As Rudra continued to practice inhale, exhale and repeating OM with focus, he felt as if he was connecting with nature, the surroundings and even with his very being in a completely different way.
For some time, Rudra was instructed by Karthikeya on how to perform the meditation and how to connect with the Pranav Mantra. With his whole being, Rudra followed Karthikeya's lesson to the letter.
After some time...
"Open your eyes, Rudra." Karthikeya addressed Rudra.
Rudra opened his eyes and looked at Karthikeya, who had stood up from the stone and was looking at Rudra with an appreciative look in his eyes.
He continued to speak...
"It is enough for today, for now let's go, let me give you something to eat." After saying this much, Karthikeya started walking forward and gestured to Rudra to follow him.
Rudra stood up quickly, dusted himself and started following Karthikeya.
As he walked, his lecture continued for some time.
Karthikeya answered the questions Rudra had about the OM word and its significance.
After walking for some time, Rudra found himself in front of a forest that had different types of fruit trees. Some distance from the starting line of the forest, he found himself standing before a simple clearing with a small hut.
After entering the hut, Rudra found himself in front of a table filled with different types of fruits and such, there were fruit juices, and many more items to eat.
Karthikeya stopped and turned back towards Rudra and pointed him towards the table. There were two seats to sit there, and he said,
"Go on, don't just stand there, it's time to eat. There are different types of fruits as well as juices. You can begin with what you want for now."
To which Rudra replies,
"Yes, sir."
After that, Rudra and Karthikeya sit on their respective seats and continue to eat the food. While eating, Karthikeya asked Rudra some basic questions to check how much Rudra had understood about his lecture.
After some time, when Rudra and Karthikeya were done with eating, two new presences appeared simultaneously behind Rudra.
One arrived with flowers budding from the ground, with the scent of flowers and forest.
One arrived with flames and smoke filled with ember colour.
Feeling and smelling the pleasant scent and sudden warmth behind him, Rudra turned and saw Devi Jyoti and Devi Ashok Sundari behind him.
He stood up and gave a slight bow.
Karthikeya picked an apple from the tray and stood up, and with his back turned towards Rudra said,
"Hmm, Rudra, it is time for my sisters to give you the Mantra and some lessons they have prepared for you." They took a bite and looked back, seeing Rudra looking at him and said,
"We'll meet at the dining table, and in the next lectures, so goodbye for now."
With that, they vanished in the space vortex that appeared at the front, in the direction they were moving towards.
"Hmm... brother didn't even say hi and just vanished like that." Ashok Sundari crossed her arms across her chest and gave a humph.
"It is alright, you know him. Leave that and let us address this younger brother of ours, who is confused seeing us together." Devi Jyoti says to Ashok Sundari.
Rudra awkwardly rubs the back of his forehead in shyness, because that is exactly what he was thinking just now.
"AH, is that so, Rudra?" Ashok Sundari shook her head and came near him, put her arms over his shoulders and rubbed his forehead roughly with love. And continued,
"It is just that we couldn't just wait to give you the complete mantra of yours. If I waited for my turn, it would be complete the next day, and we couldn't have that, could we?"
"So now Jyoti and I will share today's lesson and share our chosen part of the mantra."
"Yes, so we shouldn't waste the time, as we are sharing the time for one person to teach. Let's go." Jyoti interrupted and walked out of the hut.
"Hmm... yes, ok, ok. Come on, Rudra, are you ready for your lesson? We will share the words of your mantra. let's go." Excited to continue, she held Rudra's hand and took him out of the hut, skipping on her feet.
And happily, she continued to converse with Rudra while following Jyoti to the place they had decided to teach Rudra about the other two parts of the mantra.
"Right, so Rudra, how were your previous lessons. Did you enjoy it? We gave quite a lot of thought to who will give you which part of the mantra."
"You know, we chose Ganesha to teach you the part of Mantra which represents stability, ground and Element Earth.
Where, for the OM part, we unanimously decided that Skanda (Karthikeya) will be the most appropriate of us all."
"It's not like we couldn't teach you; it is just that he once even taught Mahadev. That counts." Devi Jyoti said while Rudra and Devi Ashok Sundari were talking.
Behind her, and beside Ashok Sundari, Rudra walks and listens with proper attention.
"Yes, and for us.
We'll teach you the part that is wind and fire.
Reva (Narmada) will teach you about the part that represents water. Manasa will teach you about the part that represents space.
With this, you will have teachers to teach you and guide you for the Pancha Maha Bhutas.
Amazing, right?"
To which Rudra nods, and we could see the light of appreciation in his eyes.
We have arrived, and would you stop it, Anvi? Are you sure you should tell him about all this now? Others will be angry, you know. Sigh..." Devi Jyoti admonishes Devi Ashok Sundari.
"Hmph... what did I do? It shouldn't matter, right? And I didn't tell him anything that should take their place as a teacher. So it shouldn't be that much of a problem," she turns her head away and whispers in a soft tone.
"Alright, alright, we have arrived at the place, so we should get ready to teach him about the mantras and words." Devi Jyoti says while pointing towards the different area they have arrived at.
It was a very beautiful place; there was an altar like designed building or arena. It was in a big circular form. Around it, there were torches that lit the surroundings.
The circular arena was surrounded by trees, big and small.
The flames of the torches were dancing in the wind, and there was quite a serene atmosphere.
At the centre of the altar, there was a small space that was surrounded by the fire tornado. And inside the centre, at the eye of the tornado, there lies a pole with its tip lit in fire. As if it were never-ending.
Rudra was awestruck by the view and shocked by the fire tornado at the centre. HE could feel it, inside that centre, there was something that was calling him to him. But he could tell that it was faint, as if wind and fire were whispering not now. But I'm waiting.
Devi Ashok Sundari looked at the place, at Rudra, whose hand they still held and said,
"How is it, this place. You know it is the place where once the fire of Rudra Swaroop of Mahadev appeared and proceeded to burn all evil and negativity."
Devi Jyoti continued after,
"Yes, and from that point on, it is still burning and lighting this area."
"Quite an amazing site, huh. Well, don't worry, you will see it from time to time. When will your lessons be held here." Devi Ashok Sundari said to Rudra.
"Oh... yes, it is quite a sight. Devi Anvi." Rudra replies to Devi Ashok Sundari.
"Right. let's go." Devi Jyoti said with a composed and calm tone.
And after saying that much, they, along with Ashok Sundari, started moving up the stairs.
Rudra, below look around, and after coming out of his reverie, he too moved up.
As he began to move up, Rudra felt the air and the hum of the sound, he felt as if he had stepped at different place, with a different atmosphere.
The atmosphere wasn't cold anymore, in the place of pleasant chill and comfortable cold of the night. Now he was feeling the heat of fire, as if he were enjoying a bonfire in camp in winter or as if he were enjoying the warmth of the sun in harsh winter.
As Rudra continued to move forward, he crossed the boundary that was made of torches around the altar.
At the base of the altar-like structure, there were carvings, the inscriptions; he couldn't tell what they were, but they had a calming effect on him. And under the influence of the atmosphere and the inscriptions, Rudra unintentionally closed his eyes, and with closed eyes, he continued to follow, both Devis.
Who were also looking at him, Devi Ashok Sundari, with a smile and affectionate gaze.
And Devi Jyoti, with a calm face that doesn't betray her emotions, but we could see it, the appreciation in her eyes that were showing how loving and affectionate they too were, seeing Rudra being accepted as one of their own by the flames that came out of the third eye of their father, Mahadev.