Bhava

Dark

In the middle of the night I woke up.
Covered in sweat and thirsty for water.
Restless, I stepped out to the window
But gained no comfort.
The surroundings were quiet and
The hills were covered by a mist.
The stars were no longer playing.

Calming myself by a song,
I went back to sleep.
Landed in a dream where I slept again,
In an unknown dark room with the
Same heat, same sweat and thirst.

Walked to a room full of mirrors
Surrounding me, showing my reflection
In the dark.
Found a casket of two diamond shaped boxes hiding two precious stones-
A red and a yellow.

Landed back again at the dark room,
Only to find my mother awake who asked, 'Where did you go?'

'To the room of mirrors,' I answered.
Felt immense power within me,
Felt my body sweat once again,
It was a dream again.

'Fix the stones in the diamond boxes,'
she ordered which I followed.
Strange that the stones fit into the holes, the same holes through which
They were kept and hidden.

'Believe in Shakti, love'
I heard my mother say as she went to sleep when a voice was heard.

'The Old man by the moon awaits you.'

Soothing was her voice,
Yet it was in a warning tone.
I went into a peaceful slumber
Only to reach the same room as my house.

Woke up again the same way,
With a start!
The window was open with the
Eerie dark sky.
I had never been afraid of night,
Then why today?

'The Old man by the moon awaits you!'
I heard a menacing voice belonging
To a loved one!
Or was he my loved one?

'Believe in me! I am here with you.'
The soothing voice was heard again,
But with a desperate tone.
Terrified I called Vishnu and
Witnessed his cosmic form.
Reclined over the Adi Shesh,
His lips bore a smile.

The menacing voice came closer and
The moon arose itself in the sky.
But it wasn't the same moon.
It was dark and terrifying,
Eager to harm me.

'Belive in me! Believe in yourself!'
Was it Shakti speaking?
He lunged at me and I opened my eyes,
Only to be welcomed by
The eerie night devoid of comfort.

The hills were covered still,
The wind did not blow
And the moon did not rise.
In a pitch dark room, I woke up.
The two voices ringing in my ears.

'Believe in me! believe in yourself! You shall be safe.'

'The Old man by the moon awaits you!'