The Unbroken Vows

In the shimmering court of Swarga, Indra, Lord of the Heavens, sat uneasily upon his throne of clouds and lightning. Below, in the mortal realm of Bharatavarsha, the collective spiritual energy of the great Rishis was growing at an alarming rate. Their penance, their unwavering tapasya, generated a heat so profound it threatened to warm the very foundations of his celestial kingdom. Power, Indra knew, was a delicate balance, and the ascendance of these mortals felt like a weight tipping the cosmic scales against him. Fear, cold and sharp, coiled in his divine heart. A Rishi whose power grew unchecked could challenge the gods, demand boons, and even aspire to his throne. He could not smite them, for their righteousness was their shield. But he could break them. "Summon Menaka," he commanded, his voice echoing through the halls of Amaravati. She appeared before him like a sliver of the dawn moon, her beauty a melody for the eyes, her grace a silent poem. Menaka, the most enchanting of all Apsaras, whose dance could halt time and whose glance could make mountains weep. She bowed low, her hair cascading like a midnight waterfall. "My Lord," her voice was like honeyed wine. "Menaka," Indra began, his gaze hard. "The Rishis of the Dandaka forest and beyond grow too powerful. Their vows are too strong, their minds too focused. I need you to break them."