The hot noon sun blazed above the open plains of Jwal village, where golden wheat fields swayed gently under the heat. The air shimmered with warmth as farmers moved through the crops, their bodies busy with the rhythm of harvest. Beside the fields stood a giant banyan tree, its ancient branches stretching wide, casting a shadow large enough to shield a hundred people from the harsh sunlight. Beneath it, a group of children — no older than five — ran barefoot in the dust, laughing and shouting, their voices echoing between the roots while their parents worked under the sun.
"1, 2, 3, 4..." The sound of counting echoed beneath the massive banyan tree, its branches swaying gently in the hot noon breeze. Five children were gathered there, playing hide and seek while their parents worked in the nearby wheat fields. One of them — Surya — had his eyes closed, face turned to the tree, as he counted aloud.
"58... 59... 60! Time's up! I'm coming to find you!" Surya shouted and opened his eyes, grinning. He began walking toward the haystack behind the tree when suddenly Arya dashed out from behind the trunk, slapped the spot where Surya had been counting, and shouted:
"Yay! You lost one point!"
Surya laughed. "I still have three left! If I catch them all, I win!" He dashed off again.
Behind the haystack, he spotted Aditya, crouched low and peeking.
"Got you! You're out, Aditya!"
Aditya stood up with a sigh and walked back under the banyan tree, looking dejected. Surya continued his search and soon found the last two friends hiding behind an old bullock cart.
With that, Aditya became the next seeker — but the harsh heat of the noon sun was rising, and their energy began to fade. The game paused, and they gathered in the tree's shade, sitting cross-legged in the dust.
"Are you guys confident about getting into the village Gurukula at tomorrow's student acceptance ceremony?" Arya asked, her tone half-excited, half-nervous.
Surya leaned back. "Father said only those with high karmic weighing can be selected to cultivate Yog. I'm not sure about mine... but he says I'm not ordinary."
Aditya looked down at his hands. "My father's just a regular man. I might not even be able to become a yogi..."
"It's not about family," said Vishnu, eyes serious. "My father told me it's your karma that decides your path, not your blood."
Another boy nodded. "Yeah, the world is ruled by karma. Whether we rise or not... it's already written. All we can do is walk the path."
"Surya, your father is here!" Arya called out, her eyes darting toward the path near the banyan tree.
A well-built man with sun-darkened brown skin and deep black hair approached, wearing a simple white dhoti and calm expression. It was Shankara, Surya's father.
"Hello, Uncle!" Aditya said with a cheerful wave.
"Hello, Aditya," Shankara smiled. Then he turned to his son. "Surya, let's go home. You need rest before tomorrow's ceremony — and so do your friends."
"See you all tomorrow at the village Gurukula!" Surya called, waving goodbye. The children responded with cheerful shouts as he followed his father down the narrow clay path that led home.
Their house was nearly a hundred dhanusha away from the fields, the path winding through the edge of a small forest. Dry leaves crunched under their feet, and the air smelled of earth and neem.
As they walked, Surya glanced up at his father. "father , why do we have to go to the Gurukula?"
Shankara smiled, a thoughtful look in his eyes. "Do you know what our world is called, Surya?"
Surya frowned. "No... you never told me."
"Our universe is called Tatvaloka. It holds billions of worlds like ours — but we live on one planet, named Tatvabhū." His voice was calm, as if he were retelling a story passed down for ages.
"The world is ruled by karma — the unseen balance of your actions. It can be good or bad. And your path as a yogi depends on it. If your karma turns negative, your life will become harder. The path of Yog will close itself to you."
Surya's eyes widened. "So... all yogis must be good people then?"
His father shook his head. "Not all. Some yogis turn toward darkness. They twist their karmas, using forbidden ways to hide their wrongs. These are the evil yogis — feared but never respected. The world sees through them in time."
They walked in silence after that, the meaning of karma sinking slowly into Surya's heart.
As they reached the small clay house nestled between mango trees, Surya's mother, Saumya, was waiting at the door with a soft smile.
"Maa!" Surya ran into the house and hugged Saumya tightly, his small arms wrapped around her waist.
She smiled, bending down to his level. "How was your day, sweetheart?"
"Not bad, Maa. Father told me about our world… and how people practice Yog to become yogis. He said it's the path to being respected."
Saumya gently ruffled his dusty hair. "Go take a bath first," she said softly. "Then come eat."
Surya nodded and headed toward the back room with a towel, his footsteps light.
Meanwhile, Saumya turned to her husband. Her smile faded.
"Are you sure about this, Shankara? Do you really want our child to step into the cruel world of cultivation? You know how karma can be twisted… how some find loopholes and rise with corruption. The competition for resources is brutal. He'll be living under the shadow of life and death."
Shankara exhaled slowly, eyes fixed on the fading light outside. "I know. But this world isn't as peaceful as it looks. Without strength, he won't survive. And without cultivation, he'll never accumulate the karma needed to live freely. Only power can protect his peace."
Saumya looked away, her voice barely above a whisper. "If only the world truly were as peaceful as it seems..."
That night, the small family of three sat together on a woven mat inside their humble home, eating a simple dinner. The soft glow of the oil lamp flickered on the clay walls as Saumya gently fed Surya, her hands moving with the tenderness only a mother could show. Surya smiled, chewing happily, warmed more by love than by food.
"Sleep well tonight," said Shankara, placing his hand on Surya's head. "Tomorrow, we'll take you to the village Gurukula. There, Acharya Chandra will guide you. He'll teach you about the world and the path of Yog. But first, you need rest."
"Understood, Appa!" Surya grinned with bright eyes. "I'll definitely be talented enough to become a yogi. And I'll protect you and Maa always!"
Saumya smiled, her eyes soft with emotion. "Our son truly loves us."
Shankara chuckled gently. "Tell me, Surya. Why do you want to become a yogi?"
Surya looked up, serious for a moment. "To protect both of you… and to make a name for myself. So no one can ever look down on us."
No more words were needed.
Later that night, Surya lay curled on his mat, the stars watching from the small window above. His heart beat with excitement for tomorrow — the beginning of a journey he could not yet imagine.