Little Krishna - Part 3

"Mother! How are you?"

Diti was shocked when she saw Indra standing before her bowing at her with utmost humility. She clutched her belly tightly almost pulling out her weapon to attack Indra.

But slowly, Diti was able to control herself. Indra looked unarmed and though it was mighty suspicious, that was really not a reason to hurt Indra.

"Aditya!" Diti said in a frigid voice pointing at the chair in her home. "What are you doing here?"

"You are carrying a child, mother, and look at you!" Indra said ignoring the chair, as there was a part of him which realized that his mother was right. Diti looked beyond beautiful. There was an aura around Diti which seemed powerful. Actually more than powerful.

"You are lean and pitifully thin. Please, let me take care of you, for some time." Indra said.

Diti was instantaneously suspicious. She knew something was wrong. Very wrong. But Diti did not know what and she did not know how to turn Indra away. And that was when she remembered the words of her husband. The rituals...Diti realized as she studied Indra with an almost chilling smile that Indra could not hurt her. Not as long as she carried out her rituals. She knew that the rituals were powerful enough to keep Indra at bay. And Diti realized that it would indeed be fun to watch Aditi's son try and fail.

"I am so glad you wish to help me," Diti said with a smile. "You are most welcome in my home!" Diti said much to Indra's shock and surprise.

And so Indra was in Diti's home.

That night when Diti finished her rituals, she went to sleep. Indra used his Vajrayudham (Thunderbolt weapon) which was a very powerful weapon and aimed it at the womb of Diti.

And Indra was in for a shock of his life.

Nothing happened. His weapon which was a powerful weapon, did not touch Diti or her womb.

And that was when Indra realized the importance of the rituals which Diti carried out every day religiously. That was what was protecting her.

Indra was seething and he realized that he had to wait. He had to serve Diti and wait. Wait for Diti to make a mistake. Otherwise, there was nothing that Indra could do to prevent this child from being born. A child whom Indra knew was more powerful than him.

And so the cat and mouse game between Diti and Indra started.

Diti kept to her rituals daily.

But the problem was that one night Diti was really tired. Very tired. And after she had finished her rituals she forgot to clean her feet and fell asleep just like that.

And that was the only thing which Indra was waiting for. Using the unclean feet, Indra was able to use his powers and he entered Diti's womb and there he cut the womb into seven pieces (Some Puranas mention this number as 49 pieces)

The pieces in the womb started crying as Indra used his Vajrayudham on it.

Worried that Diti would wake up and realize something was wrong, Indra soothed the crying fetus, "Ma Ruta!" [In Sanskrit "Ma Ruta" means "Do not cry"]

And after sometime, Indra got out of the womb, his work done.

Somewhere in the dense forest, Sage Kashyap with the powers of his mind came to know what Indra had done and that broke his meditation. He immediately used his powers and tried to come to Diti as soon as possible.

Back to Diti and Indra, Diti woke up with a start and she knew that something was wrong. Something far more than she could correct.