THE FALLEN DIVINITY

Riya and Vani hurried Sristi into the medical room, their movements careful yet urgent. They gently laid her on a bed. Her body limb and her breathing heavy, a visible struggle that tugged painfully at Riya's heart.

"Hey, Riya, what do you think happened to her?" Vani asked, concern etched across her features as she watched Sristi.

"I don't know," Riya replied, brushing a strand of hair away from Sristi's damp forehead. Her voice soft and anxious. "When I saw her this morning, she looked unwell. Her face was pale, her eyes distant. I wish Nira's here."

"Oh… and I notice Sristi and Nira both didn't come to school for last two weeks, do you know why?" Vani continued, trying to put together the puzzle.

Riya shook her head, her lips pressing into a thin line. "I have no idea. I called both of them during that time but neither of them answered."

"Did something happen between you three? Did you guys fight?" Vani asked gently, here tone careful.

"No, we didn't fight" Riya responded quickly, shaking her head again. "In fact, last we spoke, we were planning to meet this local singer Nira had a crush on."

Vani' brows furrowed slightly, her curiosity piqued. "A singer? Do you remember his name?"

"Yeah… His name is Abhinash" Riya replied, the name slipping out almost absentmindedly.

The moment Vani heard the name, something stroked her mind. Her expression shifted, a flicker of recognition crossed her face, following by something darker. Her mind raced, trying to place the puzzle together.

Abhinash, Vani had been expecting that name, but somewhere deep inside, she just hoped, prayed, that Riya didn't spoke that name. Why did it have to be him? A knot tightening in her chest. Of all people, why her classmates?

Before Vani could dwell further on the troubling connection, Riya's panicked voice pulled her back to the present. "What do we do?" Riya exclaimed, her voice trembling as she noticed Sristi's breathing growing more labored. "Sristi, please calm down, Sristi."

Vani's gaze sharpened as she assessed the situation. "I think you should go and called our teacher," Vani suggested urgency, her tone steady but firm.

Riya nodded, hesitating for a moment. Her heard pounding, she rushed out of the medical room to find their teacher.

Left alone with Sristi, Vani settled beside unconscious Sristi, gently placing her right hand on Sristi's cold, damp forehead. She took a deep breath, closing her eyes, Vani began to chant softly, her voice barely audible murmur that carried profound aura and weight.

"ॐ त्र्यम्बकं यजामहे," (Om Tryambakam Yajamahe)

As the sacred words left her lips, a mysterious symbol began to materialised on the back of her, glowing faintly at first, like a flicker of light breaking through darkness.

"सुगन्धिं पुष्टिवर्धनम्" (Sugandhim Pushtivardhanam) 

With each word, the symbol became more intricate and mesmerizing, a mandala of intersecting patterns. At its centre, a small, glowing Om, the sacred syllable pulsed gently. Surrounding it were concentric circles inscribed with ancient Sanskrit characters that seemed to shimmer with a light of their own. The outermost ring was adorned with delicate lotus petals, representing purity and spiritual awakening, it was the symbol of the Mrityunjaya Mantra, embodying healing a protection.

"उर्वारुकमिव बन्धनान् मृत्योर्मुक्षीय मामृतात्" (Urvarukamiva bandhanan Mrityor mukshiya mamritat)

As Vani completed the mantra, her right palm radiated a soothing green light. The radiance spread gently over Sristi's forehead, enveloping her in a cocoon of tranquility. Sristi's labored breathing eased, the heavy strain lifting as if an unease burden had been lifted. The dark shadow of fear that had gripped her seemed to dissolve, leaving her in a deep, restful sleep.

Vani slowly opened her eyes, noticed the fading grow of the symbol. She let out a sigh of relief and gently stroked Sristi's hair, her voice soft and comforting.

"Rest now," Vani murmured, her heart swelling with relief. Sristi's features had softened, her face serene for the first time that day. Whatever terror had consumed her was gone, at least for now.

In case you are wondering…

(Om Tryambakam Yajamahe)

 T/N:- We worship the three-eyed one, Lord Shiva,

(Sugandhim Pushtivardhanam)

T/N:- who is fragrant and nourishes all beings.

(Urvarukamiva bandhanan Mrityor mukshiya mamritat)

T/N:- . May he release us from the bondage of mortality, just as a ripe fruit effortlessly detaches from its vine, but not from immortality.