Indian Mythology: The Heavenly Emperor Won't Go to Work Today - Chapter 3

Brahma’s aged brows furrowed, revealing a look of concern.

“Indra is currently in Tapasya; Vishnu must be anxious!”

“Why is that?”

Goddess Saraswati tilted her head, a hint of confusion flashing in her bright eyes.

Vishnu is one of the Trimurti, the preserver god, so even if the king of the gods is in Tapasya, it shouldn’t affect Vishnu.

Brahma shook his head, blinked at his wife, his eyes gleaming with shrewdness.

“Don’t forget the curse of Rishi Durvasa!” Brahma said.

With just a single hint from Brahma, the wise goddess Saraswati immediately grasped the essence of the matter.

From Brahmalok, she looked down at the Milky Ocean beneath the three realms.

Sure enough, on the serpent bed that supports the world, there was a missing figure beside Vishnu.

“I understand now. His wife Lakshmi is the goddess of wealth and prosperity. The curse of the sage Durvasa has caused the gods to lose wealth and luxury. As the embodiment of wealth, Lakshmi has also disappeared from Vishnu’s side.”

Goddess Saraswati, holding her lute, suddenly realized.

Brahma nodded.

“The Trimurti cannot descend to the world at will, otherwise it would cause disruptions, which is against the duty of the preserver god. There must be a certain cause and effect for him to act. This requires the king of the gods, Indra, and other deities to invite him. But now Indra is in Tapasya…”

“Vishnu must be very troubled!”

Brahma said with a slight smile.

“Husband, why do I feel like you are gloating?”

Goddess Saraswati’s beautiful eyes moved slightly. She looked at Brahma and smiled gently.

“I’m not, I’m not. You got it wrong!”

Brahma turned his head, his eyes darting around, avoiding her gaze, mumbling to himself.

…

On the endless Milky Ocean.

This is the sea of all things, the origin of everything, the foundation of the world, with the three realms existing above it.

The multi-headed serpent king Shesha coiled into a circle, his enormous body stretching billions of miles, endless, serving as the serpent bed that supports Vishnu, the preserver god.

At this moment, the multi-headed serpent king Shesha was anxiously flicking his tongues, his tail raising gigantic waves in distress, with multiple heads looking towards his lord, Vishnu.

“Lord, why has the lady suddenly disappeared?” Shesha asked.

“Don’t worry!” Vishnu, lying on the giant serpent, smiled faintly.

He wasn’t worried at all!

He knew that the goddess of wealth, Lakshmi, had been affected by a curse and had sunk into the Milky Ocean. However, since the curse was enacted through the power of Tapasya, he couldn’t forcibly break it.

The only plan now was to restore the gods’ divine powers.

As the preserver god, he naturally had a way to restore the gods’ powers and had even planned it out, reviewing it several times in his mind.

That plan was to churn the Milky Ocean!

Due to the sage’s curse, many divine treasures had returned to the Milky Ocean. He would call upon the gods to churn the ocean and retrieve the many treasures, which were embodiments of divine power.

Indra, the king of the gods, was in Tapasya and couldn’t come to find him?

No rush!

Vishnu knew Indra too well—arrogant, pompous, and internally fragile.

Most importantly, Indra was accustomed to luxury and couldn’t endure hardship.

When Indra couldn’t handle the Tapasya anymore, he would naturally come to him. Vishnu just needed to wait.

Vishnu smiled, resting his chin on one hand, and slowly closed his eyes, lying on his side to sleep.

Seeing that Vishnu was not anxious, Shesha felt slightly relieved.

“The lord must have a plan in his heart; perhaps this is just the lord’s lila!”

Lila means divine play or drama.

Everything is in the hands of the Trimurti, so maybe the lady’s disappearance was part of the lord’s lila, just a playful reunion after a long separation.

Thinking this, Shesha’s previously anxious tail calmed down and rested in the Milky Ocean.

…

..

Ah~

Vishnu slowly yawned, his star-like eyes gradually opening, gazing at the vast Milky Ocean.

“Shesha!”

“How many years have I slept?”

Vishnu asked.

“Lord, you have slept for five hundred years!”

Shesha lowered his heads, responding.

For deities, time was of little consequence; five hundred years was just a nap.

However…

“Five hundred years…” Vishnu blinked, murmuring, then asked, “Has Indra not come?”

“No!”

Shesha’s multiple heads shook, honestly responding.

“…”

“This is bad, Indra really hasn’t come!”

Vishnu’s eyes narrowed as he immediately looked toward the heavenly realm.

The heavens had become even more dilapidated!

The once pure and sacred heavens were now almost indistinguishable from the mortal realm, in a state of utter disrepair.

The gods had become even weaker!

Vishnu gazed at the Heavenly Emperor’s palace, seeing a powerful force of asceticism surging out, transforming into azure lightning, flickering uncertainly. It revealed a scene of vigorous life, with all things flourishing.

“He really is still in Tapasya!”

Vishnu was momentarily stunned, frowning.

The time spent in Tapasya was often counted in hundreds, thousands, or even tens of thousands of years.

If his wife Lakshmi wanted to return, it seemed an indefinite wait!

Vishnu frowned slightly, but after a moment of contemplation, his brow relaxed as he devised a plan.

As long as he informed Indra that he had a way to restore the gods’ power, Indra would definitely bring the gods to him eagerly. Then, the goddess Lakshmi could return.

“Garuda!”

Vishnu softly called, summoning his devotee by name.

Garuda! Garuda! Garuda!

His gentle voice echoed across the Milky Ocean, resonating through the three realms, spreading over billions of miles, reaching everywhere.

Garuda!

The golden-winged great eagle!

He was also the son of the sage Kashyapa and a devoted follower of Vishnu!

“The lord is calling me!”

A flash of brilliance appeared in Garuda’s eyes.

He flapped his wings, stirring up fierce winds, black winds filling the sky, like an eternal night descending, sweeping across the three realms.

Swoosh!

His massive wings blotted out the sun, Garuda soaring above the Milky Ocean, casting a deep shadow like night. Amidst the endless waves, he saw his lord, Vishnu.

“Praise be to Lord Vishnu!”

Garuda clasped his hands together, bowing slightly, then raised his head to gaze reverently at his lord.

Hehe!

Vishnu smiled, sitting on the serpent bed, looking indulgently at his devotee.

He was not like Brahma and Shiva, who gave blessings to Asuras. Once the Asuras finished their Tapasya, they no longer paid attention to Brahma! But Vishnu had countless followers, with half of them still devoted to him.

“Garuda, by my command, go to the heavenly realm and tell the gods that I have a way to lift their curse. Tell them to come to the Milky Ocean to see me!”

Vishnu said softly.

Garuda, immersed in the joy of seeing his lord, didn’t even realize that the goddess Lakshmi had disappeared.

Upon hearing Vishnu’s command, he was momentarily stunned, then quickly responded.

“By your command, my lord!”

Garuda said.

As the golden-winged eagle, he was incredibly fast, traversing the three realms as effortlessly as playing among the branches.

In no time, he spread his wings and arrived in the heavenly realm.

Swoosh!

Garuda transformed, appearing as a divine being with wings.

His hair was tousled, with a golden ring on his forehead holding back his black hair, revealing his heroic face. His golden armor gleamed brightly.

Garuda looked around the heavenly realm in astonishment, wondering if he had mistakenly arrived in some earthly village.

The once light and floating sea of clouds had turned into rotting, foul mud. The luxurious palaces were gone, replaced by rickety straw huts that seemed like a flap of his wings could blow them away.

The Gandharvas, who served the gods, had their once handsome faces covered in dust, their skin rough and sallow.

“How has the heavenly realm become like this!”

“It’s all Indra’s fault!”

Garuda realized, clenching his fists in anger, his face showing fury.

He was angry!

Garuda was furious!