"Goodbye, kids. We'll meet tomorrow. Next time, I'll properly explain how machines are used in our daily lives… and this time, we'll actually build something too."
"Okay, sir!"
Some students responded loudly. Many remained silent.
There was a reason for that.
At just 30 years old, Arahan had already been teaching for five years at Astra Imperial Institute of Engineering (AIIE) — the No. 1 engineering college in India.
The boys his age — and even some slightly older — were sitting in his classroom as students.
Naturally, many teachers were jealous of him.
Many students envied him.
But many girls… openly admired him.
Arahan saw it all.
And somewhere inside, he enjoyed it.
But he always kept his distance.
He was a simple, disciplined man.
Ever since he became aware of the world, he had found himself in an orphanage.
He never knew who his parents were.
And during his school days, that became a weapon against him.
Children would mock him.
"Go drink your mother's milk first."
"Oh wait… you don't even have a mother."
"You're an orphan! Orphan! Orphan!"
But Arahan ignored it all.
Instead of reacting, instead of fighting, he buried himself in his studies.
And at just 25 years old, through sheer hard work and brilliance, he achieved something extraordinary—
He became a professor at Astra Imperial Institute of Engineering. Salary: ₹2 lakh per month.
Respect, status, stability, everything came together at him.
And that wasn't all.
His marriage had been fixed with the Dean's daughter.
In just a few days, he was getting married.
As part of the wedding, he was even going to receive a Lamborghini.
Not that he needed it. But if the Dean didn't give it, society would talk.
Reputation mattered.
Lost in these thoughts, Arahan started his scooty. He did own a Bullet motorcycle.
But Arahan was a straightforward man. He didn't believe in showing off.
So every day, he went to college and returned home on his scooty.
He drove forward slowly, humming to himself, "Life is a beautiful journey… who knows what tomorrow holds…"
And then—
PIPIPIPIPIPIIII—
A sharp, violent horn tore through the air.
Before Arahan could even process what was happening—
A black Thar came speeding from the wrong side of the road. Inside it sat a minor boy.
One glance was enough to tell, he was completely drunk.
The Thar was coming toward him at a speed of over 200 km/h.
And it was on the wrong side of the road. Before Arahan could even properly react.
BAM.
A deafening crash echoed.
Metal twisted. Glass shattered.
Arahan's body was thrown onto the road. His scooty lay far away, broken and lifeless.
He couldn't move. Warm blood spread beneath him.
At that moment, Arahan understood. He wasn't going to survive.
"Why…? Why did this happen to me?"
His vision blurred as thoughts flooded his mind.
"I never drank."
"I never lived recklessly."
"I never did anything wrong."
"I never even touched a girl."
"I… I never even had sex."
"I was still a virgin."
"My wedding was just days away…"
"Why did this happen to me?"
His chest burned with regret. He slowly turned his head.
The boy who had crashed into him stepped out of the Thar.
He was a young minor boy, completely drunk.
Arahan looked at his face carefully. There was no panic, not even a little bit of fear. Not even guilt.
Just mild irritation.
And in that instant, Arahan understood, it didn't matter to him.
Why would it? This was India.
If a rich man kills someone, nothing happens.
At worst, he writes an apology essay.
But if a poor man sits on the wrong footpath and tries to sell fruits or vegetables without a permit, the police treat him like a criminal.
Like a terrorist.
Money decides justice.
Power decides truth.
As these thoughts ran through his fading consciousness, Arahan's eyes slowly closed.
And darkness swallowed him.
---
Arahan suddenly woke up, muttering,
"What a terrible dream… In that dream, the messengers of death were dragging me to hell."
Just then, someone tapped him from behind.
When he turned around, he saw a terrifying dark figure, a huge black being with horns on his head.
"Good Lord!" Arahan shouted in fear.
"You were not dreaming, child. This is reality," the demon-like figure said.
"Where am I?" Arahan asked nervously.
From the front, a voice responded while driving something,
"In Yamlok."
Only then did Arahan notice, he was sitting in something like a chariot.
It looked ancient, but its handles were shaped like ox horns.
"You just dropped dead a short while ago. The Thar crushed you. Go back to your flashback if you want," the first demon-like figure said.
Hearing that, Arahan began screaming,
"Mom! They killed me! They killed me!"
The chariot moved forward and passed through a massive gate.
On the other side, the ground was completely made of fire.
Huge iron cauldrons were placed everywhere.
Around each cauldron stood terrifying demon-like beings.
Inside every cauldron, a human was being boiled alive.
Seeing this, Arahan shouted.
"Stop! Stop! Stop! Brake! Brake! Stop the vehicle!"
The chariot halted.
Arahan pointed to one side.
There, he saw a man wearing heavy gold jewelry, clearly very rich.
But his hands and legs were tightly bound to a thick wooden beam, his body hanging helplessly as two demon-like beings dragged the wooden frame forward across the burning ground.
From behind, another demon lashed him repeatedly with a whip, each strike echoing through the fiery landscape.
The man screamed in agony as sparks and flames rose around him.
On the other side, he saw a man wearing torn clothes, looking like a beggar. Yet he was being carried in a golden palanquin.
Four handsome-looking celestial beings carried the palanquin on their shoulders.
Two beautiful women danced gracefully in front of him.
Arahan frowned.
"That man looks very rich… and the other looks like a beggar, poor and broken."
"Why is the rich man being tortured, and the poor one being carried with honor?"
"Why this injustice?"
The first demon-like figure replied,
"He may have been rich, but he was sinful. He never did good deeds."
"That is why he is going to hell," said the one driving the chariot.
The first demon continued,
"And that beggar, even though poor, helped others and earned great merit."
"That is why he is going to heaven," the driver added.
"In our world, sins and good deeds are counted. Not money, gold, or silver."
Hearing this, Arahan burst into loud laughter.
"Hahahahaha…"
"When will the people on Earth understand such simple logic?"
"They wag their tails behind money like dogs."
"Let them come here… let them come…"
"Hell must be ninety percent housefull."
---
Perfect. I'll combine the broken lines, smooth the flow, and keep the meaning exactly the same — just more natural, cinematic, and powerful.
---
The chariot began moving forward again.
But after a short distance, Arahan suddenly shouted,
"Stop! Stop! Stop! Stop this airplane!"
The vehicle halted abruptly.
In front of him, countless floating screens appeared in the air, glowing with strange energy.
Arahan stared at them in confusion.
"Why are there so many screens up there? Is this your world's multiplex?"
One of the demon-like beings replied calmly,
"This is not a multiplex. It is the Yamometer."
"Oh?"
"Every good and bad deed committed by humans is displayed here. If you wish, you may see it yourself."
Arahan nodded slightly, then pointed toward a few figures visible on the screens.
"They look like they're in a critical condition… as if they're fighting death. Who are they?"
"They are undergoing the evaluation of their karma," the first demon explained. "Their good and bad deeds are being measured."
On one of the screens, Arahan noticed two tall pillars — one glowing green and the other burning red.
"What are those pillars?"
"The green pillar represents merit — punya. The red pillar represents sin — paap."
"If a person's merit outweighs their sins and they wish to continue living on Earth—" the first demon began.
The driver interrupted with a dry tone, "—then they must have accumulated good deeds."
"And if their sins are greater," the driver continued, "they cannot return."
Arahan lightly tapped the demon's round belly like a drum and said jokingly,
"Then show mine too. At least divide it into four small parts."
The demon laughed.
"Heh heh… Your ticket has already been cut. Yamometer, display this traveler's Karmometer."
As the demon grabbed Arahan's hand and placed it against the glowing screen—
Suddenly, a violent shock exploded outward.
The demon was blasted backward as if struck by lightning.
At the same time, every screen flickered violently and went dark. The entire Yamometer shut down.
Arahan frowned. "What happened? Why did you get shocked?"
The demon's face had turned pale. Even the driver was trembling now. Both of them stared at Arahan with visible fear.
The driver muttered under his breath, "This… this looks like a serious mistake."
Just then, a massive bell rang.
DONGGGGG—
The sound echoed through the entire realm.
"Why is that bell ringing?" Arahan asked.
The driver swallowed.
"We are landing in Narak."
The chariot moved forward again.
Soon, the scene before Arahan looked like a kingdom ruled by a powerful emperor.
Demon-like beings stood everywhere. In the center rose a grand staircase.
At the top of the steps, a magnificent throne was placed.
And seated upon it, was a crowned figure.
"Glory to Yamraj! Glory to Yamraj!" All the Yamdoots shouted in unison.
Yamraj adjusted himself proudly on his throne and said in a dramatic tone,
"Dhoom dhadaka dhoom dhadhak… look at me, what a presence I have!"
Then he turned his gaze toward Chitragupta.
"Chitragupta."
"Yes, Lord," Chitragupta replied respectfully.
"Enough timepass. Let's begin the work," Yamraj said.
At that very moment, Arahan's feet stepped inside the palace.
And the entire palace began to tremble violently. The pillars shook. The throne vibrated. The ground cracked slightly.
"What is happening?" Yamraj frowned.
"Chitragupta!"
"Yes, my Lord?"
"Why is everything shaking?"
But just as suddenly as it began, everything went silent.
However, Chitragupta looked slightly disturbed… concerned.
Arahan walked further inside and looked directly at Yamraj.
"Wow," he said casually. "You look pretty impressive."
Yamraj smiled proudly upon hearing praise.
But Arahan continued, "Although your stomach is sticking out quite a bit. Along with killing, maybe keep a little account of dieting too."
Yamraj's smile faded. He looked slightly offended.
"And where is that short fellow who keeps everyone's records? The accountant-type guy?" Arahan asked, looking around.
Chitragupta stepped beside him and said calmly,
"On your right."
Arahan turned.
"Ohhh… Gupta bro! How are you?"
"I am fine," Chitragupta replied politely. "You tell me about yourself."
Before Arahan could respond, Yamraj spoke in a heavy voice.
"Chitragupta… read out the list of this fellow's sins."
The moment Yamraj ordered the list of his sins.
Arahan exploded, "I haven't committed any sin! I didn't do any fraud, no scams, nothing illegal!"
"My marriage wasn't even done yet, and you people killed me!"
"Why did this happen to me? Damn it! I hadn't even done anything with my future wife! I planned everything for after marriage… after marriage!"
"And you villains killed me before that!"
Chitragupta coughed lightly and said, slightly embarrassed, "Human… you would have done all that after marriage."
Arahan gave him a slow smirk 😏.
Yamraj immediately snapped angrily, "Chitragupta! Stop giving expressions like a shy girl and do some work during office hours!"
Chitragupta quickly opened his massive celestial book and flipped to the page bearing Arahan's name.
He read for a moment, then suddenly froze. His eyes widened. He quietly moved closer to Yamraj and whispered near his ear,
"My Lord… a small mistake has happened."
"What mistake?" Yamraj asked sharply.
"I… I seem to have made an error. Due to my failing eyesight… I summoned this ordinary human before his actual time."
The moment Yamraj heard this, his mace slipped from his hand and fell to the ground with a loud clang. It rolled across the floor and stopped near Arahan's feet.
"What?! How could you make such a huge mistake?!"
Yamraj's expression turned pale.
He remembered his father's warning: "Never summon a human before their destined time… or the entire Yamlok can face destruction."
Yamraj looked nervously toward Arahan, "Before this fellow realizes our mistake… send him back to his body immediately!"
Chitragupta swallowed. "It is too late, my Lord. His body has already been reduced to ashes."
Yamraj's eyes widened. "How did his body burn so quickly?"
Chitragupta replied, "The vehicle he collided with was leaking petrol. It caught fire shortly after the crash… and the flames consumed his body."
"What has happened… cannot now be undone."
"Now the final decision is yours, my Lord. I'm leaving for vacation with Rambha and Urvashi."
Chitragupta turned to leave casually.
Before he could take another step, Yamraj grabbed him by the collar.
"Mr. Gupta, what kind of duet-duet plans are you making there?" Arahan asked suspiciously.
"Nothing, human," Chitragupta replied nervously. "You were actually going to survive that accident… but because of our mistake, you were summoned before your destined time."
"Chitragupta!" Yamraj tried to stop him.
But it was too late. Everything had already been revealed.