Chapter-15 A Tough Struggle (10th December, Morning)

Arey Vasu Bhaiya, where have you been this early morning. I was waiting for you. Let's have breakfast. Vastav nodded his head. "Eka, I'll have to leave today. Mom has kept puja for me on 13th I. e. day after tomorrow." Saying so, Vastav poured the whole cup of hot tea at one go, but the heat didn't affect him.

"Kya style hain!!!" Eka always copies each every style of Vastav. But this time, with big round eyes, he kept on staring at Vastav.

"I'll leave my bedding here, if you want, you can keep it or else sell it. I want to return to Nagaon with as much minimum possessions I can make out." "What about your briefcase, Vasu Bhaiya".

"Arey! It contains all my certificates, the proof of everything  what Vastav Kaushik is, I will carry it".

Vastav spoke with a strong grip on the handle showing signs that it can't be snatched so easily. "Auto, auto" Vastav shouted. The auto slowed down. The driver looked totally different from his long hairs falling up to his shoulders. His eyes sparkled like hot pieces of coal. Eka whispered, "Vasu Bhaiya, let's hire another auto. The driver doesn't look trustworthy. Maybe he had taken enough liquor last night. And look,…the number plate too is missing".

Vastav ignored Eka's words and looked at Eka's eyes. Eka felt a silent command which he couldn't resist, he don't know why? "Railway Station, Dada". The auto started moving to catch the morning train Kalangpar at 9:30 A. M. to Nagaon. Eka noticed Vastav's eyes totally lost in an another world. It didn't perplex Eka, as Vastav had a philosopher like  attitude at times from his college days. The auto passed by the Death Valley Bhootnath Samsan. The pious Brahmin boy Vasu even forgot to surrender his fate to God.

As Eka joined his palms, it awoke Vastav's spirituality.

"Om Namah Shivay,

Mrityunjay, Mahadevaya,

Namahstute".

The mantra came out automatically from Vastav's mouth.

"What you chanted just now!? I thought that your scientific temper took you very far from God", Eka asked surprisingly.

"See Eka, I still don't believe in God. But being a Brahmin I am used to it, you know.

It is a legend that one who can chant this mantra 108 times from the heart, he can't die before the destined time. I don't believe in the legend but I too don't have the urge to debate writ the culture of Hindu Civilization which is more than 4000 years old". "Vasu Bhaiya, why do your family members organise the Mrityunjay Puja every 3 years".

"Ma told me that I lost two of my brothers. One died in the womb and the other was one of the twins with my sister.

And,  you know Eka, we the boys underestimate ourselves but every couple yearns for a boy child who will look after them at their old age and who will do something good for society". The auto kept on moving and Eka totally silent trying to realise his need for his own parents. "For my long life, Ma keeps this puja and I have to do the puja myself, guided by a Panditji". The auto stopped at the Paanbazar Railway Station. The tremendous vibrations of the trains and the announcement at regular intervals seemed to have hidden messages for Vastav. They crossed the flyover and Vastav got upon a train.

"What are you doing Vasu Bhaiya, this is not the Kalangpar Express. The train is totally empty.

"You go Eka, I will manage", Vastav's heart beat became slow and it became very tough for him to speak even a single word more.

"But Vasu Bhaiya"… "You go Eka or else you will have to be a part of my fate, the negativities of Kanu Baidou's husband".

"What are speaking, I will not leave you alone",...….but as Eka tried to pull Vastav's hand, he sprang up with terror. It was cold as a block of ice. A cold wave surrounded Vastav's entire body prohibiting the entry of any trespassers near him. "Eka, do you think I am still alive".

A strong magnetic push forced Eka to leave the railway compartment. If it is he to decide what to do, he would have never left Vastav alone.

But a higher level of energy was governing Vastav's life at that time upon which ordinary human-like Eka can never interfere. Eka left, left for Sharada-Vimala being a victim of the Cosmic Drunkedness not uttering a single word. He never found himself in such a helpless situation which he encountered a couple of minutes ago. Vastav came back to his consciousness, took his briefcase, hold his side bag tightly and went straight to the reception hall. He sat on a bench and tried to recall where to go, how to go. He got lost in space and time interval in a world of illusion.....The Maya.

"You will reach home only when you detach yourself from all your possessions you feel you have right now", an internal rouse within him. Vastav recalled the hallucinated experience at Bahurja's place.

His assets his certificates, his degree certificates, experience certificates everything was locked in the briefcase.

He rose up and left the briefcase at the reception hall but couldn't part with his favorite side bag. Vastav walked along the railway tracks took out his wallet and two bundle of notes, threw them as if they

were of no use to him. 21st century, where money can fulfil ones needs and the cell phone which is a connecting link for everyone, one cannot think of life without them.

Vastav detached himself from worldly attachments. Now he is equivalent to a roadside beggar except his looks, his dress and his favorite side bag.

He became a victim of his self-hypnotism. He transformed his  magnetic field to a strong magnet which can attract everything and thus himself got attracted to the huge source of metals --- the Railway Station, where everything is metallic.

Vastav peeped through the window of another train. He went inside and sat by the side of a window. Why?  He doesn't know. Vastav felt a warm sensation in his pocket and took out the skull thumb ring. Holding the ring with both the palms he looked at it deeply, hoping to get strength and courage for returning back to his destination. A strong current flowed out from the 💀 ring, struck his eyes and Vastav's hope of remaining awake crept into the deeper layer of darkness. He fell into a deep sleep.

"Check his pockets", Vasu silently kept on listening to the conversation and felt the touch of some hands on his body. He saw three men in black shirt and white pant with a blue apron and white mask on their face.

"The group of Doctors came to cure me if all my pains." This sensation acted like a strong energy capsule. He came back to his senses and found his side bag missing. "I am freed from my most beloved possession. I couldn't have freed from it myself my destiny took it away. Now I am free, as free as the flying dove in the blue Open Sky".

The source of positive energy which was working at a higher plane of consciousness to keep Vasu's existence was unable to work at its full efficiency as the electromagnetic waves transmitted was totally absorbed by the huge deposits of metals in the Railway Station.

Vastav have to leave the station to escape from the ravage of death and his fate succeeded in bringing out of the metallic area.