Nandi’s eyes flashed with anger as the normally affable man stared at Shiva’s son, his eyes unblinking. ‘Lord Ganesh, I have already made my choice. I live for the Neelkanth. And I will die for the Neelkanth. If that means I have to oppose my country, so be it. I will face my karma for having betrayed my country. But I will not have you questioning my loyalty again.’

Ganesh immediately reached out to Nandi. ‘I was not questioning your loyalty, brave Nandi. I was wondering how you think General Parvateshwar will react.’

‘I don’t know what the General thinks. I only know what I think,’ Nandi bristled.

‘Well, I know how Parvateshwar thinks,’ said Brahaspati. ‘I realise this will hurt you Sati, but Ganesh is right. Parvateshwar will not abandon Meluha. In fact, he will battle those who seek to hurt Meluha. And if Shiva, as I hope, decides that the Somras is Evil, then Meluha will be our primary enemy. The battle lines are drawn, my child.’

Wordlessly, Sati looked out of the window at the Vishnu temple and sighed.

Shiva rubbed his throbbing brow as he pondered over the mysteries of his childhood.

Gopal bent forward. ‘What is it, great Neelkanth?’

‘It is not the hand of fate, Panditji,’ said Shiva. ‘Neither is it the grand plan of the Parmatma that I emerged as the Neelkanth. I suspect it was my uncle’s doing. Though how he did all this is a mystery to me.’

‘What do you mean?’

‘I remember being administered some medicine in my childhood by my uncle. I used to suffer severe burning between my brows from when I was very young. My uncle’s medicine helped me calm the burning sensation. The throbbing persists to this day but it is not as bad as it used to be. I still recall his words as he readied the medicine: “We will always remain faithful to your command, Lord Rudra, this is the blood oath of a Vayuputra”. Then he’d pricked his index finger and let the blood drop into the potion. It was this mix that he gave to me, and bade me rub it into the back of my throat.’

Gopal’s eyes had been pinned on Shiva, fascinated. He briefly looked at the Vasudev pandit from the Ayodhya temple, who was sitting in the first row.

The Ayodhya Vasudev spoke up. ‘Great Neelkanth, what was the name of your uncle?’

‘Manobhu,’ said Shiva.

The stunned Ayodhya Vasudev turned to Gopal. ‘In the great name of Lord Ram!’

‘What is it?’ asked a surprised Shiva.

‘Lord Manobhu was your uncle?’ asked Gopal.

‘Lord Manobhu?’

‘He was a Vayuputra Lord, one of the Amartya Shpand, a member of the council of six wise men and women who rule the Vayuputras under the leadership of the Mithra.’

‘He was a Vayuputra Lord?!!’