Between Two Worlds
“You think he'll understand?” He entreated.
“Depends on whether you ask or tell,” she replied stoically.
“Should I take your calm acceptance to my truth as aloofness, as I am adopted or as unwavering support of a mother?” He demanded.
Her unrestrained laughter unnerved him, “Ma! I am undergoing a sex-change surgery, I am no longer going to be your son, but a daughter, do you get it?”
“You are fortunate that it can be done now. I accept your truth, are you ready for mine?” She needled.
“Ma...”
“I couldn’t tolerate a man’s touch, let alone the entire drill. Unfortunately, neither the society nor my parents accepted me for who I was. They forced me into an alliance with a man, for namesake. To complete the facade, you were brought in. However, I perceived your inner turmoil even before you did and vowed to stand by you.”
“Ma... ... Don't know what to say or do?”
“You really want to do something?” She interjected, “then be the Southern Cross.”
“Southern Cross?”
“Yes, The Southern Cross; The Trishanku!”
“Trishanku! Wasn’t he a ridiculed character? Why?” He bellowed.
“He was as different as you are. He wished to enter heaven in his mortal form and thus defy rules of the Gods, does it sound familiar?”
“Rules of Gods?”
“Trishanku or King Satyavrat wished to be accepted to heaven in his worldly mortal form. This was against the rule book of the creators. Satyavrat approached Sage Vishwamitra for help. Vishwamitra, the greatest sage of those times, acceded to his desire.”
“Then...”
“Vishwamitra, with his magical spells transcended Satyavrat towards the heaven. The Gods panicked, if a human would enter heaven in his earthly form, their power would become questionable. The King of Gods, Indra requested Vishwamitra to not defy the law of nature and pushed Satyavrat down towards earth. Thus, he hung between two worlds upside down. Vishwamitra bowed down to the rule book but refused to betray his protégé. Therefore, he created a new heaven for him, where he was suspended upside down, thereby called ‘Trishanku.’ Trishanku, who made his own heaven.”
“Will I be able to fight against nature?”
“Trishanku’s desire was not against nature but against authority. Had nature been against him, he wouldn’t be adorning the sky as the Southern Cross. The constellation guides all travellers from the Northern Hemisphere. Crossing it, is a symbol of divine blessing.”
“But he is cursed, to be upside down…”
“You need to turn certain beliefs upside down to set them right. Son, make your own heaven, your own world. Nature gives freedom to flowers to bloom when they desire, rivers flow where they are inclined to and wind destroys and procreate by dispersing seeds. Nature accepts all. And, so shall it accept you.” She concluded.
“You shall face antagonism and the world will ridicule you. Remember the choice is between two worlds; one where you stand and the other that you sought.”
He knew that his Vishwamitra will never let him down.
[ratemypost]
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