Chapter 17: The Many Paths to Divinity

Adi, now immersed in the revelations of existence, begins to comprehend that divinity is not a singular path but an intricate web of possibilities. The truth of the universe eludes most beings, not because it is hidden but because their infinite memories are locked by the will of Brahman—the universe itself. The perception of time for mortal beings is unbearably slow, and a mere hundred years of life offers an experience so minuscule that it blinds them to the vastness of their own existence. The rational mind, structured to work within the confines of logic and the physical world, actively works against the realization of greater truths. Only through unlocking the knowledge buried deep within, through witnessing and experiencing, can one begin to comprehend the boundless reality beyond rationality.

As Adi seeks the means to attain divinity, he starts sifting through his past memories. One such memory surfaces—a lifetime ago, his father worshiped Vaayu, the wind god. Initially, Adi assumed Vaayu to be one of the deities of the pantheon he had grown up with, but his father soon clarified:

"No, Vaayu is your great-grandfather's brother. He died young."

The revelation stuns Adi. How could a mortal, neither righteous nor saintly, neither a practitioner of tantra nor a seeker of diksha, ascend to the status of a deity? His father explained that certain circumstances—especially dying young—can elevate one's existence. The universe, it seems, has its own way of creating divine beings, sometimes through the most unexpected means.

It was not a mere legend. The spirit of Vaayu still resided in the place where he was worshiped, bound to the physical space where his family continued to revere him. He was, indeed, a deity—albeit one confined to the limits of his familial domain.

Adi contemplates the nature of these deities. Many people believe that becoming a god is an existence of power, of dominion over lives, of receiving worship and offerings. But reality is far more complex. These deities are bound to the physical world, tethered to the locations of their worship, and their powers are not as limitless as myths suggest. They are, in a way, immortal, but only as long as they are remembered. If their worship ceases, if they are forgotten, their existence fades, dissolving back into the cycle of reincarnation.

Those who accumulate enough positive karma through their divine existence may transcend to higher planes, such as Swarga or even realms beyond. However, there are many deities who turn wicked—ones who demand excessive tributes, who bring misfortune upon their own families, who revel in their limited power over the mortal world. Such beings eventually face their reckoning. If they accumulate enough negative karma, they are cast down into the lower realms, punished before being reincarnated into new lives. If their wickedness is great enough, they may be thrust back into an existence devoid of self—forced to endure cycles of torment so long that their next self-aware incarnation emerges eons into the future.

Adi, still absorbing the weight of this realization, wonders why the universe exerts such meticulous effort for a single spirit. Why does the cosmic law operate with such precision, ensuring that no being—no matter how small or seemingly insignificant—is outside its jurisdiction?

But then he realizes: the universe is absolute in its order. No one escapes its grasp, not mortals, not deities, not even those who have glimpsed the divine. The cycle continues, and all must navigate it.

And so, Adi's contemplation deepens, his understanding of the many paths to divinity expanding with every revelation. He is beginning to see not just the structure of existence but its purpose.