The Call of Dharma

The Delhi summer, a relentless beast, clung stubbornly to Gurgaon even within the cool confines of Rohan's apartment. Beads of sweat trickled down his forehead despite the air conditioning's valiant efforts. Yet, his discomfort stemmed not from the heat but from the intensity of the virtual world he inhabited. His fingers danced across the VR controller, navigating the bustling marketplace of Ayodhya, a metropolis meticulously crafted within VYOM, the latest VR sensation by the tech giant DevaCorp.VYOM wasn't your average fantasy game. It was a meticulously crafted world, a tapestry woven from the threads of ancient Indian epics and mythology. Players donned the VR headset and haptic gloves, and through the power of DevaCorp's proprietary neural interface, YugNet, they were transported to a bygone era. Rohan, with his VR avatar, Arjun, a wiry Brahmin archer, was on a quest to retrieve a stolen amulet for a beleaguered sage.The vibrant chaos of the marketplace suddenly dissolved into a flurry of static. The world flickered, then vanished. A booming voice resonated in his mind, bypassing his ears and echoing directly within his skull. "Arjun," it boomed, a voice that seemed to emanate from the very fabric of reality, "the fabric of Yugas weakens. The boundaries blur. You are needed, Dharmrakshak."Rohan ripped off the headset, heart pounding in his chest. Had he hallucinated? The room seemed eerily quiet, devoid of the usual cacophony of virtual bazaar sounds. He scrambled to his computer, his eyes scanning the news feed. A banner headline blazed across the screen: "DevaCorp servers malfunction - VYOM offline." The news report elaborated, detailing a global outage affecting all VYOM players. A wave of unease washed over Rohan. He yearned for the familiar chaos of VYOM's Ayodhya, a world that felt more real than his own apartment at times.The next day, the news cycle churned with speculation about the VYOM shutdown. Experts weighed in, theories ranging from a simple server glitch to a sophisticated cyberattack. Rohan, however, couldn't shake off the voice and the unsettling feeling it evoked. He decided to visit the local DevaCorp experience store, a sleek, minimalist space designed to evoke a sense of futuristic serenity. The store was deserted except for a lone employee, a woman with eyes that held the wisdom of ancient texts."Tara," her name tag read. Rohan approached her hesitantly. "Excuse me," he began, "I'm a big VYOM player, and I'm quite concerned about the shutdown."Tara offered him a gentle smile. "Many are," she said, her voice a soothing melody. "But there's more to the story than what the news reports."Intrigued, Rohan settled onto a nearby beanbag chair. Tara, after a quick glance around to ensure they were alone, began to speak. She spoke of the concept of the four Yugas - Krta, Treta, Dwapara, and Kali - cyclical epochs mentioned in Hindu scriptures. VYOM, she revealed, wasn't just a game; it was a bridge, a way to tap into the collective consciousness of those bygone eras. The recent malfunction, she believed, was a tear in the fabric of these Yugas.Rohan's mind reeled. He'd always been fascinated by mythology, but this was something entirely different. "So, the voice I heard," he stammered, "it wasn't just a glitch?"Tara shook her head. "The voice you heard," she said, her voice dropping to a reverent whisper, "it was a message from the Yugas themselves."