the immortal of maluha
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Veerbhadra, were holding <strong>the</strong>m back. There was one blind man amongst <strong>the</strong>m who looked like<br />
he might be injured in <strong>the</strong> melee.<br />
‘Nandi, let that man through,’ said Shiva.<br />
Nandi and Veerbhadra lowered <strong>the</strong> rope to let him in.<br />
Ano<strong>the</strong>r man shouted, ‘I am his son. He needs me to guide him.’<br />
‘Let him in as well,’ said Shiva.<br />
The son rushed in and held his fa<strong>the</strong>r’s hand. The blind man, who seemed lost without his<br />
son’s hand, smiled warmly as he recognised <strong>the</strong> familiar touch. He was led close to Shiva and<br />
<strong>the</strong> son said, ‘Fa<strong>the</strong>r, <strong>the</strong> Neelkanth is right in front <strong>of</strong> you. Can you sense his presence?’<br />
Copious tears flowed from <strong>the</strong> blind man’s eyes. Without thinking, he bent down to try and<br />
touch Shiva’s feet. His son cried out in shock as he pulled <strong>the</strong> man back sharply.<br />
‘Fa<strong>the</strong>r!’ scolded <strong>the</strong> son.<br />
Shiva was stunned by <strong>the</strong> harshness in <strong>the</strong> son’s tone compared to <strong>the</strong> loving manner in<br />
which he had spoken so far. ‘What happened?’<br />
‘I am sorry, my Lord,’ apologised <strong>the</strong> son. ‘He didn’t mean to. He just lost control due to your<br />
presence.’<br />
‘I am sorry, my Lord,’ said <strong>the</strong> blind man, his tears flowing stronger.<br />
‘Sorry for what?’<br />
‘He is a vikarma, my Lord,’ said his son, ‘ever since disease blinded him twenty years ago.<br />
He should not have tried to touch you.’<br />
Sati, who was now standing near Shiva, had heard <strong>the</strong> entire conversation. She felt<br />
sympathy for <strong>the</strong> blind man. She knew <strong>the</strong> torment <strong>of</strong> having even your touch considered<br />
impure. But what he had tried to do was illegal.<br />
‘I am sorry, my Lord,’ continued <strong>the</strong> blind man. ‘But please don’t let your anger with me stop<br />
you from protecting our country. It is <strong>the</strong> greatest land that Parmatma created. Save it from <strong>the</strong><br />
evil Chandravanshis. Save us, my Lord.’<br />
The blind man continued to cry folding his hands in a penitent namaste. Shiva was shaken by<br />
<strong>the</strong> dignity <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> blind man.<br />
He still loves a country that treats him so unfairly. Why 1 ? Even worse he doesn’t even<br />
appear to think he’s being treated unfairly.<br />
Tears welled up in Shiva’s eyes as he realised that he was looking at a man whom fate had<br />
been very unkind to.<br />
I will stop this nonsense.<br />
Shiva stepped forward and bent down. The flabbergasted son trembled in disbelief as he<br />
saw <strong>the</strong> Neelkanth touch <strong>the</strong> feet <strong>of</strong> his vikarma fa<strong>the</strong>r. The blind man was at sea for a<br />
moment. When he did understand what <strong>the</strong> Neelkanth had done, his hand shot up to cover his<br />
mouth in shock.<br />
Shiva rose and stood in front <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> blind man. ‘Bless me, sir, so that I find <strong>the</strong> strength to<br />
fight for a man as patriotic as you.’<br />
The blind man stood dumb-struck. His tears dried up in his bewilderment. He was about to<br />
collapse when Shiva took a quick step forward to hold him, lest he fall to <strong>the</strong> ground. The blind<br />
man found <strong>the</strong> strength to say, ‘Vijayibhav’. May you be victorious.<br />
The son caught hold <strong>of</strong> his fa<strong>the</strong>r’s limp body as Shiva released him. The entire crowd was<br />
stunned into silence by what <strong>the</strong> Neelkanth had done. Forget <strong>the</strong> gravity <strong>of</strong> touching a vikarma,<br />
<strong>the</strong> Neelkanth had just asked to be blessed by one. Shiva turned to see Parvateshwar’s