Chapter 80 Hayagriva's Ambition

"Hahahaha!" Hayagriva's lips twisted into a sly grin.

His hooves, shining with a radiant light, morphed into hands that gracefully stroked the flowing mane of the horse's head, now resting behind him. In this world, he alone possessed the rare and powerful form— the head of a horse and the body of a human. It was a singular existence, a marvel that set him apart from all others.

Unique. With his boon, one might even say he had been blessed with immortality, an endless cycle of life in disguise. Yet, despite all of this…

Hayagriva was far from satisfied.

His ambitions were vast—greater, far greater than even those of the former Asura Kings Hiranyaksha and Hiranyakashipu.

"Next, I will seize the Vedas," he murmured inwardly, a gleam of determination flashing in his eyes.

The Vedas—within their ancient verses lay the supreme wisdom he needed. The wisdom that could help him survive this cycle of Kalpas, transcend each one, and endure the countless others that lay ahead. He desired to claim this power, to live beyond the constraints of time, until the distant future stretched out before him, achieving true immortality even if the universe was destroyed in the future.

As Hayagriva schemed, his thoughts turned toward the necessary steps to obtain the Vedas.

"To claim the Vedas, I must first journey to the Brahma loka," he reasoned. "But to reach the Brahma Realm... I require the help of these two."

His gaze shifted, and his large horse eyes narrowed onto the two Asuras who lay slumped in the dirt, their bodies stained with white dust.

Madhu and Kaitambha.

These two were no ordinary Asuras. Born from Vishnu himself, they carried the divine essence of their creator, and through their help, he could enter the Brahma Loka.

Madhu and Kaitambha, unaware of the looming plans, were filled with a sense of joy, unaware of the darker fate that awaited them.

"Brother, with this boon, we can rule the Patalaloka. Once we return, all the Asuras will bow to us," Kaitambha, the younger brother, exclaimed with uncontainable excitement.

Madhu, his older sibling, grinned widely.

"Exactly, second brother. Now that our training is complete, the time has come for us to unite our strength. First, we'll kill Hiranyaksha, then imprison Hiranyakashipu." He paused, his eyes gleaming with ambition. "We'll defeat them, seize control of the Patalaloka, and from there, we'll launch an assault on the Svarga."

"With this, we'll prove 'that person' wrong for casting us out, for banishing us to the Asuras. We'll make him regret his decision and pay for his actions!" Madhu laughed wildly, his joy echoing through the air.

The two brothers, born from the earwax of Vishnu himself, had been granted divine strength. Yet, instead of feeling gratitude, their hearts burned with resentment. Cast aside by Vishnu and sent to the depths of Pataloka, they swore vengeance for what they saw as a betrayal.

Vishnu had believed that exile to Pataloka would diminish their power, but instead, it became their crucible. Years of grueling survival and relentless ambition had only fueled their strength, honing them into unstoppable forces.

Now, with their powers fully perfected, they were ready to conquer Pataloka and, eventually, Svarga—intending to upend the balance Triloka and force Vishnu to fight them.

"Two fools," Hayagriva muttered to himself, listening to the brothers' boastful plans. A dark smile curled across his face.

What kind of Asura King do they think they are? He thought with a smirk. The true path to power lies in the knowledge of the Vedas, not fighting over being of King of Triloka.

This was the perfect opportunity to manipulate them—use their ambition to further their own goals.

"Since you hate the Preserver of Brahman so much—I have a way for you to exact your revenge," Hayagriva spoke slowly, his voice smooth as silk, as he made his approach toward Madhu. He shook his head, and his horse mane fluttered with an almost regal elegance.

"What is it?" Madhu and Kaitambha's eyes locked onto Hayagriva, their curiosity piqued.

The Horsehead Asura grinned, a knowing smile crossing his face. He raised a finger, slowly moving it between the three of them before pointing it toward the sky, a gesture full of promise.

"Snatch the Vedas! The Vedas are the very source of wisdom in the universe!" Hayagriva's voice was filled with conviction.

"Without the Vedas, all growth will cease. The world will fall into silence, and darkness will return." He paused for a moment, letting the weight of his words sink in. "When the time comes, the protector of the world will regret abandoning you."

Hayagriva's eyes glinted as he spoke, knowing well that these two brothers, born from Vishnu, possessed tremendous power, perhaps even rivaling his own. But Hayagriva was clever—a master manipulator. If he could trick them into aiding him, the results would be far greater than any solo effort could achieve.

Kaitambha's eagerness was evident as his eyes lit up at the mention of the Vedas. Madhu, however, seemed more cautious, his expression darkening with doubt.

"The world will be destroyed? What's the point of that?" Madhu clicked his tongue. "Why not head to the Patalaloka and enjoy as Kings rather than destroying everything?"

Hayagriva's horse-like eyes narrowed slightly in thought. This one, Madhu, was proving to be more difficult to sway than Kaitambha.

With a subtle grin, Hayagriva walked closer to Madhu, clapping him on the shoulder with a reassuring smile. "You can't think like that, brother. Stealing the Vedas is merely a means to an end. What we truly seek is eternal life!"

He gestured grandly as he spoke, his voice rising with fervor.

"The Vedas contain the supreme wisdom, the key to surviving the great calamities that threaten us! Once we obtain them, we will be beyond the reach of death itself."

Madhu's expression softened, the allure of immortality clouding his earlier hesitation.

"When the time comes," Hayagriva continued, "the three of us will be invincible. We will be the new Tridevas of the world, the Trimurti. I will stand as the God of Destruction, and you..." He looked at the brothers with a gleam in his eye, "...the remaining two positions are yours to claim."

Madhu's eyes widened, his lips curling into a smile as he imagined the grandeur of Hayagriva's words. His breath quickened as his imagination took flight, visualizing the immense power, the supreme wisdom, and the endless possibilities that awaited them.

"Good!" Madhu finally exclaimed, his voice filled with anticipation.

The three of them stood together, surrounded by the searing heat of the magma pool. The lava bubbled and churned beneath their feet, sending up waves of black smoke. Madhu's fist clenched tightly as he considered the future; his determination set.

Hayagriva stood tall, his mane flying in the hot wind, his pride evident in his stance. He reached up to stroke his mane, savoring the moment. A triumphant smile curved his lips.

"Ah, yes... I am the smartest being alive," he murmured, his voice dripping with quiet confidence. "Every step, every decision has led to this. The future is mine to command, woven meticulously by my unparalleled intellect."

…

In Svarga, the Devas had gathered in the grand palace of the King of Svarga. A shimmering light mirror materialized in the center of the sacred space, casting an ethereal glow throughout the room.

The Adityas—Vayu, the Wind Dev; Agni, the Fire Dev; Varuna, the Water Dev; and Surya, the Sun Dev—circled Indra, their expressions tense and filled with growing anxiety. Their eyes, wide with panic, fixated on the three dark figures that slowly emerged within the mirror's light.

In an instant, the three figures vanished.

The air was thick with tension as the Devas exchanged nervous glances. Fear and confusion clouded their faces, and the panic was palpable.

Here we go again. Another Asura had succeeded in their penance, and now, there were three of them.

"Three Asuras have completed their penance. What are we supposed to do now?!" Surya's voice trembled as he pretended to keep calm, his fists clenched in frustration.

"Should we strike now, while they haven't yet taken control of the Patalaloka?" Vayu suggested with a nervous edge in his voice.

At Vayu's words, Indra shot him a disapproving glance. Vayu, you fool!

Varuna, remained silent, his gaze distant as if lost in thought.

Agni, ever restless, shifted uneasily. Their last attempt to reclaim the Patalaloka had ended in a humiliating defeat. Hiranyakashipu had crushed them, capturing every last one of them. The defeat had been so complete that the Devas were left embarrassed, their pride shattered. Agni's itch for vengeance burned, but he couldn't shake the sting of their prior humiliation.

"How about I lead the heavenly army... and strike again?" Agni proposed, a flicker of determination crossing his face.

Indra's expression hardened at Agni's words, and he remained silent for a long moment, his mind weighing the situation. These three Asuras were no ordinary foes. The thought of engaging them in battle seemed absurd. Fighting them is impossible.

At that moment, Indra realized that the best course of action was to retreat. Indra recalled the Arthashastra—"When facing a foe whose strength exceeds yours, retreat is the wisest course."

Without another word, Indra turned on his heel, his posture exuding authority as he strode forward, his golden armor gleaming beneath the temple's light. His red cloak billowed behind him like a storm cloud, signaling his departure with commanding force.

The Devas stared in stunned silence as Indra walked away.

"My mount Airavata is in Vaikuntha," he muttered, eyes narrowing with determination. "And I'm in no mood to wage another war again. Now that the Asuras have arrived, it's time for a well-deserved break."

With that, Indra gave his final command.

"Let's go! We're heading to the Brahma Loka to meet the Lord Brahma!"

And so, with Indra leading the charge, the Devas made their retreat, their resolve wavering in the face of yet another looming threat.

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