Aru Shah and the End of Time

“Sometimes light illuminates things that are better left in the dark.”

Krithika responds to Aru’s question about why they ought not to light the cursed lamp. Her assertion speaks to her characteristic penchant for secrecy; she did not tell Aru the full story of the Sleeper beforehand, and she does not address it upon the completion of Aru’s adventure, either. It is ironic that a lamp, which is supposed to give illuminating light, is what releases something dark and evil; nevertheless, in releasing the Sleeper, the lamp reveals to Aru some truths about her past.

“Her mother had said that the Hindu gods were numerous, but they didn’t stay as one person all the time. Sometimes they were reincarnated—their soul was reborn in someone else.”

Krithika had once described the concept of reincarnation in Hindu philosophy and mythology to Aru, as an explanation for why there are numerous gods. The idea of reincarnation is a central one in the book, as Aru and Mini are both reincarnations of the Pandavas. The fact of their reincarnation is vital to the plot and marks them out for the adventure that follows.

“‘Blood isn’t the only thing that makes you related to someone,’ said Boo. ‘You have a sibling because you share divinity.’”

Boo explains that Aru and Mini share a bond beyond blood. This is in keeping with the Hindu concept of reincarnation, in which it is possible to have shared relationships with different souls across multiple births. In Aru and Mini’s case, they were once siblings, but have now been born into completely different, unrelated families; nevertheless, the bond they once shared keeps them connected across the ages.