Hey readers,
Before I post Chapter 7 of Ashes of a Promise, I want to share something personal with you.
This story is close to my heart—not just because it's about Radhe, but because in many ways, it's about me.
Like Radhe, I'm on a journey. I'm trying to fight my own weaknesses, especially my laziness and self-doubt. But through my struggles, I've come to believe something very simple and honest:
We are not born to escape this world. We are born to love it.
Many seek moksha, freedom from the cycle of birth and death. But I don't.
I believe the Supreme One created this world with love, kindness, and compassion—not for us to run away from, but for us to add to it. To make it better for others, even in the smallest ways.
I dream of one day adopting vulnerable children and giving them a home filled with dignity, love, and education. And maybe, when they grow up, they'll do the same for others. A cycle—not of pain, but of healing.
That's why I call this belief:
"Pratyāgatajyotiḥ Dharmaḥ" — The Dharma of Returning Light.
To come back not with fear, but with purpose. Not to escape, but to serve.
And now, as a little teaser for Chapter 7—
Vidur is receiving a monthly report from his trusted spy. Among all the political whispers, one story stood out:
A small boy was caught stealing fruit from a vendor's cart. The guard grabbed him, ready to beat him. The boy cried—he was just hungry. But before anyone could stop it… Radhe stepped in.
"He is my younger brother," he said. "If someone must be punished, punish me."
The guard, not recognizing him, struck Radhe. Again and again. But Radhe didn't flinch. He didn't fight back. He only asked:
"If everything in this world belongs to the gods, and we are all their children…
then why can't a hungry child take fruit from his own parent's garden?"
That day, the crowd fell silent. Some cried. And the guard dropped his stick and walked away.
This is the Radhe I write about. And this is the kind of soul I want to become.
Not perfect. Just someone trying to spread love where he stands.
Thank you for walking this path with me. I'd love to know your thoughts—about the story, or the philosophy behind it.
With all my heart,
—Nari
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प्रेमेण सेवया च संसारं शोभयामि।
न मोक्षं इच्छामि, सौन्दर्यं वर्धयामि।
With love and service, I make this world shine.
I do not seek liberation—I choose to grow beauty.