The Vault of Vishnu

by Ashwin Sanghi

with his hands to indicate a massive explosion. ‘You can’t use nuclear weapons

He belonged to a generation that knew the value of masticating their food with extreme concentration.

‘Don’t talk about age,’ scoffed Rao. ‘I’m biologically younger than many teenagers!’ Anu did not argue.

Both father and daughter were healthier and fitter than far younger people.

‘Kanchi–Kamboja was an axis, an axis for many important ideas. I am the guardian of one of those ideas.’

‘Every question does not require an immediate answer, my child.

‘To use bitter words when kind words are at hand is akin to picking unripe fruit when ripe ones abound.’

arms. He cursed himself for having got ensnared

Nuclear weapons, submarines and battleships are no substitute for elite fighting hands.

elite manpower

walked over to the bathroom and towelled himself dry. He looked at himself

time.

signifies creation and destruction.

palm remains in a relaxe...

without...

The third eye on his forehead urges devotees to perceive with inner wisdom ...

the end of the demon of ...

and plus below the three monkeys

future of the Indian soldier.

cannot be LiDAR-mapped. It’s impossible! And we’re assuming that we only look at Angkor Wat, not the hundreds

Sometimes the most unlikely acquaintance can turn out to be your saviour.

been switched off, so Pam had covered herself with a shawl. She poured two

pages. ‘An old friend,’ replied

from the cold. Sometimes I couldn’t

Mountains on the northern edge of the Tibetan

Never forget that you are simply channelling his energy. You can never be the source.

VTK nodded and left. He had found that Jaya worked best when she was left to do her own thing.

withdrew, leaving them together.

a good scientist had to be spiritual at heart and a good spiritualist had to be a scientist at heart.

tamarind-flavoured rice was cooked in the madappalli, the kitchen of the temple. ‘I shall write a small note to reassure him that all is well. Will you take

wealth-creation stories

veneer

Cleanliness was next to godliness here. On one wall was a photograph of the

mean from his years leading a life diametrically different from the one he now leads. I’m not sure whether some scars ever heal. There is a darkness that hangs over him. I don’t think I’m ready to share that.’

blood spills on the road. The carhop’s body had already

superhuman engineering.

was revered in Yindu. When children were seven years of age, the great treatises of the Five Sciences were shared with them. The first science was grammar, which explained words and their usage. The second was that of the skilled professions, such as arts, crafts or astrology. The third was the science of medicine. The fourth was the science of reasoning. And the fifth was the science of self, which investigated and taught the five degrees of religious attainment and the doctrine of karma.

How a body can be given superhuman strength through a combination of herbs, diet and exercise.’

them.’ Lee let the insult slide. Instead,

opening lines from Journey to the West but makes a

Pulakeshin. I replied, ‘The philosopher Lao Tzu says that weapons are instruments of ill omen; they are not the instruments of the princely man, who uses them only when he must. Peace and tranquillity are what he prizes.’ Narasimhavarman took my advice and waited.

unwilling to budge. We’ve succeeded in that endeavour

differences. That in itself is sufficient deterrence.’

Khalil Gibran, that a river could only get over its fear by entering the ocean. The moment it entered the ocean, it would realise that the experience wasn’t about merging into the ocean but becoming the ocean. Pam wondered if she was ready to be that river. After an extended silence, she spoke.

was also attempting to protect you, Pam. You’re too proud to accept anyone

Vakataka131 and then Moholo,132 the home of the Sanskrit

collected and, most importantly, the urn meant for

‘The Japanese talk of the three mystic monkeys who see no evil, hear no evil and speak no evil. The world has forgotten that the notion first came from our own Confucius, who spoke of four, not three, elements. The fourth was to do no evil. I believe that the time has come for us to live by that fourth element.’

of the boats capsized and fifty

‘The doctor opted for early retirement from the military after the incident,’ explained Rao. ‘He then entered politics and turned out to be surprisingly good at it. He had always been a good orator, and very well read. His passion for poetry allowed him to connect with people at an emotional level. Over the next three decades, he reached the highest office in the land.’