Stories Made Simple

“Don't go now, my dear husband,” pleaded Queen Kayadhu. “You know I’m pregnant and I need you by my side.” “I’m sorry, Kayadhu,” replied Hiranyakashipu. “I have a duty towards my brother. I have to go into the forest for intense tapas to please Lord Shiva. I need the boon of immortality to avenge my brother’s murder. I cannot rest in peace until I annihilate all the devas including their leader, Vishnu, my brother’s killer.” His eyes blazed fire with hate and anger. When he saw his wife’s scared and forlorn face, he calmed down. “Don't worry, my dear queen. My powerful Asura guards will keep you and our child safe. No harm will come to you. I will return more powerful than before.” Kayadhu watched helplessly as her husband left her alone. She was scared for herself and her child. The enmity between the devas and asuras was so strong that each was always looking for weak spots in the other to attack and conquer. But, she was helpless.  Just as she feared, the devas attacked Hira...

Puru stared unseeing into the horizon as the setting sun swathed the entire landscape in its resplendent radiance. The young prince was immune to the beauty of nature because his mind was on a pressing, nagging problem. He knew his father, King Yayati, would call him soon, and he needed to be ready with his answer. Yadu and Turvasu, born to his father’s first wife, Devyani, were already summoned. He himself was the youngest son of his father’s second wife, Sarmistha, and was born after Druhyu and Anu. That his two mothers’ histories were deeply intertwined was one of the primary reasons he was deliberating on his answer to his father’s impending question.  Devyani was the daughter of Shukracharya, the guru of the Asuras. Sarmishtha was the daughter of the Asura king, Vrishaparva. Guru Shukracharya was indispensable to the Asuras considering he was a master of the mritasanjeevani mantra that could revive the dead. Devyani and Sarmistha had been close friends once. However, the frie...

Dense, almost impenetrable darkness pervaded the atmosphere. The only light was a couple of slivers of moonlight that streaked through the gaps in the thick foliage.  A little boy walked alone, his face filled with fear and dread. He seemed to ache for the warmth of his mother’s love. And yet, he trod on relentlessly towards his destination. He heard the hoot of an owl in the distance, the uninterrupted chirpings of crickets and other insects, the rustling of leaves as crawly creatures slithered in the grass, and occasional angry chatterings of monkeys, as if they were rudely disturbed from their sleep. Suddenly, a pair of bright white round lights appeared at a distance. The lights moved towards him, slowly but surely. He stopped walking and stood motionless in fear. The two circular lights became brighter as it came closer to the boy, and soon, he was able to make out the silhouette of a huge, hungry tiger. The animal stood about 10 feet away from the boy. He could hear the low-p...

Yudhishthira was meditating in one corner of a sparse but tidy mud hut just big enough to comfortably house six adults. A neat pile of rolled sleeping mats was in another corner of the room. Bhima was helping Draupadi in the kitchen which was just a little alcove at the eastern side of the hut. Six sets of plates and tumblers were neatly arranged on the floor for the afternoon meal.  Arjuna was practicing archery in the wide clearing at the back of the house, and the repeating twanging of his bow and arrow resonated through the forest. The merry gurgle of a stream could be heard from somewhere beyond the clearing. The twins, Nakula and Sahadeva, walked in through the back entrance after chopping and piling up firewood for the next few days.  Suddenly, a voice at the front door said, “Is this the home of the Pandavas in exile?” There was something so powerful in that voice that the five brothers and Draupadi were drawn to it instantly. They saw a tall, majestic-looking Brahmin ...

The flowers Kacha brought for Devyani were gorgeous, to say the least. He created each exotic bouquet carefully and thoughtfully ensuring it was a riot of colours, textures, and smells that made Devyani’s senses feel delightfully overwhelmed. Her love for him increased with every bunch of flowers he brought for her from the deep wilderness while taking father’s cattle for grazing.  “How do you manage to find such marvellous and rare flowers for me? Don't you feel scared to go so deep into the forest? And don't you get hurt by the stinging thorns and rough jungle paths you have to tread on?” “A beautiful, loving woman like you deserves only the best. Bearing the pain of thorn pricks and facing my fears are a small price to pay for your delightful smile!” He replied, his eyes shining with love.  Devyani blushed happily at Kacha’s words. She remembered the day when he landed on the doorstep of their home proudly and bravely announcing himself as the son of Brihaspati, the guru of...