KARIKALAN AND THE TIME MACHINE
The commander said, “This morning’s prayer is very important, sir. So you would be privileged persons to attend the ceremony.”
“That you’ve already told me, son,” continued Sivanesan alias Super Star, “Why don’t you say something new and important and befitting your position.”
“Well, sir,” the Head of the soldiers said with importance, “This evening one human being is going to be sacrificed to the Kali Goddess!”
“the the the…” Super Star could not open his mouth to make any intelligible sound or noise. “You mean…?”
As luck would have it, the Head of the company of soldiers did not realize the state of Super Star. On the contrary, he thought the Super Swami was simply going to say that such human sacrifice was bad practice. So he continued, “You shouldn’t think our King Karikalar approves of such sacrifices. The fellow Kumanan has a friend who is an expert exorcist and he controls many a ghost. That is Kabaligan. The King seems to be not aware of such a person who has been brought to this Chola Kingdom by one of his own Head Soldier, read Kumanan. For some reason or other we are all afraid of Kumanan for he can make the ghost of his friend’s to come and occupy us and make us cry, shout, and run around without a stitch of a dress on. Such person could easily lose his job besides becoming a laughing stock. That is why we are somewhat afraid of Kumanan. The talk of the town is this full moon day is very auspicious for those who practice black magic. So we have ordered no one should come out of his/her house, especially teenaged girls, after the sun-down today. The King himself has this important guest from China and he could not be approached anyone except a few important ministers!”
“Especially teenaged girls?” Super Star asked. “Why man? Why not a boy or a man?”
“Kabaligan and Kumanan are said to be having different tastes. According to the grapevine, Kumanan will rape the girl and then Kabaligan would kill her and cook her to eat!”
Not only Super Star but even Manikkam was worried and horrified by this information. He thought of what Super Star had told him that a soldier’s head namely Kumanan had come and flirted with his sister, Valli. Moreover, Valli was just a teenager!
Totally oblivious to all this, the head of the soldiers asked if he could pilot the three of them toward the temple. “Even the King is said to be attending the ceremony. He has appointed a man, by name, Sivanesan to light the lamps at the temple. Now that is yet another important news. That man is said to be coming from the Kanji land. So everyone says that the King could put a personal appearance!”
“Sivanesan?” exclaimed Sivanesan alias Super Star. “Hey fool. Are you sure the lighter man’s name is Sivanesan?”
“I’m cock sure, sir!”
I don’t care you’re cock sure or hen sure. Now all I want you to do is conduct us personally to the inner chamber of the temple!”
“That’s not going to be a head ache, sir. You three in the ochre clothes would be automatically allowed to be inside the temple even if the king himself comes to the temple. As a matter of fact, he has sent the second in command, an elderly minister to be with the Chinese traveler this morning. You three could easily enter the temple’s inner chamber even without my help. But it would be my great privilege to conduct you three…”
Super Star was not in his mood to hear further. He simply be allowed to be conducted and piloted to the temple downward.
Manikkam also was having his own misgivings. Valli was the daughter of his father’s brother in this Chola kingdom. Kumanan’s interest in Valli as he came to know from Super Star and Kabaligan who was an eater of human flesh all made him really worried. “I feel nauseated, sir!” said Super Star in an undertone.
“That’s your thinking only. Really, as a matter of fact, we cannot eat, drink nor heave up. We are not the body. We have left our bodies at Chennai. So you really are horrified indeed. And you can’t throw up even if you wanted!”
“We have left our bodies in Chennai?” Super Star was once again felt horrified.
“Now your horrified notion is only that, a notion only. And don’t worry, sir, our bodies would be properly cared for by the Time Machine.”
“Is that a fact, Manikkam?
“Yes, sir. No one would even think of coming anywhere near our bodies in Chennai. And that goes for the reptiles like snakes too.”
“Super Star gave a start. Or he thought he gave a start!
We are merely a spirit, here sir. But no one would think of us that way. And even though we can’t eat, drink and be merry, you should be feeling a lightness which was not experienced in Chennai!”
“How true!” exclaimed Super Star. “Ever since I came here I feel very light as though I can float in the air!”
“That is the understatement of the First Century, sir,” Manikkam said. “If you really wanted you could float in the air. But for God’s sake don’t do it right now. Or anywhere where human beings are there. They would be fright-drunk and we would become a news and a head ache to the King!”
“As though I could float!” said Super Star.
“You can do what ever you want, sir. For, you are spirit and the spirit has no limiting adjuncts like our bodies. When we become embodied we are saddled with our individual karmic effects which caused this incarnation. Free of the body we are merely Soul or Spirit and we can do whatever we want to do and nothing would contain us.”
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