WARLOCK'S INTERNS

Chapter 34: Awoken Inner Mind

“Vasundari, can you go and wash the clothes at the river now?” Champaka asked sitting in front of the fire. She was too busy in making the sweet dishes. As it was a festive day, Vaachaspati had asked her to cook some sweats which he wanted to distribute them later to the people who come to worship.   

“I will go now mother.” Vasundari called back in utter. This is what she wanted; Atma and Bakula had already been to the river bank earlier. She was thinking of a reason to go outside. Luckily for Vasundari, her mother had given one. Soon she picked up the pile of unwashed cloths and taking the earthen pot hurriedly began to walk towards the river bank.    

Atma and Bakula were busy practicing the spear. In her absence, Atma had taught all about the grip to Bakula. He knew the grip mattered the most. He had taught Bakula how to handle it and aim at the target and how much amount of force to be given out while releasing it.

“Here comes our Queen; I thought she would not make it.” Bakula said sarcastically. Vasundari just cast a scowling glance at him.   

Atma walked towards the thick bush and took out the heaps of clothes from her. Further he pointed his head towards the bow and arrows and said.

“I shall quickly wash the clothes for you Vasu. Meanwhile, you practice before the old Warlock comes; you try to aim at the tree.” Atma was well aware of the fact that every moment counted.

Vasundari looked at the bow and pulled out an arrow from the quiver. She placed it on the string and was about to aim towards the tree, suddenly it slipped from her hands and misfired flying towards Bakula. Bakula ducked his head hearing the wheezing sound - the arrow brushed his thick hairs and surged towards its false destination.

“My God! You almost took off my head Vasundari! Don’t you have any sense?” Bakula screamed in utter disgust.

“Oh! I am so sorry Baku, it was miss fire, I - I was not aiming at you, did it hurt you?” Vasundari ran towards him with tears in her eyes.

“Of course I would have been hurt if hadn’t ducked in time. Vasundari, I don’t why but always cause problems.” Bakula muttered under his breath and began to shake his head violently.

Vasundari took it to her heart and sat down at once sobbing out loud. Bakula feeling sorry for his harsh words at once walked towards her and took her delicate hand in his and began to sooth her. He loved her very much; he always disliked seeing tears in her beautiful eyes.

“I am sorry Vasu, I did not mean that. Aren’t you my lovely little sister?” Bakula said in gentle voice and soon began to cheer Vasundari by poking around her ribs. Soon Vasundari began to giggle and hugged Bakula.

“Don’t dare to treat me that way again Baku, for I shall shed a river of tears next time, mind you.” Vasundari teased him and took her bow and arrow.

They spent another hour of time practicing hard. Atma true to his word washed all the clothes as quickly as he could and joined them in their practice. Atma began to hit his targets every time, but it was not so with Bakula and Vasundari; they were hitting their respective boomerang and arrows very far away from their target. Suddenly Vasundari noticed the tall figure of Mahapitha walking towards them. She thought of impressing him with her skills and at once aimed for the tree near him and released the arrow.         

To her astonishment it went straight towards the old Warlock. Atma and Bakula gasped in horror. The arrow flew straight towards his right eye and when it was about to pierce, it stopped dead right in the mid air. Mahapitha caught the arrow in his hand and walked towards Vasundari.

“My little darling thinks my eyes are not so beautiful after all, aren’t you dear?” Mahapitha smiled mischievously and handed her the arrow.

“Mahapitha however I try to control my target, it always goes far off, and why is it so? I never intended it to hit you; I don’t know how it flew towards you?” Vasundari began to babble with utter shame.

“Because I made it to fly towards me!” Mahapitha smiled at the astonished faces.

“Did you, but how?” Bakula said in astonishment. Can the Warlock control the arrow?

“And that is one of the lessons I am going to teach you all later. But now let us start with the first lesson, do sit down.” Mahapitha sat on the rock nearby.

“I think we should exchange the weapons of Bakula and Vasundari. Perhaps, I had given wrong weapons to you earlier. Now exchange it and try while I watch you.” Mahapitha said and sat on a rock. Bakula and Vasundari eagerly exchanged their weapons and took aim at their targets. Just before both could release their weapon, Mahapitha stood up and said aloud, ‘STOP’. Bewildered Vasundari and Bakula stood motionless as Mahapitha walked closer to them.

“I guess you two can see your targets clearly with your opened eyes, right?” Mahapitha asked gently. Vasu and Bakula nodded.

“Now, close your eyes and see the target in your mind.” Mahapitha said with a smile.

“But how can we do so?” Vasundari asked at once.

“If we close our eyes, we won’t see anything Mahapitha!” Bakula said joining his sister.

“In fact it is not so as you believe. Here is where I am going to teach you my first lesson – opening your inner mind.” He began to explain looking at the eager faces. “You all do your daily chores with your outer mind, right? Similarly there are numerous things which can be done when you open your inner mind. First, close your eyes and block your ears from hearing anything.” The three young teens at once stood in front of him in a single line and closed their eyes. Mahapitha walked towards all the three and touched their forehead with his Blue Sapphire. Next instant all the three began to feel a new inner sense that they have never experienced before. 

“I take that you are all feeling nothingness in you now. If yes, nod your head.” Mahapitha said gently. All the three at once nodded their heads. Satisfied Mahapitha continued his training. “Now slowly let all the thoughts to come to you, it could be any thoughts, just any.” Mahapitha observed the tiny movements of eyelids of all three carefully and found that they are doing well.

“Now slowly remove all the thoughts one by one and think of my image standing in front of you. Concentrate hard on my image and observe what I am doing now.” Mahapitha gently asked and outstretched his two hands without making any noise.  

“Now tell me what you see in your mind’s image?” The old Warlock questioned.

“I – I see that you have stretched your hands.” Atma was the first to answer.

After a while, Vasundari joined him saying, “Amazing I can see you with my closed eyes too, you have outstretched your hands.”

Suddenly, Mahapitha picked up a flower from a nearby plant held it in front of his chest and asked Bakula, “What do you see my boy?”

Bakula took few long seconds, but answered all the same, “I – I see that you are holding a flower.”

Atma and Vasundari both cried in excitement. “I see you are holding a flower Mahapitha!”

“Now slowly open your eyes.” Mahapitha said standing in the same posture. Slowly all the three opened their eyes and were astonished to see that they had indeed seen something real even closing their eyes.

Mahapitha smiled at their surprised faces and said, “Atma is very good in opening his inner mind. Perhaps, he may have a natural gift though. All the same, now you two are doing well too.”

“This nothingness what you felt is called the opening of inner mind. In that exact state, apart from seeing, you can also hear, smell and observe movements around you too. Of course, you need more concentration and practice to achieve it.” Mahapitha said taking a deep breath.

“How does it help us in our venture Mahapitha?” Bakula asked him taking the opportunity to ask the question that has in his very mind since long time.

“You can steady the unseen presence of others including wild animals, creatures, insects, or any possible danger by opening your inner mind. It helps you in knowing things beforehand. I know Atma has mastered it since it is in his blood, but I strictly advise you two to learn and perfect it by continual practice, you will need it.” Mahapitha looked at Vasundari and Bakula. Both nodded in agreement.

With a thin mischievous smile on his face Mahapitha continued, “Now Vasundari, close your eyes and think of nothing, yes, now imagine Bakula in your mind, his very picture.” Mahapitha slowly moved Bakula to stand in front of Atma without making any noise.

“Now what do you see, where exactly Bakula is standing now Vasundari?” Mahapitha asked softly touching her head.

Vasundari imaged Bakula and she saw him standing in front of Atma, “He   - he is standing in front of Atma Mahapitha.”          

“Very much so dear! Now open your eyes. That is a good start, I advise you all to practice this lesson more and more and observe for the objects, noise and smell around you. I assure that you certainly will discover many interesting things about them, seen and unseen.”

“If our mind if so powerful why can’t all people use it Mahapitha?” Vasundari asked.

“It is a very good question my darling. People, especially grownups, does have lot of negative thoughts in their mind and hence their innocence is lost somewhere in that. Furthermore, their own greed, desire, jealous and unselfishness block them from achieving the state of nothingness. Hence they cannot open their inner mind. But as I see, being very young and innocent, you three don’t have those qualities in you, at least not yet, and hence you can easily open your inner mind and achieve the state of nothingness. Remember opening inner mind is a very powerful tool that people are unaware of. You should learn to control and activate it whenever and wherever you wish. But do remember never allow your greed, jealous, desire and selfish to take over your innocence.” Mahapitha explained in a tone that surprised everyone. His advice seemed to hold steadily in their mind.

Further, as per the advice of old Warlock all the three closed their eyes and began to see their targets in mind’s eye. They practiced for hours throwing and shooting their weapons. To their great self astonishment, they seemed to have mastered the art of hitting their targets even with their closed eyes – every time.

In truth, they had learned the great art of so called ‘Perfect Vision’, which was combined of their inner and outer visions together. This very fact helped them to achieve to reach their targets accurately.

Henceforth Mahapitha made Bakula and Vasundari to hit their respective arrows and boomerang at every target that he showed. He made sure that all the three could hit instantly at any targets whether it was in the air, water or on the ground very accurately.     

Satisfied with their successful practice, Mahapitha stood up at once and smiled at the three, “I am visiting the palace, I shall return after sometime and continue the lessons, and meanwhile you all sit here and visualize the image of myself in your closed eyes. Mind you, don’t let anything else bother you – for, that may not let you open your inner mind. Let me see if you have anything to say to me later, when I return back from Palace.” With that Mahapitha walked away showing his back.

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