Read Online KRISHNA CORIOLIS#6: Fortress of Dwarka by Ashok K. Banker - Free Book Online
Authors: Ashok K. Banker
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breathing slowed. “My Lord, I will surely die! I am not divine as you and Lord Balarama most certainly are, I cannot survive beneath this vast expanse of ocean!”
Krishna smiled. “Surely you know that I would not let any harm come to you, good Tvasta? And I would not ask this of you if there were another way to accomplish this task. But it is vital that you come with me for you are the expert in constructing cities, not I.”
Tvasta looked around. He saw Daruka looking at him. Daruka smiled and blinked his eyes reassuringly as if to say to Tvasta that Krishna spoke the truth. Tvasta turned back to Krishna. “Lord, you will keep me safe in those watery depths? I shall survive and return home safely to my wife and children and grandchildren?”
Krishna chuckled. “And their grandchildren as well! Have no fear, good shilpi. I give you my word.”
At that, Tvasta’s fear melted away and he straightened his back again. “Your word is God’s word, my Lord. If you say jump into the ocean, I shall do so gladly.”
Beside them, speaking from his own chariot, Balarama said, “Don’t jump though! You don’t know how to swim yet and we already have two perfectly serviceable vehicles to take us down.”
Tvasta looked around, frowning. Krishna tapped the chariot’s side, his rings knocking and echoing musically against the shaped gold-hued plates with a sound like no metal ever known could make. “Brother Balarama is right, we shall stay within these chariots and they shall keep us all safe and breathing air as normally even within the depths of the ocean. All you need to do is trust in me, Tvasta. Do you trust me?”
“I do, Lord,” Tvasta said without hesitation. “I trust you with my life.”
“Very well, then,” Krishna said. “Let us descend. Daruka, we must move slower beneath water as we must not disturb the beings of the ocean or cause harm to any one of them. Take it as slowly as necessary and use your judgement. Remember though that things beneath the ocean can often move as quickly as land beings when you least expect it.”
Daruka looked a little nervous but nodded gamely. “I shall do my best, my Lord. Pray, correct me if I make a single error.”
Krishna smiled. “Do not fret. I am with you to guide and show the way.”
13
The chariots plunged into the ocean together, their luster seeming to grow dazzling bright in the instant before they sank. Then they disappeared beneath the waves.
The dark-finned creatures that had been leaping and playing in the water dived beneath to see where the new visitors had gone. They saw the two chariots sinking rapidly downwards, and tried to follow, but after a few hundred yards they gave up the chase and returned to the surface. Unlike most of their fellows in this watery world, they required air to breathe and could only survive without it for a few minutes.
They chattered and squeaked excitedly about the astonishing new visitors and hoped they would see them again when they returned.
If they returned, their elders corrected. Land creatures who ventured so deep never returned. It was possible that these strangers were the exception, but that remained to be proven. Then they went about their watery play again.
Tvasta and Daruka both looked around with wonderment as the chariots travelled downwards at a sharp inclining angle.
They reached out and felt only air around them. Looking at Balarama’s chariot beside their own, they saw that each chariot was encased in a large bubble of air, the bubble’s shape warped and distorted by the force of their downward flight.
At one point, both bubbles touched and were joined together, sharing the same large store of air. They looked up and saw the distant surface of the ocean and the bright sky and sun beyond, barely visible already. They had already sunk several hundred yards deep and at the rate they were proceeding, there was a great distance yet to travel.
Krishna
Krishna smiled. “Surely you know that I would not let any harm come to you, good Tvasta? And I would not ask this of you if there were another way to accomplish this task. But it is vital that you come with me for you are the expert in constructing cities, not I.”
Tvasta looked around. He saw Daruka looking at him. Daruka smiled and blinked his eyes reassuringly as if to say to Tvasta that Krishna spoke the truth. Tvasta turned back to Krishna. “Lord, you will keep me safe in those watery depths? I shall survive and return home safely to my wife and children and grandchildren?”
Krishna chuckled. “And their grandchildren as well! Have no fear, good shilpi. I give you my word.”
At that, Tvasta’s fear melted away and he straightened his back again. “Your word is God’s word, my Lord. If you say jump into the ocean, I shall do so gladly.”
Beside them, speaking from his own chariot, Balarama said, “Don’t jump though! You don’t know how to swim yet and we already have two perfectly serviceable vehicles to take us down.”
Tvasta looked around, frowning. Krishna tapped the chariot’s side, his rings knocking and echoing musically against the shaped gold-hued plates with a sound like no metal ever known could make. “Brother Balarama is right, we shall stay within these chariots and they shall keep us all safe and breathing air as normally even within the depths of the ocean. All you need to do is trust in me, Tvasta. Do you trust me?”
“I do, Lord,” Tvasta said without hesitation. “I trust you with my life.”
“Very well, then,” Krishna said. “Let us descend. Daruka, we must move slower beneath water as we must not disturb the beings of the ocean or cause harm to any one of them. Take it as slowly as necessary and use your judgement. Remember though that things beneath the ocean can often move as quickly as land beings when you least expect it.”
Daruka looked a little nervous but nodded gamely. “I shall do my best, my Lord. Pray, correct me if I make a single error.”
Krishna smiled. “Do not fret. I am with you to guide and show the way.”
13
The chariots plunged into the ocean together, their luster seeming to grow dazzling bright in the instant before they sank. Then they disappeared beneath the waves.
The dark-finned creatures that had been leaping and playing in the water dived beneath to see where the new visitors had gone. They saw the two chariots sinking rapidly downwards, and tried to follow, but after a few hundred yards they gave up the chase and returned to the surface. Unlike most of their fellows in this watery world, they required air to breathe and could only survive without it for a few minutes.
They chattered and squeaked excitedly about the astonishing new visitors and hoped they would see them again when they returned.
If they returned, their elders corrected. Land creatures who ventured so deep never returned. It was possible that these strangers were the exception, but that remained to be proven. Then they went about their watery play again.
Tvasta and Daruka both looked around with wonderment as the chariots travelled downwards at a sharp inclining angle.
They reached out and felt only air around them. Looking at Balarama’s chariot beside their own, they saw that each chariot was encased in a large bubble of air, the bubble’s shape warped and distorted by the force of their downward flight.
At one point, both bubbles touched and were joined together, sharing the same large store of air. They looked up and saw the distant surface of the ocean and the bright sky and sun beyond, barely visible already. They had already sunk several hundred yards deep and at the rate they were proceeding, there was a great distance yet to travel.
Krishna
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