The Triumph of the Snake Goddess: an excerpt
Behula silently prayed to Padma and stepped on the walkway. Even a fly falling on it was sliced instantly. Nothing happened to Behula. Her chastity was proven; Neta continued with her toward the heavens.
Behula was delighted to see Amaravati, Indra's celestial home, once again. Neta asked her to wait at Neta's place while she went to inform Padma.
"Behula is here," Neta told Padma. "Now resurrect Chand's son and he will worship you all his life."
Padma curtly replied, "You've got things mixed up, Neta. How can I revive Lakshmindar when he has gone to Yamapur, the underworld realm? Tell Sahé's daughter to go home."
Lakshmindar, of course, hadn't been confined in the underworld. Padma was fibbing—for a purpose; so Neta went to Behula and solemnly told her that Padma wouldn't revive Lakshmindar and that she should go home.
Behula began crying again.
Neta said, "Stop crying, I'll find a solution. Go and meet your old vidyadhari friends, especially Chandramukhi. Then give a performance before Shiva. If he is pleased with the performance, he may resuscitate Lakshmindar."
Behula went to meet the vidyadharis and had a happy reunion.
"Usha has come home," the vidyadharis cried exultantly. They wanted to know where Aniruddha was, and Behula told them the whole story of their travails.
"But my sorrow has dispersed, now that I have met you, my friends," Behula said. "Only one thing remains to make everything perfect: reviving Aniruddha."
The vidyadharis were of the same mind as Neta. If Behula could please Shiva with her songs and dance, he would no doubt grant her prayers. The vidyadharis dressed and made up Behula in the most alluring of forms, one that would enchant all three realms. With the flowers, jewels, ivory, gold, pearls, and coral, kajal for the eyes, makeup for the skin, sandalwood essence, gorgeous saris, hair done up and exquisitely braided, eyebrows finely painted, anklets that sound like a chortling stream, Behula was ready to give the performance of her life.
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