The flame flickered gently inside the cave temple carved into the ancient mountain's heart. A faint scent of sandalwood lingered in the air. Rudra knelt silently before the glowing sigil of Lord Dattatreya, the symbol pulsing with Prana energy. His breathing was steady, his body unmoving—but his mind churned.
Kartavirya Arjun, his thousand arms now ethereal as a soul yet majestic beyond measure, stood behind him, draped in an aura of timeless wisdom.
"You've mastered the blade. You've subdued the bow. You've danced with death and held your breath in the fires of divine energy," Arjun said. "But to walk the path beyond strength, you must understand the why, not just the how."
Rudra opened his eyes, reverence burning within them. "Teach me, Gurudev."
Kartavirya Arjun's eyes shimmered. "Then listen well, Rudra. For this is knowledge even kings never dared dream."
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Divine Astras: The Truth Hidden in Plain Sight
"Long ago," Arjun began, "the world was torn by war and ego. Archers dominated battlefields—not just by skill, but because they alone held the keys to divine destruction: Astras."
He raised one of his phantom hands and conjured an image—arrows glowing with celestial flames, crashing upon cities, forests, and fortresses like falling stars.
"Every divine weapon, be it Brahmastra, Pashupatastra, or Vaishnavastra, was thought to be exclusive to bows. Because they were thrown, they were called Astra, unlike Shastra, which are held and wielded in melee."
Rudra nodded. "I've heard this arrogance even in stories—that archers claimed all other weapons are inferior."
"Indeed," Arjun's voice grew colder. "So much pride… that even the great warriors began abandoning their ancestral weapons in favor of bows. The Dhanurveda became bloated with ego."
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The Great Council of Saptarishis
"But," he continued, "Rishi Bharadwaj, the very sage who authored the Dhanurveda, foresaw disaster. He called upon the Saptarishis, and together they meditated upon a cosmic question:
'Are Astras truly bound to arrows alone? Or can the divine be channeled in other forms?'"
Years passed. The Rishis dissected the nature of Astra energy, studied the sacred mantras that invoked them, and experimented upon the nature of divine invocation itself.
Their conclusion reshaped reality.
"Divine Astras are not weapons—they are manifestations of celestial energy."
"And that energy, invoked through sacred mantra, can take form through any medium."
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Birth of Prana Techniques
"Thus, the Rishis developed what the world had never seen before—Prana Techniques."
He gestured, and streams of light flowed through the cave like living rivers. They danced around Rudra's body, flowing through his nadis, chakras, and marma points.
"By circulating Prana Urja in specific patterns through one's body and weapon," Arjun explained, "a warrior could shape divine energy without needing a bow.
You could strike with a sword and unleash a wave like the Ganga. You could stomp the ground and invoke the fury of Agni."
"And… this is what Lord Parashuram learned?" Rudra asked, eyes widening.
"Yes. From his father, Rishi Jamadagni, who was among the first to master these techniques."
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Parashuram's Dance of Devastation
"When the army of Mahishmati, a hundred thousand strong, marched toward Parashuram's ashram," Arjun's voice turned heavy, "he stood alone… with only an axe."
Rudra's breath caught.
"But that axe was no ordinary weapon—it was imbued with the Bhargav Astra, and the technique Parashuram created became legend—Slaughter God Axe Art."
The illusion shifted—Rudra saw a lone figure wielding an axe, each swing creating arcs of destruction that cut through battalions, mountains, and even karma itself.
"Every slash of his axe, empowered by Prana and Divine Astra invocation, created waves of death thousands of meters wide. No shield, no fortress, no mantra could stop it."
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The Penance and the Blessing of Veerbhadra
"And after he defeated me…" Arjun's voice dropped, his soul shimmering with humility, "I reflected. My pride had blinded me. I had become an emperor of the flesh but failed the spirit."
"So I took a vow. I would never again let my descendants repeat my arrogance. I would walk the path of penance."
"Years passed… until Lord Veerbhadra, the fierce incarnation of Rudra himself, answered my prayers."
Rudra's heart pounded.
"He gifted me two things—"
1. 'Samhaar', the Twin Blades of Veerbhadra, forged in divine rage.
2. The Prana Technique known as 'Dance of Veerbhadra'—a slaughter technique that channels Veerbhadra's energy through twin blades, transforming the battlefield into a divine dance of annihilation.
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The Art of Channeling Prana in All Weapons
Kartavirya Arjun then began training Rudra in the core principle behind all Astra-channeling:
"The mantra is the call. The Prana is the path. The weapon is the vessel."
In spears, it becomes lightning bolts.
In swords, it becomes arcs of fire.
In fists, it becomes shockwaves of divine punishment.
In blades like Samhaar, it becomes judgment itself.
"You no longer need to rely on form," Arjun taught. "Once you master Prana circulation and Astra invocation—you become the form."
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The Philosophy of Dharma & Rule
When Rudra had mastered weapons, Arjun taught him Shaastra Gyaan—not of war, but of rule, justice, and balance.
"A king without Dharma is more dangerous than a thousand Asuras," Arjun warned.
"Remember, power is not your right. It is your burden."
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The Divine Penance of Lord Dattatreya
On the final day of his instruction, Kartavirya Arjun said,
"I am but a guardian on your path. For your journey ahead, you must seek the blessings of the one who transcends Trinity—Lord Dattatreya."
He placed Samhaar into Rudra's hands. "Your Gurudakshina… is to offer your soul to truth. Penance. Seek Dattatreya—not for power, but for purpose."
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And So, Two Years Passed
And just like that, two years in the real world, but decades in the spiritual realm, passed.
By the end of it all—Rudra had become not just a warrior, but a weapon forged by gods, wielded by Dharma.
Kartavirya Arjun smiled for the first time in millennia, bowed to Lord Dattatreya, and was welcomed into the cycle of rebirth…
Free.
And Rudra stepped out of the trial—no longer a boy…
…but something far more dangerous.
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