Chapter 3: The Suspicion of Sadhaks

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The sadhus of Kaveripur Hill are unimaginably powerful.

Every day, their mantras echoed down the valley, making the monkeys and crows fall silent. Even the wind seemed to obey their command. I dared not act rashly.

So I began living as if I had taken the elixir.

A few months later, when I still hadn’t reached the next stage, several senior brothers became anxious.

“What’s going on, yaar? Back then, we finished our sadhana in three-four days only.”

“Yeah, why are your energies still so chaotic, junior brother?”

One of the senior brothers tapped his rudraksha beads against his wrist, eyes flicking to the others.

Their voices were casual, but their eyes glittered with suspicion. I could feel the tension in the air, thick as malai on hot milk in the langar hall.

I silently watched the sticky worms roaming inside their nabhi.

Summoning my courage, I asked, “After this stage, what are the nadis like?”

The eldest senior brother, Rohan, was calm. He held up two fingers and spoke slowly:

“The human body’s nadis are complex and ever-changing. Mortal bodies have chaotic energy, so spiritual power cannot circulate.”

He paused, palm facing up, and a ball of flame leapt from his hand.

Pointing at the fire, he said, “But after cleansing the nadis and taking the pulse, you’ll only sense two lines: one is the spiritual nadi, the other is your own nadi. The spiritual nadi is what sets you apart from mortals—this fire is also born from the spiritual nadi.”

Rohan beckoned to me. “Junior brother, touch it.”

I lightly touched it, and the flame was scorching hot.

But I said, “I saw…”

I saw that beneath the so-called spiritual nadi, connected to the nabhi, was the sticky worm.

It seemed to be born together with the fire.

So, Rohan awakened the fire element.

Second senior brother Kabir laughed. “Look, I have the water element.”

The moisture in the air condensed in his palm, instantly turning to ice.

There was always a hint of mischief in Kabir bhaiya’s smile, as if he were waiting for someone to challenge him to an arm wrestling match on the ghats. But today, I only felt a creeping sense of dread as his power shimmered in the dusty light.