Near the Malava Islands,

SHODASI DEVI (ANNAPOORNA)
Everything came to a standstill. Just the deafening roar of the sea waves washing against the barrier reef kept echoing in my ears. The chill and noise of this silence weighed down on my psyche. This was another unexpected setback in a train of calamities that kept coming one after the other in quick succession. I sat down as though stuck by lightening. The tears just refused to stop flowing from my eyes.

There is nothing worthwhile left in this world to keep me going. For whom was I going to fight and for what? Five years ago, I lost that son whom I was forced to abandon as a child. I broke, I recovered. I lost my kingdom due to the treachery of a person whom I trusted and respected like my own father. I inwardly broke, but still recovered.

I did a quick rethinking of my situation and decided that if at all anybody could help me and Vijayapuri, it was Mahendra Baahubali. I was cornered and surrounded on all sides by a pack of vicious wolves. If anybody could disperse these wolves, it was the lion, Mahendra. But things on the Mahishmati front had not been too favorable either. Mahendra had fallen prey to the machinations of Subahu, Bijjaladeva, and Vijayamarthanda. He had unthinkingly abdicated his throne.

I met him and somehow managed to convince him that everything was not what it appeared to be on the surface and that he could not run away from his duties. Running away and escaping from the reality was the easiest thing a person could do. He had been ready to come with me. But again tragedy stuck.

Our enemies had been quicker and wilier than us. They had quickly thought and covered up for all possible eventualities. We were all pushed to the dead end of that corner in the surprise night attack. Mahendra and Avantika valiantly sacrificed their lives to protect all of us. While crossing the forest stream, we lost the son forever. I broke, but I kept going.

We had to redeem whatever little we had left in our hands. If I became weak or vulnerable, all the rest would collapse. I was their strength, their backbone. Their will to fight came from me.

In the short while I had spent with the child, I rediscovered my motherhood again. To be a mother, one need not bear a child in one's womb. One just had to open up one's heart and give a small place there to a small child. I found my daughter in Bhagiradhi.

I formed an unseen and unbreakable bond with the little child. After a long while, I found bliss. But to lose something so precious, the fruit of one's years of penance and struggle, again after having found it is dreadful. I should have been watchful of her like the eyelashes guard one's eyes. I should have been the child's shield. I failed this time too. This time I broke and died, literally and figuratively.
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SAMARTH
What have you done, Mrithyunjay? You were at least safe. She endangered her own life by her playfulness and carelessness. Why did you have to go behind her into the whirlpool? Why did you choose to die with her when you could have at least lived? I shout out to him, "Mrithyunjay can you hear me? Are you there? Just do as I tell you. There is just a very faint possibility that both of you could escape...."
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APARAAJITHA (BHAGIRADHI)
I am drowning. I hear cries all around. I curse myself for my carelessness. We were warned even before setting out that this journey was very dangerous and that we would have to watch our every step. If only I had a second chance, I will redeem this.

I know swimming. Being a princess, my training for life started ever since I was a toddler. I learnt and imbibed something from all the wonderful people around me, my mother, my father, my grandmother, my Katappa Thatha, my tutors and instructors.

I wildly throw my arms up and try to fight the vicious currents that are sucking me inwards but in vain. I am drowning. Just a few days back, my new born brother met his watery grave in an unfortunate accident in the forest stream of Mandakini. Was I too going to meet a similar fate like my brother's?

I feel powerless. I am sucked by the vacuum of nothingness. Everything is fading from my line of vision. I can sense the darkness closing in upon me. Maybe this is the end.

I ardently pray to Amma Gauri. Please mother, let this not be the end. I want to live. Yes, I want to live. Not for myself, but for all these people for whom I symbolize hope. Then I feel the fingers of a warm and comforting hand locking hands with mine. I hear a voice say, "Princess, I am here. Don't panic. I will save you from this."

A sense of comfort and relief washes over me. The hand locked with mine feels like the sum total of all the relationships I have formed and lived in my short life till now, my mother, my father, my grandmother, my Kattapa Thatha, the little brother in my mother's womb with whom I spent hours talking, my father's Aunt, Shodasi Devi in whom I found a second mother.

This hand interlocked with mine feels eternal. I am not alone. There is someone with me. I know I am safe. The person whoever he is will keep me safe. No danger can befall me when he is with me told my heart.
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MRITHYUNJAY
I carefully listen to Samarth Mama's instructions and follow them exactly to the letter. His muffled voice comes from the surface, "Whirlpools are formed when two opposing water currents come into contact creating a rapid swirling of waters around a vortex. The first and most essential rule when caught in a whirlpool is not to panic."

I notice that contrary to what Mama is saying, our Princess is panicking and drowning very fast. I have to do something before it is too late.

"To save anybody caught in a whirlpool, the rescuer should not go into the whirlpool. They should remain outside and try to guide the person caught in the whirlpool out of it. Any whirlpool becomes weak when we go deep below the surface of water. The currents become weak and it should be possible to break free at exactly that point. But it is very difficult to correctly judge when one should try to break free from the whirlpool. One wrong try and it could be your end and that of the person whom you are trying to save."

I notice that there is a barrier reef of corals perching on top of a submerged dune of sand in the vicinity. I keep both of my feet firmly entrenched here while clutching the reef tightly with one of my hands.

I carefully bend my body towards our princess taking care not to be sucked by the whirlpool. I firmly interlock my other hand in our princess's hand while speaking soothing and comforting words to prevent her from panicking and to calm her down.

The minute I stretch my hand into the currents they frenzily try to pull me also inside. But I continue maintaining my hold over the barrier reef of corals with my other hand and feet. I hold my breath to avoid swallowing water.

My eyes gradually get accustomed to the underwater scene. It is actually so beautiful and colorful in here. It takes my breath away. I judge with precision the exact point underwater where the currents of the whirlpool become almost neglible.

I guide the princess with the help of the hand interlocked in her hand to this exact point before I apply a superhuman effort of strength and pull her out of the whirlpool. We are finally out of it. I swim to the surface with the princess safely and snugly tucked away in my arms.

Everyone scream with delight on beholding us, "He has done the unthinkable. She is safe. Thank goodness!"
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