the immortal of maluha

Daksha moved aside to let his escort show the doctor into the room.
‘Ayurvati!’ exclaimed Shiva, his face lit up in a brilliant smile. ‘It’s so good to see you again!’
‘The pleasure is all mine, my Lord,’ beamed Ayurvati, as she bent down to touch Shiva’s
feet.
Shiva immediately moved back to neatly side-step Ayurvati. ‘I have told you before,
Ayurvati,’ said Shiva. ‘You are a giver of life. Please don’t embarrass me by touching my feet.’
‘And you are the Neelkanth, my Lord. The destroyer of evil,’ said Ayurvati with devotion.
‘How can you deny me the privilege of being blessed by you?’
Shiva shook his head in despair and let Ayurvati touch his feet. He gently touched her head
and blessed her.
A few hours later, Shiva, Sati, Parvateshwar, Brahaspati, Ayurvati, Krittika, Nandi and
Veerbhadra set off. Accompanying them was a brigade of fifteen hundred soldiers, twenty-five
handmaidens and fifty support staff for their security and comfort. They planned to travel by
road till the city of Kotdwaar on the Beas river. From there, they would use boats to travel to
the port city of Karachapa. Then they would move due east to the city of Lothal. Finally, they
would move north by road to the inland delta of the Saraswati and then by boats back to
Devagiri.