Free The Krishna Key by Ashwin Sanghi Page B

her cool, ‘how does one explain the swastika—that you say is a representation of the abode of Shiv—being found on Krishna’s seals?’
    Chhedi, who had only been asking questions till then, spoke up. ‘I have a theory,’ he said.
    Saini looked up at his school friend, slightly surprised. ‘Yes?’ he asked.
    ‘If one were to view Krishna as being a historical personality rather than a mythological one, Krishna would have been like you or me—a bundle of bones, muscles, flesh, tissue and blood, right?’,’ replied Sir Khan Singh sai asked Chhedi.
    Saini nodded.
    ‘In this context, the Bhagwad Gita does not make sense,’ said Chhedi. ‘The sermon delivered by Krishnato Arjuna is one in which Krishna specifically tells Arjuna that he is eternal, permanent and indestructible.’
    ‘What’s the point that you are trying to make, Dumpy?’ asked Saini.
    ‘The point that I am making, Roger, is this: isn’t it possible that when Krishna was killed by an arrow lodged in his left foot, what was witnessed was not a killing but a process of ancient DNA extraction?’ asked Chhedi. ‘And if this DNA had to be preserved, wouldn’t the logical place to preserve it be under a sheet of ice that never thawed? Say a location like Mount Kailash?’
    Inspector Radhika Singh looked at the monitor closely. She tightened her grip on her prayer beads. It was time to move in.

    Having acquired the Pashupat from Shiv, Arjuna started climbing the Himalayas. Soon, he saw a gleaming chariot. The charioteer told Arjuna that Indra — Arjuna’s father — had sent for him. Indra needed his help in fighting the Asuras. Arjuna fought along with Indra and they were victorious. Indra asked his son to enjoy the pleasures of paradise for some time, which Arjuna did. He was soon approached by one of the apsaras — Urvashi — who asked him to be her lover. Arjunaknew that Urvashi had been the wife of one of his ancestors and said, ‘I look upon you as a mother figure. How can you expect me to make love to you?’ Furious at the rejection, Urvashi cursed Arjuna that he would lose his manhood. Arjuna beseeched his father Indra for help. Indra was able to dilute the curse so that Arjuna would lose his manhood only for a year and that, too, at a time of his own choosing.
    Saini looked at the note that Chhedi had passed him once again. Determined to decipher the blurred scrawl, Saini screwed up his eyes until he could discern the words: ‘ Be careful. Police in next room listening.’ Saini sat up in his chair with a start. They needed to get out immediately.
    ‘Put your hands up,’ shouted Radhika Singh as she flung open the door to Chhedi’s office. Saini and Priya froze in their chairs. Chhedi, looking rather sheepish, mumbled softly, ‘I’m so sorry, Roger. I had no bloody option but to cooperate with her. I did try to warn you, though.’ Saini nodded grimly at his friend. If he had been put in a similar situation, he might also have done the very same thing.
    Saini and Priya raised their hands as Rathore briskly walked over to them and cuffed their raised arms. ‘Isn’t this a wonderful reunion?’ asked Radhika Singh sarcastically. ‘I’ve so looked forward to the moment we would meet again.’
    Her face suddenly lost its smirk when she felt the steely tip of a scalpel against her throat. Taarak had taken the elevator to the sixth floor and quietly walked over to Chhedi’s office. He had softly tiptoed upbehind Radhika while Rathore was busy handcuffing Saini and Priya. Once behind her, he had grabbed Radhika by her waist with one hand while holding a scalpel to her throat with the other.
    ‘I shall cut this throat if you do not throw down your guns at this very instant,’ he said decisively to Radhika and Rathore.,’ replied Sir Khan said is Saini and Radhika
    ‘Okay, easy does it,’ urged Rathore as he took out his gun from his holster and gently dropped it to the floor. Radhika, who was still holding her gun, was