The tension in the heavens had not abated. Indra, still troubled by the growing devotion to Lakshmi, Vaibhavi, and Alakshmi, had made his intentions clear. Though the whispers among the mortals had begun to subside, Indra could not let go of the seed of doubt he had planted. He called upon his court once more, summoning the gods to a council—this time, not to merely discuss the goddesses, but to put them to the test.
The celestial hall was filled with murmurs as the gods took their places. Each god in Indra's court had their own devotees, their own realm of influence, and their own purpose. But now, they were united under a single cause—to determine if the goddesses were truly acting for the benefit of the world, or if they had overstepped their divine roles.
Narad, ever devoted to Vishnu, Vijaya, and Kalavira, sat in quiet contemplation. His heart was heavy, for he knew that this test could bring unforeseen consequences. But he also knew that faith, like balance, must sometimes be tested to be truly understood.
Indra, seated at the head of the council, stood and addressed the gathering. His voice was firm, laced with the authority that came from being the ruler of the heavens. "We have watched as Lakshmi, Vaibhavi, and Alakshmi descended to Earth, bringing prosperity, wisdom, and balance. But we must ask ourselves: Is this balance truly for the good of the world, or has their influence grown too great? Have they, perhaps, forgotten their place among the gods?"
Varuna, god of the seas, was the first to respond, his voice calm but filled with concern. "Indra, balance is essential to the world. Lakshmi's prosperity, Vaibhavi's wisdom, and Alakshmi's misfortune are all part of the cosmic order. If we test them, we risk disrupting this balance."
Agni, god of fire, leaned forward, his flames flickering with intensity. "Yet, the mortals have begun to place their faith entirely in these goddesses. Indra raises a valid point. We must ensure that the goddesses' power does not overshadow our own."
Narad's heart sank as he listened. He knew that this test was not about balance—it was about power. The gods, though revered, feared the growing influence of the goddesses. They feared being forgotten, their own devotees turning toward the prosperity, wisdom, and misfortune that Lakshmi, Vaibhavi, and Alakshmi offered.
Indra's eyes flashed with determination. "Then let it be decided. We shall strip them of their powers, temporarily, and see if the balance holds. If they are truly acting for the benefit of the world, the Earth will not suffer in their absence. If not, we shall see the truth revealed."
The gods murmured among themselves, some agreeing with Indra, others hesitant to take such drastic action. But the decision had been made. The test would proceed.
Above Earth, Lakshmi, Vaibhavi, and Alakshmi felt the ripples of the council's decision. They had sensed the growing tension in Indra's court, but they had remained focused on their duties—prosperity, wisdom, and balance. Yet, as the gods began to act, they felt their powers begin to wane.
Lakshmi's golden glow dimmed, her blessings of abundance slowly fading. The crops that had once flourished now struggled to survive, the rivers that had flowed so freely began to slow. Vaibhavi's silvery aura, once a beacon of wisdom and clarity, began to fade. Mortals who had sought spiritual enlightenment found their minds clouded with confusion. And Alakshmi, whose dark presence had tempered the blessings with necessary misfortune, found herself unable to balance the scales. Misfortune, without her guidance, became chaos, untethered and destructive.
The mortals, unaware of the test being conducted in the heavens, felt the sudden shift. Where once there had been prosperity, there was now uncertainty. Where there had been wisdom, there was now confusion. And where misfortune had been a lesson, it now became suffering without reason.
In the village where Sumati and Deepa lived, the effects were immediate. Sumati, who had always trusted in the goddesses, felt the weight of the sudden change. Her child, once healthy and strong, now grew weak. The crops in the fields withered before her eyes, and the villagers, sensing the shift, began to panic.
"Why have the goddesses abandoned us?" one villager cried out.
"Have we angered them?" another asked, fear creeping into their voice.
Deepa, who had once doubted but had come to trust in the balance, now found herself questioning again. "Sumati," she whispered, "what if the whispers were true? What if the goddesses cannot maintain the balance?"
Sumati, her heart heavy, knelt by the pond where she had prayed so many times before. The water was no longer shimmering with golden light. It was still, as if the blessings had been taken back. But even as the world around her seemed to unravel, Sumati's faith did not falter.
"The goddesses have not abandoned us," she said softly, her voice steady. "This is a test, not of them, but of us. We must hold on to our faith. Balance will be restored."
Above, the gods watched as the mortals struggled, their lives thrown into disarray by the sudden absence of the goddesses' powers. Indra, satisfied that his test had revealed the truth, prepared to return their powers—believing that the lesson had been learned, that the goddesses' influence should remain tempered.
But Mahadev, watching silently from his place in the heavens, saw deeper than the rest. He saw the true test unfolding, not in the loss of power, but in the hearts of the mortals. Those who clung to faith, even in the face of uncertainty, were the ones who would understand the real nature of balance.
Narad, too, watched with a heavy heart. His devotion to Vishnu, Vijaya, and Kalavira had taught him the importance of faith and balance. He knew that this test would be the beginning of something greater—a test not just for the goddesses, but for all the gods.
As Indra prepared to restore the goddesses' powers, Mahadev spoke, his voice calm but commanding. "The test is not yet complete. Let the mortals find their faith, even in the absence of power. Only then will true balance be restored."
The gods, though surprised by Mahadev's words, knew better than to question him. And so, the test continued. The goddesses, stripped of their powers, remained on Earth, watching as the mortals struggled with the balance they had once taken for granted.
Sumati, still kneeling by the pond, prayed silently. She did not ask for the return of prosperity or wisdom. She did not ask for the blessings she had once received. She prayed only for understanding—for the strength to endure the trials that had come upon her village.
And as her prayer rose into the heavens, Lakshmi, Vaibhavi, and Alakshmi heard it. Though their powers had been taken, their connection to the mortals remained. They knew that the test would pass, and that those who held on to faith would emerge stronger.
For faith, like balance, was not easily shaken. And in the end, it would be the key to restoring harmony to the world.
This chapter focuses on the gods' decision to test the goddesses by stripping them of their powers, and the resulting chaos on Earth. It also highlights the importance of faith in the face of uncertainty.