Dharma.’

Shiva smiled. ‘But in India, the Lord of Dharma...’

‘...is Yam,’ said Tara, completing Shiva’s statement. ‘Also the Lord of Death.’

‘Exactly.’

‘Is there a relationship between the two names: Yam and Jam? Was there a great leader or God called Jam in Pariha?’

‘I don’t know about any relationship between the names. But in ancient times there was a shepherd called Jam who, blessed by the Ahura Mazda, went on to become a great king, one of the earliest in this area. He spread prosperity and happiness throughout the land. When a great catastrophe was to strike, that would have destroyed the entire world, he is believed to have built an underground city which saved many of his people. The citizens of his realm later began to call him Jamshed.’

‘Why “shed”?’

‘“Shed” means radiant. So Jamshed means the radiant Lord of Dharma.’

Chapter 41: An Invitation for Peace

Chapter 41

An Invitation for Peace

Sati, Bhagirath, Chandraketu, Maatali and Brahaspati had collected in the Lothal governor Chenardhwaj’s private office. They had just received a visitor from Devagiri with a message from Kanakhala. A message that had left them stunned.

‘Peace conference?’ asked Bhagirath. ‘What deception are they planning?’

‘Prince Bhagirath,’ rebuked the Lothal governor, Chenardhwaj. ‘This is Meluha. Laws are not broken here. And the laws of a peace conference are very clear; they were designed by Lord Ram himself. There is no question of there being any deception.’

‘But what about the attack on Panchavati?’ asked Maatali, the King of Vaishali. ‘They have clearly found the Narmada route to the Naga capital and have sent their ships on an attack mission even as they try to sidetrack us.’

‘How is that subterfuge, King Maatali?’ asked Chenardhwaj. ‘They are at war with us. They found a weak spot and decided to attack. That is how wars are conducted.’