Wonder why so much magic is associated with this number? In faerie tales, a genie or a goblin always grants 3 wishes. Or in superstition they say 'third time lucky!' There is of course the fact that number 3 is Jupiter ruled. Jupiter in astrology, is the Great Benevolent, the bestower of luck, 'Optimist Maximus' as they say. In The Garud Prophecies, Sitara's story, the number stands for completion. 3 points to the eternal knot, 3 sisters that fuse their gifts for deliverance. Many religions acknowledge the power of 3 - the Holy Trinity in Christianity, or Brahma-Vishnu-Shiva in Hinduism, etc. A lot of rituals are to be performed thrice to be sacred. And the cycle of stories/life also follows a similar path: Birth/life/Death or Past/Present/Future or Beginning/Middle/End.

A karmic number, most numerologists will tell you. It is revered as an equaliser, it can create and destroy, it is, of course, ruled by planet of restriction or then, long term gains, Saturn. It is a number of potency, one that is deep and significant. In the story, Sitara goes through her rites of passage at age 17, a vibration of the number 8. Number 8 people may not always have an easy path, but it is believed that if they overcome obstacles through tenacity and at-times sacrifice, their rewards are enduring.

In The Garud Prohecies, Sitara's story, 12 is the number of years between the Eagle's first visit to central character Padmini and his next. As a symbol of cosmic order, 12 stands tall. As a mystic number its significance cannot be doubted. 12 planets in astrology, 12 Apostles in the Christian faith. 12 hours for day, 12 for night. 12 months in a year, 12 Gods on Greece's Mt Olympus. 12 Chinese animals, 12 zodiac signs. And as trivia, in Sport - In the Rugby League, one of the starting second-row forwards wears the number 12 jersey in most competitions. An exception is apparently the European Super League, which uses static squad numbering.