Week 13 Story, Arjun's Temptation

The city of Nagaloki.

(Source)

The sun streamed in the door of my hut, making me from my slumber. I stretched and rolled out of bed. I donned my sandals, grabbed a clean outfit, and headed to the lake to take my morning bath in its icy Himalayan waters. I reveled in the sunshine on my face, and the sound of the wind in the sparse trees.

I lived a simple life. As a brahmin, I owned only a few plain clothes. I ate whatever I could forage. The land provided for me. My home was but mud brick. Yet I wanted for nothing. I was so incredibly content to live with the land instead of on top of it. I spent time praying and meditating, growing closer to the gods and to myself.

I stripped and entered the water. No matter how many times I did this, the cold always stole my breath for a moment, before I relaxed into the water's embrace. I waded out a bit farther, until the water was to my shoulders and began to wash my hair when I felt an insistent tug at my ankle. I tried to paddle to the shallows, away from the dark depths, but suddenly the world went black.

When I awoke, I found myself lying in a bed. I let out a gasp, suddenly disoriented. Bubbles drifted up from my mouth. I sat up abruptly, trying to make sense of it all. At the foot of my bed sat a woman. My god, she was breathtaking. She was tall and slender, with sharp features. Her black hair was braided loosely down her back, and the hair around her face floated, framing it almost like a hood. She had almond-shaped eyes that seemed to take in my every movement.

"Good to see you've finally woken up. Shall I show you around the city?" she asked, putting particular emphasis on the "s" sound as she spoke.

"Where am I? Who are you?" I demanded. "Why was I brought here?"

"Oh, darling," she said, "I had thought you would have figured it out. You're in Nagaloka, the city of the snake god Vasuki. I brought you here to be my betrothed. My name is Ulupi"

She rose and moved to the door. "Well? Are you coming?" she called over her soulder.

I jumped up and joined her. This was the first time in so very long that I had felt temptation or desire. The sway of her hips as she walked was so enticing. Perhaps I could just stay here with her....

For the first time I started to take notice of the environment. The walls were made of dark, porous stone. Embedded in the walls at regular intervals were huge gemstones which seemed to glow from within. On the floors were rugs made of kelp. Vibrant corals grew in pots along the hall.

We came out to a grand boulevard. It was much dimmer than it had been inside. In the shadows snakes slithered too and fro, almost seeming to carry about their daily business. The buildings towered above me, all with intricate designs carved into their facades, all glowing faintly with the same bluish light as the gems in the walls.  Seashells of all colors and shapes decorated the eves and windows of buildings. It was a whole underwater city, vast and busy and well-kept.

I turned to Ulupi to comment on the beauty of it, but she had transformed. In the dimness, I could see her true form. Her hair had transformed into a cobra's hood. Her almond eyes had narrowed.  Her long legs faded into a tail which trailed behind her.

I had to find a way out of here.

Author's note: I based this story off of a piece from the Mahabharata. In it, Arjun is exiled for 12 years for walking in on his brother and his brother's wife while they were together. He joins a group of brahmans and goes to live in the mountains. One day while he was bathing in the lake that is the origin of the River Ganges, he is kidnapped by a naga, or snake demon named Ulupi, who tempts him.
I really like the idea of an underwater city. I think it could be incredibly beautiful. I also wanted to explore a little bit of Arjun's experience seeing it for the first time.

Bibliography: The Mahabharata, By Epified