"The Heavenly Emperor is right, Soma must be in the Milk Sea,"
Water God Falou stated.
Wind God Vayu and Fire God Agni also nodded in agreement.
"The Milk Sea, where Goddess Lakshmi is as well. Our Divine Power is weakening by the minute. If this continues, I'm afraid we'll soon lose even the power to fly down from the Heavenly Realm,"
Sun God Surya said, opening his mouth wide, a look of helplessness on his face.
Indra turned to look at Surya.
At this moment, not only had Surya's face darkened to a deep black, but even the whites of his eyes and his tongue had become pitch-black, devoid of any radiant hue.
He was even darker than a black person!
It was then that Garuda could no longer hold back his anger. With his wings fully outstretched and feathers bristling, he pointed an accusing finger and said, "If it weren't for you, Heavenly Emperor, delaying us with your constant ascetic practices, we could have sought an audience with Lord Vishnu much earlier to find a solution. How did it come to this, with Soma disappearing and the Heavenly Realm in such a state!"
"So what!"
Indra turned his head, his expression cooling.
This Garuda seemed to be constantly looking for trouble with him!
"So what?"
"So is that your excuse for destroying my palace?"
"That's the least of it. You show no respect to the Supreme Lord. I've been sent by Lord Vishnu to deliver a message, and I've been waiting for a long time. Yet, you show no response, immersed in your ascetic meditation. Even Lord Brahma angered Shiva when he became engrossed in meditation, and you have committed a grave sin of disrespecting the Supreme Lord!"
Garuda stared directly at Heavenly Emperor Indra, proud as he was, a soaring eagle of the skies, he did not hesitate to rebuke him outright.
Speaking thus, his fury grew even more.
He had gone to great lengths to reach the Heavenly Realm, only to find it in ruins.
The gods were losing their strength, and all living things were withering away!
The wait was in vain, the divine command unfulfilled!
"Indra, your sins are immense and evil!"
Garuda's wings fluttered slightly, whirlwinds swirling within his feathers, and his right hand fiercely opened, revealing a Great Hammer that appeared in his grasp, shimmering with golden light. Anger boiling over, he strode toward Indra.
Indra's eyes widened, fixed on Garuda.
This guy...
...was coming to attack me!
Indra was stunned!
The other gods were also petrified, their mouths agape, not daring to move.
Indra stared intently at Garuda, watching as the other took large strides forward, the golden Great Hammer raised in his hand, casting a round shadow on Indra's head.
Gulp!
Indra swallowed a mouthful of saliva.
He hadn't endured years of asceticism just to get beaten up!
He immediately decided to strike first!
But now he was hardly capable of fighting, unable to summon even his weapon. There was only one option left!
"Garuda!"
Indra tried to maintain his dignity, raising his finger towards Garuda, he let out a thunderous yell.
Garuda! Garuda! Garuda!
With his bellowing, the Power of Asceticism surged; the entire Heavenly Realm echoed with this ear-splitting thunderous roar, as lightning violently tossed and turned within the clouds.
Boom!
Rumbling thunder!
The Heavenly Realm trembled, the centuries of Indra's ascetic Power of Asceticism emerging and influencing the entire realm.
"A realm cannot have two kings, just as a nation cannot have two rulers, and the Heavenly Realm can only have one Heavenly Emperor, and that is me, Indra!"
"This is the universe's Righteous Law!"
Indra declared loudly.
Garuda's movements paused ever so slightly.
Indra's gaze was firm, staring directly at Garuda with a solemn tone.
"We both share the same father, Jiayebo Immortal!"
"You are a devotee of Lord Vishnu, living comfortably by the Supreme Lord's side, protected by him. You don't need a brother like me. Yet now, you come on the Supreme Lord's command to invite me, and have the nerve to say to me, 'Indra, your sins are great and evil'."
"You don't respect me at all, not as your brother or even as your friend!"
"You won't even call me Heavenly Emperor!"
"Now, you not only disturb my asceticism but also wish to assault your brother. Arrogance and anger have clouded your mind; you have violated the Righteous Law. I shall curse you!"
"Garuda!"
Indra bellowed sharply.
At that moment, the Power of Asceticism transformed into a pillar of light, instantly piercing through the Heavenly Realm and the mortal realm, shining into the Ganges. The waters of the Ganges on Earth suddenly began to boil.
The Ganges Goddess appeared abruptly above the Ganges, transforming into a beautiful woman with four arms.
She wore a white lotus on her head, her body adorned with gold, her face as white as jade, with a neck as graceful as a swan's and skin as fair as snow. One hand held a cleansing bottle, another a lotus, while the remaining two hands were joined in a gesture of praise and veneration.
"Praise to Heavenly Emperor Indra!"
The Ganges Goddess looked at the waters of the Ganges rushing towards the Heavenly Realm and sang praises.
For the Ganges is a sacred river, and water from it makes the curse even more potent!
Hu-la-la!
The waters of the Ganges traversed the void, crossing countless distances, and in an instant appeared in the Heavenly Realm, pouring over Garuda.
As the Ganges Water fell, it soaked Garuda entirely; clinging to his wings, no matter how much he shook, he could not rid himself of it, becoming a drenched bird.
...
"This is bad!"
"This is the entanglement of karma from a curse; Indra is going to lay a curse!"
Far above the Milk Sea, Vishnu's calm expression grew grave; he instantly realized something was wrong.
Atop Mount Kailash,
Beneath the banyan tree, Shiva, with his hair spread out, his third eye on the brow closed, his deep eyes fixed and powerful, draped in leopard skin, the Trishula standing by his side. He sat perched upon a great rock, one leg slightly bent, the other hanging relaxed, as if in meditation.
Shiva's mount, the holy bull Nandi, dressed in white robes, swung his short, drooping ears, looking at Shiva.
"Supreme Lord, it seems Garuda has run into trouble!"
Nandi said.
"Garuda has committed the sin of pride, disturbing the devout in their ascetic practices. Indra is in accordance with the Righteous Law,"
said Shiva.
Having spoken, he slowly closed his eyes.
The holy bull Nandi looked startled, then slowly nodded, reminding himself to also be careful in the future.
Brahmaloka.
Brahma too couldn't help but widen his eyes, watching this unfold.
It's very rare to see the Heavenly Emperor in asceticism, let alone cursing someone! The gods of the Heavenly Realm were the kind who would continue to play music, continue to dance; asceticism was impossible for them, something they'd never do in this lifetime.
But letting Indra utter the curse would make the situation hard to control!
As Brahma thought this, he immediately called someone to go to the Heavenly Realm.
...
Garuda!!!
In this echoing voice, Garuda finally looked panicked; he stared at Indra in disbelief.
The other gods were shocked by the scene.
It had only been a few centuries, and the Heavenly Emperor had already become so domineering!
At this moment, Garuda took a deep breath to calm his emotions. As the proud Golden-winged Great Peng, he feared no curse.
"Then lay your curse on me, for I shall not flinch before anyone's curse!"
"Especially not before you, Indra!"
Garuda said with courage.
Seeing this, Indra's eyes narrowed as he stared at Garuda. Then abruptly, he revealed a slight smile and spoke slowly, word by word,
"I curse you!"
"You shall never see Lord Vishnu again, be it during the day, night, or dusk. As a devout follower, your offerings will not be carried by the Fire Sacrifice to the Supreme Lord, and your songs of praise will not reach the ears of the Supreme Lord!"
"You shall forever be unable to sense any trace of the Supreme Lord! Receive no answer from the Supreme Lord!"
The voice thundered!
Boom!
Garuda was struck as if by lightning!