Week 7 Story: What Dreams May Come

As the gods gathered around to watch Yudhishthira enter heaven, they discussed how unfortunate it was about his wife and brothers. 

You see. 

Yudhishthira had done enough to achieve heaven, but his friends were  not as lucky.

Tara, a sucker for a good love story, wept at the thought of them never being able to see each other. Vajrapani chuckled at the idea of pitying them, for they had known what could occur if they left the path of heaven. Manjushri, always quick to correct, chimed in that there was a way Yudhishthira could save them.

But no.

No one would ever do that. 

They watched as Yudhishthira woke and found himself in an endless pool of water. Lotuses floated by as a calming wind drifted in. He laughed as tiny fish danced around his ankles. Yudhishthira had found peace. 

Mahakala approached Yudhishthira, his robes blossoming in the waves with each step. The gods gossiped along, out of sight out of mind, as Mahakala welcomed him to heaven. He recognized his achievements and all the good deeds he had done for others. Despite all of these acknowledgements, Yudhishthira still seemed perplexed. He asked Mahakala a question, but the gods were chattering too loud to hear. Tara quickly silenced them, questioning what he had asked. The gods focused in as Yudhishthira repeated his confusion.

Tara choked. He wanted to know where his wife was.

Vajrapani, with a stern look in his eye, mentally assured Mahakala that he should tell him the truth. Mahakala explained that she is in hell. Immediately Yudhishthira requested to see her. Which was nearly impossible.

Nearly.

Manjushri sat back in his chair, "No one has ever dared make the journey. There's no chance of safe return." Mahakala repeated this to Yudhishthira and encouraged him to take part in the festivities of heaven to take his mind of things. Alas, the distractions did not take. 

Yudhishthira demanded to be taken to hell. Tara, upon hearing this cry, immediately agreed and convinced the other gods to allow it. Mahakala, with regret in his heart, led Yudhishthira to an elevator miles east of where Yudhishthira had been dropped.

The journey down was long. The air got colder, but his skin got warmer. The air turned to flames and his eyes burned at the sight of it. He exited the elevator and, nearly blind, crawled to find his wife. As he crawled over rotting corpses, dug through thickets of blades, and swam through hot pools of blood, all he could think of was her. 

"He won't make it," Vajrapani assuredly stated. Tara stood so quickly her chair flew back into the white abyss. "Don't you say that! He has a chance! No one has tried this before." 

Yudhishthira had heard something. Was it his wife? Was it just a jeer from the tongues of the flames? He had to be sure. He began to run as snakes coiled his legs and hot oil jumped and bit at his arms. He reached a house of some sort. A building. He flung open the door, and though he couldn't see, he knew.

He had found her.

The journey back was even more grueling. His wife was sick and wanted to die. Throwing herself into the flames with every chance, Yudhishthira pushed on and kept her close. Once they reached the elevator, she wept, begging to stay. The lies of the flames had gone too far, and they weren't going away. Mahakala opened the doors and held out his arm to Yudhishthira. 

"It's too late for her. Come home."

"But if I go, I'll never see her."

"That is true, but you will never know the joy you have earned through heaven."

Tara, sobbing into her shawl, cried out for Yudhishthira to think clearly and make the right decision. Manjushri comforted her, assuring her that no one would deny themselves the gift of heaven. And as Vajrapani looked on, watching Yudhishthira's eyes, Vajrapani knew and a tear fell from his eye.

Yudhishthira pulled his wife into his chest. The true joy of his life, the ultimate gift, is her. He reached out and slammed the doors shut, locking them in hell. As the flames rose up around them, consuming them. He told his wife that he loved her.

"I promise.

I promise I'll never let you go."

AUTHOR NOTE: I wanted to utilize the story of The Afterlife because it reminded me of the movie What Dreams May Come. I loved utilizing this story and giving it sort of a sleeping beauty theme with the blinding. I loved telling it from an onlooker but also omnipotent perspective. I also enjoyed researching the gods and picking the best ones for each role.

IMAGE: 

( hell )

BIBLIOGRAPHY: Indian Myth and Legend by Donald A. Mackenzie (1913).