KRISHNA CORIOLIS#6: Fortress of Dwarka Read Online Free PDF

did as his master bid. The night wind was cool to begin with, but at the speed that the celestial vehicles flew, it became bracing. Due to the size of the Magadhan army, the circle they circumscribed was a very large one, covering several hundred yojanas of actual travel distance. The vaahans covered the distance in moments, which turned the bracing night wind into a chilling one.  

    Balarama was relieved when they drew to a halt again on Krishna’s orders, stopping at a different location than the one before. He gritted his teeth to keep them from chattering and flexed his muscles to try to warm himself up.  

    Krishna was looking out at the distance. “I see nothing amiss. Do you, bhai?”

    Balarama’s teeth almost clattered as he opened his mouth to reply. “N…no, bhraatr.”

    Krishna nodded and uttered the mantras of transport again. Once again, the flash of blinding light, the brief moment of disorientation and that same strange odor, pungent and oddly familiar.  

    Balarama shook his head to clear it, then realized that yet again, he didn’t have his anga-vastra on. Damnation.  

    “All looks the same again,” Krishna said. “What say, bhai?”

    “True, bhraatr,” Balarama said, almost losing his control on the second word. “Do you think we need to do another flyabout?”  

    “Another, bhai?” Krishna raised his eyebrow. “We haven’t done so yet. Not in this world, not on this particular Tuesday. Remember?”

    “Ah,” Balarama said. “Right.”  

    By the time they had finished circumscribing the extent of Jarasandha’s forces this time, his teeth were chattering and there was nothing he could do to stop them. He hugged his bare chest, unable to control himself. It didn’t help much.  

    Krishna seemed not to notice Balarama’s discomfort. And Balarama would be damned if he would admit his weakness to his younger brother.  

    “Nothing apparent here again,” Krishna said, then shrugged. He uttered the mantras again. Again, the flash. Disorientation. Odor.  

    “Daruka,” Krishna said again.  

    This time, when they finished flying around the Magadhan armies, Balarama was almost in tears. His teeth were chattering, his lips felt frozen to each other and he could barely breathe or speak.  

    “Should…have…brought…damn…anga-vastra,” he managed to say aloud.  

    “Did you say anga-vastra, bhai?” Krishna asked from his chariot.  

    To Balarama’s surprise, Krishna tossed him his anga-vastra, duly unknotted and perfectly usable. Balarama’s frozen arms flailed at it and for a moment he was afraid the night wind would whip it away. But he managed to snag it with a finger and somehow wrapped it around his bare torso. He felt immediately better although it was just a long strip of linen. Somehow, it was the psychological protection more than the physical comfort, he realized.  

    “I forgot to mention on the previous jump,” Krishna said casually, “I found your anga-vastra in my chariot. Probably I brought it along on that particular Tuesday and unknotted it for you. In any case, you have it now. Were you feeling somewhat chilly?”

    “Chilly?” Balarama thundered. “I was damn near freezing to death. What are you smiling at?”

    He stopped short. Even Daruka was grinning.  

    Balarama put his hand on the side of the chariot well. “Don’t make me jump over there, bhraatr. What’s the joke?”

    Krishna grinned at him. “The celestial chariots respond to our thoughts. You could have warmed your chariot anytime you wished, using its power to keep you from feeling the cold. You didn’t need that anga-vastra at all!”

    Balarama gaped. Krishna was right of course. “But what about Daruka?” Balarama said indignantly. “He was the one driving both chariots. Why did he keep mine warm?”  

    Daruka bowed his head respectfully to his master’s brother. “Lord Krishna bade me not to, sire. Forgive me. He said it was because you preferred to adjust