Narad and Angat navigated the bustling hall until they arrived at the Provisions Desk....a long, crystalline counter where streams of light coalesced into orderly queues. After a short wait, their turn came.
"We are here for the provisional agent's introductory kit," Narad announced to the clerk, a being whose form seemed to be woven from shifting light. "The nano-tech divine soul system, Karmic OS 2.1, and a personal assistant."
The clerk's fingers danced across a console of solid light, pulling up Angat's registration data. The screen displayed his information, confirmed the update, and finalized his status. A small, iridescent pill materialized from a nearby console in a soft shimmer of light, which the clerk handed to Angat.
"Swallow it, Vatsa," Narad instructed gently. "It contains your new system, pre-installed with the holo-assistant. It will be slightly discomforting for a few seconds."
With a hesitant nod, Angat placed the pill on his tongue and swallowed. For a moment, there was nothing. Then, a wave of nausea and dizziness washed over him, so intense he thought he might dissolve. Just as suddenly, the sensation shifted. It was like his perception had been upgraded from a blurry 720p to stunning, hyper-real 4K. He could now see the blinding radiance of Narad's divine form and the intricate waves of karma weaving through Brahmalok, blending into the very fabric of reality itself.
A final, soothing sensation spread from his heart to his mind, a feeling like being dipped into a bracing, cold shower. He shivered violently, and then everything returned to normal, as if nothing had happened.
"It's okay, Vatsa," Narad reassured him, a hand on his shoulder. "Just the after-effects of a new soul-data attachment and your holo assistant will take some time to take in your soul essence and form a nascent intelligence.Now, you should say or rather, think in your mind ...'Status'."
Angat complied, focusing inward. He thought.....
STATUS \\
NAME:ANGAT (SOUL FORM)
TITLE:NONE
UNABLE TO DETECT BODY STATUS (error)
BLESSINGS:
{Aishwarya Siddhi – "Fulfillment of Prosperity and Achievement"
Slight increase in probability of favorable events.}
As Angat accessed his status, confusion washed over him. First, the stark message about his lack of a body. Second, the blessing. Then, he remembered the warm, opulent auras of Maa Riddhi and Maa Siddhi, and understanding dawned.
"Narad Ji," he began, his mental voice a whisper in the real world. "This status panel... my body, and this blessing... how does it work?"
Narad peered at the holographic display only Angat could see. "Ah, Aishwarya Siddhi. A minor but elegant blessing from the goddesses of accomplishment. Do not expect it to summon mountains of gold. Its power is subtler..a slight nudge in probability, a fortunate coincidence when you need it most, perhaps a stroke of luck when untangling a particularly stubborn karmic thread. It is a gentle hand on your shoulder, not a push."
Then, Narad's expression grew more serious as he reread the body status. "As for this... your situation is unusual, Vatsa. In the normal procedure, we take the remnant karma..a kind of soul's source code ,from an agent's previous life. Then, we blend it with a donated essence from a senior agent, which acts as a UI to shape a new divine body. Sometimes, for very special cases, we use the essence of a god, but that is generally reserved for divine progeny."
He paused, tapping his chin. "In your case, the karmic buffer overflow wiped your slate clean. We have nothing to use as an anchor. Without some form of karmic attachment to adhere you to a universe, you would be like a loose thread in the cosmic tapestry, vulnerable to anomalies during multiversal travel."
Narad fell into a deep contemplation, his brow furrowed in thought. "Hmm... Let me think..."
A minute or two passed in silence before Narad's divine tablet chimed with a serene, resonant tone: "Om... Om... Om..."
"Oh, who's this now..." Narad flicked his wrist, and a message materialized in the air. As he read it, his face shifted from curiosity to sheer, flabbergasted surprise. The message from Mother Saraswati was pleasant, yet carried an unmistakable edge:
"Narad, I miss you, son. I see that you have returned to Brahmalok but are still avoiding your mother, huh? I suppose it must be because of Sister Lakshmi's Sunday party and that... Surprise birthday present. Come here now, or I'll have to think of a new title for your next birthday...!!!"
Narad stood utterly stunned.
Angat, having read the message over his shoulder, felt a laugh bubble up in his chest. He tried valiantly to suppress it, his shoulders shaking with the effort, his face turning red.
Narad composed himself, offering a strained smile. "Don't laugh, Vatsa. It is bad manners."
But the sight of the all-knowing Gossip God being so thoroughly put in his place by his mother was too much. Angat could no longer hold it in. A loud, helpless burst of laughter escaped him. "Hahahaha!"
Narad's smile turned into a mischievous smirk. "I see, Vatsa. It looks like you are not going to get the divine body I was about to request on your behalf." He spread his hands in a gesture of helpless resignation.
Angat's laughter died in his throat. He was stunned. "Wait, wait, waitt...!!! Narad Ji, what divine body?!"
"Hmmm... you see, I was going to ask Mother to plead your case. As your mentor, I was thinking of what was best for you. But it appears you have no respect for your seniors. sigh.... what a pity."
"Waiiiit, Narad Ji, you seriousss....I'm sorrrryyy! I won't laugh at anyone anymoreee!" Angat pleaded, his soul-form seeming to droop in despair.
Narad snickered. "Well then, I shall show some seniority and forgive your offence." He placed a hand on Angat's back, his expression softening from mischief to gentle wisdom. "But remember this, Vatsa. This is your first lesson in divine conduct. In our cosmos, as in yours, respecting one's elders is not mere formality; it is the foundation of learning and grace to recieve wisdom from your elders ."
He began to walk, and Angat fell into step beside him, listening intently.
"The wise have always spoken of this," Narad said, and his voice took on a melodic, chanting quality as he recited a timeless couplet:
"बड़े हुँ तो क्या हुआ, जैसे पेड़ खजूर।
पंथी को छाया नहीं, फल लागे अति दूर।"
He then translated, "'What is the use of being great, like a tall date-palm tree? It gives no shade to the traveler, and its fruit hangs too far away to reach.' This is by Rahim. Do not be like that tree, Angat. True greatness, true seniority, lies in being accessible and benevolent to those who seek your guidance."
Angat nodded, the meaning sinking in. Narad was not just scolding him; he was teaching him how to be.
"And this," Narad continued, his eyes twinkling, "is why you must never underestimate the power of a mother's command or a teacher's grace. As the great Kabir said:
"गुरु गोविन्द दोऊ खड़े, काके लागूं पांय।
बलिहारी गुरु आपने, गोविन्द दियो बताय।"
"'If both the Guru and God stand before me, whose feet do I touch first? I would choose my Guru, for it is they who showed me the path to God.' You see, Vatsa? The one who guides you is your immediate link to the divine. Treat them with utmost respect, for through them, all blessings flow."
Feeling profoundly humbled, Angat bowed his head slightly. "I understand, Narad Ji. Thank you for the lesson. I'm sorry for laughing earlier... I couldn't help it. The situation was just like when my mother used to scold me for being late to school."
Narad's face broke into a genuine, warm smile. "I am not scolding you, Vatsa, nor am I angry. Without these moments of laughter, where is the joy in life? I am merely planting a seed of wisdom for your future."
He clapped a hand on Angat's back. "Come, let's go see Mother. And prepare to look a little sad and deserving so that mother may accept our request."
"But... isn't that cheating the Goddess?" Angat whispered, aghast.
"Oh, you think you can cheat Mother?" Narad chuckled. "Don't be a fool. I told you to look authentic so that when I plead your case, and if Mother is in a good mood after her concert and excited about the upcoming Sunday party, she might be inclined to grant you a blessing. Perhaps even a fragment of her own divine source code to anchor your existence."
With a shared glance ..one of scheming hope, the other of nervous awe ...the new agent and the Gossip God set off to meet the Mother of Knowledge herself the Saraswati one of the Tridevis.