The Unknown

Prologue
9.30 PM, 17th February 3102 BC, Jara’s Hut
“That was our last meal, dear. We have no food left for the morning.” said Tara. “But I thought that we had enough supplies for two days. Why did you not inform me earlier?” frowned Jara.

“How could I? If I had told you earlier, you would never have eaten today.”

 

 

 

“Think of our children, Tara. We can stay starving, but how will the children stay hungry? Had you informed earlier, I would have even begged for food from our neighbors. Owing to my ill luck, it has been days since I hunted down a good animal. Even if I get one, I could not sell it for a good price.” he lamented.

“Don’t worry my dear. We’ll figure out a way, the first thing tomorrow morning. Now please sleep well without engrossing yourself in thoughts.” She tried to pacify him. But Jara seemed to be inconsolable. He cursed his ill fate and vowed to turn the tables. “Sleep well, my love.” he said finally.

Jara put out the lamps. He could not sleep. He was filled with anger and rage, along with the urge to prove himself. After ensuring that his wife and children were asleep, Jara stealthily got up. His hut was a very small one, built of mud and covered by dry palm leaves. He had no trouble in finding his bow, although the moonless night made it difficult to see. He took two of his arrows and coated their heads with Aconite leaves; a poison that would kill even the largest of the animals instantaneously, when it mixes with blood. Jara was a fierce hunter; arguably, the best in the neighborhood. Yet his family had to fight poverty. He decided to bring home, a big kill that night. He slipped out of the door-less house unnoticed, but determined.

10.20 PM, Krodha’s house

Krodha and his wife turned sister, Himsa, were expecting their first child. Nothing to feel awkward, as it was a tradition in their family, to marry their own sisters. It would also happen with Krodha’s unborn child. Little did he know that his child would change the world. Himsa had gone into labor, almost an hour earlier and Krodha had fetched the
physician, as fast as he could.

He was asked to wait outside, while the doctor went inside the house. Krodha was pacing in the front porch of his luxurious house.

 

 

As time passed, Krodha’s impatience started building. The clock slowed down, and every anxious minute seemed like an hour to him. At last, he heard the cries of the new born baby. The baby’s cries resembled that of a donkey, but that did not perturb Krodha. He rushed in to see his baby.

“It’s a son, my Lord” informed the physician, handing over the baby to him. Krodha carried his son in his arms gently. The child was as dark as an elephant. His tongue was red like that of an apple. One day, you will rule this world my son. The world will be at your feet, the new father said, beaming at his son.

Suddenly, Krodha heard a huge noise. The door of his home stood battered. Out there, he saw the least expected visitor. The intruder was dark, but handsome. He was easily over ten feet tall. He looked like a king, with his bare, but toned body, covered with golden ornaments. His long hair rested over his shoulders. He wore a yellow cloth around his waist. Krodha knew that the man was old, but was surprised that his body did not reveal his age. Krodha wrapped his baby with his arms, as a protective gesture, without taking his bloodshot eyes off the intruder.

“What do you want?” Krodha asked loudly, expressing a tone of anger and irritation.

“Give me the baby.”  the intruder ordered in a thunderous and commanding voice.

“Why should I?” Krodha asked, still angry but with a fear inside, which he wished the intruder won’t find out.

The intruder removed the broken piece of wood, hanging from the door and entered into the house. He started moving toward Krodha. Alarmed, Krodha was quick to react. He held on the baby towards his chest, with one hand and started running away from the intruder. He ran through the kitchen and into the backyard. Himsa lay in her bed, tired and unaware of the proceedings. The intruder closed in on Krodha. He started running in the narrow path around his house, that lead him to the gates. He unlocked the door with one hand, tightly clenching the crying baby with his other. Thankfully for him, there were no other men waiting to ambush him outside his home. The intruder had hurled the broken piece of wood at him, but it had missed it’s mark.

 

The chase was on, as the dark intruder closely tailed Krodha. He had to carry the newborn delicately, while the chaser was free to run. Krodha ran as if his life depended on it. Indeed his life depended on it; it was his son, who was being chased.

“Stop. You are committing a big mistake. Give me him. He will kill all of us.” yelled the chaser. Krodha did not reply, conserving his energy, his only aim being to escape alive. He realized that the man would not give up the chase, until he was forced to. Not knowing what to do, Krodha ran into the forest. The moonless night made it difficult to navigate within the dense Gir forest. Luckily for Krodha, the path split into two. He ran along one path hoping that his pursuer would choose the other one.

 

Midnight, 18th February 3102 BC, Present day Bhalka, Gir
The intruder stopped, where the path split into two. He had chased the father-son duo with great ambition, and he cursed where the chase had brought him. It was a typical heart-right, brain-left situation for him. In a split second, he decided to go with his heart.

As soon as he entered the path, he knew that he was wrong. He reached a river, too wide to be crossed. Krodha must have run to the left, he thought. His pursuit had ended in vain and he had lost them. Cursing his heart, he went near the river. The chase had left him dehydrated. He bent over the river and took a scoop of water, in his hands.

As he began drinking handfuls of water, he felt sharp pain emanating from his leg. An arrow had pierced the sole of his left leg. He pulled out the arrow, wincing in pain. Blood gushed out of the circular opening. In seconds, he fell on the ground, dead, surrounded by a pool of his blood. His heart had stopped pumping blood, the curse muttered by him taking effect.

 

 

Jara was happy to have shot a lion. Finally, he had Lady Luck by his side. His family would survive the next few days, he thought and felt satisfied. He jumped from the tree he had used as cover and rushed toward the riverbed, where his kill lay. He felt proud of his hearing sense and vision.

As he went near the river, he was shocked to see that he had killed a human. The night had duped him. He recognized the face as soon as he went near. He wanted a big kill that night, but fate had thought otherwise, it seemed. It was indeed a big kill. He had killed the Lord of the Land. Lord Krishna lay on the river bank, dead.

 

Written by : Vishnu Vardhan, Third Year, Electronics and Instrumentation.