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- 05/29/2013
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Note: While authors are asked to place warnings on their stories for some moderated content, everyone has different thresholds, and it is your responsibility as a reader to avoid stories or stop reading if something bothers you.
Murder At Lake Mohank - 5. Chapter 5. The Eternal Black Serpent Curse
Like a firm and cruel admonishment from fate, I felt something heavy and coiled landing on my forearm, out of nowhere. I opened my eyes in alarm, to see a shiny black snake quickly crawling across my arm towards him. Balbhadra had his eyes closed I noticed, the expression of sensual and romantic glee on his face, appeared like a photograph from a different generation had been added to an album full of current images.
Before I could start thinking of shaking it off my hand, or before I could even determine whether it was better to just remain still, and let it move off on its own, I saw the snake raising its hood, in an unmistakable posture of intense fury and aggression.
Like snapshots taken in quick succession, things seemed to happen in a jiffy - Balbhadra opening his eyes one instant; the expression of shock surfacing on his face as he saw the reptile ready to strike the next instant; I retracting my hand back and away from his chest, with the snake still laden on it; turning sideways and then with my left hand grabbing the snake's head; Balbhadra lunging forward and uncoiling the tail and the rest of the snakes body off my hand; feeling the scaly skin of the reptiles head in my palm as it dangled in the air, struggling to get free; and finally flinging it away, across the lake surface.
The snake slithered smoothly away.
We were too shocked to speak - standing still and trying to make sense of what had just happened and processing our emotions.
"You are crazy, you know. Totally, totally crazy!" he quipped, as finally we started moving off the platform.
His comment caught me off guard, and as I tried to discern the expression on his face, my foot slipped on the smooth rocks. I lost my balance, stumbled forward and fell. I banged into a ledge as I landed behind the waterfall, knocking the wind out of my lungs, and then started tumbling down the slope deeper into the dark rock shelter.
Finally I rolled to a stop as the ground evened out. Barring my knees, the rest of my body seemed to be unscathed, I realized with a sense of relief. I looked around, as I got back on my feet. It was a narrow space, barely large enough to stand upright. And very very dark even at this hour. There was a dank wet odor to the cave. The interior of the cave seemed to be surprisingly dry.
"Are you Okay?" I turned around and saw Balbhadra hurrying down the slope.
"Yes" I said, as he came closer. He looked relieved.
"What is this place?" he asked, as we started looking around.
It was tough to determine how far the cave extended, it was too dark. I took out my cell, wondering if it was still intact. Thankfully it turned out to be alright, except for being soaked in water. Of course, there was no network in the region, even on the surface, no question of receiving any signal down here. I turned on the little flashlight torch, and shone it forward. Now that we could see better, the cave was disappointingly bare. Nothing but mounds of dirt along the walls. As we moved forward, we saw one huge mound of earth blocking the further path.
There was a gap above the top of the mound, extending to the ceiling. It was big enough for a person to pass through. I was wondering if it was safe enough to climb past it. It made me look closely at the earth mound. Thats when I saw it. It was the corner of a paper protruding out, brown against the brown of the mound, but the surface had a faint sheen. I brushed it with my hand. Balbhadra helped me dig. We proceeded cautiously, not wanting the mound to come down on us, but soon we had it out.
A piece of paper.
The paper was tinted yellow, and severely soiled throughout, with fine brownish dust, straw and other debris. The paper seemed to be in good shape overall though it felt slightly brittle. There was some damage around the edges. It showed stains and local discolorations, and was mottled and streaked, possibly due to contact with excessive moisture.
Apart from what appeared to be some decorative symbols in the margin, there was an illustration of a snake, its hood raised, ready to strike; at the top of the page, we shuddered. And beneath it, densely placed letters in the Old Gojari script.
Raghav Bhalan
April 21, 1198
Page 513, Brihat Horasaastra
Kaal Sarp Dosh is an astrological combination formed when all 7 planets[considered in Vedic Astrology] Sun, Moon, Mars, Venus, Jupiter, Saturn, Mercury are placed between Rahu (Moon's North Node) and Ketu (Moon's South Node) in the natal chart.
Following are some of the effects of the Kaal Sarp Dosh :
1. Lack of mental peace, perpetual disturbance.
2. Chaos and confusion.
3. Deterioration of health.
4. Poor Relations with family members.
5. Treachery from friends.
6. Partial or full loss of memory.
7. Untimely death.
If there is Kal Sarp Dosh in the Horoscope one has to perform Nagdosh-Nivaran-Pooja[ritualistic worship] so as to keep away from the malefic effect of Rahu. This Nagdosh-Pooja is best performed on a Somvati Amavasya. [Somavati Amavasya, is any no-moon night that falls on a Monday (Somvar) in the traditional Hindu calendar]
Om Namostu Sarpebhyo Ye Ke cha prithvimanu, Ye AntariksheYe Divi Tebhyah Sarpebhyo Namah.
Eternal Black Serpent Curse
When in the natal horoscope Rahu is posted in the first house and Ketu in the seventh house and all the seven planets lie in between then it is called the ‘Anant’[Eternal] Kaal Sarp Dosh.
Furthermore, if Rahu, Sun and Moon are all situated together then Grahan [Eclipse] Kaal Sarp Doshis formed. This is 1000 times more powerful then any other version of the curse. For such a native it is very important to arrange for remedies as soon as possible, or else face the ............
Raghav Bhalan
April 21, 1198
Page 513, Brihat Horasaastra
Balbhadra was looking on intently as I read the page, the script alien to him. I turned the paper around to check, there was no writing on the back of the paper. I checked the mound, there didnt seem to be any more papers out there.
"What is it?" he asked.
I quickly summarized and translated the contents of the page for him, as best as I could.
"Sorry, I have no knowledge about astrology, and all this stuff just goes right over my head." he was shaking his head.
"Its ok, Balbhadra." I said.
"So this is supposed to be a page from some book on Astrology from way back when - " he said.
"- 1198 AD, yes" I completed.
"You think its related to that snake we just encountered outside?" he asked.
"I dont know," I replied "But its hard to pass it off as a mere coincidence."
"Alright, alright. So what are we supposed to do now? Do you know anything about that book, or where and if we can find another copy of it, or whether - "
"I dont know, I dont know" I was shaking my head, as I moved a few steps back, away from the mound. With my back turned to him, I found it easier to gather my thoughts.
Trust, that quintessential force behind any relationship, is a strange entity, sublime to the core, in more sense than one; Absolutely awe-inspiring, the foundation on which the entire structure of any relationship stands, whilst at the same time fragile and feeble like a house of cards, one brief gust of wind and its all gone.
Should I confide in him? Should I consider our relationship to be advanced enough, or to have arrived upon such a stage as to be causing me to even consider all of this? Stop kidding yourself !
I turned around and walked back to him. There was a blank sort of an expression on his face. He started looking into my eyes.
"Balbhadra" I said "I think I need to tell you this. It would be unfair to not let you know about it."
He didnt say anything, waiting for me to continue perhaps.
"I know it may come across as totally crazy to you," I paused briefly as it dawned on me that I had unintentionally repeated his exact words - totally crazy, "but I think this is all, somehow, to do with me." I continued "the Somwati Amavasya, the holy Mantra, the snake and even this damn curse, I suspect"
He didnt say anything.
"Ever since I was a kid, my dad has made me recite this Mantra. I could never demand a reason for it. I mean I tried, but he wouldnt ever tell me anything. I was supposed to just believe in it, practice it, recite it, and go on doing it, perhaps for as long as I lived."
"And then there came this ritual to be performed, every Somvati Amavvasya, at a certain holy Kund, that too at midnight." An expression of gloom covered my face, as I recollected my many visits there.
"It was like I had no choice. Like I was supposed to just accept everything. Do what I was told to do, do what I was supposed to do. Not ever what I wanted to do..." I loathed the fact that I had let my voice trail off.
"And what was it that you wanted to do?" He said.
I looked at him, just it time to catch a glimpse of the solemn expression on his face changing to that of jovial laughter.
I smiled back.
"I am sure its not that bad. Perhaps you are slightly overreacting to things. Lets get out of here first." he suggested.
"But-" I couldnt finish, he just started dragging me by my hand towards the entrance.
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Note: While authors are asked to place warnings on their stories for some moderated content, everyone has different thresholds, and it is your responsibility as a reader to avoid stories or stop reading if something bothers you.
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