Initially, Shiva is skeptical of his divine status and the strictures of Meluhan society. He is a warrior, not a god, and his transformation from a Guna chieftain to the Neelkanth is a journey of self-discovery, responsibility, and moral choices.
Tripathi successfully convinced readers to accept a "rational" version of Hinduism. Gods become great men. Magic becomes science. Heaven becomes a well-managed city. This appealed to the modern, skeptical Indian reader who loves mythology but struggles with superstition. immortals meluha