The awakening of destiny

The dusty roads of Andhra Pradesh India unfolded under the evening sun as Kmk and his friend Bhargava rode pillion on kmk's scooter. 

They were in the East Godavari district, near Razole, cruising down Shivacodu Road, heading towards Kalingulu. 

The power plant hummed in the distance as they passed it.

“Bro, Kmk,” Bhargava called over the scooter’s engine, “are you still thinking about that girl, Lakshmi? Do you still love her?”Kmk sighed, the familiar ache returning to his chest. “Yes, I do. 

But what can I do? I can’t do anything. She is in love with someone else, someone more handsome than me. What can I even do, bro! I just saw her, didn’t even talk to her, just saw her twice. My gods! Why is this even happening to me?”They arrived at Bhargava’s house gate. 

Bhargava pulled to a stop, and Kmk hopped off. 

 Then, right in front of Bhargava’s house, on her porch, Kmk saw her – the same 26-year-old who had captured his heart, Lakshmi. Kmk couldn’t control himself; he simply stared

.“Bro, are you okay?” Bhargava asked, noticing Kmk’s frozen gaze.Kmk blinked, forcing himself to look away

. “Yes, I am fine. But I really don’t understand what is wrong with me and why God chose that goddamn man as her boyfriend and not me. Anyway, see you tomorrow!”With a forced smile, Kmk waved goodbye and Bhargava entered his house.

 The sun began to set, casting long shadows. Suddenly, Kmk’s scooter sputtered and died right at the Kalingulu center.“What the hell!” Kmk exclaimed, frustrated. “Here, I even forgot to bring my phone with me. What do I have to do now?”He climbed off the scooter and started pushing it. The sky was already dark. He was at the Kalingulu center, near a huge bael tree, and the nearby lake was eerily silent. Sweat beaded on Kmk’s forehead. He strained, pushing the heavy scooter towards the small roadside shrines of Lord Hanuman and Lord Ganesha.“Okay,” Kmk muttered to himself, “everything is going to be okay!”He looked around, hoping to see someone, anyone. But there was no one, only a strange red light emanating from the sky.“What is this?” Kmk said aloud, his voice echoing in the stillness. “Not even a single bike is passing from here today. I am stuck right here!”

Then he looked up at the sky. The moon was a terrifying sight – a red blood moon eclipse. He remembered hearing on the news that morning that this celestial event, which last appeared in 4000 BCE during the Indus Valley Civilization, had arrived again after millennia. At the same moment, he saw a brilliant star in the sky, the North Pole Star. Kmk was shocked.“What in the name of the gods! Is this?” he whispered.The star began to shine even brighter, and all the other stars seemed to rotate around it.

 A powerful, divine cosmic energy streamed from the North Pole Star, directly towards Kmk. He cried out.

Scene shifts to Lakshmi’s house.Lakshmi was also looking at the sky at the same time, but she couldn’t see any shining star or anything unusual like Kmk did. Her boyfriend called her from inside, and she went in.

Scene shifts back to Kmk.Kmk opened his eyes and looked around. He was no longer under the bael tree at the shrines in Kalingulu center. Instead, he found himself in a kind of divine realm filled with stars. 

He saw a golden throne, and a young and beautiful man emerged from behind it.“Welcome, Kmk,” the man said, his voice resonating with a gentle power. 

He sat on the throne. “Welcome, the chosen one, the dharmic warrior!”Kmk was stunned. “Wait, what? Where am I? This is not the Kalingulu center!”The young man smiled. “Of course, it is not! This is the realm of stars, and I am at the top among them all. I am Dhruva, one of the greatest devotees of Lord Vishnu!”Kmk’s eyes widened in disbelief. “Are you saying that… the five-year-old boy who did Tapasya for Lord Vishnu? I heard that story from my grandfather. That boy from the Puranas… is you?”Dhruva nodded. “Yes, I am that Dhruva.

”The Story of Dhruva“

Dhruva was a young prince, the son of King Uttanapada and his wife Suniti. Uttanapada also had another wife, Suruchi, who was his favorite and had a son named Uttama.One day, young Dhruva went to sit on his father's lap. Suruchi, filled with jealousy and arrogance, rebuked him harshly, saying that only her son Uttama had the right to sit on the king's lap. 

She taunted Dhruva, reminding him that he was born of Suniti, who was not favored by the king.

These cruel words deeply wounded the tender heart of Dhruva. 

He ran crying to his mother, Suniti, who, though saddened by her son's plight, consoled him with wisdom. 

She told him not to be disheartened by Suruchi's words and advised him that if he truly desired a position higher than even Uttama's, he should seek the grace of Lord Vishnu through devotion and penance.

The Austere Penance:Inspired by his mother's words, the young Dhruva, only five years old, resolved to undertake a severe penance (tapasya) to attain the favor of Lord Vishnu. 

Without informing anyone, he left the palace and ventured into the dense forest.In the forest, he encountered the great sage Narada Muni. 

Narada, recognizing the boy's determination and the intensity of his resolve, tried to dissuade him, telling him that such severe austerities were difficult even for grown-ups. He advised Dhruva to return to his father and enjoy his childhood.However, Dhruva's determination was unwavering.

 He respectfully listened to Narada but remained firm in his resolve to seek Lord Vishnu. Seeing his steadfastness, Narada initiated him into a sacred mantra – ‘Om Namo Bhagavate Vasudevaya’ – and guided him on the process of meditation. Dhruva then began his intense penance. 

He stood on one leg, controlled his senses, and meditated deeply on Lord Vishnu, chanting the mantra given by Narada. He gradually gave up food and water, his focus solely on his devotion.

The intensity of Dhruva's penance began to affect the entire universe. The heat generated by his austerities became unbearable for the Devas (demigods). They approached Lord Vishnu, seeking his intervention. Lord Vishnu, knowing the pure heart and unwavering devotion of Dhruva, decided to appear before him.

 He manifested in his divine form before the young boy, who was still deeply absorbed in meditation. When Dhruva opened his eyes and saw the radiant form of Lord Vishnu, his heart overflowed with joy and devotion. However, due to his young age and the intensity of his penance, he found himself unable to utter proper words of praise. 

Understanding his devotee's difficulty, Lord Vishnu touched Dhruva's cheek with his divine conch shell (shankha). This touch instantly blessed Dhruva with divine knowledge and the ability to articulate beautiful hymns in praise of the Lord.Dhruva offered heartfelt prayers to Lord Vishnu, expressing his devotion and his initial desire for a high position. Lord Vishnu, pleased with his sincerity and unwavering faith, granted him a boon.While Dhruva had initially sought a worldly position, his intense devotion had purified his heart.

 Recognizing the transient nature of earthly desires, he now only longed for eternal devotion to the Lord. Lord Vishnu also assured Dhruva that he would return to his kingdom, rule righteously, and eventually attain liberation.Nevertheless, Lord Vishnu fulfilled his initial wish as well. 

He blessed Dhruva with an eternal abode, a star that would forever shine brightly in the heavens – the Dhruva Nakshatra (the Pole Star). 

He declared that even after the dissolution of the universe (during Pralaya), Dhruva's star would remain steadfast. As Lord Vishnu had promised, Dhruva returned to his kingdom and was warmly welcomed by his father, Uttanapada.Eventually, Uttanapada retired to the forest to pursue spiritual practices, and Dhruva ascended the throne.

Dhruva ruled for many thousands of years with righteousness, wisdom, and devotion to Lord Vishnu. 

His kingdom prospered under his just rule, and he was loved and respected by his subjects. He fulfilled his earthly duties with dedication.After a long and fulfilling reign, Dhruva realized that his time on Earth was coming to an end.

 He installed his son as the next king and decided to relinquish his worldly responsibilities to seek final liberation (moksha).Filled with detachment and devotion, Dhruva journeyed to a sacred place, often mentioned as Badarikashrama (in the Himalayas), to engage in further spiritual practices and prepare for his departure from the mortal realm.

The Puranas narrate a beautiful and divine departure for Dhruva. When the time came, a celestial chariot (vimana) descended from the heavens to take him to his eternal abode.

In some accounts, it's mentioned that the very messengers of Lord Vishnu came to escort him.Dhruva, having lived a life of unwavering devotion and righteous conduct, joyfully boarded the celestial chariot, shedding his mortal coil.The Pole Star (Dhruva Nakshatra):As promised by Lord Vishnu, Dhruva attained a unique and exalted position in the cosmos. He became the Dhruva Nakshatra, the Pole Star.

The Pole Star is described as a fixed point in the sky around which all other stars and planets revolve. 

This symbolizes Dhruva's steadfast devotion and the permanence of his spiritual attainment.The Puranas often emphasize that Dhruva's position is higher than even the planets of the Saptarshis (the seven great sages) and the celestial beings. It's an eternal abode granted by Lord Vishnu himself.His mother, Suniti, is also sometimes mentioned as having attained a celestial position near Dhruva.

The story ended, back to the present and then Kmk stammered, “Am I dreaming? What is wrong with me? Why am I here?”Dhruva replied, his gaze steady, “Because you are the chosen one, the dharmic warrior. 

And you will become the warrior Dhruva, to protect dharma and the world from the greatest destruction that is about to come.”“What! I am the chosen one? A dharmic warrior? Chosen by whom?” Kmk asked, bewildered. “You?”“It’s not me, but the supreme Lord Vishnu himself!” Dhruva declared.

Kmk was stunned and shocked at the same time, hearing the name of the supreme Lord.Dhruva continued, “You will receive my powers, and you and other dharmic warriors will have to face the greatest enemies of dharma! And you shall be the leader of the dharmic warriors in the future.”Kmk, still reeling, replied, “If that’s what the supreme Lord wants, then I accept it.”Dhruva raised his hand in a blessing pose. “Vijayi Bhava!”

A divine cosmic energy emanated from him and entered Kmk. Kmk levitated into the sky, and a light, swirling with blue and white, radiated from him. When Kmk opened his eyes again, he was in his own home, not at the Kalingulu center or in that celestial realm. Overwhelmed, he collapsed onto the ground in his house porch.

Scene shifts to an unknown, rugged hilly realm.Negative energy from all around the world converged there, coalescing into a malevolent, smoke-like shadow form. This was Adharma Purusha. From him emerged 30,000 Asura army, who bowed their heads in his presence.“My great-great-great-grandson, Kali Yuga Purusha, thinks he can just take over the world by manipulating these humans,” Adharma Purusha hissed, his voice like grinding stones. “But that will take a long time. Instead, I want to go back to our old ways! The old ways of the Asuras! We shall destroy the humans, instill fear in them, and make them surrender. 

We shall conquer the Earth!”

All 30,000 Asura warriors roared in unison, “Hail Adharma Purusha! Hail Adharma Purusha!”

He continued, his shadowy form pulsing with dark energy, “Go now! We shall conquer the world!”

Scene shifts to another realm called Kali Loka.The evil Asura, Kali Yuga Purusha, sat on his golden throne with all other powerful Asuras, observing the events in the hilly realm. 

His Asura general stood beside him.“Lord, your great-great-grandfather…” the general began.Kali Yuga Purusha waved a dismissive hand. “Let him do what he wants! If he thinks brute force is the answer, let him try.”Just then, they both witnessed the same celestial phenomenon that Kmk had seen – the radiant North Pole Star and the swirling energy.“Oh,” Kali Yuga Purusha said, a flicker of something akin to amusement in his eyes. “The dharmic warriors.. interesting! now it's worth watching what happens next

Scene shifts back to the hilly realm.Adharma Purusha also saw the surge of divine energy emanating from the North Pole Star.“Dharmic warriors!” he spat, his smoky form writhing with fury. He turned to his Asuras. “Find them! End them first!”With that, Adharma Purusha vanished.

 The 30,000 Asura army, under the command of five great Asura generals, began their march towards Earth from the Asura realm.

Scene shifts back to Kali Loka.Kali Yuga Purusha’s general looked at his lord, concern etched on his face. “What should we do now, Lord?”Kali Yuga Purusha leaned back on his throne, a sinister smile playing on his lips. “Nothing. Let’s see how my great-great-grandfather and his generals fare against these so-called dharmic warriors. Perhaps they will succeed where subtlety has failed. Or perhaps… they will be wiped out. But it is clear that he is watching everything.”“He? Who, Lord?” the general asked, confused.Kali Yuga Purusha’s smile widened. “He! My greatest enemy. Lord Vishnu. The supreme Lord!”

 then Kali Yuga purusha looked at the dark sky 

chapter ends there!

To be continued in Chapter 2: Battle begins - Battle of Rajamahendravaram, Dowleswaram Barrage