King of Devas

"Hiranyakashipu, you are truly worthy of being King of the Asuras. You saw through my plan so easily!" Indra said, his voice steady but tinged with respect. He nodded in acknowledgment.

Hiranyakashipu gritted his teeth, his face a mix of fury and fear. His eyelids twitched like taut bowstrings, and his fists clenched so tightly they trembled with barely restrained rage.

At this moment, capturing Indra was not the problem. The real issue was how long it would take.

The Amrita of immortality, a powerful elixir that blessed the Devas, was a serious obstacle. And the Svarga realm itself was a seat of divine power and authority. If he tried to capture Indra, time would be his greatest enemy—by the time he succeeded, the earthly realm would likely be turned upside down.

What's worse, his son, Prahlada, was now in the hands of the King of Svarga.

Hiranyakashipu slowly lowered his head, releasing the tension from his clenched fists. "What do you want?" His voice was cold, a trace of resignation in his tone.

Indra's lips curved into a slight smile, surprise flickering in his eyes. This arrogant Asura king actually backed down?

After a brief moment of thought, Indra spoke again. "Hiranyakashipu, I admire your courage and fearlessness. I believe we should settle this between us—compete openly to determine who truly is worthy to become the king of Svarga."

Hiranyakashipu's eyes brightened with anticipation, and he made a move to act.

"But!" Indra raised his hand, a playful smile on his lips. "Not yet."

Hiranyakashipu paused, waiting for what was to come.

"You will release Vayu, Agni, and all soldiers," Indra continued, "and I will call off Soma and Rahu's legions. In return, I will free your wife and son respectfully."

A shadow of suspicion crossed Hiranyakashipu's face. "How can we trust you? What if you don't follow through?"

Rishi Shukracharya, ever vigilant, gripped his snake staff tightly, his voice sharp with doubt. "How can we be sure you'll keep your word?"

Indra clasped his hands together, his gaze narrowing slightly as he remained calm. "I will swear an oath to Lord Vishnu as the witness that I will not harm your wife or children today. Let the devas and the Svarga bear witness to this solemn oath."

"Wait!" Hiranyakashipu's voice rang out, powerful and commanding, cutting through the air as he raised his hand. His eyes locked onto Indra's with a piercing intensity that sent a flicker of doubt through the King of Svarga.

Did he see it?

Indra's heart skipped a beat. Divine chakra surged within him, ready to spring into action. He braced himself, prepared to flee at a moment's notice.

Hiranyakashipu snorted coldly, his expression darkening with anger. He gritted his teeth, clearly dissatisfied.

"Change the witness to Brahma!" he commanded. "And if you break your oath, I want you to relinquish your position as King of Svarga immediately."

His eyes were icy, his tone sharp. Indra and Vishnu were the ones responsible for his eldest brother's death. Having to submit to Indra today had already been a blow to his dignity. If Vishnu were to be used as a witness, it would be the greatest insult of all.

It seemed clear that Hiranyakashipu did not trust Vishnu.

"I, Indra, will never break my word uttered once," Indra replied, his voice steady despite the tension that hung in the air. His words carried a weight of ancient pride, a Kshatriya's sense of honor and duty.

He paused for a moment, deep in thought, before quietly nodding in agreement. Then, raising his palms toward the sky, he spoke with unshakable conviction.

"In that case, I swear to Brahma that if Hiranyakashipu releases Vayu, Agni, and the Heavenly Legions today, I will not harm his wife or children. I will withdraw the Legions from the Patalaloka and leave the entire patalaloka untouched. Should I break my vow, I will relinquish my position as King of Svarga."

His voice boomed like thunder, echoing across Svarga, carrying the weight of his words to every corner of the realm.

Hiranyakashipu exhaled slowly, feeling a sense of certainty settle in his chest. He raised his hand, his voice cold as ice.

"If Indra fulfills his promise, I will release Vayu, Agni, and the other Devas, as well as the Celestial Legions. If I break my oath, I will die at the hands of my enemies."

The gravity of his words hung in the air.

In Brahma's realm, the Creator God sat cross-legged on his lotus throne, a serene smile on his face as he looked down at Svarga. He listened to the exchange below—Indra and Hiranyakashipu invoking his name as a witness. Some still remembered him as the Creator, and for that, Brahma felt a sense of satisfaction.

But he couldn't help but chuckle inwardly. How could Indra claim to have large legions in Patalaloka? All the legions were under Brahma's domain in Satyaloka, especially Rahu, who was currently enjoying himself immensely.

With a slight movement of his eyes, Brahma glanced toward the divine cities of devas in Brahmaloka. The Gandharvas were steadily restoring order, resuming their duties of guarding the realm.

In a grand palace surrounded by a host of guards, Rahu lounged comfortably, his eyes glinting with pleasure as he watched the Apsara dance. He casually coiled his tail around the wine glass, sipping the intoxicating drink.

Though the wine dripped lazily from his throat, his face was flushed, a sure sign that he was thoroughly intoxicated—whether from the Soma Ras or the beauties before him, he couldn't say.

"Hahaha! This is great! I truly love Svarga!" Rahu laughed heartily, his voice full of drunken joy.

Brahma, observing from afar, looked away, lost in thought.

Boom!

Suddenly, the clouds above Svarga gathered, swirling in strange, ever-changing patterns. A massive shadow formed in the sky, casting its presence over the realm. It was Brahma's projection, a manifestation of his divine power. T

hough an ordinary oath wouldn't have required his direct intervention, the situation between the King of Svargaloka and the King of Patalaloka demanded a more serious approach.

"As you wish!" Brahma's voice rang out across the heavens, resonating in waves that echoed and lingered long after.

The dark clouds began to dissipate, and the sky cleared. Surya's radiant light bathed the realm, casting everything in a warm, golden glow.

"Retreat!" Hiranyakashipu ordered coldly, waving his hand dismissively.

At his command, the divine ropes binding Vayu and Agni snapped, and the two gods staggered before quickly retreating toward Indra, panic evident in their movements. Behind them, the antelope and white sheep mounts leaped into the air, making their way toward the Devas. Finally, the Gandharva Legions, mighty and steadfast, followed suit.

Hiranyakashipu fixed Indra with a cold, steely gaze, his voice low but filled with a deep, seething promise. "I will defeat you next time."

Indra's response was calm, almost casual, as if the confrontation were already over. "Yes, definitely next time."

"I will win!"

"Of course, next time," Indra replied smoothly, maintaining his composure.

Hiranyakashipu snorted disdainfully, his face darkening with anger. With a final, bitter glance at Indra, he turned and led his legions, storming toward the earthly realm, his mood as heavy as the atmosphere around him.

Indra stood tall and unwavering, like an immovable mountain, silently observing the asuras retreating from the earth. Vayu and Agni, along with a vast legion of Gandharvas, had also returned.

"I didn't expect Soma to head to the underworld with Rahu. No wonder I haven't seen him around," Vayu remarked, his voice laced with surprise. "I thought he had gone to the human world. Looks like I was wrong about him."

Agni sighed. "The King of Svarga shouldn't have promised them anything. They can't kill us, after all. Soma can just destroy the patalaloka instead."

"That makes sense," Surya nodded thoughtfully, his eyes glinting with understanding.

The Devas gathered together, reflecting on their previous tactics. As the group deliberated, Narada Muni, ever the sage, tilted his head, blinking his eyes as he gently plucked the strings of his veena. A knowing smile spread across his face.

"Narayana Narayana! Do you think we can wait for these asuras to return, then pursue them and catch their legions by surprise?" he asked, his tone almost playful.

"Plus Indra is bound by oath, but the devas and the entire army is not bound by the oath between the King of Svarga and Hiranyakashipu," Narada muni pointed out, and his smile deepened.

 "What about Hiranyakashipu?"

"The King of Svarga will deal with him," Narada Muni responded, his eyes gleaming with hidden wisdom.

The Devas' eyes widened in realization. The plan could actually work.

"This could work," Surya murmured, his thoughts racing. "The King only needs to hold Hiranyakashipu. If we, the Devas, act together, we can strike the Asura legions with overwhelming force. Since we're acting separately, it won't violate the oath, and the legions on patala won't be involved."

Surya turned to the King of Svarga, his expression filled with anticipation. "Indra, what do you think?"

Indra's gaze flickered momentarily as a flash of thought crossed his mind. His eyes reflected a distant vision, crossing the void to Brahma Loka.

"Why aren't you running faster to Brahmaloka?! There are no legions in the Patalaloka!"

The roar reverberated in the ears of the Devas, echoing for a long time.

The Devas froze in shock.

"No legions?"

"Then where are Soma and Agni?!"

A cold chill ran down their spines. This was bad.

"Aruna!" Surya's eyes widened in realization. He whirled around, moving faster than the wind itself, faster even than the God of Wind. Without hesitation, he flew toward the Sun Chariot, shouting urgently for the God of Dawn.

Aruna, already knowing what was coming, reacted instantly. With a swift wave of the reins, a sharp crack echoed through the air. The horses neighed loudly, the wheels of the chariot creaked, and the chariot took off at full speed.

"If there are no legions, what happens when the Asuras return?" Surya thought grimly. "This isn't good."

The Devas and the Gandharva legions immediately grasped the severity of the situation. One by one, they rushed toward the Sun Chariot, scrambling to climb aboard.

Fortunately, the radiance of the Sun Chariot was like a tangible thread, an ethereal rope that they could cling to. The Gandharvas grasped the shining strands as though they were lifelines, swinging onto the chariot like a train, racing toward Brahmaloka as if they were pulling the Milky Way itself.

"Slower! Wait for me!"

"Add me in!"

Aruna's eyes widened in horror as he looked at the stumbling horses. His heart raced. Now, it was time for his skills to shine. This was high-stakes driving, a test of precision and speed!

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