The Power of Gods IV

The Power of Gods IV:

Dear Anonymous,

I have received your answer and am glad you have shown interest. I know that the process seems daunting, but the opportunity that I have given to you is worth the risk.

I have outlined the instructions below, as promised. Follow each step precisely, and the power you seek will be yours. But first, I’m giving you a little background info that pertains to your task.

In Hindu mythology, there were great wars waged between the devas (gods) and the asuras (demons). Maintaining order and peace became impossible because the tide of power was in a constant flux. The devas and asuras would do tapas, which are practices that involved giving up pleasure in order to obtain siddhis, powers such as strength or invisibility.

Tapas usually involved menial tasks like yoga, fasting, tantras, meditation and the like. While the devas were more devoted to practicing tapas as a form of enlightenment, asuras would perform them long enough to obtain a siddhi and then abruptly stop.

Sukra, the teacher of the asuras, gave the asuras knowledge of different tapas and rituals to grow more powerful. Eventually, he was able to give them invincibility. The devas lost battle after battle against the asuras, and faced extinction. However, under the guidance of Vishnu, the Supreme, they were able to obtain the drink of immortality and defeat the asuras. Now, you may wonder why I told you this little tidbit of myth.

The asuras are real, and you’re going to perform a tapa to get a siddhi from them.

I have a few things to note before I start. You’re not going to be doing the upward dog on a yoga mat or chanting hymns. These tapas have more…exciting requirements that may repel those with weak hearts. This power is not meant for the meek.

Second, as I have stated earlier, the asuras were defeated in many of the great wars. While many died, some of the more powerful asuras are still alive. They are weaker than when they waged war on the devas, so their siddhis are much more accessible. You will attempt to gain a siddhi from one of them.

Finally, a word of caution; there is no turning back after the tapa. You may leave and forget everything – the power, the tapa, and this letter – before the tapa begins. Once initiated, the tapa cannot be stopped. You will either finish the tapa or die. This is not a threat from me, but a warning of what you will face once the tapa begins.

Now that you have been properly informed, please feel free to read on.

Your first step is to go to a local jeweler or charm shop to find a symbol of a snake. This can be an actual snake or just a fang. The symbol can be on a ring, bracelet, necklace – any accessory that can be worn. You will need to keep it on to begin the tapa.

Once you have found a suitable accessory, roam the streets until you come across a peculiar shop that you never noticed before. It’s a small, windowless establishment with a black snake on the door. A small peephole outlined in red will be above it.

Knock twice and hold your accessory, with the snake symbol visible, to the peephole. After a brief moment, the door will open and you will be greeted by a small, elderly women in gray robes. Return her greeting by saying “Namaste” and bowing slightly. If done correctly, she will usher you inside.

The woman will seat you at a large wooden table, and then sit across from you. Do not be fooled by her frail appearance – she is a rakshasa, a guardian of the asuras. If you show her weakness, she will either kill you or drive you insane to the point of suicide.

Do not tell her anything about yourself. She will trick you into reminiscing on a past memory or dropping a hint of the slightest insecurity. Her innocent small talk is an attempt to pry the fear from you, but you must not give her a single detail.

If she offers you food or drink, do not take it. If you start to feel tired and she offers you a bed, refuse. If she begs or pleads with you, ignore her. She will even shapeshift into hideous, monstrous forms to scare you. Do not show fear and do not scream.

Soon, she will know that you are serious and will ask about your purpose. Muster as much confidence as you can and say “I ask to be granted a siddhi from one of your asura masters.”

Afterwards she will guide to a large metallic door, inscribed with Sanskrit words. These are shamanic spells that are designed to keep you inside. This door is the final step before the tapa begins. At this point, you can still leave the shop unscathed. The rakshasa will not follow or impede you, as long as you make your decision quickly. If you choose to begin the tapa, she will wait for you to enter before closing the door behind you. Now the tapa will begin.

Inside the room you will find several things. There will be a small table in the corner. On the table you will find a crooked dagger and a small bowl filled with water. A single drop of water will fall from the ceiling and into the bowl on a regular basis. And you may also notice the man that is bound and gagged in the middle of the room.

Take the dagger and sit across from the man. Wait patiently until you hear a drop fall into the bowl, and then cut him once. Be careful how deep or precise the cut is. I recommend cutting his arms or legs, away from any veins. Do not mind if he squirms or yells while you wait for the sound of another drop of water.

Then you must cut yourself.

The tapa you are performing shows two points: that you can bear pain like an asura and revel in the pleasure of harming another being. In order to gain the siddhi of an asura, you must prove that you can act like one.

You must perform this tapa exactly fifty times; twenty-five cuts for both you and the man, with each cut getting slightly deeper than the last. Be careful with your cuts. You must make sure that neither of you bleed out before the last slice of the dagger. If you and the man survive, then you will notice significant changes on the last cut.

All of your wounds will quickly begin to close, and you will feel energetic and active. You may feel the need to prolong the man’s suffering, but you must kill him; these urges are common but can be controlled.

You’ll be strong enough now to completely crush the metallic door and let yourself out. Do not be surprised if the rakshasa bows to you as you leave.

Your body temperature will become higher than the average person, to the point where others will think you’re running a fever. But you will discover that you will not contract any sickness ever again and that you age slower and live longer than most humans do.

You may want to consider changing states after a few decades – people will start to ask questions about an eighty year old that looks twenty. You may not want to bother with a family, either. This power is not genetic, and they may grow suspicious of your youthful appearance or die long before you do.

I hope that you will enjoy your new found power. But do not meddle with the humans for too long.

Your brothers await you in the afterlife.

Sincerely,

Bala