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The third of the Trilogy. Has Amish Tripathi managed to hold the readers as enthralled as he did in his other two books? The answer is not easy. It would be wrong to say that he has not, but in my case since I read all the three, practically, one after the other, I probably overdosed. Overdose of anything as they say is not good and hence the rating of three stars.

Predictably it starts off where the part two stops, with Shiva and his army picking the remains of their ships destroyed in the attack that takes place just before their entry into Panchvati the Naga territory. They investigate and realize to their horror that it is a collusion between Meluhans and the Ayodhyans. The respective members are aghast at this betrayal of the Neelkanth by both the empires. The use of Daiva Astras further compounds the problem as they are unable to fathom as to how these two kings could lay their hands on the Dsiva Astras.

Brihaspati breaks the devastating news that Somras is cause for many griefs and it has reached a stage in history when it should be declared an evil and people should asked to desist using it.

Shiva has a tough ask in front of him. To ask people to give up something that gives them health and longevity is not going to be easy. While he does not wish to have a war he sees no option.

He gets in touch with the clan of Vasudevs and embarks on a journey to Parihan to get daiva astras, as deterrence in the war against the Meluhans and Ayodhyans, from the Vayuputras. He learns more about his origins during this journey and when he meets the Parihan chief Mithra.

Parvateshwar reluctantly leaves Shiva and goes back to Meluha as he feels his loyalty to his country is more than his loyalty to his living God despite the wrong decisions of the rulers.

The book ends with the destruction of the Somras factory which has been shifted to Devagiri the capital of Meluhans.

A nice read, but give sufficient time between books to enhance the experience.

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Another classic by Amish Tripathi. The author continues in the same vein as in the first book and manages to keep one glued to the book till the end.

The secret of the Nagas open up in this book. Shiva travels to Kashi from Ayodhya along with the crown prince of Ayodhya who becomes another loyal follower of Shiva.

At Ayodhya Shiva’s entourage encounters the rich Brangas who are from what is modern day Bengal and Bangladesh. It comes out that the Brangas are in touch with Nagas who supply them a medicine to coutner the disease that plagues the Brangas year after year.

The citizen’s of Kashi hear about the sacrifice of a peacock by the Brangas and they are about to attack their colony. Shiva’s intervenes and asks his general to go and pacify the crowd by attacking the Brangas themselves. They find that Brangas have truly sacrificed as peacock, but only to save their children for whom the blood of the peacock is required for preventing the plague that strikes them. The head of the Brangas gives a medicine which is applied over Sati’s stomach before she delivers and Ayurvati sings glory of the medicine. She also says that the medicine will be available only from the land of Nagas.

Shiva recruits the help of the local Branga leader and persuades him to lead to Branga from where he plans to go to the land of Nagas.

Soon a son, Karthik, is born to Shiva and a thrilled Shiva sets off to Branga land. After spending some time they come back.

Revealing anything more will kill the joy of reading the book.

All in all a very well written and presented book.

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A thoroughly enjoyable book if you can keep aside the faith and accept that Lord Shiva is an ordinary marijuana smoking human with his limitations and his abilities.
The book is based on the story where Shiva gets married to Daksha’s daughter Sati. The books portrays Devagiri, placed somewhere in the the present day Kashmir, as the area where the Suryavanshis live. They are ruled by Daksha. They lead a very disciplined and a practically disease free life. They live to more than 100 years and they continue to be youthful throughout. This health is attributed to the somras that they partake. The somras is prepared with herbs and waters of river Saraswathi prepared by their scientists.

The Chandravanshis have Ayodhya as their capital and are a direct opposite of the Suryavanshis. They lead a laid back happy go lucky life with no discipline. They are at loggerheads with each other. Both believe in the legend of a Neelkant whom they believe will lead them to their destiny.

Shiva is a tribal leading a life of strife near the lake Manasarovar. Nandi comes and takes Shiva with him as an immigrant to Devagiri. Here he and his tribe members are given the somras. He and his tribe members go through a night of fever and pain and are attended to by the Suryavanshi doctors. His frost bitten toe is restored, the pain in his body disappears, he gets new strength and most importantly his neck turns blue.

Emperor Daksha and his entourage start paying homage to him as the Neelkant. Soon he becomes revered in the land and he finds himself falling in love with the Daksha’s daughter Sati.

Read the book for the rest of the story. Definitely worth the money.

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