《The Choice》


 Chapter 1: A change of guard

    Chapter 1


    ¡®They have raised the taxes. Last harvest I gave only one sixth of my produce, but this time they have taken away a quarter.¡¯


    ¡®Taxes can be raised during the war. It is allowed by law.¡¯ Govardhan , the tax expert, replied.


    There were groans of dismay from the crowd.


    The monthly Panchayat (village council) meeting was in progress.Usually the crowd consisted of 50 to 60 people, but these were not ordinary times; There was a war and the village folk of Gangapur were anxious. It was already noon but the crowd of 150 still stayed on.Seated at the front were the five village elders who constituted the Panchayat. Their faces were grave. The last report had come two days back - The enemy was approaching Patliputra, the capital of Magadha. All the troops stationed in the countryside had been called back to join in the decisive battle.


    ¡®Gramikaji , Is¡­ Is the capital safe?¡¯ One among the crowd finally ventured.


    The question had been on everyone¡¯s mind and it was a relief to hear it being said aloud.There was pin drop silence, everyone was looking at the Gramika,the Village head, but he didn¡¯t speak.


    ¡®Of course it is safe, Our king is a great warrior¡¯ a vigorous youth spoke up.


    ¡®But he¡¯s old now¡¯ cried another from the crowd.


    ¡®And there are the princes. I have personally seen them fight¡­ Excellent fighters¡¯ The youth retorted.


    ¡®I heard one of the princes was killed.¡¯


    ¡® Not killed , martyred ! So what? We still have Princes Mahipal and Chirag. They will¡­¡¯.


    Kailashnath, the Gramika, had been listening quietly. He had always maintained a calm demeanor, but today he failed. He had lived through a few wars and knew that their chances were bleak. He was no pessimist, but offering false optimism would not make the road ahead easy. After all, a bend in the road is not the end of the road, all they needed to do was make the turn, as gracefully as possible. Having made up his mind, he felt more composed. Murmuring a silent prayer, he faced the crowd. He held up his hand requesting silence.


    A hush fell on the crowd.


    ¡®We love our King, King Ashwapati, and have lived under his protection for more than a decade. And today, his majesty faces a grave danger. We can offer him our loyalty, and contribute to his cause to the best of our ability, but we have our limits. We must acknowledge that there is a greater power , the divine , that decides and whose wishes we must accept¡­¡¯


    Whispers were heard in the crowd and many folded their hands in prayer.


    ¡®The will of God is supreme and we must trust that what lies ahead will be what is best for us.¡¯


    Kailashnath concluded. It was not much, but this was the best he could say right now.


    He motioned to Jaiveer, the facilitator, who nodded.


    ¡° Next on the agenda - Water tax.¡¯ Running his finger through the agenda before him, Jaiveer announced.


    ¡®Gopalji , please state your problem¡±


    ¡®Umm, well, the water taxes have risen, but I suppose.. It is the war after all, maybe you could drop..¡¯ Gopal replied.


    ¡®Alright , next issue, Schooling¡¯


    Not every village in Magadha had an ashram for learning, but Gangapur did. Kailashnath was a learned man himself and knew the advantage of having an educated population. He had promoted the idea of building an Ashram in the village and had diligently overseen its construction. Not only that, he had gone to great lengths in selecting the right Acharya, the school teacher. The quality of teachers varied greatly, but he had been fortunate to find a very learned man - Acharya Dhaumya. How many evenings the Panchayat members had spent with Acharyaji , debating, learning and seeking advice! Sadly, he was no more, and for more than a month the Ashram hadn¡¯t had a formal teacher. The older students had been helping the younger ones, and he himself had visited the Ashram from time to time; but this, he knew, was only a temporary fix. They needed an Acharya, but the political turmoil in Magadha had dissuaded many prospects.


    ¡®Have we received any applications?¡¯ Kailashnath queried


    Bhola was bored. The topics were always the same - Taxes , Education, Irrigation.... On and on, they went. His eyes glazed over and soon he was half asleep.


    ¡®Ouch!!¡¯ He cried, Someone had pinched him - hard.


    Bhola looked up to find his uncle glaring at him.


    Most 15 year olds skipped the Panchayat meeting, but not Bhola. His father, Kailashnath, was the Gramika and his uncle, Badrinath, was a member of the Panchayat. With two of the five Panchayat members at home, attending the Panchayat sessions was mandatory. And if this were not enough, there were follow up sessions at home. Each issue would be debated again and again, for hours on end.


    He listened in.


    ¡®Maybe I could bring up the issue at the meeting with the Gopa¡­¡¯ his father was saying


    They were still discussing education!


    Suddenly, his eyes lit up. Was that the sound of a horse? Ahh, a welcome diversion.


    A soldier with a strange flag in one hand rode up to them. He dismounted, unrolled a scroll and began to read.


    ¡®Magadha has been conquered by his sacred and gracious Majesty, King PriamRaja. This is another step towards achieving his grand vision of unifying the entire India under one ruler. His deep reverence and obedience to the scriptures will guide him in building a virtuous kingdom.


    To all the subjects listening, his gracious majesty, sends his assurance that under his benevolent rule, their way of life will be protected, their needs attended to, and their aspirations nurtured.¡¯


    The soldier paused for a breath here and then carried on for another two minutes. He then rolled up his scroll, mounted his horse and left.


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    PriamRaja meaning Beloved King ! Well, it certainly tells us of his parents aspirations when they were naming him. Kailashnath thought with a wry smile. The reality was certainly very different. News of his character and administration had been pouring in, there had been whispers


    ¡®Corrupt, Ambitious, Indifferent, Cruel ¡­¡¯


    At the inter-village meeting, even the Gopa, the head of their cluster of villages, had hinted that we must brace ourselves for change. The Gopa¡¯s position was the most vulnerable, so even saying this much could be considered significant. Afterall, he wouldn¡¯t want to risk his position by making any controversial statements that might find its way to PriamRaja¡¯s ears.


    ¡°Father, when will the new king visit our village? Will he, ...will he attend our Panchayat meeting?¡¯ Bhola asked eagerly.


    Kailashnath had had great hopes from Bhola when he was born, even wondering if he would attend the famed university at Nalanda. But he had turned out to be simple minded just as his name suggested. Perhaps he should congratulate himself on getting his son¡¯s name right, unlike King PriamRaja¡¯s parents. More seriously though, Bhola was a good natured and helpful boy. He may never make the family proud , but he wouldn¡¯t be the cause of any shame either, and Kailashnath was grateful for that. He reached out his hand, and tousled Bhola¡¯s hair with fondness.The other members of the Panchayat were inviting him for a quick discussion and he left Bhola with a ¡®Let¡¯s talk later¡¯.


    The venue for the Panchayat meeting varied. Since it was summer now, they had chosen a clearing in the forest for the meeting. The mangrove forests not only offered shelter from the scorching heat, but also provided a delightful snack. Kailashnath was eyeing one of the ripe mangoes near him.


    Suddenly, Kailashnath sensed movement and looked around. The face of a slender youth peeped out of the woods.


    ¡®Sanga, My boy ! What news .. what news?¡¯ Kailashnath exclaimed.


    When he saw the fear and anger in Sanga¡¯s eyes, he braced himself.


    ¡®We lost. Prince Chirag and Prince Mahipal were killed in battle¡¯.


    ¡®The King, what about the king?¡¯


    ¡®Beheaded¡­¡¯ A slight sob caught in Sanga¡¯s throat.


    ¡®No one, no one from the Royal family was left alive¡¯.


    Kailashnath winced, Sanga had confirmed his worst fears.


    A defeated king is at the mercy of the victorious king. A generous victor might allow the defeated King to run a vassal state. The other progressively painful options were leading a restricted life in exile or being a prisoner. But PriamRaja had chosen the other extreme for King Ashwapati.


    Kailashnath now had a concrete example of PriamRaja¡¯s famed cruelty. He went forward and hugged the youth.


    ¡®Stay with my family tonight.¡¯ Kailashnath said


    Sanga gradually composed himself and withdrew.


    ¡®Thank you Gramikaji, but I don¡¯t want to be in the way¡¯


    ¡®It¡¯s not safe to stay at the Traveller¡¯s inn right now. Tell everyone to stay low for a few months¡¯.


    ¡®Oh, okay.¡¯ Sanga acquiesced.


    Kailashnath and Sanga had first met 2 years back at the inter-village meeting held by the Gopa. The harvest had been splendid that year, but the farmers were not getting the prices they sought. Kailashnath had just had a heated debate with the Gopa and was about to head back to Gangapur, when he noticed Sanga.


    Sanga was sitting under a Banyan tree. His back was upright and he was seething with rage.


    ¡°Are you alright my boy?¡¯ Kailashnath had asked him tentatively.


    Sanga¡¯s eyes were flashing as he turned toward Kailashnath.


    ¡®Are you alright? Do you want to talk about it?¡¯ Kailashnath had gently prodded.


    Sanga¡¯s shoulders had slumped and he nodded.


    ¡®Those cheats. I was planning to grow vegetables this time, but they told me to grow rice. They convinced me that all others were growing vegetables, and the price would crash due to oversupply. I switched to rice and now the price of rice has crashed, while they are selling vegetables at a handsome profit!¡¯


    So this was what happened! Kailashnath patted Sanga¡¯s shoulder as he began to connect the dots. Agricultural land in the Kingdom was both in the public and private sector. The Crown lands were managed by the King¡¯s officials. They had the advantage of prior information and consequent ability to manipulate. If, for example, the officials received information about pests attacking a specific type of crop, they might just ¡®miss¡¯ passing on the information to a peasant who was planning to sow the crop.


    Or as in this case, they manipulated the peasants for their own profit. All peasants were required to give the officials prior notice on the crop they were planning to sow. It was decided that the Crown lands should grow vegetables, and so all the peasants were told that there was already an oversupply of vegetables. The peasants then shifted to other crops like rice. At the time of harvest, only the King¡¯s officials were able to supply vegetables and so they controlled the market price, while the peasants found that their produce was in oversupply and consequently their price crashed.


    Each department of the King had their profit targets and though, on the face of it, it was the officials who were resorting to such measures, Kailashnath knew that the King wouldn¡¯t have been unaware. King Ashwapati was not cruel, but he didn¡¯t mind such tricks if it filled his treasury coffers.


    A firm resolve filled Kailashnath.


    ¡®We may be weak when we are alone, but together we can fight them¡¯ Kailashnath said to Sanga.


    What followed this encounter was an unlikely friendship between a youth of 22 and a man of 60, which gradually blossomed into a student-mentor relationship. In their joint pursuit, Sanga brought with him the vigor of youth, and Kailashnath provided not only experience and expertise, but also a keen understanding of human behavior.


    The arguments against hoarding of knowledge and information have been there from time immemorial. Even the crown officials talk about having a level playing field irrespective of rank or class, but there was a wide gap between what they said and how they acted. They were ruthless in dealing with those who might expose their manipulation or leak their ¡®privileged information¡¯


    Over the course of the next few months, Kailashnath and Sanga built a network of like minded individuals. The Goal was only one - Make Knowledge free. The members of this group ¡®Gyanadoot, Messengers of Knowledge¡¯ had no personal ambitions nor did they seek recognition. Their operations were covert and anonymous.


    A friendly stranger informs a peasant about a fair in the neighboring village. The peasant visits the village during the fair and discovers just the information he needed for his crop.


    Or


    A peasant whose harvest was damaged by pests, ¡®accidently¡¯ visits a farmer who is about to sow the same crop. The farmer then realises it would be a disaster if he continued, so he changes his decision and sows a different crop.


    Initially, all these happy coincidences were considered to be divine providence. But gradually there was speculation whether the divine maynot have some human cohorts. The members of Gyanadoot were extremely careful not to leave any identification, and no one was able to crack the mystery. Having no leads, the Crown officials were forced to accept their losses ¡®good naturedly¡¯.


    While the network had worked well during peace, its greatest value was revealed in war time.


    Villages that had lain in the path of the invading army had been informed in the nick of time, and a mass exodus saved thousands of lives.


    All this had given Kailashnath immense satisfaction, but there was one gift that he was even more grateful for - the time to adapt. Information had been pouring in for months now, and how much ever he hoped otherwise, the evidence was that they were bound to lose the war. Being mentally prepared for this unpleasant and yet inevitable outcome, had not only helped him deal with the current moment with composure, but also enabled him to look ahead and plan.


    Kailashnath asked Sanga to join Bhola while he himself proceeded to join the Panchayat members.


    ¡®We have to ¡­ we have to show that we are still in charge. Look at the villagers, they are all anxious , agitated.. We have to talk to them¡¯ Govardhan was saying , clearly having a hard time controlling his own emotions.


    Badrinath looked up at his brother, as Kailashnath approached them.


    ¡®It has to be you, you have to address them¡¯.


    Kailashnath nodded silently and looked around him. The crowd of people had formed themselves into groups - some anxious, some furiously debating the new development and some feeling smug because their predictions had proven true.


    It was noisy and Jaiveer had to shout to make himself heard.


    ¡®Everybody , please be seated. Yes, yes, you,... my Good sir, please sit down. Mother, you too.


    Gramikaji will now address us¡¯.


    Kailashnath stepped forward and spoke.


    ¡®My dear brothers and sisters. We stand here today in the midst of a great change, a change that frightens us. And it is at such a time that we must go back to our foundations.


    I want to remind you that the strength and perseverance of our country has lain in the system we have adopted in our villages. It is the Panchayat that governs the village, and that Panchayat is elected by you, all of you. Most of the land in our village is owned by us, not by the king. Isn¡¯t it so?¡¯


    The crowd nodded in agreement ¡®Yes, yes, it is our land¡¯.


    ¡®And this is why I ask you to put your faith in this system.¡¯ Kailashnath continued.


    ¡®In the past too, Kings have come and gone, but our villages have endured. The Kingdom of Magadha has thousands of villages, no king can administer each of them individually. A king must be busy administering the whole kingdom, building an army, protecting and expanding the kingdom, handling foreign affairs, and attending to his royal duties. And hence, Kings have never taken away the liberties of the Panchayat. Please be assured that our social fabric will remain unchanged.


    I, Kailashnath, as your Gramika, remain in your service and will help you and our village to adapt to the demands of the new regime.¡¯

 Chapter 2: Maya

    Pavan hurried home to tell his family the news. As a clerk at the accounts department, he led a fairly mundane life. In comparison, today was huge. The atmosphere at the Panchayat meeting was charged. He had joined his colleagues for a post-Panchayat analysis to keep the excitement going. What began as a general debate about the new administration, soon turned technical.


    ¡®Since Magadha and Kalinga now come under the same King, would there still be a border tax?¡¯ A tax official posed this question.


    ¡®Of course, it would be still there - the administration is separate!¡¯ chipped in one of the veterans.


    ¡®No way, how can it be justified !¡¯ retorted another


    Pavan could follow thus far, but they then went even further.


    ¡®The ferry charges for small rivers in Magadha are 2 copper coins for transporting merchandise. I hear that they are 3 copper coins in Kalinga. See the difference. Consider the difference in labor cost as well. They will align the prices in both places. Take my word for it, the cost of goods is set to rise¡­¡¯ one of the taxmen said , reading out his recent calculations.


    ¡®No, No, you missed¡­ ¡® said another and there was a heated debate.


    So much detail bored Pavan and he wasn¡¯t able to chip in. He had made an attempt


    ¡®King PriamRaja will need to be careful. Some of Magadha¡¯s policies are different from his¡­ Ha ha ha¡­¡¯


    But they had ignored him. Feeling left out here, he thought maybe he could share the excitement at home instead.


    The door was open; leaving his slippers outside, he entered. He smiled to himself as he called out to his wife.


    ¡®Lata, the war is over. We have a new King, King PriamRaja.¡¯


    No response.


    He looked into the bedrooms. Empty!


    Puzzled, he opened the back door.


    His mother-in-law was busy in the kitchen and his daughter was playing alongside.


    ¡®Meera, where is your mother?¡¯


    ¡®Did you bring candy?¡¯ asked Meera as she ran up to him.


    ¡®Uh...huh¡¯.


    ¡®Lata and Maya went out¡¯ His mother in law informed him.


    ¡®Boutique aunty had sent a message saying we lost the war and she wanted to discuss urgent business with aunt Maya. So mother and aunt Maya left in a hurry¡¯ Meera chipped in.


    ¡®I see..¡¯ Pavan said, feeling a little deflated at not having been the news bearer.


    ¡®Would you like some buttermilk?¡¯ his Mother-in-law asked.


    He gave a dejected nod and went back in.


    It was a while before Lata and Maya returned. Sensing her husband¡¯s mood, Lata joined him and plied him with questions about the new development. His face lit up and he spoke with animation. Lata had heard most of it already, but she enjoyed seeing Pavan¡¯s excitement and feigned ignorance.


    Maya watched them for a few moments, then headed back to her room. She had a lot to think about.


    It was now 5 years since Maya had made Gangapur her home. Chunar had been home until the age of 20. The circumstances of her leaving home had not been pleasant. Her childhood had been idyllic with an indulgent father and loving mother. She had attended a few years of school at one of the ashrams in Chunar. There she had discovered her aptitude for tailoring. Her mother had encouraged her to train professionally by working as an apprentice in a nearby boutique. Life had been smooth sailing until the day she was told to marry Deependra, their neighbor, and she had refused.


    She was blamed for everything , from being ungrateful for all the love and affection she had received from him , to a lack of community spirit. It was true - He had been affectionate. She had known him since she was 10, when his family moved into the neighborhood. He was 5 years older and treated her with indulgence, buying her sweets and trinkets. Deependra¡¯s mother Kamala Devi was a kind lady and often invited her home. Maya had spent hours there, eating and playing.


    Sadly, childhood is not a period of objective evaluation and careful choices. Those who treat us with affection are not analyzed for their virtues, vices or intent. How do you judge someone when you have so many happy memories with them?


    But at 20, she had begun to see more. Deependra had never been a bright or able individual, but when coupled with laziness and ambition for wealth and power, his life slowly began to decay. Outwardly he was still the same caring person - running errands for the family, taking his mother to the doctor - but the core was hollow. One day she saw him accepting a bribe, it was just the beginning of her discoveries. Slowly, she began to see his life of dissipation - drinking , gambling and ¡®other¡¯ pleasures. She was sure her parents must not have been blind to all this, and so she was shocked when her mother brought his proposal of marriage.


    Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    Aunt Kamala was very keen on the marriage. She knew of her son¡¯s waywardness and hoped that marriage to Maya would reform him, or at least shift the burden and blame away from herself. Once they were married, she could give Maya a hint to control him better, and that would be the end of her guilt of raising him poorly.


    And so Aunt Kamala¡¯s eagerness for the match Maya understood, but for her own mother to endorse the suggestion, she felt betrayed. All Maya¡¯s friends had been married at 15, while Maya had been busy honing her tailoring skills. Most of her friends had children by now, so she understood her mother¡¯s worries, but was she really THIS desperate? What ensued was daily arguments, 2 months of silence and bitterness. Her father was at the end of his tether. Finally, hope came in the form of Aunt Malti, her mother¡¯s sister.


    Aunt Malti¡¯s daughter, Lata, had got married to Pavan and moved to Gangapur. After her husband¡¯s death, Aunt Malti too moved to Gangapur. On hearing about the sorry state of affairs at her sister¡¯s house, Aunt Malti suggested that Maya come to Gangapur and live with them. There was a boutique in their neighborhood , and Maya being so accomplished in designing and stitching clothes could easily find employment. An arrangement had been worked out on nominal boarding expenses, and everything was soon settled.


    Out of sight, the gossip and bitterness soon died down and Maya¡¯s parents went back to a peaceful life. 2 years after leaving Chunar, she had heard that Deependra got married. Deeming it safe , she had then started visiting Chunar once in a year.


    Life was strange. She had thought that the uncertainty and insecurity in her life was long past, that she was now in control of her life. And here she was 5 years later, just as uncertain , just as vulnerable and with the same choice before her - Where did her future lie? Chunar or Gangapur?


    Her room was fairly small, but the highlight were its large windows. She loved the slice of nature that they brought into her room. She stared outside, it was the hour of dusk. Maya had less than a day to decide.


    The sound of laughter reached her ears and Maya turned around. Through the door, she watched the cozy domestic scene - Meera was playing in the living room while her parents were smiling and looking on indulgently. This template of domesticity was what most parents wanted for their children, certainly her parents did. And if she was honest with herself, Maya had yearned for such a life for so long. Though the picture was attractive , Maya often wondered how sturdy their bond was. Would it endure a chronic illness? She often observed that they lived beyond their means, would their marriage endure an unsteady income?


    If Maya returned to Chunar, no doubt she would have to marry soon and have a similar uncertain relationship. But staying in Gangapur held its own challenges. She would have to live alone. ALONE - The word weighed heavily on her. She had always dreaded being alone, it was her worst fear. And then, the memories slowly came.


    It had been about a year since Maya had moved to Gangapur. The adjustment and demands of work had taken their toll and Maya fell sick. For nearly a month  she had been bed-ridden. She had got her regular meals from Aunt Malti, but that had been all.


    ¡®Oh dear, you need to take rest¡¯


    ¡®Hope you are well today¡¯.


    With these platitudes, they left her on her own. No one bothered to consult a doctor. It was akin to offering a meal to a person who needed a job,the giver may feel self-satisfied with her act of charity, but the receiver¡¯s problem still remained.


    Would they behave the same way if Meera was sick? I suppose since I am older I am expected to fend for myself. Such thoughts filled Maya and she fumed internally.


    Left with no other choice , she had prayed incessantly. Her sickness disappeared in a month. It was this moment that she turned into a believer, the presence of a higher power gave her the security she needed.


    The illness had its uses - it made her humble and shed light on the strength of her relationships. But the illness also made her emotional, sometimes blind. All her arguments against Lata while she had been sick were true, but only now that the remembered pain had mellowed could she acknowledge that perhaps she had not considered the whole truth.


    Lata was only 6 years older than herself, and perhaps no more knowledgeable than Maya on the subject of medicine. She and her husband were not people who had struggled in life and wisened through their experiences, they were just letting life carry them along. Meera was their responsibility and as a child, she was helpless. Beyond the emotional bond of a parent, it was their duty to take care of Meera, but they had no such duty toward Maya. And to be fair to them, there is only so much burden that anyone can take on. How much would Maya be able to do if the positions were reversed?


    And then there was this niggling doubt, perhaps Lata wasn¡¯t comfortable with the attention Pavan sometimes gave Maya. Lata¡¯s greatest treasure was her stable married life, who could blame her for wanting to protect it? This analysis didn¡¯t make her feel more at home in Lata¡¯s house, but at least it took away the bitterness. And honestly, to be able to excuse someone¡¯s unkindness as a human frailty, that too was a divine gift.


    Maybe this was the right time to part amicably. Maya¡¯s employer Nandini was about to close shop. Sister Nandini¡¯s husband, Kashyapji, had been a close confidant of King Ashwapati.


    After killing the royal family, PriamRaja¡¯s next target were the loyalists of King Ashwapati. Hence they were forced to flee, and soon.


    Maya had one day to decide if she should spend all her savings to buy the shop. She would also need to move into the shop, to keep guard and save on rent. She quietly wondered which was worse - to stay alone or to stay with people who made you feel alone?


    Maya was lost in thought when the temple bells began to ring, beckoning devotees for the evening prayer. Maybe this is just what she needed to calm her, she thought. She quietly left the house and made her way toward the temple.


    Maya ended up staying for the entire evening prayer, and still felt reluctant to leave. She had always loved the atmosphere - the recitation of the sacred chants, the singing of the hymns, the lamps lighting up the sanctuary, the flowers, the incense - it was a world where everything felt clean and pure. But it was time to leave now, and she reluctantly made her way to the door. Sadly she was no closer to a decision now than when she had arrived, the confidence to take the leap still eluded her.


    As she was leaving, she saw a figure come into the temple precinct. It was Kailashnathji, the Gramika. Maya had always looked up to him as a man of great wisdom and virtue. Maybe she should seek his advice, the thought struck her and she approached him with hurried footsteps. Reaching near him, she realized that his face was rather grave. Of course it was such a tense moment for him! She hesitated.


    Suddenly Kailashnath looked up and saw Maya. His eyes lit up. Bhola was his biological son, but Sanga and Maya were his children in temperament and zest for life. To Bhola he would bequeath all his material wealth, but Sanga and Maya were inheritors of his intellectual and spiritual wealth.


    Encouraged by his smile, Maya went forward and sought his blessings.


    ¡®God bless you , God bless you my dear. You are just the person I hoped to see.


    Come , come, sit by me¡¯. Kailashnath said.


    There was a stone bench next to a Pipal tree and they both sat down. It was late night before they finished talking and Kailashnathji had walked her home.


    Maya sat down on her bed and recalled the events of the evening. She was still trying to grasp what he had said. What he told her was extremely confidential and she had been surprised that he should share it with her. Later her surprise turned into awe, when she realized the extent of the elderly man¡¯s vision and purpose. But Gramikaji was not having an idle discussion, he had asked her to join him in his mission. She shivered at the thought. Could someone like her really join something so big?


    After he had finished, she shared her current dilemma with him. He listened thoughtfully and told her to embrace the new opportunity. As she bent to touch his feet, he had blessed her and promised her all the help within his power. With his guidance and support, Maya felt confident. She decided to stay in Gangapur.

 Chapter 3: Sumedh

    Chapter 3 - Sumedh


    Kaushambi, Capital of Vatsa


    ¡®All rise! His gracious majesty King Devaditya, ruler of the kingdom of Vatsa is arriving¡¯.


    Devaditya alighted from his palanquin, looked around and smiled. The decorations were even grander than when he was crowned King. The public hall of the royal palace was filled to capacity and everyone was in a festive mood, for King Devaditya was passing on the crown to his son, Crown Prince Mahendra.


    As he sat down, Devaditya looked at his son with pride. For a parent to objectively evaluate his child is fairly impossible, the emotional bond is too strong. But when the parent is the King, and the child is his successor, an objective evaluation is a must. A very vigorous training regimen and evaluation had therefore been devised by his council of ministers. With great self control, he had detached himself from his son during this period. But Mahendra had come out with flying colors and proved himself to be worthy for succession, or almost.


    Mahendra¡¯s skill in martial arts was exemplary. His prudence in economic affairs was also praise worthy. Philosophy and the study of scriptures have always been an area of deep introspection, but Mahendra had the humility to seek the counsel of learned men in this regard. The only area where he had always been rated as mediocre was in Political Science.


    Devaditya couldn¡¯t decide whether it was good or bad that in spite of being intelligent, Prince Mahendra couldn¡¯t always understand the cunning that went behind politics. Still, this subject was not optional. Handling the day to day political turmoils was part and parcel of a King¡¯s duties. He then turned his gaze to the man standing next to Prince Mahendra, his close friend and confidant, Sumedh, and Devaditya¡¯s worries melted away.


    The succession ceremony didn¡¯t go on for long. Devaditya disliked long ceremonies and had instructed the priest to cut it down to the bare essentials. He watched with joy as Mahendra ascended the throne to the cries of


    ¡®Long live King Mahendra, the new King of Vatsa¡¯


    The royal representatives from most of the neighboring kingdoms were present, but Devaditya¡¯s practised eye noticed the absence of one representative - A representative of Magadha. He had heard disturbing reports about Magadha just this morning. It would be Prince Mahendra.. Umm.. King Mahendra¡¯s first test, he thought.


    ¡®And now for a special appointment¡¯, announced the court officer.


    ¡®I,King Mahendra,appoint my friend and advisor, Sumedh, as my Chief Political Advisor¡¯ King Mahendra proclaimed, as he handed Sumedh the royal edict.


    Devaditya smiled.


    Sumedh was the son of Purumitra, the royal physician. Purumitra had trained Sumedh in medicine for several years, and though he was happy to see his son follow in his footsteps, he let him go when he realized that his son¡¯s real strength lay elsewhere.


    Devaditya recalled his first meeting with Sumedh, when Sumedh was just a youth of 18. He had been struck by Sumedh¡¯s political acumen and courage for bold changes. But what made Sumedh outstanding was his integrity and dispassion toward material gain. Devaditya had immediately taken charge of Sumedh and had him trained alongside Prince Mahendra. And Sumedh had not  disappointed, he impressed all the senior councillors and they had unanimously voted for him to be the Chief political advisor.


    Next Morning


    King Mahendra stood at the entrance of his private chamber. Soon a man appeared before him.


    ¡®It is safe your highness, you may enter¡¯


    ¡®Thank you Shaivya¡¯ Mahendra responded.


    The other members invited to the meeting began to stand up but Mahendra waved them to their seats.


    Mahendra sat down in the front and looked at the gathered group, these were his most trusted aides.  To the left was Sumedh, in the center Vikarna, his Chief of Defence and to the right Daksha, the head of secret service. His practised eye caught a movement in the background and he looked up. As expected, Vikarna¡¯s commandos were hovering in the back of the room.


    ¡®Your highness, we have confirmed the news. No one from King Ashwapati¡¯s family remains. I am sorry¡¯ Daksha reported.


    ¡®But this will not be the end of PriamRaja¡¯s ambitions. Vatsa could be next¡¯ Vikarna said in a heated tone.


    ¡®Before their army has time to recover from the exhaustion of this battle, we should attack them. We could easily take¡­¡¯ Vikarna continued.


    ¡®No¡¯ Sumedh said in a firm tone.


    Everyone knew that King Mahendra held Sumedh in very high esteem. But what they failed to see was the absolute trust and close friendship they shared. Both Mahendra and Sumedh had experienced the light hearted friendships of youth, which though fun, invariably led to thoughtlessness. A word amiss, a careless gesture, was all it took to break such friendships. They valued each other too highly and were unwilling to let their relationship deteriorate. And hence, an implicit protocol had emerged between them - they always listened to each other with respect, there was never any sarcasm, and they never took each other for granted.


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    To an outsider it might seem that such a relationship was too much work, but they both believed that a friendship worth keeping was worth working for. This self-discipline was the offering of their grateful heart.


    ¡®The price the innocent people of Magadha will have to pay will be too high.¡¯ Sumedh stated.


    Both King Mahendra and Sumedh had seen the atrocities of war and knew the devastation it brought, and they deplored it.


    ¡®I agree¡¯ King Mahendra said and looked at Sumedh.


    They both hated war but when it came to defending their own kingdom, there was no ambiguity in their minds. PriamRaja¡¯s ambitions were well known and they needed to be prepared. They shared a look and Sumedh nodded.


    ¡®Prepare for defence¡¯ King Mahendra ordered.


    The discussion went on till noon until they had arrived at a defence strategy that all agreed would work. Only one gap remained - A spy inside the enemy palace, someone who had access to PriamRaja¡¯s plans.


    ¡®How about the Purohita?¡¯ Sumedh suggested.


    There were gasps of surprise. The Purohita, the Royal Chaplain, was among the highest ranked officials. To place a spy at that rank was to penetrate the very heart of PriamRaja¡¯s inner circle.


    All those present were in awe, not only because the scheme was bold, but because of the cunning.


    A Purohita had considerable personal influence over the ruler because of his knowledge of religion, ritual and politics, and because he was presumed to give objective advice. The ancient texts emphasized the special position of the Purohita by enjoining that even if he commits a grave offence like treason, he shall not be killed but only imprisoned or exiled. A Purohita was venerated, and hence among all the positions that they could place a spy in, a Purohita would be the safest bet.With this last piece in place, the meeting concluded. Daksha and Vikarna and his men left.


    King Mahendra sat back with a sigh, a pained expression on his face.


    ¡®I am sorry¡¯ Sumedh said.


    ¡®What will I tell her?¡¯ Mahendra said in anguish.


    ¡®Princess Rohini will understand. Our armies were at the western frontier and their plea for help reached us very late. There was nothing we could have done.¡¯ Sumedh comforted his friend.


    ¡®If only, if only they hadn¡¯t killed the royal family¡­. If only they had been exiled, we could still have proceeded with the alliance..¡¯ King Mahendra trailed off.


    ¡®She mustn¡¯t hear the news from a stranger¡¯. Mahendra said in a more controlled voice.


    ¡®But I am scheduled for a public audience..¡¯


    There was a brief silence.


    ¡®I will do it.¡¯ Sumedh said reluctantly.


    *************


    Sumedh was sitting in the parlor of Princess Rohini¡¯s palace. Conveying grim news was always unpleasant, but to someone as kind as the princess made Sumedh feel even worse. She had received him warmly, as always, and bore the news of the death of her fiance, Prince Chirag, stoically. Her well-schooled features didn¡¯t even flinch, but this was expected from the royals, they weren¡¯t allowed to show weakness.


    Princess Rohini looked up at Sumedh¡¯s face. He was clearly uncomfortable. She wondered what he would think if he knew that she felt relieved. She had never met Prince Chirag and by all reports he sounded like a fairly ordinary individual. There was no bond between them, only a political alliance. She had been unemotional when the engagement had been announced and she was unemotional now at the news of his death, maybe because someone else was the object of her affections.


    Rohini had been 8 when Sumedh entered the palace to train beside her brother, King Mahendra. She had been struck by him then and had been in awe ever since. She had modeled herself after him and even took interest in political affairs. At one point she had even hoped that he would pay her the attention she sought. Was she now free to seek his attention? She wondered.


    ¡®I hear you are attending a political conference in the western province.¡¯ she asked hurriedly when he made a move to leave.


    ¡®Ah yes, yes. Next month¡¯.


    ¡®Would her highness like to join¡¯ he offered, clearly unaware of her thoughts.


    ¡®Yes, if it isn¡¯t inconvenient¡¯ she answered, hiding her excitement.


    ¡®Oh it¡¯s nothing, I will make all the necessary arrangements¡¯.


    With this promise he took her leave.


    Sumedh was pleased that he hadn¡¯t left Princess Rohini on an unhappy note. There was even a bounce in his step as he proceeded to his next port of call - The Purohita.


    *******


    Atri, the Purohita, was eyeing Sumedh warily. He had hurt his wrist and Sumedh was bandaging it for him. It should have been a quick job for a skilled physician like Sumedh, but he had been at it for a while now.


    ¡®Out with it, what scheme have you in that wicked brain of yours¡¯ Atri demanded.


    Sumedh looked up with an innocent expression and quietly handed back Atri¡¯s well-bandaged wrist.


    ¡®I haven¡¯t greyed my hair in vain. I know better than to fall for that look¡¯ Atri said.


    Sumedh had the grace to look sheepish. The usual image people had when they thought of a Purohita was that of a calm sage, but Atriji was the antithesis of that. But it was his aggressive personality that made him an ideal candidate for the assignment.


    ¡®We need a spy in Magadha. We suspect that PriamRaja will plan an attack on Vatsa very soon¡¯ Sumedh finally said.


    ¡®And you want me to be that spy?¡¯ Atri gaped.


    Sumedh braced himself for a tirade. Atriji didn¡¯t disappoint. In fact the response was even more colorful than he had anticipated.


    ¡®And at this age, when I should be resting my old bones, YOU WANT, ...you want¡­ ¡®Atriji was on a roll.


    Sumedh remained silent, he was adept at such negotiations.


    As expected, Atriji calmed down after a while.


    ¡®All right, all right.. Have it your way¡¯ Atri conceded.


    Atriji might seem emotional but that was only among people he loved. Both Sumedh and he had developed a great camaraderie in their years at the palace. Atriji was only having his fun, Sumedh knew that he would soon get down to business. And sure enough,


    ¡®How about Kalinga ?¡¯ queried Atriji.


    Sumedh immediately caught on with Atriji¡¯s line of thought. It was late in the night when they had finalized the modus operandi. It was to be executed as early as next week, they both agreed that there was no time to lose.


    It was midnight by the time Sumedh left Atri¡¯s residence. He knew that he should go home, but he felt restless.


    ¡®Take me to the temple¡¯ he instructed Bahu, his carriage driver.


    The temple was obviously closed at this hour, so he just sat on the stone bench under the nearby Pipal tree. The familiar calming peace descended on him after a while and he sat in contemplation. He knew why he had chosen to be a political advisor, he had known the tough choices he would have to make, but still his heart ached.


    The texts on war taught that


    ¡®An archer letting off an arrow may or may not kill a single man, but a wise man using his intellect can kill even reaching unto the very womb¡¯.


    Atriji was a man of courage and great shrewdness. Sumedh was sure he would survive. And perhaps this is the price that the strong must pay - carry an extra burden and sacrifice themselves for the larger good, he thought.


    One day, he hoped, there would be someone whose love for justice and for the people would be equal to his. Sumedh would gladly hand over his job to such a one, but until then, it was his duty to make the tough decisions.

 Chapter 4 : Being loyal

    Chapter 4 : Being loyal


    2 months later, Gangapur


    Though being a Gopa meant heading a cluster of villages, Pushkar knew the limitations of his position. He neither had the power of execution that a Gramika possessed, nor did he have the authority to make decisions like the Governor. At best, his position could be described as that of a bookkeeper - collating data for several villages - , and a messenger between the Governor and the village heads. Sure, he facilitated the quarterly inter-village meetings for the villages under him, but with no real power he spent most of his time placating everyone.


    Puskhar looked around him, the Travellers inn he was staying at was fairly small. Gangapur probably didn¡¯t get many visitors, it was a small village after all. He mused. Ordinarily he wouldn¡¯t have hesitated in imposing on Kailashnath and enjoying the hospitality of his home. But he wasn¡¯t alone this time.


    ¡®Aha Gopaji! Did you have a pleasant evening?¡¯ Deependra enquired.


    Pushkar looked at him with a polite smile, trying his best to conceal his dislike for Deependra. Deependra and his cronies were the kind of people with whom Pushkar usually kept a safe distance. His group hung around people in power, became their eyes and ears, and in the process gained wealth and indirect power.


    For some, a change of mentor or a change of loyalty is a matter of much mental anguish, but even with a change of regime, this group suffered no scruples. Whether the new ruler was virtuous or vicious, serviceful or dictatorial, it didn¡¯t matter. They could always find a way to work together with those in power. They had shifted their allegiance from King Ashwapati to King PriamRaja as casually as changing into a fresh set of clothes. For them, it was the practical thing to do!


    Pushkar on the other hand was struggling. He had never had high expectations from the officials of King PriamRaja, but the experience of working in his administration was costing his conscience dearly. Keeping his position had always meant staying in the good graces of the Governor, but now, it involved bribery, flattery, and taking on assistants like Deependra.


    ¡®I just had a quick tour. What a small village! It probably is a fraction of our Chunar, isn¡¯t it Gopaji? ¡® Deependra was saying.


    Pushkar gave a slight nod.


    ¡®It will be a busy day tomorrow. I better get some sleep.¡¯ He said to Deependra and made a quick exit.


    Next day


    ¡®The monsoon is weak this year, the reservoir was our only hope. We had raised the issue repeatedly over the last 2 months¡­¡¯ Kailashnath said, barely holding back his anger.


    The panchayat members had met the Gopa¡¯s team early in the morning. Together they had set out for the outskirts of the village where the reservoir was situated. Built during the reign of King Ashwapati, it was meant to irrigate the eastern part of the village. The fields on the western side enjoyed proximity to the Ganges river and had a steady supply of water. The structure of the water reservoir had held well for several years, but the walls were weak now and needed reinforcement. Leaks had appeared in several places and the water had drained away into the pasture lands before it could be channeled into the fields for irrigation.


    While the village could provide the labor, they needed the expertise of an engineer to determine the extent of damage and design the reinforcements that would be necessary.


    ¡®I know, I know.. But most of the engineers migrated to the neighboring kingdoms during war, and as you can see, the new regime is still settling in. We need time..¡¯ Pushkar was using his practised placatory tone.


    ¡®Then waive off the taxes for the farmers¡¯ Kailashnath challenged.


    ¡®Well..¡¯  Pushkar was in a bind. Not only couldn¡¯t he waive off the taxes, he had to be the bearer of the King¡¯s unreasonable demand of keeping the taxes high for the foreseeable future.


    King PriamRaja was not in a mood to settle down and enjoy his conquest of Magadha. His ambition was to be ruler of India, and he didn¡¯t want to wait. The victory celebrations had lasted only a few weeks before he had begun to build up troops again. And what he needed right now was higher taxes to fund his ambitions. He was not interested in the administration of Magadha or the prosperity of its citizens. Consequently, the taxes that had been raised by the erstwhile King,  King Ashwapati, for war expenses were being retained.


    Pushkar knew that the demand was unfair , even unreasonable, but he had a job to do. Sharing his compulsions and reasons with the panchayat members might have eased his guilt, but with Deependra hovering around them, there was no chance for a frank conversation. Pushkar was frustrated.


    Usually a visit to Gangapur lasted a whole day and in special circumstances he had even stayed for 2 days. But this time, by noon they were done. Kailashnath was not pleased and in no mood to yield an inch, and Pushkar had to maintain his stance if he wanted to keep his position as Gopa. The tense atmosphere was broken by Jaiveer, the facilitator, who invited everyone for a meal followed by a walk along the Ganges river.


    It was time for him to leave, Kailashnath decided. He made his excuses with a grave air and left. After a quick bite at the nearby food stall, he headed for the ashram. The ashram lay at the western end of the village, and he had to traverse the breadth of the village to reach there. As he walked, Kailashnath organized his thoughts - The Gopa was clearly under pressure and he would have to toe the line set by the Governor. Consequently, he wouldn¡¯t be of much help. That lad, Deependra, seemed to be a spy of the crown; they would need to watch out for him.


    Then Kailashnath¡¯s thoughts turned to the problem at hand - irrigation.  His mind began to get agitated as he thought of all the hardships the villagers were going through. How many would be impoverished by the failure of the harvest !


    By the time he reached the ashram, Kailashnath was bursting with emotion.


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    ¡®It is painful, very painful, watching all this suffering¡¯ Kailashnath announced as he entered the private apartment of the new Acharya.


    Acharya Chyavana looked up at the man in front of him with deep sympathy. Over the course of the last month that he had got to know Kailashnathji, he was always struck by his love for the people, his compassion toward their suffering and his passion for their betterment. He offered Kailashnathji a seat opposite to him.


    ¡®Today morning, we had an interesting debate in the classroom.¡¯ Chyavana said, hoping to divert Kailashnath¡¯s mind.


    Education was very close to Kailashnath¡¯s heart and the effect was immediate. He smiled.


    ¡®Well, what was it about? Tell me.¡¯ he asked eagerly.


    ¡®Should the subjects be loyal to an unrighteous king?¡¯ Chyavana said, watching Kailashnath¡¯s face carefully.


    Kailashnath was silent. He had caught the import of Acharyaji¡¯s statements . He was not startled by the question itself, but by the fact that Acharyaji chose to discuss it openly.


    Ever since he realized that King PriamRaja would win the war and be the new ruler of Magadha, Kailashnath had pondered over this question. He had spent days poring over the scriptures to understand what the way of righteousness was. The conclusion he arrived at was -


    Loyalty must be to a principle , to righteousness, and to morality first. We must be loyal to our protector, but if the King fails in his duties as our protector and benefactor, then it is our duty to rise against him.


    ¡®Actually Acharyaji, I am interested to know your views on this subject¡¯ he said slowly.


    Chyavana had a speculative look in his eyes.


    ¡®Have you heard of the group Gyanadoot?¡¯ he asked, sidestepping Kailashnath¡¯s question.


    Kailashnath was stunned. Though their operations were widespread, the name of the group was known only to its members. A flurry of questions arose in his mind:


    Who was Chyavana?


    How did he know the name of their group?


    Was it coincidence that Chyavana should ask him about the group ?


    Kailashnath¡¯s mind raced back one month to the day Chyavana had arrived at his doorstep. He had introduced himself as a wandering teacher. He said he had taught in the kingdoms of Vatsa and Kalinga, and now wanted to teach in Magadha for a while. Did they need a teacher in Gangapur? Chyavana had asked Kailashnath.


    Thinking of it as Divine Providence, he had welcomed Chyavana into his house. A lengthy discussion proved that Chyavana was a learned and wise man. Kailashnath had joyfully offered him the post of Acharya, and he  had proved to be a worthy successor to Acharya Dhaumya. Kailashnath had been happy with his decision, until today.


    Chyavana looked at Kailashnath¡¯s face. Sensing his anxiety , Chyavana decided to put him out of his misery.


    ¡®Remember the day you brought me here. That night, a group met in the ashram courtyard. I guess they didn¡¯t know that there was a new occupant and so I ¡­ I overheard their discussion¡¯ Chyavana confessed.


    Indeed, Gyanadoot had been regularly using the ashram as a meeting place.


    So, this was it. Kailashnath thought, relief washing over him. For a moment he had the dreadful feeling that Chyavana might have been the King¡¯s spy and they were caught.


    ¡®Can I be a member of Gyanadoot?¡¯¡¯ Chyavana asked, a slight hesitation in his voice.


    Kailashnath gave a reluctant laugh. So this was Acharyaji¡¯s way of sharing his stance on loyalty to an unjust ruler.


    It was late in the evening by the time Kailashnath could leave the ashram. It had been a long and fruitful discussion. He realized that Acharyaji was not only intelligent, but also astute. After going over the past missions of Gyanadoot, they discussed the future strategy at length. But what impressed Kailashnath was Acharyaji¡¯s keen interest to know about the missions that failed. His insight about the reasons for failure and on human behavior were absolutely spot on. Kailashnath was delighted with his new recruit. Consequently , Kailashnath arrived at Maya¡¯s boutique in good spirits.


    Kailashnath had promised to review the accounts of Maya¡¯s boutique so that she wouldn¡¯t have any trouble while paying taxes.


    ¡®Hello Gramikaji.¡¯ A villager accosted him and began to pour out his woes.


    Kailashnath was patting the man¡¯s shoulder and promising to look into the matter when he saw a man walk out of Maya¡¯s boutique. Was that Deependra?


    A moment later Maya came out too.


    ¡®Goodbye Maya¡¯ Deependra said.


    ¡®Goodbye.¡¯


    Maya was watching Deependra leave. Kailashnath focussed on her face, was that a glimmer of tears? He watched as Maya sighed and went back in. He wondered how they knew each other. And then it dawned on him - They were both from Chunar. Ofcourse, that was the connection!


    Was Maya feeling homesick? He wondered if he should go in, the accounts could wait another day after all.


    ¡®Ahh Gramikaji, I thought it might have been you, so I came back to confirm. Please do come in.¡¯ Maya invited.


    Kailashnath went in and joined Maya at her desk. She offered him a glass of water and then began pulling out her accounting ledgers and placing them before him. He noticed a teardrop on her face.


    ¡®Are you okay my child?¡¯ he asked.


    ¡®Of course, of course, it''s nothing¡­ ¡® Maya stopped.


    These thoughts had been weighing on her mind for a long time. She needed guidance and validation. Suddenly the emotions just burst through and she began to cry softly.


    ¡®What is it ? What is it?¡¯


    ¡®Did that lad say something¡­ or .. do something?¡¯ Kailashnath was worried now.


    ¡®No, no. He just dropped by to hand over a letter from my parents.¡¯ she assured him.


    Maya looked up at him. She knew she could trust him, he was a discreet and sensitive person. She also knew that he never offered idle sympathy, his words were always well-weighed and honest.


    It was several moments before she could compose herself and speak.


    ¡®Our parents, that is Deependra¡¯s and my parents, wanted us to get married.¡¯ she began.


    And then, narrated all the events that had happened 5 years earlier. It was cathartic to be able to express her true thoughts on the subject.


    Kailashnath had heard her in silence.


    ¡®I feel for you, but I don¡¯t want to offer you sympathy¡¯ he said after thinking about it for a while.


    Maya looked up in surprise.


    ¡®Because we must accept that this is what life is - unfair and painful, at times. When things go our way we get lulled into complacency. It takes a jolt like this to realize the truth about our relationships and our circumstances.¡¯ he added.


    ¡®But some people have it easy. I know so many for whom life has been a smooth ride.¡¯ she said with a tinge of bitterness.


    ¡®But would you be happy leading their life? Their aspirations and morals may be different, and maybe they are willing to compromise on many aspects. Are you?


    In fact no idealistic person, that is one who chooses righteousness and morality over comfort, can hope for a smooth life. The path of virtue is very narrow and we can¡¯t traverse it with ease¡¯


    ¡®But I get what you mean. I too have met people who haven¡¯t experienced any major upheavals and led a fairly comfortable life. And.. I have envied them.¡¯ he added.


    Maya looked at him with gratitude, it was a consolation to know that even someone of his stature experienced such emotions.


    ¡®It is only now that I realize that people who have a smooth life, live in fear - Fear that their way of life may be taken away and that they wouldn¡¯t be able to cope with adversity¡¯ he continued.


    ¡®Facing and overcoming adversity gives us confidence, which we cannot otherwise acquire.¡¯ Kailashnath concluded.


    Maya pondered over this for a while, she had never thought of it this way.


    ¡®What is the right age to get married?¡¯ she suddenly asked, wanting to know his views on the subject.


    ¡®I don¡¯t know, I got married pretty late compared to the rest¡¯ he replied.


    ¡®It wasn¡¯t because of lack of proposals, mind you!¡¯ he added with a half smile.


    ¡®I am sure you were considered quite a catch sir¡¯ Maya replied with a smile.


    ¡®Of course I was!¡¯ said Kailashnath, leaning back with a proud air.


    Maya burst out laughing.


    Kailashnath¡¯s eyes softened, he was relieved to see Maya lighten up.

 Chapter 5 - The Heart of a Ruler

    Chapter 5 - The Heart of a Ruler


    Patliputra, Capital of Magadha


    It was raining, again! PriamRaja grumbled as he sidestepped a pool of water before him.


    Weak monsoon indeed! All these people of Magadha knew, was to crib!


    The Purohita had advised him against making any adverse comments and alienating the people further, so PriamRaja controlled himself.


    A smile lit up his face at the thought of the new Purohita, Atri. It was pure luck that Atri had fallen out of favor with the new king of Vatsa, Mahendra, and had taken shelter in his kingdom, Kalinga. At first PriamRaja thought it might be a trap, one couldn¡¯t be too careful these days after all, but a background check had yielded some solid evidence.


    Purohita Atri¡¯s son, Chyavana, was an adept Politician. Atri had wanted him to take on the post of the Chief political advisor to King Mahendra. But Mahendra had chosen an old friend instead. Atri was a vocal man and things had gotten ugly. He left in a huff and moved out of Vatsa.


    Vatsa¡¯s loss had turned out to be Magadha¡¯s gain. Not only did PriamRaja now have someone to give him accurate information about Vatsa, but he had also planted Chyavana as a spy in a remote village called Gangapur with the promise of a senior position at the Capital after the completion of the assignment.


    PriamRaja¡¯s hands began to shake. He looked at them in frustration. For years, the doctors had been asking him to control his aggression, but his temper and moods were beyond his control. The ambition for wealth, for power, was too strong. This coupled with great physical strength, combat skills and political cunning had driven him thus far. But now, at the age of 45, his body was failing him. The mind was still as sharp as before, and that made it worse. To have ambition, but not the physical ability to execute, was painful. He was frustrated.


    The spiritually minded people accepted such events in life as a warning to slow down, to introspect, and redirect one¡¯s life. But such philosophy didn¡¯t help him, there was so much he wanted to achieve. Those timid souls couldn¡¯t understand his drive ! , he thought.


    He entered the meeting chamber. His son and Crown Prince, Vishvajit, was poring over the map of Magadha¡¯s borders and Somadatta, his Chief of Defence, was by his side. He wanted Vatsa, and these were the people he would have to depend on for it.


    ¡®Father, most of our borders with the Kingdom of Vatsa are along the Ganges River¡¯ Vishvajit said as he saw the King walk up to them.


    ¡®It raises the difficulty of attack. We need to find dry land for easier troop movement¡¯ Somadatta added.


    Vishvajit sensed his father¡¯s reproach.


    ¡®We are finding a way out. There will be a solution soon, we just told you since you were already here. ¡® Vishvajit said carefully.


    ¡®Carry on then. Give me a plan in 2 days¡¯


    PriamRaja left the room. He needed to exert himself, that was the only way to calm his restlessness. A long walk and a visit to the Purohita should do the trick, he thought.


    He walked at a brisk pace and turned his thoughts to his sons. Among his 2 sons, Vishvajit¡¯s personality was closest to his, and yet, he lacked the drive and the aggression that PriamRaja possessed. PriamRaja wanted nothing less than to rule over the entire India. Vishvajit on the other hand, only sought to impress so that he may retain his position as Crown Prince. Such half-hearted effort was not enough for conquest, a conqueror needed to be hungry for victory and single-mindedly pursue it. His second son, Prajanya, was too timid and idealistic. A pacific person by nature, he was more interested in building a sound administration and ensuring a happy populace. On the face of it, the duo of Vishvajit and Prajanya looked like a good team - one expanding the kingdom and the other taking care of the administration. But Vishvajit lacked the drive and Prajanya¡¯s ideas of good administration and a virtuous rule were expensive. The treasury coffers would be empty if that do-gooder had his way.


    PriamRaja looked up. He had arrived at Atri¡¯s quarters. These were the simplest accommodations in the Palace and not at all befitting a high-ranking official like the Purohita, but Atri had been insistent. Well, it was good that Atri wasn¡¯t greedy , but it also made it difficult to manipulate him, PriamRaja thought. What he wanted from the Purohita was to train his sons so that they may have the same drive for conquest as himself. But Atri had a mind of his own and would be hard to persuade.


    Atri was at his desk poring over the latest research. He had begun writing a book on Magadha. It served as a good cover for learning more about the Kingdom and its current administration, without arousing suspicion. King PriamRaja had given his wholehearted consent to the project when he learnt that the book would include his biography. After all, to have his name enshrined in history, that is every King¡¯s dream.


    ¡®King PriamRaja is here¡¯ his personal attendant, Chandra, announced.


    Atri rose to welcome the King.


    PriamRaja looked at the spartan surroundings as he sat down. While they didn¡¯t appeal to his current sensibilities, as a young soldier he too had delighted in his own ability to live with little. Alas, those times were long gone. His eyes fell on the sweets at the nearby table.


    ¡®Ahh, would his highness like to taste these laddus? These are a speciality of our Kashi. My cook is an expert. ¡¯ Atri said enthusiastically.


    PriamRaja raised an eyebrow as he took one. So Atri still had a soft spot for his native city, Kashi, in Vatsa.


    ¡®Well, Food knows no borders¡¯ Atri said sheepishly, responding to PriamRaja¡¯s surprised look.


    Atri had refused all expensive gifts thus far. At Least now, PriamRaja knew what he could tempt Atri with.


    ¡®I need your help , to train my sons¡¯ he began.


    ¡®Sons?¡¯ Atri asked in surprise.


    ¡®Ahh.. yes. I guess you haven¡¯t met my younger son, Prajanya. He is studying at the university of Nalanda.¡¯ PriamRaja said with a twinkle in his eye.


    Atri was stunned.


    ¡®Nalanda.¡¯ He repeated in confusion.


    PriamRaja chuckled. He was delighted to elicit this response from the usually imperturbable Atri.


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    Nalanda was the famed university of Magadha. Prajanya had been studying at Nalanda under the assumed name of Sanjaya. All his councillors felt that his identity was better concealed by avoiding having any visible bodyguards or expansive lifestyle. PriamRaja had considered asking Prajanya to return to Kalinga before he attacked Magadha. But he knew the spies of King Ashwapati had been everywhere and it was more likely to attract their attention.


    ¡®Yes, he was here during the attack.¡¯, PriamRaja confessed.


    Atri digested the news.


    A bold move¡¯, he complimented.


    ¡®Training, what kind of training can I offer them ? Prince Vishvajit is already discharging his duties as Crown Prince and has handled several .. ¡® Atri continued.


    ¡®No, No.. ¡® PriamRaja interjected.


    ¡®I need you to mould them, to be more like me.¡¯


    Atri was silent. This was the toughest part of working for someone whom you didn¡¯t respect, he realized. Atri was an aggressive man himself, but the difference between PriamRaja and him was that he had learnt to control his aggression and channel it for the greater good.


    Being a spy didn¡¯t mean he had the luxury of slackening or being insincere. Flattery also wouldn¡¯t cut it because when you act against your true nature, the possibility of slipping up was higher. So how should he remain true to his nature and tell PriamRaja that there was nothing worth emulating, Atri mused.


    ¡®When may I have the honour of meeting Prince Prajanya¡¯, he finally ventured.


    ¡®I can invite him whenever you like. All I want is for them to have the same drive..¡¯ PriamRaja said enthusiastically.


    ¡®You do realize.. ¡® Atri interrupted.


    ¡®that each individual must make their own journey to achieve his or her highest potential. Imposed ambitions result in not only discontent but ,usually, mediocrity as well.¡¯, he added.


    PriamRaja looked away in exasperation. He didn¡¯t need a spiritual sermon, what he needed was a fix to his problem. He cut short his visit and left with greater agitation than when he entered.


    2 days later


    Prince Prajanya alighted from his carriage. As he looked around him, the familiar heaviness engulfed him. It was always the same when he entered the corridors of power. The Royal Palace of Patliputra was no less imposing than that of Kalinga. He wondered why his father, King PriamRaja, had summoned him. Prajanya had watched his brother, Crown Prince, Vishvajit, reel under his father¡¯s expectations. Being a spare Prince, Prajanya had been spared much of this misery. He hoped this was not about to change.


    Looking up, he saw a man approach him.


    ¡®Welcome, Your Highness.


    King PriamRaja would like you to join him at the Public Hall. He is holding his first public meeting.¡¯


    ¡®This way please¡¯


    Prajanya followed the man to the Public Hall. It was packed to capacity. Either the people have high hopes or great grievances, he mused. Refusing a seat among the high ranking officials, Prajana went to the back of the Hall and stood in a corner.


    ¡®Why isn¡¯t he interested in our problems? Why conquer Magadha then?¡¯, A man in the crowd whispered to his neighbor.


    ¡®Probably to have another feather in his cap¡¯, his neighbor muttered back.


    Prajanya colored. He knew of his father¡¯s disinterest in public welfare and had no doubt that the comments were just.


    ¡®Bharadwaj from Dihipur¡¯, the Court Officer announced.


    A man made his way to the front of the Hall and stood before King PriamRaja.


    ¡®Your Highness, my shop was destroyed during the war. I have nothing left. I have a family to feed ¡­ ¡®, Bharadwaj began and went on to share the particulars of his losses.


    Prajanya saw his father¡¯s impatient face and felt a wave of sympathy for the destitute man.


    ¡®A war is a war, what do you expect..¡¯, His father began , but stopped.


    A man was whispering something to his father. Prajanya had never seen him before, but guessing by his appearance and dress, he must be the Purohita , Prajanya thought.


    The Purohita came forward.


    ¡®What our King means is that what happens during war is quite unpredictable. How much ever we would like to keep everyone¡¯s well-being in mind, things do go out of control at times. The King feels your pain.


    Why don¡¯t you speak to our brother Officer there and tell him about the skills you possess. We would be happy to tell you about the opportunities that we can offer.¡¯


    Bharadwaj looked mollified and nodded.


    That was smooth, Prajanya thought. It certainly was a welcome departure from how things were handled earlier at Kalinga. He hoped they were not empty words though.


    ¡®Today¡¯s public meeting ends here.


    His gracious majesty would like to assure you of his concern for the well-being of all the citizens of Magadha. All those who have grievances may feel free to approach him during the next public meeting¡¯ The Court Officer concluded.


    All the citizens began to file out and Prajanya slowly made his way to the front.


    ¡®Father.¡¯, he said, as he bowed to King PriamRaja.


    ¡®Bless you. Bless you.¡¯ PriamRaja said, vacillating between pleasure at seeing his son and frustration. For a moment he had wrestled with the wild idea of offering to make Prajanya Crown Prince if he conquered Vatsa, but one look at his face and PriamRaja was reminded of his meek personality. He would be wasting his breath, PriamRaja realized.


    ¡®Have you met our new Purohita?¡¯,PriamRaja enquired of his son.


    ¡®Atriji was once Purohita at Vatsa and now, he comes to us.¡¯,he added, with a flourish.


    Ahh.. an acquisition from the neighborhood. No wonder his mannerisms are different from the other officials, Prajanya thought.


    ¡®Greetings Purohitji.¡¯, Prajanya said with folded hands.


    ¡®Greetings, your highness.¡¯, Atri replied, returning the gesture.


    ¡®I understand you study at Nalanda University. I too was a student there, long back of course.¡¯,Atri said.


    ¡®Ohh¡­ What a coincidence!¡¯, Prajanya said with delight.


    ¡®Some of my former classmates are now teaching at the University.


    If his highness has time, perhaps we can chat, and I may inquire about my friends and former teachers?¡¯, Atri asked with a smile.


    ¡®Of Course Purohitji. It will be my pleasure.¡¯, Prajanya replied.


    ¡®Well, I will leave you both to get acquainted.¡¯,King PriamRaja said.


    ¡®Prajanya, Atriji is writing a book on Magadha. Please help him in any way you can.¡¯, he added and left them.


    ¡®I have chosen to live within the Palace, my quarters are close by. Perhaps your highness could join me¡¯, Atri suggested.


    They walked back to his accommodations in companionable silence.


    ¡®A book on Magadha. How wonderful.¡¯, Prajanya said, as he took a seat.


    ¡®I hope you will not restrict yourself to the Capital though. I have travelled and seen a fair bit of Magadha. I do believe the beauty of its countryside, the self-governing system of the Panchayat and the rich village life deserve to be recorded for posterity¡¯, Prajanya added.


    Atri looked at Prajanya¡¯s earnest face.


    ¡®I did plan to travel and explore beyond the Capital. Perhaps, his highness could be my guide?, he asked.


    ¡®It will be my pleasure.¡¯, Prajanya replied and they shared a smile, a smile of having found a kindred soul.


    Prajanya then went on to share his experiences and they discussed for long on what would be worth capturing from an administrative and historical perspective.


    It was an invigorating discussion and Prajanya enjoyed himself. But it was now time for some serious talk.


    ¡®I suppose Vatsa is father¡¯s next target¡­ and that is why you are here¡¯, he said.


    ¡®I believe so.¡¯, Atri replied.


    Prajanya sighed. Would there ever be a time for a peaceful reign?, he wondered.


    ¡®Does being a pacifist, mean being a coward?¡¯, he asked with some hesitation.


    Atri looked at Prajanya¡¯s conflicted face. It was the conflict between being filial and following his conscience and peaceful nature.


    ¡®A saint said -


    The essence of all knowledge consists in not committing violence. The doctrine of non-violence is nothing but the observance of equality, the realisation that just as I do not like misery, others also do not like it¡¯, Atri offered in understanding.


    Prajanya thanked Atriji for the insight, it was a balm to his inner conflict.


    ¡®I should leave now. It is time I paid my respects to brother Vishvajit¡¯, he said.


    Atri sat down and reflected on his visitor, who had just left. Prajanya was like a ray of sunshine in this dark and often cruel environment. In fact, Prajanya reminded him of his own son, Chyavana. Atri¡¯s thoughts shifted to his son¡¯s situation. He wondered if Chyavana had found out more about the mysterious group called Gyanadoot. Vatsa¡¯s spy network had informed them about this group and Sumedh had suggested that it would be good if we could join hands with them. The only information that the spies had gathered thus far was that the group¡¯s operations were mostly focussed on the western border of Magadha. It was for this reason that Chyavana had taken up employment in that region.


    It was time to get in touch with his son, Atri decided.

 Chapter 6 - Setting the Stage

    Chapter 6 - Setting the Stage


    Kaushambi, Vatsa


    King Mahendra looked around him, his gaze searching for Sumedh. Finally, he spotted him. Sumedh was sitting under one of the Palace gazebos and staring into the distance, a serious look on his face.


    King Mahendra walked up to him.


    ¡®What worries do you have, my friend? Are they matters of the heart?¡¯,he said with a wink.


    ¡®Greetings, Your Highness¡¯, Sumedh said as he stood up.


    ¡®Why so grim?¡¯, King Mahendra persisted


    Sumedh looked out and watched the drizzle of the rain.


    ¡®The rainy season is coming to an end.¡¯, he said.


    ¡®The monsoon was weak this time. Are you worried about the harvest?¡¯, King Mahendra asked with a frown.


    ¡®No, No. The dams and reservoirs we built have served their purpose well¡¯,Sumedh replied.


    Mahendra was puzzled.


    ¡®What then?¡¯,he asked.


    Sumedh continued to stare at the rain for a while.


    ¡®Magadha¡­.¡¯, he finally said.


    ¡®We must persuade them to attack Vatsa within the next one month.¡¯


    ¡®What???¡¯, King Mahendra exclaimed, his expression incredulous.


    ¡®Please have a seat. This could take some time.¡¯, Sumedh said.


    As he sat down, King Mahendra noticed a letter on the table. The stationary was similar to the ones used by secret agents to pass messages. He picked it up and scanned the contents. The message was coded, and only a handful of people knew the key used to decode it. For King Mahendra it was almost like reading a regular letter, he had become adept at transcribing the code.


    ¡®So, Magadha is already building up troops¡¯, he stated as he put down the letter.


    ¡®Was this sent by Atriji?¡¯, he queried.


    ¡®No, it''s too dangerous. We agreed that only in case of significant news, we shall communicate.¡¯


    ¡®This communique is from our regular spy network stationed in Magadha¡¯, Sumedh replied.


    Sumedh sensed the King¡¯s anxiety.


    ¡®But I am told that Atriji is safe and doing well¡¯, he added.


    ¡®That¡¯s good¡­ that¡¯s good¡¯, King Mahendra murmured.


    King Mahendra had been to several battles. He knew what courage in the face of the enemy meant. But being a spy required a different kind of courage - The courage to be alone in hostile territory, to watch one¡¯s words and actions day in and day out, and to have the uncertainty of being discovered due to factors well beyond one¡¯s control. However cordial the relations between neighboring kingdoms, placing spies there was a necessity. But this was the first time that they had placed a spy at such a high rank and such proximity to danger.


    King Mahendra turned his thoughts back to Sumedh¡¯s statement.


    ¡®Are you worried about the winter?¡¯, he asked.


    ¡®Yes, enemy troop movement will be hard to gauge and track under the thick fog¡¯, Sumedh replied.


    ¡®What do you suggest? Should we start a skirmish at the border?¡¯, King Mahendra asked.


    ¡®That¡¯s definitely a possibility, but such battles are a long drawn out affair with a lot of positioning and negotiation¡¯,Sumedh replied.


    ¡®We need something that is quick and high impact, some tactic that will cause significant injury and deter them for some time to come.They must believe that Vatsa is vulnerable and initiate a full-fledged attack.¡¯,he added.


    King Mahendra had always been behind in the trickery department, his straightforward mind was just not wired that way. And therefore he had to make an extra effort to understand the cunning and deceit around him. At first, he had balked at the idea of being manipulative and deceptive. But he soon realized that straightforward means were not always effective or even prudent. With Sumedh¡¯s guidance, he began to see that there were even honest and dishonest methods of manipulation. He always remembered the example Sumedh had shared.


    ¡®If I want to sell my land and have not been able to find a suitable buyer, I might start a rumor that there are iron ore deposits in my land. I might even pretend to dig for some.


    Now a rumor is a rumor.The buyer has the freedom and the obligation to do his own fact checking. If some people, out of greed and impatience, buy the land without due diligence, then the fault lies with them.


    On the other hand, if I falsify government records and get the property registered as an iron ore site and sell the land on that basis, then my methods are dishonest.¡¯


    King Mahendra always felt that the line between the two was very faint and it was easy to fall to the wrong side. He preferred a straightforward way of transacting, but, sadly, the world didn¡¯t follow his preferences. And hence, he was forced to learn these new ways, which were foreign to his inner nature.


    ¡®Maybe we could spread a rumor in Magadha, about a calamity having struck Vatsa¡¯, he suggested.


    ¡®PriamRaja has strengthened his spy network in Vatsa. Our falsehood would easily be exposed.¡¯, Sumedh replied.


    ¡®It wouldn¡¯t be easy to convince anyone of a disaster having struck Vatsa - whether disease or natural calamity. A workable option is staging riots in Vatsa, but I fear that it could get out of hand. And anyway, the lesser the number of people in the know, the safer it is.¡¯


    ¡®Your highness, the delegates from the kingdom of Avanti are here. Your presence is requested.¡¯, a court officer came up to them and announced.


    King Mahendra rose.


    ¡®I will leave this problem in your capable hands then. Let¡¯s talk in the evening.¡¯, he said and they parted.


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    5 days later, Defence Headquarters, Vatsa


    ¡®Thank you Vikarna¡¯, Sumedh said as he took leave of the Chief of Defence.


    ¡®You should sample the local cuisine before you head back to the Capital. Jal Paan is a great place close by.¡¯, Vikarna said with a pointed look.


    ¡®How wonderful. I will stop there.¡¯, Sumedh said, as he entered his carriage.


    The defence headquarters were located at the outskirts of the Capital and it would be a while before he could report back to King Mahendra. Sumedh¡¯s thoughts turned back to his meeting with Vikarna. It had been a fruitful discussion, from a defence strategy point of view. But the contours of manipulating Magadha¡¯s secret agents had been purposely kept vague. It was hard to predict which bait the enemy would latch on to, and it could at best be an evolving strategy.


    ¡®We have arrived Sir¡¯, Bahu, his carriage driver announced.


    ¡®I will park the carriage in the nearby grounds and join you presently¡¯, he added, as he handed Sumedh his medical kit.


    Sumedh murmured a thanks as he alighted from the carriage. Before him was the popular eatery ¡®Jal Paan¡¯ known for its simple food and reasonable prices. People from all walks of life frequented this place and it was a good avenue to gauge the pulse of the Kingdom. But that wasn¡¯t the reason Sumedh was here. Jal Paan was also the place that spies frequented for news, and hence Vikarna thought that this would be a good spot to get the rumor mill humming.


    Sumedh chose a table in the center of the dining area and seated himself. He placed his medical kit prominently on the table and scanned the nearby board listing today¡¯s menu. Should he go for the full meal or a lighter version, he wondered.


    ¡®What will it be, Doctor?¡¯, a middle aged server had come to collect his order.


    ¡®Umm.. a full meal , please.¡¯, Sumedh said, ignoring his inner misgivings. His plans for diet control could wait another day. He probably wouldn¡¯t get another chance to eat here, he reasoned to himself.


    ¡®Ahh¡­.Aahh¡­¡¯,someone cried from the entrance.


    Sumedh looked up to see a man at the entrance, limping.


    ¡®Aaaahhh¡­¡¯, the man cried out again.


    A flawless limp, Sumedh thought, admiring Bahu¡¯s performance.


    ¡®Don¡¯t worry young man, we have a doctor here.¡¯, the server informed Bahu.


    ¡®Make way, Make way¡­¡¯, he announced in an important tone as he ushered Bahu toward Sumedh¡¯s table.


    Bahu dragged himself forward and collapsed into the seat next to Sumedh.


    ¡®Oh Doctor, you must help me. This is the worst day ever. I was walking on that road, minding my own business, and out of nowhere came this man in front of me.¡¯, Bahu began his long tirade.


    ¡®I would have avoided him if he hadn¡¯t been coming toward me at such speed. Do tell, Doctor, shouldn¡¯t a man walk at a moderate speed on a busy road???¡¯


    Sumedh was amused, Bahu seemed to be enjoying himself. As his bodyguard, Bahu performed many roles including that of his carriage driver, but all of them involved staying in the background and keeping a low profile. This was one of those rare chances where Bahu could garner attention without inhibition and he was using the opportunity to the hilt.


    ¡®Well, and you will not believe this. He placed his luggage near my foot ...and I nearly tripped over. Now, I am a kind and generous man¡­ Blah, Blah¡­ Blah¡¯, Bahu went on. It was a long time before Bahu allowed Sumedh to touch his ankle.


    Finally, Sumedh pulled out an ointment from his medical kit and started applying it to Bahu¡¯s ankle. A crowd had gathered around them.


    ¡®Uhh.. Doctor, I too have been experiencing pain in my right arm. Do you think that ointment would help me?¡¯, a man from the crowd ventured in a soft voice.


    ¡®No, No¡­ no charge. We are all brothers here¡¯, Sumedh protested as Bahu offered him a few copper coins.


    A free consultation! The man now firmly seated himself next to Bahu, determined to get the ointment for his arm pain.


    ¡®Err.. Doctor, Do you have a clinic nearby? You see.. My wife..¡¯, another man stepped forward and asked.


    From the corner of his eye, Sumedh watched Bahu make a quiet escape. Having set the ball rolling, his job here was done.


    ¡®Ahh.. no brother. I am a military doctor¡¯, Sumedh replied, as he began to apply ointment on the arm of the man next to him.


    ¡®A military doctor¡­ A military doctor.¡¯, the crowd murmured.


    ¡®And where are you stationed currently?¡¯


    ¡®Ahh¡­ well. I was stationed at one of the border posts near the Vatsa-Magadha border. But now, I have been asked to relocate.¡¯, Sumedh replied with gravity.


    ¡®You never know with these military folks. I move with the troops, wherever action is expected.¡¯, he added.


    ¡®And where are you headed now?¡¯


    Sumedh looked around and lowered his voice.


    ¡®I have been asked to move to a post near the Vatsa-Avanti border.¡¯


    There were gasps of surprise.


    ¡®Is there to be a war with the Kingdom of Avanti?¡¯, a man from the crowd whispered.


    ¡®Now, Now ! They wouldn¡¯t share such confidential matters with a mere doctor like me¡¯, Sumedh replied.


    ¡®But you must have seen the troops move¡­¡¯, the crowd persisted.


    ¡®Well, I did. But who knows why they were moving. Brothers, let us wait for official announcements, let us not start rumors.¡¯ Sumedh said, as he stood up.¡¯


    ¡®Of course not , Of course not.. no rumors¡­¡¯,Several people from the crowd nodded.


    Sumedh closed his medical kit and made his way out. He smiled quietly as he joined Bahu. Their job here was done. News on war always spread like wildfire, it would most likely reach the capital before midnight.


    It was late in the evening before Sumedh could get an audience with King Mahendra. Sumedh watched his friend¡¯s tired face as he entered King Mahendra¡¯s private chambers.


    ¡®Another long day?¡¯, Sumedh asked.


    ¡®Long, yes, but also productive.¡¯, King Mahendra said with a smile.


    ¡®I have spoken to the officials from Avanti. They will deploy additional troops at our common border.¡¯, he added.


    ¡®What about a skirmish?¡¯, Sumedh enquired.


    ¡®Yes, yes. They have agreed to send a few men across the border for our soldiers to capture. I have given my word that their men will be safe with us¡¯, King Mahendra replied.


    ¡®Of course, Of course, I will speak to Vikarna and convey the orders¡¯, Sumedh said.


    10 days later


    King Mahendra, Sumedh and Vikarna looked at each other nervously, as they waited in King Mahendra¡¯s private chambers. Daksha, the head of Secret service, was expected to join them as soon as he had collected today¡¯s news.


    ¡®Are the troops ready?¡¯, King Mahendra asked Vikarna.


    ¡®The troops we had sent to the Avanti border as eyewash, have been split. The experienced soldiers are expected to return to the Magadha border by tomorrow.¡¯, Vikarna replied.


    ¡®Military supplies?¡¯, King Mahendra asked.


    ¡®All the reserve armor and weapons have been moved to the Magadha border camouflaged as export goods. A hundred elephants have been moved to the nearby forest. Horses and chariots are on the stand by at strategic locations and will begin their journey to the border as soon as war is declared.¡¯


    ¡®Good¡­ Good¡¯, King Mahendra said, nodding his head.


    ¡®Provisions? Do you have sufficient provisions?¡¯, Sumedh asked.


    ¡®We have ensured provisions for a month. I will send a request for more, when it''s time.¡¯, Vikarna replied.


    The sound of hurried footsteps came from outside and they all looked up.


    ¡®Atriji has sent news.¡¯, Daksha announced as he handed King Mahendra the note and took his seat.


    King Mahendra looked at the note for a few moments and quickly decoded it.


    ¡®The news of a skirmish between Vatsa and Avanti has reached King PriamRaja¡¯s ears. They have taken the bait and are speeding up the attack¡¯, he read aloud.


    ¡®Good.. Good¡¯, he added in an undertone.


    Sumedh watched Daksha shift uncomfortably in his seat.


    ¡®What is it?¡¯, Sumedh asked.


    ¡®I have received separate news that Atriji will be travelling to the Base camp with Crown Prince Vishvajit and the army¡¯, Daksha said , worry writ large on his face.


    The four men exchanged glances. This was an unexpected turn of events. It was usual for a Purohita to travel with the army, but they had expected Atriji to be excused on account of his age.


    ¡®This complicates things¡¯, King Mahendra said


    ¡®Where will the base camp be?¡¯, he asked further.


    ¡®Chunar.. At the outskirts of the town.¡¯, Daksha replied.


    ¡®What??? They are planning a river attack?¡¯, King Mahendra exclaimed.


    ¡®I heard that Atriji advised against it, but they didn¡¯t have any other options on such a short notice. They want to take advantage of the situation and attack while they believe we are engaged in a dispute with the Kingdom of Avanti¡¯, Daksha said.


    ¡®I guess that will work to our advantage then.¡¯, King Mahendra said.


    ¡®Vikarna, Please ensure Atriji¡¯s safety at all costs¡¯, he added.


    ¡®Yes, your highness¡¯, Vikarna said, though unsure how to protect a spy in enemy territory. This was going to be tricky, he thought.


    A map of the Vatsa-Magadha border was unfolded and the four men discussed the war strategy at length. Once done, Vikarna and Daksha left, to execute the rest of the plan.


    King Mahendra and Sumedh too got up to leave.


    ¡®You know, Princess Rohini also made the same suggestion - Create a false impression that we are engaged in a war with another kingdom, so that Magadha feels they have an advantage if they attack us now.¡®,King Mahendra said.


    ¡®Is that so?¡¯, Sumedh asked with a smile.


    ¡®Perhaps, if your highness permits, she could join us in future for the strategy meetings¡¯, he added.


    ¡®I am glad you think so¡¯, King Mahendra said with a twinkle in his eye.

 Chapter 7 - At War - 1

    Chapter 7 - At War - 1


    Gangapur


    ¡®Hurry up, Sister!¡¯, Bhola called out to Maya.


    ¡®It will be noon soon. We can¡¯t miss the Panchayat meeting¡¯, he added.


    The usual Panchayat meetings bored Bhola, but today was different - It was an emergency meeting. No one had told him the particulars of the agenda, but he had picked up bits and pieces from the general discussion around the village and pretty much figured out what was happening.


    All the villages located at the border of Magadha are supposed to have a small military squad. Gangapur had one too during the reign of King Ashwapati, but it had returned to the Capital when the clash between King Ashwapati and King PriamRaja had been at its peak. It had been  more than three months now, since soldiers were stationed here. The military outpost at the outskirts of the village had been cleaned and redecorated in the last week. Bhola put two and two together ,most likely there would be a new squad coming in today and that was the reason for the excitement.


    Bhola had many happy memories with the military folk. They were always amiable. Bhola would often carry gifts of sweetmeats for them and in the process befriended most of them. Ofcourse, sometimes their commander was strict and Bhola had to be more circumspect.


    ¡®Do you have the lock with you?¡¯, Maya asked, as she rushed out of her shop.


    ¡®Everything is in place , Your Highness! All that remains is your valuable presence!¡¯, Bhola teased.


    ¡®Don¡¯t be cheeky! Come on, Lock up!¡¯, she admonished with a laugh.


    Bhola had become a regular presence at Sister Maya¡¯s shop since a fortnight. As the Gramika his father, Kailashnath, had no family business to pass on. Having limited interest in academics, Bhola was now in need of a profession. Tailoring didn¡¯t excite him, but running a business looked interesting. Both he and Sister Maya had been going over the accounting books everyday and he had developed quite a knack for it.


    They hurried and reached just in time to secure seats at the back. Due to the rains and chilly weather, the venue of the Panchayat meeting had been shifted from the forest to the Ashram premises. Straw mats had been laid out on the ground for seating. The space was limited, but the crowd today was large.


    ¡®Father should have waited another day. I wonder why he left for Chunar yesterday¡¯, Bhola murmured.


    ¡®Must have been something important¡¯, Maya whispered back.


    There was an air of expectation among the people, as though something momentous were about to happen. Bhola experienced a sense of foreboding, unlike any he had felt before.


    There was a commotion at the entrance and they turned their gaze to it. The crowd had parted.


    A man - A commander of the army, walked in at a brisk pace. Behind him, in contrast, the Panchayat members, excluding Kailashnath, walked meekly. The commander walked up to the front and stood facing the crowd, his arms akimbo. A muscular man, he cut an imposing figure.


    Bhola¡¯s uncle, Badrinath, stepped forward and began to speak.


    ¡®Umm¡­ Let me introduce¡­¡¯


    But the commander brushed him aside, with a wave of his hand. A group of soldiers came forward and flanked the Commander, two on each side. The commander¡¯s stern and piercing gaze looked almost threatening, and Bhola shuddered. Here is an important man -  A very decorated and, most likely, a very senior Army Commander, what was he doing in Gangapur?, Bhola wondered. He didn¡¯t have to wait long for an answer.


    ¡®I am Commander Durmukha.¡¯, he began in a booming voice.


    ¡®As of today, my battalion is taking over your village. No one is allowed to leave the village until further notice.¡¯, he added.


    There were gasps from the crowd.


    ¡®Any returning villagers will be thoroughly vetted by me and my team here.¡¯, Durmukha said.


    ¡®But why Commander? Has there been any untoward incident here, in Gangapur?¡¯,a soft voice from the crowd queried.


    ¡®We ¡­¡¯, Durmukha paused for effect.


    ¡® are going to WAR!¡¯


    ¡®What??? Why ???¡¯, a host of voices exclaimed, as the crowd broke out into a noisy chatter.


    ¡®SILENCE !¡¯, Durmukha shouted, as he held up his hand.


    The crowd stilled and soon the murmurs died down.


    ¡®WHO DARES QUESTION THE KING?¡¯, he thundered on.


    ¡®Why not? The King has a duty¡­¡¯, an agitated youth began to protest.


    ¡®Now, Now.. Let us talk in private¡¯, Govardhan , the Panchayat member, stepped forward and interrupted the youth, eager to avoid any further damage.


    Govardhan turned to Durmukha and spoke in a conciliatory tone.


    ¡®Our people mean no offence , Commander. It is just that.., just that, it is easier if everyone knows the reason.¡¯, he said, his slight smile indicating that his demand was reasonable.


    S L A P !!!


    Govardhan placed his palm on his right cheek to ease the pain, as he looked up in disbelief at the soldier in front of him.


    A member of the Panchayat had been slapped and that too, in front of the entire village. At first, there were few gasps of outrage from the crowd, but they soon died down and there was pin drop silence.


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    Bhola watched the spectacle before him with increasing unease. He had seen people disagree, even fight in the past. He knew violence took place, but had always assumed that there was a cause for it. This was his first experience of high-handedness and cruelty. Fear, an unfamiliar sensation thus far , began to envelope him and he looked to Maya for comfort.


    Maya saw Bhola shiver and held his hand in sympathy.


    ¡®This, ¡­ this wouldn¡¯t have happened if father was here.¡¯, Bhola murmured.


    A year ago, no, even three months ago, Maya would have thought the same. But as a member of Gyanadoot, Maya had watched Kailashnathji¡¯s daily struggles with the limitations of his position and influence.


    ¡®Are you sure?¡¯, she asked softly.


    ¡®Ahem, Ahem... we have a message from the King.¡¯


    Maya and Bhola looked up to see Jaiveer addressing the crowd. One of the soldiers handed Jaiveer a scroll and he began to read.


    ¡®My Beloved Subjects,


    As a child, my father always taught me to have a grand vision. Such a beautiful thought instilled at a young age, left a lasting influence on my impressionable mind. It is a thought that has inspired and guided me through the years, and made me the man I am today.


    I don¡¯t consider myself unique in any way, indeed I am just the same as you all are. Each of you, therefore, are capable of greatness, of being part of something grand. And today, I invite you to be part of a collective vision - To unite our country, our beautiful India. Personally, I dislike war and often think how wonderful it would be if this vision could be achieved by peaceful means alone. But there are always those who hold on to their greed for power and wealth, and stand in the way of such grand undertakings. It is in such circumstances that we must resort to force. And hence, I, as your king, have decided that we must go to war with the kingdom of Vatsa¡¯.


    Jaiveer stopped for a brief moment, letting the words he had just read sink in. Vatsa, was one of the most virtuously ruled kingdoms, their citizens were among the happiest. They were also the friendliest of neighbors.He was shocked. He looked at the crowd and saw the same feeling reflected on their faces. But the crowd was silent, they had learnt their lesson. The commander cleared his throat, displeased with the pause, and Jaiveer carried on.


    ¡®Every citizen of Magadha and Kalinga is a member of my family. And today, as I, your brother, step forth on this journey, I urge you to contribute to this noble cause and make it a success.


    Please treat my men, who humbly stand before you, as your brothers and extend all help. From farmers to tailors, to cooks ¡­ all can and MUST play an active role.


    Don¡¯t miss out on your chance to be part of history!¡¯


    Jaiveer was sweating when he finished reading. He rolled up the scroll and the soldier took it back.


    ¡®Now all of you, form a line. Give your name, age and profession to the officer here. You will all be assigned duties henceforth¡¯, the soldier announced.


    The crowd remained silent and still.


    Suddenly, Acharya Chyavana stepped forward.


    ¡®Greetings Commander. I am Chyavana, the acharya of this Ashram¡¯, he said.


    ¡®May I suggest that the tax records be used for obtaining a record of the people. It will save you much effort .It will also provide details on the villagers who may not be here currently, but would return in future¡¯, he added.


    Durmukha surveyed the man in front of him. So, this was the son of the Purohita, Atri. His boss, the Chief of Defence, Somadatta, had instructed him to take special care of Chyavana. This was a man who would wield considerable power in the future.


    ¡®Ahh.. Greetings Acharyaji¡¯, Durmukha replied with folded hands.


    ¡®What a wonderful suggestion. You have saved us from this mammoth exercise. We will definitely do as you say.


    Please join me for a chat that I may further benefit from your guidance¡¯, he added.


    The villagers watched the exchange in surprise. The commander¡¯s change in demeanor looked suspicious, but anything that allowed them to escape right now, was a welcome reprieve.


    Sanga had watched the proceedings of today¡¯s Panchayat meeting from a distance. He had come two days back for a meeting of Gyanadoot and had planned to return to his village,Divyasthal, yesterday. But Kailashnathji had persuaded Sanga to stay one more day and observe the happenings in his absence.


    The crowd was dispersing and Durkmukha was leading Chyavana to a corner where few seats had been placed. Sanga followed at a distance and hid behind a tree trunk.


    ¡®How is father?¡¯, Chyavana asked, as they sat down.


    ¡®Purohitji had come to meet me prior to my departure. He wanted me to give you this¡¯, Durmukha replied, as he handed Chyavana a letter.


    ¡®He is fine, but longing to meet you. We can make the necessary arrangements for the meeting once Purohitji arrives at basecamp in Chunar¡¯, he added.


    Sanga was stunned. Chyavana was the Purohita¡¯s son, and a confidant of the King PriamRaja.


    So, Acharya Chyavana had joined Gyanadoot as a spy for the King, did this mean that the members of Gyanadoot had been compromised?, Sanga wondered.


    What were they to do now? Sanga¡¯s mind went blank.


    ¡®How many villages are you locking up to prevent information leaks?¡¯, Chyavana asked Durmukha


    ¡®Just the two before Chunar , Divyasthal and Gangapur. Our soldiers will need the resources of these two villages and the town of Chunar, as we prepare for battle¡¯, Durmukha replied.


    ¡®I see. And how did you decide on Chunar as Basecamp?¡¯, Chyavana asked.


    ¡®Well, we wanted the battle to be as far from Patliputra as possible, just to keep the capital safe.


    Also, Chunar is closest to Kaushambi. If we are able to fight off their defence here, it would be a short march to their capital.


    And ofcourse, the width of the Ganges is narrowest at Chunar, it will hardly be a few minutes ride by boat for the soldiers¡¯, Durmukha replied.


    ¡®And if we are forced to retreat, it will take some time for the enemy to gather boats and follow us¡¯, he added with a dry laugh.


    ¡®Umm.. Good thinking¡¯, Chyavana joined in the laughter.


    Sanga was still rooted to the spot, when Durmukha took his leave sometime later.


    *****************


    ¡®I will not work for King PriamRaja or this commander, Durmukha¡¯, Bhola stated in a defiant tone.


    ¡®I mean.. I mean, I don¡¯t want to¡¯, he said in a more uncertain voice.


    Maya had watched Bhola as he sat in the corner of her shop. He had been quiet ever since they had got back. His conception of the world around him had been shaken, and his mind was in turmoil. The first slap at our innocence is always painful. Most of us become disillusioned and cynical from then on. It takes a strong will and great perseverance to find the essence of virtue and become guileless again. Would Bhola undertake this journey?, Maya wondered.


    ¡®There is only one way you can do that - Make yourself strong enough to bear the consequences of your choices.¡¯, Maya replied.


    ¡®But he is the King. He can have me killed¡¯, Bhola said in a tremulous voice.


    ¡®Everyone has their weakness, including the King. It is only a matter of finding it and stacking the odds in your favor, so that you may have bargaining power.¡¯, Maya said.


    ¡®But I must say this. There is no substitute for courage. Even the best laid plans can go awry , and if your choices do end in failure, you must be willing to bear the loss. Remember that it is not the goal of life to carry a well-preserved body to the death bed.¡¯, she added with a smile.


    ¡®I am so ordinary, how can I develop this kind of courage?¡¯, Bhola asked.


    ¡®Courage doesn¡¯t come all at once. I started small, by making bold choices in my everyday life. It made me uncomfortable and I shook many times, but each success gave me the confidence to take the next step.


    Even today, I experience fear when I have to act against the established order of things. But if fear is cultivated, it becomes stronger. I therefore have learnt to control my fear, and when my conviction is strong for the path I choose, I am able to take the leap of faith and stand firm for my ideals.¡¯, Maya replied.


    Bhola was quiet again as he absorbed what Maya had just said. He was still coming to terms with all that had happened today. Life was more complex than he had imagined. A sudden thought occurred to him.


    ¡®Did father have a premonition about today? Was that why he was absent?¡¯, Bhola asked.


    Maya pondered over the question for a while.


    ¡®It¡¯s possible.¡¯, she finally answered.


    ¡®Most people choose to be fence sitters because they are shielded from cruelty by the presence of people like your father. If there has to be change, all people must rise and fight, a handful of people can¡¯t make it happen.


    Today was a good wakeup call for a lot of people. When we come face to face with peril, as we have today, we are left with no choice but to be courageous and stand up for what is right.¡¯, she added with a wry smile.

 Chapter 8 - At War - 2

    Chapter 8 - At War - 2


    Gangapur


    Acharya Chyavana entered his private quarters with a grave air. He had seen Sanga follow Durmukha and him, and eavesdrop on their conversation. The only reason Sanga was still safe was because Durmukha had his back to the tree trunk where Sanga had been hiding. They couldn''t always hope for such good fortune. His father, the Purohita, in his last letter had suggested that the secret service of Vatsa and their group Gyandoot must officially join hands. Perhaps the time for this was now.


    Chyavana carefully left the door slightly ajar and went in. He sat with his back to the door and waited. Would Sanga attack him, or confront him?, he wondered. It was risky, but the time to play it safe had passed. Chyavana was trained in martial arts, but it was Sanga¡¯s abhorrence for violence that he was counting on.


    The letter Durmukha had given him was still in his hand. He opened it and checked if there was any encoded text. There was none. Good, he thought. He had carefully removed the seal, there didn¡¯t seem to be any tampering but it was better to play it safe when the messenger was Commander Durumukha.


    ¡®My dear Son¡¯, his father began in the letter.


    ¡®You must know by now that we will be shortly going to war with Vatsa. While Durmukhaji leaves with his battalion today, I will be following a few days later as part of the Crown Prince Vishvajit¡¯s entourage. I therefore hope to see you soon. I thought we could meet at the basecamp at Chunar, but Chandra feels that we should stopover at Gangapur on our way to Chunar. Please plan for it.


    You may be surprised at the choice of the base camp. Indeed, the border town of Chunar wasn¡¯t our first choice. We had hoped to construct a permanent base camp in the interior of Magadha, as is the normal practise, but we are short of time due to unexpected events in Vatsa. We are therefore forced to establish the base camp right next to the war zone. It is a risky choice. If we succeed, we shall be vindicated, but if we fail, we will have to suffer the consequences of such an elementary mistake. ¡­¡¯


    Chyavana heard footsteps outside. It was Sanga, he was sure. He braced himself for whatever would happen next.


    ¡®Ouch¡­¡¯, someone cried.


    It was Sanga¡¯s voice, Chyavana realized. He rushed out.


    ¡®Acharyaji, this youth was trying to break in¡¯, a soldier informed him.


    Chyavana looked at the scene before him. Two soldiers were tightly grasping Sanga, while he struggled.


    ¡®Brother, How come you are still stationed here¡¯, Chyavana asked the soldier.


    ¡®The commander was worried about your safety and had us stay behind for your protection. Good thing we caught him¡¯, the soldier replied with a grin.


    Was Durmukha really concerned or had he become suspicious?, Chyavana wondered. Either way, this was an additional complication for he would now have to watch every step. He looked at Sanga. Sanga¡¯s eyes were blazing.


    ¡®Why don¡¯t you just kill ¡­¡¯, Sanga began in a fierce tone.


    ¡®I am sorry, I am sorry Sanga¡¯, Chyavana interrupted him.


    Chyavana turned to the soldiers and said in a cold voice.


    ¡®This is my friend Sanga. He lives in the neighboring village of Divyasthal and is here on a visit. I don¡¯t appreciate my friends being manhandled.¡¯


    ¡®Oh, then it is a misunderstanding Acharyaji.¡¯, the soldier replied, as he let go of Sanga¡¯s hand.


    ¡®Please accept our apologies¡¯, they said and quickly disappeared, eager to avoid any further chastisement.


    ¡®Still double-dealing?¡¯, Sanga asked sarcastically, once the soldiers had left.


    ¡®You can drop the act. I know who you really are¡¯, he added.


    ¡®Yes, I am the son of the Purohita. Why don¡¯t you come in? You can ask me whatever you like, once we are seated¡¯, Chyavana said in a neutral tone.


    Sanga was surprised. There was neither malice nor defensiveness in Chyavana¡¯s mannerisms. Infact, the sincerity that was characteristic of him was still there. Unconsciously, Sanga followed him inside.


    Sanga sat opposite to Chyavana and eyed him warily. His gaze fell on the letter Chyavana had been reading.


    ¡®Go on, help yourself¡¯, Chyavana said, pointing to the letter.


    Sanga picked it up and began to read.


    ¡®There is nothing in the letter that can prove that I haven¡¯t double-crossed you. All I can say is that I haven¡¯t betrayed Gyanadoot'', Chyavana said in a low voice.


    ¡®And how do you expect me to believe you? For all I know the identities of our comrades...I mean.. my comrades has been compromised. I am not a fool to take you at your word¡¯, Sanga said, as he put down the letter.


    ¡®We, i.e my father and I, are part of Vatsa¡¯s spy network. We are stationed in Magadha at the order of our King, King Mahendra¡¯, Chyavana wrote on a piece of paper and held it up for Sanga to read.


    Sanga was stunned at this revelation.


    ¡®I cannot offer you any proof and put my father in danger. But I am happy to submit to any other test that you might have for me¡¯, Chyavana added, as he lit a fire and burned the note.


    Sanga thought about this new twist. What Acharya Chyavana said made sense. But was he to be trusted, Sanga wondered.


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    ¡®I will relate this to Gramikaji, the rest will be up to him¡¯, Sanga finally said.


    ¡®That will be helpful. Keeping this secret from him has weighed heavily on my conscience¡¯, Chyavana replied.


    They had reached a truce of sorts. Both remained silent for a while.


    ¡®So, what did you think of today¡¯s Panchayat meeting?¡¯, Sanga asked, breaking the silence.


    ¡®Is it normal for people in power to use flowery language, even when their behavior and actions  are just the opposite?¡¯, he added sarcastically.


    ¡®Hypocrisy is not a virtue, but it does seem to be the norm among many. These folk feel good, when they sound good. They imagine that they are, what they portray. The delusion lasts for a while, because they don¡¯t realize that people can see through their true nature. After all, words can impress once, maybe twice, after that it is their actions that must speak for themselves.


    But hypocrites rarely change, because very few people will call out their hypocrisy, either to avoid awkwardness, or painful repercussions.¡¯, Chyavana replied with a wry smile.


    **********


    3 days later


    ¡®Phew!¡¯, Kailashnath exclaimed as he set his bag on the floor. He was about to knock when the door flew open.


    ¡®Father, we were expecting you yesterday¡¯, Bhola said, giving him a tight hug.


    Sanga hurried out from one of the rooms and touched his feet.


    ¡®God bless you, my child¡¯, he said, raising Sanga up.


    Sanga picked up the luggage and carried it to the study. Kailashnath and Bhola followed in silence.


    It had been several minutes since they all sat down, but no one spoke. Kailashnath watched them carefully - Bhola was clasping his hands and unclasping them repeatedly, and Sanga¡¯s gaze was fixed to the floor. Nervousness and suppressed anger, he deduced. He recognized these emotions from personal experience. This morning as he had entered Gangapur, several villagers had pulled him aside for a chat. By now, he had heard about the events at the Panchayat meeting several times over. The events had been narrated in a range of emotions but fear and anger were the chief of them.


    ¡®If we let our emotions overwhelm us, we lose our ability to think¡¯, he finally said in a soft voice.


    Bhola and Sanga looked up at him.


    ¡®Why don¡¯t you tell me what happened¡¯, he added.


    Between the two of them, Bhola and Sanga narrated the events of the Panchayat meeting. It was cathartic for them to relieve their pent up emotions.


    ¡®My Sons¡¯, Kailashnath spoke when they had finished narrating.


    ¡®Do you really think that it matters what Govardhanji asked?¡¯


    Bhola and Sanga were puzzled.


    ¡®If they were seeking to convince us, an easy reply to the question ¡®why go to war?¡¯ was - We have a message from the King which will answer your question.


    But that was not the intent. They were setting the tone, to make it explicit who was in charge. If not Govardhanji, it would have been someone else. Maybe I would have been slapped, had I been present. After all, what better way to stamp their authority?¡¯, Kailashnath added.


    Both of them gasped at the thought.


    Kailashnath stood up and began to pace the room, to relieve the agitation that he was beginning to feel.


    ¡®If no one spoke, they would still find a reason to hit someone. It is their standard routine - Make one person a scapegoat to send a warning to the rest. They performed the same exercise in Chunar¡¯, Kailashnath said.


    Bhola and Sanga were shocked.


    ¡®Doesn¡¯t it anger you?¡¯, Sanga asked after a few moments.


    Kailashnath sat down. He felt calmer after having expended his energy.


    ¡®I do. But more than anger, I feel a sense of helplessness. They are obviously more powerful than us, and they are well prepared. They expect the villagers to be enraged and rebel. If we fall into their trap, we only end up harming ourselves and our prospects. The reality is that we need a more planned approach and this will take time¡¯, Kailashnath replied.


    ¡®What about our daily humiliations? Are we to be submissive and let them think that they have won?¡¯, Sanga asked in a voice louder than usual.


    ¡®Why not? We must swallow up our pride, until we are stronger to take them head on.¡¯, Kailashnath replied.


    If someone other than Kailashnathji had made this suggestion, Sanga would have walked out of the room. He valued his self-respect highly and the thought of letting people walk all over him was anathema to him. But since the suggestion came from Kailashnathji, he was forced to give it serious thought. He was slowly realizing that self-respect was less about expressing indignation at being treated unfairly, and more about enduring the consequences of standing up for yourself. It was late in the night before Sanga could get Kailashnathji alone and narrate the events involving Acharya Chyavana.


    Kailashnath was stunned at the revelation. A whirlpool of thoughts engulfed him and he excused himself. Better get some sleep, a fresh day would bring a fresh mind and fresh thoughts, he thought and hit the bed.


    **********


    10 days later


    Durmukha surveyed the fencing that had just been completed. The cluster of Gangapur, Divyasthal and Chunar had been fenced from all four sides, and guards had been placed at every two hundred meters. To manage the discontent brewing among the villagers, they had permitted movement within the cluster. Several villagers in Gangapur had relations in Divyasthal and Chunar, and it made the lockdown more palatable to them when they saw their relations in the same circumstances.


    The Crown Prince, Vishvajit¡¯s entourage was expected to pass Gangapur today on its way to Chunar. The Purohita, Atri, would be making a stopover to meet his son. The military had taken over the Traveller¡¯s inn at Gangapur and Durmukha had made arrangements for the Purohita to stay there until nightfall, when he would be transported in a covered carriage to the Ashram.


    It was still early though, and for now, he went to the officers tent nearby and proceeded to take a nap.


    ¡®They are coming Sir¡¯, a soldier reported at noon.


    Durmukha quickly tidied himself and rushed out. The welcome group was ready. Durmukha mounted his horse and they all rode forward to greet the entourage.


    **********


    It was late in the evening and Acharya Chyavana was waiting anxiously for his fathers arrival. After an interminable wait, there was the sound of a carriage and Chyavana hurried out. The sight of his father stepping out of the carriage brought forth a burst of feeling. He embraced his father tightly and there was a shimmer of tears in both of their eyes. There was something reassuring about seeing someone you trust in an alien and hostile land. They stood like that for a few minutes. His father was to leave for Chunar the next morning, and they knew not when they would meet again.


    ¡®Shall we go in, Sir? It may not be safe to stay out too long.¡¯


    Chyavana looked up to see his Father¡¯s bodyguard, Chandra, who had accompanied them from Vatsa.


    ¡®You are right, Chandra¡¯, Chyavana said with a smile.


    Chyavana settled his father in his room and stepped outside to cook in the semi-enclosed kitchen.


    ¡®Vikarnaji has sent a message¡¯, Chandra had followed Chyavana outside and now handed him a note.


    Chyavana quickly took the note and scanned the encoded content. It was a single line.


    ¡®Keep Atriji in Gangapur.¡¯


    Chandra handed Chyavana a small bottle.


    ¡®We have no choice¡¯, Chandra said in response to Chyavana¡¯s questioning gaze.


    Keeping his father safe when they were camped in the warzone was a complication that Vikarna, Chief of Vatsa¡¯s Defence, could do without. Chyavana knew that his father could be careless at times. Quietly he added a few drops of liquid from the bottle into his father¡¯s porridge. The stomach cramps and vomiting began late at night. It was followed by a fever and by morning his father was bedridden. Chyavana despatched a message to the Commander about a delay in his father¡¯s journey.


    Durmukha¡¯s face was grim when he came and saw Atriji¡¯s condition. It would be impossible to transport the Purohita to the base camp in this condition. His travel would have to be delayed by at least two to three days.


    ¡®I am planning to travel to Chunar today. I will inform the Prince¡¯, he finally said to Chyavana.


    Atriji watched Durmukha leave and reproached his son.


    ¡®Why pull this stunt? My acting skills are phenomenal, you know!¡¯


    ¡®We didn¡¯t have time for a trial run.¡¯, Chyavana replied with a wink.

 Chapter 9 - At War - 3

    Chapter 9 - At War - 3


    TriRajya Bindu


    TriRajya Bindu, or the Tri-Kingdom Point, was where the borders of Magadha, Vatsa and Avanti Kingdoms met. From a terrain point of view, it was the ideal location for Magadha to plan an attack on Vatsa. But from a political point of view, it was suicide. One misstep, i.e inadvertently entering Avanti instead of Vatsa, would mean that Magadha would be at war with two Kingdoms instead of one. It wasn¡¯t that King PriamRaja¡¯s ambitions didn¡¯t include conquest of Avanti, just not both Vatsa and Avanti at once.


    However, for the Kingdoms of Vatsa and Avanti, joining hands now would be the ideal deterrent for PriamRaja¡¯s ambitions. Situated around 50 km from Chunar, TriRaja Bindu was the ideal location for them to launch a rear attack.


    ****************


    Kaushambi, Vatsa


    King Mahendra of Vatsa and King Suryapratap of Avanti sat facing each other.


    ¡®Are you sure?¡¯, King Mahendra asked.


    ¡®If Avanti officially joins in the war, there would be no going back.¡¯


    ¡®In the past, I already have paid a heavy price for my reluctance. This time, at least let me ensure the safety of my Kingdom.¡¯, King Suryapratap replied.


    The erstwhile king of Magadha, King Ashwapati had married King Suryapratap¡¯s sister. The loss of his sister, nephews and brother-in-law was personal for him.


    ¡®It¡¯s not like I have a choice¡¯, King Suryapratap added with a dry laugh.


    The Kingdom of Avanti shared borders with Kalinga to its south, Magadha to its east and Vatsa to the north. PriamRaja already ruled over Kalinga and Magadha. If Vatsa also fell into his hands, Suryapratap would be virtually trapped with little hope of victory in a battle. And then, there was the guilt. His brother-in-law, King Ashwapati, had suggested that they launch a joint attack on Kalinga. Neither of their troops had fought a battle in several years, and individually, the odds of either of them defeating the battle-hardened soldiers of King PriamRaja were low. But the odds would have been greatly improved, had he joined in then. But fear prevented him. What if they lost? He wasn¡¯t willing to lose his Kingdom, his status and his wealth. But now, the confrontation was inevitable. If Suryapratap didn¡¯t join in now, it would probably be a matter of only months before PriamRaja¡¯s hungry gaze fell on Avanti. With nothing to lose, he had finally found the courage to give it his all. And the best way was to ally with Vatsa, when the odds were in their favor.


    The modalities of the alliance were worked out. Vatsa¡¯s military would fight the battle, and the forces of Avanti would be on standby. Since their investment was higher, any gains in land and goods would belong solely to Vatsa. Time was of essence and they quickly concluded the deal. Even though he would have loved a share in the spoils of war, there wasn¡¯t much room for negotiation for King Suryapratap and he didn¡¯t have the courage to walk out of the deal.


    ¡®Do you think we can trust him?¡¯,King Mahendra asked Sumedh after King Suryapratap¡¯s entourage had left.


    ¡®He has already been driven to a corner. He can¡¯t back down.¡¯, Sumedh replied.


    ¡®He is driven by fear, not courage  - The fear of adversity. I suppose his fear is understandable. Adversity is romantic only in our imagination, especially if it is long term. Whether it is long term failure, poverty or illness, it is frustrating and usually, a lonely journey. Only those who are dependent on us or have a strong sense of duty toward us would remain by our side. Others complete their obligations with an enquiry or two. It requires the grace of God to receive the care of people who feel that service to humanity is service to God. And it is only such love that endures. But I doubt that King Suryapratap believes in this kind of love.¡¯


    ¡®I doubt that facing adversity will be an option. King PriamRaja has never spared any of the vanquished Kings.¡¯, King Mahendra said dryly.


    ¡®I hear that after capturing Magadha and executing King Ashwapati, King PriamRaja offered prayers and bathed in the holy Ganges. Did he think all his deeds would be purified with a dip in the Ganges?¡¯, he added in a heated tone.


    ¡®It is hard to understand the workings of a dark and twisted mind. I can search for logic when the quest is virtuous like seeking justice or overcoming evil. But when the driving force is greed, vengeance or malice, I stay away. For, if I try to understand such people, I fear that I will be consumed by their darkness.¡¯,Sumedh replied.


    ****************


    5 days later, Chunar, Border of Magadha


    Deependra watched as the ferries were loaded with military supplies. Tonight, 1000 soldiers would go across the Ganges river to Vatsa and attack. Since this was a surprise attack, there would hardly be any troops from Vatsa to defend. By morning, 2 of the border villages of Vatsa would be conquered. The large boats used for trade had been repurposed for transporting horses. They would set out in the morning. Everything was in place now and Deependra smiled to himself. Things were going well for him. He had even caught the attention of the Crown Prince and was sure that great opportunities lay ahead. How about the position of Gopa for a start, he thought with a chuckle.


    The sound of footsteps behind him broke into his musings. He looked around. The soldiers had begun to assemble at the riverfront. Food packets were handed out and they began to eat and  engage in a light hearted banter. This was going to be an easy night, they knew, and none of them were worried.


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    ¡®Soldiers, Attention!¡¯, Durmukha commanded.


    There was a scramble as the soldiers tidied up the remains and ran to join the line-up.


    Crown Prince, Vishvajit will be addressing us.¡¯


    Crown Prince Vishvajit stepped forward.


    ¡®My brave soldiers¡¯, he began.


    ¡®We are all battle hardened men. Tonight should not pose a problem to any of us, but we cannot let our guard down. Our advantage lies in the fact that we will catch them by surprise. Hence, time will be of essence. We must move fast and conquer before the enemy has time to get their act together.


    2 villages must be conquered tonight and once reinforcements join you in the morning, we must advance at a steady pace till we reach their Capital, Kaushambi.¡¯


    ¡®Any questions?¡¯, Durmukha asked.


    ¡®Any restrictions on collecting the spoils of war?¡¯, a soldier asked with a cheeky grin.


    There was a round of laughter.


    ¡®Now, Now ¡­ my men.¡¯, the Crown Prince admonished with a wink.


    ¡®Plunder away, but leave some for your brothers who join in the morning.¡¯


    There was another round of laughter.


    ****************


    Defence Headquarters, Vatsa


    Sumedh entered Vikarna¡¯s office with a grave air. They had received definite intelligence that the attack would begin tonight. Vatsa had the upper hand, he knew, but still his heart was heavy. War was never a good option. Lives would be lost and destruction of property would be inevitable.


    ¡®Ahh.. Sumedhji.¡¯,Vikarna began to rise.


    ¡®No, please. Let us skip the formalities¡¯, Sumedh said.


    ¡®Yes, yes, shall we go over the plan again?¡¯, Vikarna asked.


    Sumedh sat down and they pored over a map of Vatsa¡¯s borders that was spread on the table.


    ¡®This, here,is Chunar.¡¯, Vikarna pointed on the map.


    ¡®The attack will begin here¡­ Hard to say which village they will attack first. We have evacuated 5-6 villages - the 2 villages directly opposite to Chunar and then a few around them.¡¯, Vikarna said.


    Sumedh was thoughtful.


    ¡®Hmm.. Deserted villages. Will they not realize it is a trap?¡¯, Sumedh asked.


    ¡®Yes, yes, we thought of that¡¯, Vikarna said.


    ¡®A few soldiers in plain clothes will be stationed in some prominent places. We are also lighting the lamps in some of the houses.¡¯


    ¡®Good thinking.¡¯, Sumedh said.


    Vikarna smiled with self-satisfaction.


    ¡®Once our river patrols ensure that all their soldiers are onshore, we will ambush them¡¯, he continued.


    ¡®Hard to say how many batches of soldiers will be sent tonight though.¡¯


    ¡®If I were in their place, I wouldn¡¯t send out the next batch of soldiers, until the first batch signalled a go ahead¡¯, Sumedh said.


    ¡®Ahh.. yes, yes,¡¯Vikarna said and became thoughtful.


    ¡®Lets see.. Perhaps we can keep their troop leader alive, at least until we find out what their signal is. Then our soldiers can signal to them to send across the next batch.


    Yes, yes. This is good. The more the number of troops we ambush, the lesser the work later on.¡¯


    ¡®TriRajya Bindu. What of TriRajya Bindu?¡¯, Sumedh asked.


    ¡®Yes, yes¡­¡¯, Vikarna said with a wide smile.


    ¡®A signal fire will be lit at our watch tower, once the ambush is complete. We have stationed watch guards every 500m until the TriRajya Bindu. So once the first signal fire is lit and the guard next in line sees it, he will light his signal fire, and then the next guard will see it¡­¡¯


    ¡®A relay fire. That¡¯s good. That¡¯s good.¡¯. Sumedh said.


    Vikarna was pleased with the compliment. He and his commanders had gone through several options. A messenger carrying the news of the attack would delay the rear attack by at least a day. They needed something quicker. With the rainy season over and winter yet to set in, the skies were clear to create a clear line of vision. The weather was also dry enough for using fire as a signal.


    ¡®The horses , chariots and elephants have begun their march to the border. By nightfall they should all be in position.¡¯, Vikarna said.


    ¡®How many days to their Base camp, once we begin the attack at TriRajya Bindu?¡¯, Sumedh asked.


    ¡®Covering 50 km for an army, would require at least 2 days during a regular march. But since this is an attack , the pace will be slower. Perhaps, 4 or 5 days then.¡¯,Vikarna replied.


    ¡®I suppose, within a day and a half Prince Vishvajit will become aware of his predicament¡¯, Sumedh said.


    ¡®Yes, but even if he asks for reinforcements, they will take time. We expect that he would split his troops into two. Based on our intelligence, they have around 10,000 soldiers at base camp. He probably would send half of them to curb the rear attack. But since they hadn¡¯t planned an attack on dry land, they brought very few elephants with them. We should have an upper hand there¡¯, Vikarna said.


    ¡®Good, Good..¡¯, Sumedh said.


    ¡®Chief ¡­ The signal fire has been lit !¡¯, a soldier hurried over with the news.


    ¡®I will leave you to it then¡¯, Sumedh said as he stood up and turned to leave.


    ¡®Yes, yes¡­¡¯


    ¡®Oh and what about Atriji?¡¯, Sumedh turned around and asked.


    ¡®He is safe. We have ensured his absence from the base camp.¡¯, Vikarna replied with a grin.


    ¡®That¡¯s a relief¡¯, Sumedh said with a smile.


    ¡®Good luck then¡¯, he added on his way out.


    Bahu observed Sumedh¡¯s worried expression as they exited the Defence headquarters. It was one of those times when his master was lost in deep contemplation. He watched Sumedh enter the carriage, almost missing the step.


    ¡®Back to the Capital, Sir?¡¯, he asked.


    ¡®Yes.¡¯, Sumedh replied absentmindedly and leaned back.


    ¡®We are here Sir¡¯, Bahu said, as he stopped the carriage.


    Sumedh looked up. Bahu had brought him to the Temple. Indeed, it was time for prayer. He patted Bahu¡¯s shoulder in gratitude as he exited the carriage.


    It was midnight and the Temple was closed. It was also what Sumedh preferred. He had always felt a reluctance toward observing rituals. It somehow lessened the deep feeling and connection that he felt with the divine. His relationship with God was personal, yes, but it was also private. He guarded it and avoided discussing it casually, lest he lose some of the closeness. As was his habit, he sat on the stone bench under the Pipal tree and made a silent prayer.


    ¡®Oh God, guide us through this trial. Guide our steps so that we may choose virtue in our reason, will, and action.¡¯


    It was a small prayer, but it was made with deep feeling and reverence.


    Sumedh didn¡¯t doubt the outcome, for their military might was superior and their preparations were thorough. He just wondered at God¡¯s plan for them.


    ¡®I don¡¯t doubt that you want the best for us, but I do wonder just how painful this best is going to be¡¯, he murmured , reproaching God just as a child would reproach his parents.


    As his thoughts began to calm down, he realized that it was time to plan for the aftermath.Vatsa had no wish to continue the war until the whole of Magadha was conquered. This battle was a deterrent, to buy peace for a while, until a more lasting solution was found. The treaty they signed would have to be compelling, and the stakes would need to be high, it was the only way to keep PriamRaja¡¯s ambitions at bay. He missed Atriji, Atriji¡¯s astute mind and keen understanding of human behavior would have been a godsend at this time.


    Wait a minute, that was it, Sumedh realized and a smile lit up his face.


    They would bring Atriji to the negotiating table, Sumedh decided and jumped up with enthusiasm.

 Chapter 10 - The Outwitter and The Outwitted

    Chapter 10 - The Outwitter and The Outwitted


    10 days later


    Central Prison, Kaushambi, Vatsa


    RATTLE, RATTLE ..


    The noise had just gotten louder, but the prison guards didn¡¯t care. They were used to it by now. Besides, a new batch of prisoners had arrived yesterday. It would take these new ones time to overcome their aggression and settle down, the guards thought.


    Crown Prince Vishvajit unclenched his fists from the prison bars and sat down on the floor. He knew his actions were pointless and provoked only the ridicule of the guards. After all, he had imprisoned so many and tortured quite a few. He had always considered himself clever, for he knew how to manipulate the mind of the victims, and yet, today he had fallen prey to the same methods. In the past, he had  enjoyed the upper hand and laughed at the plight of the victims , never considering that he could be at the receiving end one day. He now realized that being at someone else¡¯s mercy was pure torture and he suddenly didn¡¯t feel very clever.


    He was angry, very angry. How had he allowed himself to be captured? He could vividly imagine his father¡¯s disappointed face. The horror of the past ten days was fresh in his mind.


    On the night they launched the attack, the first batch of soldiers had been sent off with almost a festive air. Vishvajit¡¯s battle experiences had taught him to anticipate the unexpected. Consequently, he had sent out spies beforehand. The reports he had received the day before had been mundane, both from within Magadha and from Vatsa. Suspecting nothing, he had even hit the bed early to prepare for a busy time the next day.


    At dawn, they received the signal they had been waiting for. Across the river they saw that their flag had been hoisted. With 2 villages of Vatsa conquered, they had gained a foothold in enemy territory and it was time to begin the large scale attack, or so he had thought.


    Durmukha had led the next contingent of 2000 soldiers, horses were loaded onto the boats and sent across. By afternoon, another 2000 soldiers, armed with provisions, had made their way across the river. But by evening Vishvajit had begun to feel uneasy. No messengers had returned and the silence was beginning to gnaw on him. By night he was seriously worried and then the fateful message arrived.


    ¡®Rear attack at TriRajya Bindu. Send reinforcements immediately¡¯.


    A soldier on horseback had brought this urgent message from the western border.


    He had walked right into a trap, Vishvajit realized. The 5000 soldiers they had sent across the river would have been killed by now. All his confidence drained away as he began to understand how precarious their situation was. His mind went blank.


    Somadatta, the Chief of Defence, began to pace the room.


    ¡®5000 soldiers¡­ 5000 soldiers lost¡¯, he was murmuring.


    ¡®Reinforcements¡­ we need to send reinforcements to TriRajya Bindu¡¯, he looked to Crown Prince Vishvajit for affirmation.


    Crown Prince Vishvajit exerted himself to focus on the present.


    ¡®Send a thousand soldiers, no more. It is a suicide mission anyway. No more offensive strikes, create a line of defence at Chunar¡¯, he replied.


    Once the order had been sent out for execution, Vishvajit and Somadatta had sat down to revise their strategy.


    ¡®Where are our battalions? How soon can we get reinforcements?¡¯, Crown Prince Vishvajit asked.


    ¡®We have 2 large divisions. One near the Capital and the other at the Kalinga-Magadha border. Each is at a distance of at least a ten-fifteen day march.¡¯,Somadatta replied.


    ¡®Patliputra must be protected at all costs. We can¡¯t touch the division at the Capital. How soon can the Kalinga division arrive?¡¯, Crown Prince asked.


    ¡®Not soon enough ¡­ Not soon enough¡¯, Somadatta sat down with a pained expression.


    Having no other choice, the plea for reinforcements had been sent. They had almost no hope, but all they could do was wait.


    ¡®Crown Prince, the enemy boats are crossing the Ganges?¡¯, a soldier rushed to report at dawn.


    ¡®How many?¡¯, Somadatta asked.


    ¡®20-30 , not sure Sir, they are all over the river¡¯.


    ¡®We must retreat, Crown Prince. It¡¯s only one town and a few villages. We can afford to lose them. Once the reinforcements join us we can set up camp and create a new line of defence¡¯ , Somadatta had said.


    But Vishvajit¡¯s desperation had overcome his commonsense. His father¡¯s words echoed in his memory.


    ¡®You must get Vatsa for me. Don¡¯t come to me with excuses. Failure is not an option.¡¯, his father had said.


    It requires humility to accept one¡¯s mistakes, and courage to face the consequences of failure. Vishvajit neither felt humble nor courageous at that point. His emotions had taken over and he had stopped thinking rationally. Unfortunately, his troops had to pay the price for this. Within a day, they were down to 2000 soldiers, and by the next afternoon, it was all over. In 3 days, Vishvajit¡¯s world had fallen apart. He was captured along with Chief Somadatta and brought here to Kaushambi.


    King PriamRaja had never spared the captured enemy, especially if they were from the royal family. He was paranoid about avoiding uprisings in future.


    ¡®Kill them¡¯, he always said.


    ¡®Thank God, King Mahendra is not like Father or me¡¯, Vishvajit thought. There was a wry smile on his face as he realized the irony.


    *************************


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    Clinic, Gangapur


    ¡®How much longer, Sister?¡¯, Bhola enquired as he looked at the long queue ahead of them.


    Most Kings instructed their armies to avoid hurting civilians during war. King PriamRaja was of course an exception. With Magadha¡¯s base camp at Chunar, and their soldiers stationed across Chunar, Divyasthal and Gangapur, the involvement of the villagers became inevitable. During the war, Bhola had been tasked with distributing food packets to the soldiers of Magadha. When Vatsa¡¯s soldiers had marched into Gangapur, Magadha¡¯s soldiers fled and the villagers panicked. There had been a scramble and many had been injured. Some had just fainted from the shock of seeing the enemy at close quarters. Bhola, though conscious, had injured his arm.


    ¡®Soon, very soon.¡¯, Maya said as she peered through the windows of the clinic.


    They were now getting a taste of Vatsa¡¯s administration, and what a contrast there was!, Maya thought. Once the war was declared over, several doctors from Vatsa had arrived. Inside Gangapur¡¯s small clinic, there were no less than ten doctors and many more attendants. Maya¡¯s gaze fell on an elderly villager holding his chest.


    ¡®It hurts, It hurts¡­ I feel like there is a huge weight on my chest.¡¯


    A doctor rushed to him and gave him some medicine. The pain seemed to subside.


    ¡®Thank you Doctor¡¯, he mumbled and slowly sat up. He stared at the scene around him for a while and then looked into the Doctor¡¯s eyes.


    ¡®I thought, I thought¡­ I was going to die.


    But the world around me, it was going on just like it always has. What does this mean?


    What is the meaning of life?¡¯, the elderly man asked.


    As he had stared at the possibility of death, suddenly his life and the world around him didn¡¯t make any sense anymore. Confusion, shock and fear, all had gripped him and he was in a daze. The Doctor had probably heard this question often, for his answer sounded well-rehearsed.


    ¡®No idea, Sir. I just do the best I can everyday. That way when death beckons, I won¡¯t have any regrets.¡¯


    The Doctor smiled as he said this and Maya noticed the kindness in his eyes. She thought about what he said and realized that he was right. We must do the best we can everyday, and that is the only way to prepare for a peaceful exit from this world.


    ¡®I never thought of death until I came face to face with Vatsa¡¯s soldiers¡¯, Bhola, who had also been watching the Doctor, said.


    Bhola seemed to be still in shock and Maya patted his back lightly.


    The first introduction to death - whether it is our body failing, or in facing a peril or seeing a loved one pass away, is always frightening. And we never really learn to overcome this fear completely. At best, we learn to accept it and distract ourselves with other pursuits, Maya realized.


    ¡®Please come in, young man¡¯, the attendant called out.


    Bhola and Maya walked into the clinic. Bhola¡¯s wounds were not severe and the attendant did the dressing himself, without calling for a Doctor. It was a quick job and soon they were on their way out.


    The usual cash payment counter had been replaced by a donation box. Treatment had been made free due to special circumstances. Bhola dropped a few copper coins into the box and looked up at Maya.


    ¡®Is it enough?¡¯


    ¡®Give what you are able to, and with gratitude. That will be enough¡¯,Maya replied.


    ¡®Oh, Why bother? The treatment is free.¡¯, a middle-aged man waiting to be examined said.


    ¡®These Doctors probably play around with Gold coins. Our Copper coins are more valuable for us, than for them.¡¯, his wife chipped in.


    ¡®But if we contribute to their cause, they will be able to help more people.¡¯, Maya said.


    ¡®What help??? They will extract a price anyway. You wait and watch. Tomorrow they will say we should buy medicines only from Vatsa¡¯s pharmacies. It¡¯s all business, Madam¡¯, the man retorted.


    Maya colored as she saw the Doctor, they had observed earlier, quietly listening.


    ¡®Strange that the Kings of Magadha have never been keen to enter this business  then.¡¯, she murmured.


    ¡®Ah, Doctor, Doctor ! It''s our turn. Please have a look¡¯, The man¡¯s wife called out.


    The Doctor ignored the couple and moved to a different line of patients.


    ¡®Ill-mannered. That¡¯s what these Doctors are! They think that we are at their mercy and they can act the way they want.¡¯, the man continued venting.


    Maya signalled to Bhola and quietly they made their escape.


    ¡®The Doctor is a kind man. Why did he ignore them?¡¯, Bhola asked.


    Maya had seen the Doctor say a prayer before he walked away. Clearly, he considered service to humanity as service to God.


    ¡®Even a saint wouldn¡¯t want to serve someone who is ungrateful. If we have received in the name of God, then we must learn to give too. Gratitude is a must, if we want to be considered worthy of receiving such gifts of service¡¯, Maya replied.


    *************************


    Ashram, Gangapur


    ¡®Why only Chunar? Why not Gangapur?¡¯, Kailashnath exclaimed.


    Acharya Chyavana, his father - Purohita Atri, and Kailashnath were seated in Chyavana¡¯s private quarters at the Ashram. The past month had been very eventful at Gangapur. A constant anxiety had plagued Kailashnath which had been multiplied by the knowledge of Acharya Chyavana¡¯s real identity. At first, Kailashnath had just set aside this knowledge and avoided the Ashram completely. He didn¡¯t want to fall for any more traps. Eventually, around ten days back, Acharya Chyavana took matters into his own hands, and arrived at his doorstep.


    ¡®Come, meet my father¡¯, he had demanded.


    ¡®He is in Gangapur?¡¯, Kailashnath asked in surprise.


    ¡®Yes, and he would like to meet you.¡¯


    The meeting had taken place. Though he was skeptical at first, Kailashnath eventually chose to trust Atri and Chyavana. Or more accurately, they had won his trust. They had related to him exactly how the war would play out and then went on to share details about Vatsa¡¯s attack. These details, they could have known only if they were spies of Vatsa. And in the last 10 days, Kailashnath had ample opportunity to validate their claims.


    ¡®We must leave room for King PriamRaja to negotiate¡¯, Atri replied.


    ¡®Vatsa has already extended their borders by 50 km and captured the Crown Prince as well. The blow on King PriamRaja is already very heavy. He will plan his revenge eventually, but even now, he will want to go away with something. So, as part of the negotiation Vatsa will retreat from Gangapur and Divyasthal.¡¯


    Kailashnath much preferred Gangapur being part of Vatsa¡¯s administration. But though Gangapur meant the world to him, it was only a tiny part of the strategy of these powerful people.


    ¡®Gramikaji, here is the list you had requested¡¯, Maya had come over to the Ashram right after they had left the clinic.


    ¡®Thank you my child. Have a seat.¡¯, Kailashnath replied.


    ¡®These are the list of Gyanadoot members in Magadha. I have already alerted them, Vatsa¡¯s secret agents can contact them.¡¯


    ¡®He is here . He is here.¡¯, Chandra announced as he came inside in a rush.


    ¡®You are about to meet the second most powerful person in Vatsa. After King Mahendra, it is his word that carries weight. Sumedh, is the Chief political advisor to King Mahendra¡¯, Acharya Chyavana said, to prepare Kailashnath and Maya.


    There were footsteps outside. Everyone stood up. Maya had expected a large entourage, with bodyguards and attendants. Instead, a lone man entered.


    ¡®Oh!¡¯, she exclaimed. It was the Doctor she had seen at the clinic.


    Sumedh too was surprised. But quickly, he collected himself.


    Acknowledging her with a slight bow, he folded his hands and went forward to greet Kailashnath.


    ¡®I have heard so much about you. It is an honor to meet you, Sir¡¯, Sumedh said.


    Kailashnath was struck at the humility of the man before him. To hold such a high office, at such a young age, meant that Sumedh was a man of exceptional abilities. But he was evidently not consumed with a feeling of self-importance.


    ¡® The honor is mine, Sumedhji¡¯, Kailashnath replied with folded hands.


    They all sat down.


    ¡®Do you have the list?¡¯, Sumedh got to the point immediately.


    Kailashnath hesitated.


    ¡®Why do you wish to collaborate with us? What is in it for you?¡¯, he asked.


    ¡®When governing his kingdom, a King cannot be mindful only of the unrest within his kingdom. If there is unrest outside , it will eventually spread and threaten the peace of his kingdom too. My King, King Mahendra, knows this and wants to help the people of Magadha¡¯, Sumedh replied.


    ¡®So, do you plan to conquer Magadha?¡¯, Kailashnath asked.


    ¡®We know there is unrest in Magadha.If we can free its people from tyranny by non-violent means, that will be our preferred option. If not, we can conquer Magadha so that we may offer its people a better life.


    I do not stand in judgement of kings who wish to expand their kingdoms. Indeed, we too have done that in the past. Our conscience awoke only when we came face to face with the destruction we had caused. It dawned on us that unless we had something better to offer those people, our aspirations were merely our greed for power and wealth. It was a moment of great shame for us. Now we avoid war, unless our way of life is threatened. Of course, we will protect our people and our land at any cost.¡¯


    Kailashnath was touched by the man¡¯s sincerity and straightforward manner. He quietly handed Sumedh the list.


    ¡®Their safety will be our responsibility¡¯, Sumedh said, sensing Kailashnath¡¯s apprehension.


    Kailashnath smiled in gratitude.

 Chapter 11 - Matters of the Heart

    Chapter 11 - Matters of the Heart


    Gangapur


    Bhola looked longingly at the offering counter. There was a long queue. Today the Prasad, the holy offering, was delicious and he was wondering if he should go for a second helping.


    ¡®Sister, you go ahead. I will join you presently¡¯, he said to Maya.


    Maya smiled. It had been a while since she last visited the Temple. During war many people had huddled in the Temple, believing that they would be protected here. Maya¡¯s faith in God was immense and she knew that miracles did happen, but she reasoned that the gifts of intelligence and common sense that God has bestowed on all of us wouldn¡¯t have been for nothing. So she stuck to the guideline issued during war - stay indoors.


    Now that the war was over, the Temple was abuzz with activity. Everyday, there were several mass prayers and scores of individual prayers. It seemed as though all the pent up devotion was released all at once.


    Maya looked at Bhola, he was still way back in the queue. She therefore decided to head to her favorite spot in the Temple premises and wait there.


    ¡®Oh!¡¯, she exclaimed. It was occupied.


    Sumedh had found the stone bench under the Pipal tree. It reminded him of the Temple at Kaushambi. He had been sitting there for a while now. It felt familiar and comfortable. At the sound of a voice, he looked up. It was Maya. Was it sheer coincidence that they should meet three times today?


    ¡®Did I occupy your seat? ¡® he asked. He guessed he had, and began to rise.


    ¡®No, No, ...Please¡¯, Maya protested.


    ¡®Please have a seat then. There is space enough for two¡¯, he replied.


    Sumedh moved to one end and Maya sat down at the other end of the bench. Neither of them wanted to speak and they enjoyed the companionable silence, both letting the devotion of the place engulf them.


    Maya opened her eyes after a while and looked at her companion. Sumedh¡¯s shoulders had slumped and his face was grim.


    ¡®It must be hard, knowing that your decisions can determine the lives of countless people¡¯, she said in a soft voice.


    He looked at her and there was gratitude in his eyes.


    ¡®I am reluctant to marry and be a householder. Perhaps, that is why I must take on responsibility for a much larger family¡¯, he said after a silence.


    ¡®Perhaps¡­ perhaps, marriage is not for everyone.


    Maybe, if we lead a purposeful life, it should be enough¡¯, Maya said more to herself, than to him.


    Another silence.


    ¡®I have seen so much in life that the mind has been numbed by repeated shocks. So much has happened, that a little more doesn¡¯t seem to make a difference. It is almost as though I lack feeling.¡¯, Sumedh said.


    ¡®I would like to believe that now my responses are more measured and beneficial to all, but sometimes it is hard to convince even myself¡¯, he added.


    Maya stilled, it was as though someone was echoing her thoughts.


    ¡®Growing up is hard. It is painful to realise that we have lost, perhaps forever, the spontaneity that reflected pure affection and caring.¡¯,she replied.


    Both fell into silence again.


    ¡®Do you think any good comes from war?¡¯, Sumedh asked, turning to her.


    Maya pondered over it for a while.


    ¡®We learn to appreciate peace¡¯, Maya said with a smile.


    Sumedh smiled back.


    ¡®You are right. Sometimes we fail to appreciate what it means to have a peaceful life. For many, a peaceful life is a boring life. They look for excitement, and that usually leads to chaos¡¯, he said.


    ¡®The discipline we adopt in peaceful times can lead us to great heights. But how many people value discipline? For some, sleeping whenever they want and waking up whenever they want is a matter of great pride. Is there really any achievement in that?¡¯, Maya replied.


    ¡®Discipline of the mind must begin with discipline of the body. If we lack self-control, how can we overcome our greed, pride, anger, .. or any other harmful instinct.


    Or.. perhaps not. Soldiers are taught to discipline their body, but how many of them can really control their emotions?¡¯, Sumedh sighed in exasperation. It was always hard to arrive at logic which didn¡¯t have any loopholes.


    ¡®Perhaps we may say -


    Discipline of the body provides a good foundation to discipline the mind. For example - If our needs are few, wealth will not be a necessity, and it lessens the chance of greed.¡¯, Maya suggested.


    Sumedh turned to her and smiled, it was the smile of having found a kindred soul.


    The moment had passed, but the feeling stayed on.Sumedh watched Maya leave. For the first time, he felt a desire to have a life companion. For years, he had walked a solitary road and it had made him stronger, but now, it was becoming tiring. It was hard to be strong in every situation and there were times when he wanted to share the burden with someone. But, the deeper one¡¯s thoughts, the lonelier he becomes. It was hard to find someone who understood him, but meeting Maya had brought a ray of hope. With her, it wasn¡¯t just that she understood him, there was more - She too was a seeker, a seeker of truth.


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    ¡®Charming village, Sir! Shall we stay a few days longer?¡¯, Sumedh looked up to see Bahu giving him a strange smile.


    **************


    Next morning


    ¡®Will the Doctor be visiting us today, Sister?¡¯


    Maya threw the ball of thread she had been holding at Bhola. Bhola had watched their ¡®tete-a-tete¡¯ the previous evening and had been teasing her ever since.


    ¡®You did seem to get on pretty well.¡¯, Bhola retorted, holding up his arms to protect himself.


    ¡®Ahem.. Ahem¡¯


    Bhola and Maya turned to look at the man who stood in the doorway.


    ¡®Greetings Miss and Young Master. I work with Sumedhji¡¯, Bahu said with folded hands.


    Maya colored. Bhola was grinning from ear to ear. If the teasing was bad before, Bhola would now be merciless.


    ¡®Please come in, please come in¡¯,Bhola said, almost dragging Bahu in.


    ¡®All friends of the Doctor are welcome here¡¯, he added as he pulled up a chair for Bahu.


    ¡®Yes, yes, please do have a seat¡¯, Maya said with a glare at Bhola that implied he needed to tone down his enthusiasm.


    ¡®Ahh.. Thank you Miss.¡¯


    ¡®You see Miss, Sumedhji¡¯s coat tore this morning¡¯, Bahu began with a straight face. He produced the coat and was pointing to a few missing threads. Maya suspected they were cut recently!


    ¡®Now, we are so far from Kaushambi,  it is not easy to find someone to mend it. And with winter almost here, a coat is a necessity. My master is busy all day, I wouldn¡¯t want him to catch a cold¡­Blah..blah¡¯, Bahu went on for a while.


    ¡®Of course, Of course, why don¡¯t you leave the coat here¡¯, Maya replied, when he finally gave her a chance to interrupt.


    ¡®Ahh.. but you see, my master is very fond of this coat. I will feel uneasy if I return without it. Would you mind if I waited here? Of course, I know you are busy, and you may have more urgent work. I will just wait in a corner. You won¡¯t even notice that I am here.¡¯, Bahu said.


    Maya stared at the muscular man in front of her. As if he could escape anyone¡¯s notice!


    ¡®Umm¡­ Sister, You may need this¡¯, Bhola said, handing back the thread she had thrown at him.


    Maya felt herself color a little more, if that was possible. It was almost as though the two were in cahoots to make her flustered.


    ¡®As it happens, business is slow at this hour. Let me mend it right away¡¯,she said , avoiding their gaze and getting right to work.


    Maya¡¯s thoughts drifted back to the previous evening. She suddenly realized that Bahu had been waiting for Sumedh outside the Temple premises.


    ¡®Why didn¡¯t you enter the Temple yesterday? Our Temple is the pride of Gangapur, you know!¡¯, Maya asked with a smile.


    It was Bahu¡¯s turn to look flustered.


    ¡®I know religious places are considered holy, but I don¡¯t find peace there. Besides, I have seen even criminals enter shrines.¡¯, he replied in a mellow tone.


    Maya looked at him thoughtfully.


    ¡®Actually, it should be a great comfort for us to know that even criminals find shelter in religion. After all at some point or other, haven¡¯t we all acted in ways we are not proud of?¡¯, she said.


    ¡®Even if that is so Miss, are you really unable to see through these people who are trying to squeeze out money, from all of us, in the name of God?¡¯, Bahu asked.


    Maya was silent for a while.


    ¡®There is no dearth of people who treat religion as another business. And how they spend the profits is often questionable. Even the Prophets they claim to follow, will not approve of their deeds!¡¯, she said.


    ¡®Then why bother with religion, Miss?¡¯


    ¡®Because in religion we find the answers we all seek. It gives direction to life. It offers a secure anchor, whether in bad times or good.


    For many, spiritual thoughts and wisdom from the sacred texts are just an intelligent topic of conversation while socializing. I have personally seen that there is often no relation between the thoughts that people express and their behavior. In the holiest of places, I have encountered people with base tendencies.


    And that is all the more reason why we must have a personal connection with God, through prayer and self-reformation. Or else, every time we encounter hypocrisy or deceit in the name of God, we will falter¡¯, Maya said.


    Bahu stared at Maya. It was almost as though he had heard Sumedh speak.


    Maya observed Bahu¡¯s non-committal expression and thought it best to stop her sermon. She knew that each individual must make their own journey and find their own space. She quietly handed over the mended coat.


    ¡®No please , no charge. It was hardly anything. You are embarrassing me¡¯, she said as Bahu took out some money.


    Thanking Maya, Bahu quickly bid them both goodbye. He would be in serious trouble if Sumedh knew that he was here for matchmaking. Well, who could define the limits of a bodyguard¡¯s duties, Bahu reasoned.


    **************


    Bhola was returning home in the evening. Since the clinic was on his way, he peered inside. Bahu was sitting in a corner. He smiled at Bhola. Bhola waved back.


    ¡®What brings you here , Young Master?¡¯, Bahu had come outside.


    ¡®Oh, I live just down this road¡¯, Bhola said, pointing to his house.


    ¡®Ahh.. I see. Come sit by me for a while. I could do with some company.¡¯, Bahu invited.


    Bahu chose a spot with a clear sight of the clinic and they both sat down.


    ¡®So, you plan to be a tailor?¡¯, he asked Bhola.


    ¡®No, but I did think I might enjoy running some kind of a business. But now, I don¡¯t think it is for me. ¡¯, Bhola said in a forlorn voice.


    Bahu put his arm around Bhola. Encouraged, Bhola poured out his woes.


    ¡®I have seen my childhood companions being so carefree about their future. None of them seem to wonder about their passion. For them, it is a given that they will take up their family occupation. Their line of thinking is - Why flounder when I have a readymade set up, the right connections and willing mentors?. And it makes sense, i.e if we don¡¯t have any personal preference or exceptional talent.¡¯


    ¡®And what about you, young man?¡¯, Sumedh had watched the two of them chat and come out.


    ¡®Oh Doctor¡¯, Bhola began to get up, but Sumedh prevented him.


    ¡®No formalities¡¯, Sumedh said as he joined them.


    ¡®What do you enjoy doing?¡¯, he asked Bhola.


    ¡®I don¡¯t know anymore. Father has given me the responsibility of choosing my own occupation. It was thrilling in the beginning, but now that so much time has passed and I am still undecided, it has become a burden. Given my father¡¯s stature, I have met many accomplished and powerful people. I now feel small in comparison¡¯, Bhola replied.


    ¡®Have you considered the medical profession?¡¯, with Bhola¡¯s caring disposition, Sumedh felt that it could be a good choice for him.


    ¡®Oh no¡­ that is beyond my ability¡¯, Bhola replied.


    ¡®And who decided the limits of your ability?¡¯, Sumedh asked.


    Bhola was puzzled.


    ¡®We all have our limits , right?¡¯, he asked.


    ¡®Wrong! What we all have are gifts. We are good at some things and for the rest, we must make up with our hard work.


    The scriptures state that there is a spark of God in all of us. This is the reason why we feel invincible and limitless in our dreams and aspirations. It is only when we let our fears consume us, then rather than viewing our constraints as roadblocks, we begin to feel powerless and limited.


    Come on, join me at the Clinic tomorrow¡¯, Sumedh invited with a smile.

 Chapter 12 - The Price of Ambition

    Chapter 12 - The Price of Ambition


    10 days later, Patliputra


    SMASH¡­ SMASH¡­.


    Prince Prajanya watched his father, King PriamRaja, vent his anger. The public hall was littered with broken artifacts. The news of the humiliating defeat, and capture of his son and heir, Crown Prince Vishvajit, had shaken the King. The council of ministers, the attendants, all retreated into the corners of the hall. Prince Prajanya alone stood by his father¡¯s side.


    ¡®The FOOL¡­ The FOOL¡­


    Couldn¡¯t he have retreated¡¯, King PriamRaja exclaimed.


    ¡®You did say to him - Failure is not an option¡¯, Prajanya said, his voice almost a whisper.


    King PriamRaja stared at his son, he had heard the whispered response. He collected himself and sat down on the throne. The attendants came forward and began to clean the mess.


    ¡®I ¡­ I was only trying to encourage him. When we feel we have no option, we discover hidden resources in ourselves and it brings out the best in us¡¯, King PriamRaja said, his manner petulant.


    But at what cost? Do we have the right to drive someone to the edge, if we can¡¯t catch them when they fall? , Prajanya wondered.


    ¡®Atriji has escaped from enemy territory. He should be here within the week¡¯, Prajanya said, offering the only good news they had.


    King PriamRaja looked up and smiled. Now, here was a man who could help him understand the workings of King Mahendra¡¯s mind. He didn¡¯t care about the lost territory, after all how much would the treasury be impacted by the loss of revenue from a few villages and towns. But he wanted to know if his son, Vishvajit, was alive. And there was only one reason why they would keep him alive - To broker a deal!


    The question was what could Magadha offer in return?


    Would Gold be enough? Lowering of custom duties, would that interest them? Iron ore mines?...


    King PriamRaja¡¯s mind raced through the possible options, but none seemed a worthy exchange. King Mahendra was no fool and PriamRaja had heard of Mahendra¡¯s astute Chief Political advisor. They knew that the moment they released Crown Prince Vishvajit, Magadha would be ready for another attack.


    So what did King Mahendra want? PriamRaja knew that Vatsa wasn¡¯t looking to extend its borders. After they had decimated Magadha¡¯s army and occupied Gangapur, Vatsa could easily have marched forward and occupied more territory. After all, the battalions from the Kalinga- Magadha border had arrived only several days later. But Vatsa hadn¡¯t done that , they had just created a line of defense at Gangapur. So, what remained? What could they be interested in?


    Surely, not PEACE?


    Even the thought sounded ridiculous to him and he laughed out loud.


    Everyone present in the Public Hall eyed the King warily.


    The ancient texts state that -


    Service under a King is comparable to living in a fire, but is, in fact, worse.


    A fire may burn a part of one¡¯s body and, at its worst, all of it; but a King goes from one extreme to another. He may either confer prosperity or may have the whole family, including wives and children, killed. Therefore a wise man makes self-protection his first and constant concern.


    **************************


    Atri stared at the passing scenery from his carriage window. They had just crossed another village. His thoughts went over the events of the past few weeks. Even if for a short time, it had felt good to be back in Vatsa¡¯s fold. He had even developed a fondness for Gangapur and its warm people. He realized anew that people were the same everywhere. As humans, our needs and aspirations are the same, and the longing for goodness is universal. A non-virtuous ruler or a corrupt administration is not a reflection of the humanity of the people living under it. And if indeed the malice pervades the populace, it can only be because they were coerced, subdued and had no other way to survive. Present to them the opportunity of a better way of life, and the seeds of goodness shall burst forth again.


    After several discussions with Sumedh, Atri had decided to return to Magadha. The contours of a treaty with King PriamRaja remained vague.


    ¡®It is hard to read the enemy¡¯s mind and much of it will be decided at the negotiating table.


    Atriji, it is therefore essential that you be present as part of PriamRaja¡¯s camp during the negotiations.¡¯, Sumedh had said.


    They had again discussed the possibility of retaining Gangapur within Vatsa, but the hurdles were too many. They needed Gyanadoot to be in Magadha for future missions. Sumedh was usually firm and unemotional when it came to political strategy, but even he seemed to have developed a fondness for Gangapur and looked reluctant to let go. It was just a fleeting emotion that passed Sumedh¡¯s face, and a less keen gaze might have missed it. In the end, it was Kailashnath¡¯s firm resolve that had decided the matter.


    ¡®What peace can we have in Gangapur under Vatsa¡¯s rule when we know that our brothers and sisters in Magadha are suffering¡¯, he had said.


    Kailashnath¡¯s heart and love surpassed boundaries of kingdoms and Atri had felt humbled, yet again, to be in his presence.


    The ¡®escape¡¯ from Vatsa itself had not been a complicated affair. The chaos that ensues after war usually provides a good backstory and Atri had approached the commander of the Magadha¡¯s border army for refuge. Once he had presented his identification, the commander had made arrangements for his transport back to the Capital.


    **************************


    Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    Prince Prajanya watched his father¡¯s solemn face as King PriamRaja emerged after a dip in the holy Ganges. There are so many facets to a person, Prajanya thought and his heart warmed over. His father came forward and stood next to him.


    ¡®Do you believe in the power of prayer?¡¯, Prajanya asked.


    King PriamRaja¡¯s eyes narrowed as he wondered at this strange question.


    ¡®These are the duties of a King. My father didn¡¯t question it, I don¡¯t either. You should follow suit, don¡¯t think too much¡¯, he replied.


    ¡®And keep a solemn face during prayer. That is the right pose¡¯, he added the warning.


    All these futile musings about prayer was the result of reading too much! It was all Prajanya¡¯s mother¡¯s doing, she had insisted that he attend Nalanda University!, King PriamRaja thought with irritation.


    The warmth left Prajanya¡¯s heart and was replaced with the familiar heaviness. His father¡¯s volatile personality always affected him thus. The feelings his mother, Queen Madhavi, evoked in him were just the opposite. Prajanya¡¯s face lit up at the thought of his mother. He had always wondered how she had fallen in love with a man like his father. They were complete opposites. One day he had asked her this question and she narrated her story.


    ¡®My father had been the Purohita at Kalinga¡¯, she began.


    ¡®I had come to the Palace to help father with some texts. That was when your father, then Crown Prince PriamRaja, saw me. An aggressive man himself, he had been attracted to my soft mannerisms and peaceful nature. I found his attention intimidating. He was the Crown Prince and it would have been hard to reject a marriage proposal, so I began to avoid him. He could have pressured my father to agree to a marriage alliance, but he chose not to. Instead, he patiently pursued me till I was comfortable with him and consented. When we got married, he told me that he wanted to change. He wanted to be more spiritual and needed my help in this journey.¡¯


    His mother had stopped narrating at this point. Her eyes had turned thoughtful. After a while, she continued.


    ¡®It is only now that I realize that good intentions are hardly enough. The patience and self-control that such a change demands is not present in everyone. People imagine that they can give up their habits easily, but it rarely happens. Usually, after a few half-hearted attempts they conclude that - This is the person I am , I can¡¯t change.


    A few months after we were married I overheard him say -


    Madhavi is too good a person. It really is hard to deal with good people. They do the right thing all the time and make us feel guilty. On the other hand, when we deal with crafty and selfish people, each of us are trying to get the best deal out of the situation and so we don¡¯t feel bad about ourselves.


    And with that ended all your father¡¯s aspirations for change and my hopes for the future¡¯, Queen Madhavi had concluded.


    Over the years, Prajanya had watched the relationship between his parents deteriorate and now, his mother was a nervous wreck whenever she was around her husband. She had become a shadow of her former self, while his father had moved on to younger and more attractive prospects.


    ¡®This way your highness¡¯, Prajanya came out of his reverie. His father¡¯s attendant was pointing toward the carriage.


    ¡®You go ahead Father. I will stay here for some more time¡¯, he said to his father.


    King PriamRaja gave a slight nod and left with his entourage.


    Prajanya looked around him. The bank of the river Ganges was considered one of the holiest places, but he was not a believer. He had studied the scriptures and the ancient texts. He understood that the scriptures were written by those who had studied the essence of virtue and the epics were an illustration of these virtues in stories. He didn¡¯t question customs and traditions. For him, they were a constructive way to divert the mind. This was as far as his logical mind could go. Sure, there were a lot of mysteries in this world, but believing in God didn¡¯t automatically solve these mysteries.


    One advantage of being a non-believer was that he didn¡¯t believe in miracles. It was always a matter of give and take. Prajanya¡¯s mind turned to the matter at hand. The question was -


    If his brother, Crown Prince Vishvajit, was in Vatsa¡¯s custody, what could be offered in exchange?


    ¡®Ohhh¡­ ¡®, Prajanya exclaimed, as a thought struck him.


    Perhaps it wasn¡¯t ¡®what¡¯ but ¡®who¡¯ they could offer in exchange. A life for a life. And when it is a royal life, it would have to be a royal life in exchange. It will have to be me. I must offer myself in return for my brother. No one else will do. What Vatsa needed was a guarantee that Magadha would keep its word even after Crown Prince Vishvajit was released.


    Fear engulfed him at the thought and Prajanya¡¯s hands began to sweat. Maybe it was a meaningless thought.


    ¡®Surely, surely, Father wouldn¡¯t expect this, wouldn¡¯t allow this¡­¡¯, his mind raced.


    **************************


    A week later


    ¡®We have definite news. Brother Vishvajit and Defence Chief Somadatta are in Vatsa¡¯s custody.¡¯, Prajanya said.


    Prince Prajanya and Purohita Atri were seated in King PriamRaja¡¯s private chamber. ¡®


    ¡®Let us plan a rescue then¡­¡¯, King PriamRaja began eagerly.


    ¡®But they have now been moved away from the Central Prison at Kaushambi. Our secret agents are not able to locate them anymore.¡¯ , Prajanya added.


    ¡®Ugghhh.. What does that King Mahendra of Vatsa want??? They haven¡¯t been in touch. They are not placing any demands. What kind of game are they playing?¡¯, King PriamRaja stopped pacing the room and looked at Atri.


    ¡®It is a power game. Who will blink first!!!¡¯, Atri said dryly.


    ¡®What??? I will show them who is more powerful !!! I have already asked the two divisions of troops to be ready for battle. We can always get more¡­¡¯, King PriamRaja said in a heated tone.


    ¡®But what about brother? Do you think he will be kept alive until¡­ ¡®, Prajanya said.


    Atri realized that they were getting nowhere. He interrupted the Father- Son exchange.


    ¡®Your highness, your highness. We need to calm down.. Please, please have a seat.¡¯


    A tense silence followed.


    At last Atri spoke.


    ¡®From what I know of King Mahendra, I doubt he is seeking to expand Vatsa¡¯s territory. But with this attack, we have alerted them about our ambition. Both the armies of Vatsa and Avanti are on high alert, and they will not yield an inch of their territory. What we need to do now is to assure them that we too want peace and will not attempt to conquer their land anymore. A Crown Prince can¡¯t be held in captivity, and we can negotiate his return. But we must offer some guarantee in return. ¡¯


    ¡®So, let¡¯s go ahead and sign one of those peace treaties. Once my son returns, we will plan the next attack¡¯, King PriamRaja replied with a smirk.


    Prince Prajanya colored. He was part of the political circles and was no stranger to deviousness, but such blatant disregard for integrity was hard to digest.


    ¡®I doubt that signing a peace treaty will convince Vatsa. They are aware of your ambitions, Your highness¡¯, Atri said in a neutral tone.


    ¡®Purohitji, What if I offered to be their captive in place of brother Vishvajit?¡¯, Prajanya asked in a subdued, but resolute tone.


    A life for a life ! Atri was stunned. He hadn¡¯t anticipated this. In his discussions with Sumedh, they had considered stationing inspectors to check troop build up and several trade sanctions. But this was beyond his wildest imagination.


    ¡®Brilliant, brilliant .. Let us do that. Once Vishvajit is back, we will attack Vatsa and rescue you in no time.¡¯, King PriamRaja jumped up in enthusiasm.


    Prince Prajanya¡¯s heart sank. As a spare Prince, he was no more than a pawn for his father.


    ¡®Okay then, I will leave you to work out the details¡¯, King PriamRaja added , rubbing his palms in delight. Atri and Prajanya rose as he exited the room.


    This man would rather give up his son than his greed. What hope could his subjects have of exciting his sympathy?, Atri thought. He was disgusted and it showed on his face.


    Prince Prajanya caught that look and was enraged.


    ¡®You are critical of the King because he wants to expand his Kingdom. Why? You consider it greed to want more land, more gold , more power?


    Would you say the same about a farmer who wants more land for farming?


    Who can say where ambition ends and greed begins?¡¯, Prajanya¡¯s voice was almost a shout.


    Atri remained silent.


    ¡®Tell me, ¡­. Tell me¡¯, Prajanya challenged.


    ¡®There can be no outer rule because our ambition is limited only by our imagination, but there is an inner rule.¡¯, Atri spoke after a while.


    ¡®An inner rule? To distinguish ambition from greed?¡¯, Prajanya eyed him warily.


    ¡®Yes. When we place ambition above humanity, then it is no longer ambition, it has turned into greed.¡¯, Atri replied, his voice sombre.


    A tear slid down Prajanya¡¯s cheek. It was painful to accept that his father was evil.

 Chapter 13 - Preparing for Change

    Chapter 13 - Preparing for Change


    A week later, Patliputra


    ¡®You must return¡¯, the note said.


    Atri had just decoded the contents of the note that the secret service agent had handed him. He had expected the summons. Ever since he had sent word about King PriamRaja¡¯s plans to Sumedh, the die had been cast. The to and fro communication between Patliputra and Gangapur would normally have taken at least two weeks, but the agents had accomplished it within a week because Atri had red flagged the message.


    A red flagged message meant that it was either a matter of life and death, or had enough impact to bring down the monarchy. The agent¡¯s eyes had widened when he caught the red flag on the note Atri had handed him a week ago. The secret service must have exhausted several agents and horses for this one message, Atri realised. He placed the note in the box beside him.


    Chandra watched his master, Purohita Atri, pick up the box and leave the room. Atriji entered his private chamber and closed the door behind him. In the beginning, such secrecy on his master¡¯s part had hurt Chandra¡¯s pride. But now, he understood. Purohitji trusts me with his life, but where there are other lives at stake, he himself must take responsibility. This realization had come to Chandra some time back.


    Once inside his chamber, Atri lit the sacred fire and placed the box next to it. For the last one week, he had been gathering important war maps that Magadha¡¯s defense ministry might use to plan the next attack on Vatsa. One by one, he took each artefact and threw it into the sacred fire. With extreme care, he ensured that all the artefacts were destroyed and beyond recognition.


    ¡®No clues must remain¡¯, he murmured.


    **************************


    Prince Prajanya paced back and forth within his private chamber. His attendants were busy packing his belongings. Little did they know that he was going to be a prisoner and not a royal guest. Prajanya would be lucky if he were allowed to carry a pair of slippers with him.


    ¡®When do you leave , your highness?¡¯


    ¡®Tomorrow, at dawn.¡¯


    ¡®I will instruct the royal kitchen to pack some refreshments. Will there be anything else, your highness?¡¯


    ¡®No, ummm¡­ Satyaki¡­¡¯


    Satyaki, Prajanya¡¯s attendant, looked up expectantly.


    ¡®Take care of my mother in my absence.¡¯, Prajanya said in a soft voice.


    ¡®Will you be away for long, your highness?¡¯, Satyaki asked, missing the undercurrent in Prince Prajanya¡¯s voice.


    ¡® It could be a while¡­¡¯, Prajanya replied in an offhand manner.


    ¡®I wish you a pleasant journey, your highness¡¯, Satyaki bowed and left the room.


    Once everyone had left, Prajanya sat down on his bed. He looked around. His favorite books stood in a corner, but they failed to offer their usual comfort. He was too restless and needed something to divert his mind. Suddenly, he sprang up from his bed, discarded his princely robes and put on the disguise of a humble student.


    Prajanya left the palace from the back side and headed toward the central square.He decided to take a walk through the streets of Patliputra. It could very well be his last walk through these streets, he mused. The hustle and bustle of the city brought in a sense of normalcy and his nerves began to calm down. As he turned into a lane, he came across a barber shop. Who knows when my next haircut will be!, he thought and entered the shop to accomplish this mundane and yet, essential task.


    ¡®Welcome, young man¡¯, a friendly voice greeted him.


    Prince Prajanya looked up to see a middle-aged man with a gentle, but keen gaze. They seemed to be the eyes of a man who had seen a lot in life. The barber pointed to a seat in the front and Prajanya sat down.


    ¡®Well, how short should I cut them?¡¯, the barber enquired.


    ¡®As short as possible.¡¯


    ¡®Oh.. okay.. ummm.. are you leaving the city for long?¡¯


    ¡®Maybe¡¯, Prajanya¡¯s voice was tense.


    ¡®Ahh¡­ I suppose you will miss your old friends and haunts.¡¯


    Prajanya was silent for a while.


    ¡®I suppose so , it''s natural¡¯, he finally said.


    ¡®Youth is the time to chase your dreams, young man. I may be a barber, but I know a thing or two about dreams. The friendships of youth are heady, but they don¡¯t always last long.¡¯, the barber said as he finished the haircut.


    Prajanya lifted his gaze and raised an eyebrow in enquiry.


    ¡®In time, the spontaneity and generosity in friendships of youth give way to the insecurities and inertia that come with age. And the friendships that once shone with purity are buried in selfishness, where each person hopes to have the upperhand i.e to receive more than they give. We begin to weigh friendships on the same scale as the give and take of everyday life, hoping to make a profit at every turn - If he helps me twice, if he comes to me twice, I will make an effort once!


    If, indeed, there is one who has been more generous in the relationship, he tires and to protect his dignity, moves on. But who can say who has been the winner and who the loser, in this once tender , and now, wilted relationship¡¯, the barber replied.


    Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.


    Prajanya grimaced. The barber had painted a rather dismal picture.


    ¡®That sounds rather gloomy Sir¡¯, he said.


    ¡®Aah¡­ I suppose it does. Well, don¡¯t worry, if all you are looking for is a good time - eating , drinking, chatting and all that-, you will certainly find company¡¯, the barber said and patted Prajanya¡¯s back.


    ¡®How much longer?¡¯, a customer waiting at the door, enquired.


    Prince Prajanya quickly paid his dues and hurried out.


    The barber had spoken about friendships, but Prajanya supposed that it was true of most relationships. The problem was that the strength of a relationship was always hard to fathom, especially among siblings. How much of it was due to true affection and how much was due to a shared parentage, who could say! He just knew that if he didn¡¯t do everything in his power to save his brother, he would regret it.


    **************************


    ¡®Is she asleep?¡¯, King PriamRaja stood at the entrance of his Queen, Madhavi¡¯s quarters. She had been depressed ever since their son, Vishvajit, had been captured, and now, when she heard that Prajanya too was leaving the palace for a while, she had become inconsolable.


    ¡®Yes, your highness¡¯, the Queen¡¯s attendant replied.


    ¡®Would you like me to wake her up¡¯, she asked after a pause.


    ¡®No, No, I just wanted to check on her¡¯, he replied with a smile, patting the attendant on her shoulder.


    PriamRaja walked away with a feeling of satisfaction. Everyone would think of him as a considerate husband, and he was sure that when the Queen would be informed of his visit, she would be suitably touched. His mind turned to his son Prajanya. A slight doubt came over him - Was he doing the right thing?  Was it time to let go of his thirst for power? Before the thoughts could weigh in further, he controlled his mind. He knew that such thoughts were unsettling and distracted him from his purpose. Over the years, he had become more effective at brushing them aside and their power over him had diminished considerably.


    Nobody understood the heavy burden on his shoulders. How difficult it was to balance the gift of ambition that he had with the reality of the people around him! Of course, men in power had to be tough, they had to make tough decisions, and yes, there would be mistakes along the way. But this was the only way to move forward. He could be accommodating too. Sure, as long as he enjoyed the upper hand, as long as he came out looking good, and the other person was suitably submissive. Yes, he was a reasonable man, he affirmed to himself. If the other kingdoms didn¡¯t insist on defending themselves, if they submitted willingly to his demand, he would be willing to let them live under his rule.


    Satisfied with his own reasoning, PriamRaja headed towards his chamber. Maybe the secret agents had some news on Vatsa¡¯s weakness. The thought filled him with delight and he quickened his footsteps.


    **************************


    A week later, Gangapur


    ¡®Father, I learnt how to dress a wound today.¡¯


    The look of pure delight on his son¡¯s face filled Kailashnath with happiness. At last, his son had found his calling.


    ¡®Did you know that there are different ointments for different kinds of wounds?...¡¯, Bhola began expounding his new found wisdom.


    Kailashnath smiled as he listened to his son. He knew that one of the greatest joys in life is to find work that you love. Kailashnath had learnt the hard way that all professions are exacting. The stress that the demands of a profession bring can even lead to a breakdown. At such a time, if there are aspects of our profession that bring us joy, they can be our safe haven. When we do something we love, however small, a peace enters our being. No one can give this peace to us, we must search for it on our own ; finding this love is a solitary journey we must all embark upon. Even the wealthiest or the wisest parent can, at best, provide opportunities.


    ¡®Oh, here comes Sister¡¯, Bhola exclaimed as he spied Maya from a distance. They no longer met each other every day and he missed spending time with her. He rushed forward to greet her.


    Kailashnath looked up too. Maya was walking rapidly toward him. His keen gaze immediately caught the tension on Maya¡¯s face.


    ¡®What is it, my child?¡¯, he asked.


    Maya quietly handed him a note. Kailashnath opened it.


    The time for our departure from Gangapur is nearing. The delegation from King PriamRaja should arrive by tomorrow. Please join Acharya Chyavana and me at the ashram to discuss the road ahead. - Sumedh


    P.s. Please bring Maya and Bhola with you.


    Kailashnath folded the letter and looked at Maya. She averted her gaze.  Kailashnath had sensed that Maya had developed a soft spot for Sumedh. How Sumedh felt about Maya was harder to ascertain. Sumedh had perfect control over his emotions. Perhaps, this was expected from the Chief political advisor to a King. But what about the man behind the high profile persona. Was there a softer side to Sumedh?, Kailashnath wondered.


    ¡®We must hurry to the ashram. Sumedhji is waiting for us¡¯, Kailashnath said aloud.


    ¡®You too Bhola. Sumedhji specifically asked for you to come along. Maybe he will give me a report card of your progress.¡¯, Kailashnath teased.


    The remark failed to subdue Bhola¡¯s enthusiasm. This was the first time he was allowed to attend a secret meeting  and he felt important.


    **************************


    Sumedh watched Maya coming from a distance. It was painful, it was like having your dreams laid before you, but your hands and feet were tied and you couldn¡¯t chase your dreams. The responsibilities on his shoulders began to weigh heavier. Maybe, he would need to consciously step back from his duties at the palace if Maya and he were to have a chance together. He hoped there would be a time in the future when he could make a choice. But now, there was nothing he could offer her. The road ahead was long and uncertain, and she deserved security. He wondered what impression he had left on her. They had not spoken after their meeting at the temple even though Bhola and Bahu had dropped hints at every opportunity.


    Sumedh¡¯s gaze met Maya¡¯s. A tear rolled down his cheek and he brushed it away before she could see it. It was painful to hold back when he knew he had found the one he could cherish. It was almost as though God was asking


    Do you love me only for the gifts I give you? If I withhold these favors, will you still love me? Will you still trust me?


    Sumedh let out a soft sigh and turned away.


    Maya watched him turn away from her and felt hurt at the rebuff. She had thought they could have been friends, or more. Childhood is the most deceptive period of our life, Maya thought wryly. We begin to believe that just our presence is a source of delight to everyone. It comes as a shock later that to be a welcome companion, we must offer more than just a few laughs and clever remarks. And when it comes to a life partner, the expectations are much more.


    It sounded cynical even to her own ears, but Maya knew that in marriage what each person brought to the table mattered. Some brought good looks, some wealth, some status and family connections, others brought knowledge or talent, and some others were serviceful. Ultimately, it didn¡¯t matter what, as long as both individuals found each other useful. And this evaluation was done not only before marriage, but at each juncture of life. This was one reason why so many suddenly found their marriage wanting after years of being together. In his current situation, Sumedh probably needed wealth and connections to support his career, and Maya could provide neither. So, it was best for her to keep a distance.


    Bhola spotted Sumedh and Bahu and rushed forward to greet them with his usual enthusiasm. Maya held back. She was soon joined by Kailashnath. A short while later, the group was seated inside Acharya Chyavana¡¯s apartment.


    ¡®There are two points of importance that I want to discuss.¡¯, Sumedh began in his direct manner.


    ¡®The first - Acharya Chyavana will return to Vatsa with us. It is no longer safe for him to be here.¡¯


    Kailashnath did not make any comment. Though he was disappointed with Acharyaji¡¯s departure, he had known that it was inevitable.


    ¡®And the second -¡¯, Sumedh¡¯s voice was a little softer now.


    ¡®I want Bhola to come with us to Vatsa. He can train under my father.¡¯


    Kailashnath¡¯s mind went blank. It took him a few moments to get his bearings. He watched Bhola signal to him  - I don¡¯t want to leave Gangapur,  Bhola was whispering.


    Kailashnath¡¯s mind raced. On one hand, was the prospect of building a worthy career for Bhola. After all, how many people could boast of learning from the royal physician! On the other hand, was the risk that one misstep on Kailashnath¡¯s part, and his son could be held hostage!


    How was Kailashnath to decide?

 Chapter 14 - The Mechanics of War

    Chapter 14 - The Mechanics of War


    Ashram, Gangapur


    The trio of Kailashnath, Bhola and Maya had just left. Sumedh watched as Bahu shifted uncomfortably.


    ¡®You have developed an affection for the boy¡¯, Sumedh enquired.


    ¡®Is it necessary to take Bhola with us, Sir? It might have been perceived as a threat.¡¯, Bahu said.


    ¡®If there is malice in their heart, then it is a threat, else it is a gift. We must play to win. Don¡¯t forget that the safety of our Kingdom, Vatsa, may be at stake.¡¯, Sumedh¡¯s voice was cold.


    ¡®But.. Gangapur is so far from the seat of power.Surely, it is the capital city of Patliputra that should be our concern.¡¯, Bahu asked with surprise.


    ¡®Palace intrigues may seem exciting, but revolutions seldom begin within the palace walls. It is only when the seeds of discontent have germinated among the common folk, and they rise up against tyranny that we have a true revolution. Sure, actors like us can feed the fire and create favorable conditions for a revolution to flourish, but the revolutionaries must stay loyal to the cause.¡¯, Sumedh replied.


    Out of the corner of his eye, Sumedh spotted Maya. She had returned at some point and had been standing in the shadows, listening. Sumedh let out a sigh as he beheld her pain stricken face. Bahu decided that it was time to make himself scarce and quietly left the scene.


    Maya was seething within, but controlled herself.The sudden suggestion that he should move to Vatsa had left Bhola disturbed. He had become completely silent. Maya felt that if Bhola had a couple of weeks to get used to the idea then he might be more accepting. She had returned to discuss this possibility with Sumedh, only to discover that the offer was made as part of a bigger agenda.


    It would be very easy to act outraged, but if she was honest with herself, then she must admit that she neither carried the burden Sumedh did, nor did she have an understanding about political affairs.


    ¡®We are not bad people, all we seek is peace.¡¯, Maya said softly.


    ¡®All you want is peace?¡¯, Sumedh looked at her with incredulity.


    ¡®And what about the price of peace? The saints undergo tremendous discipline and make heavy sacrifices for a peaceful life. The soldiers lay down their lives to protect the peace of their nation, but you want peace for free? Isn¡¯t that a sense of entitlement?


    Getting emotional doesn¡¯t solve problems, it only burdens others. And so, the real question is - What are you willing to give in return for peace?¡¯


    Sumedh began feeling a little guilty for his harshness.


    ¡®If you are worried about Bhola, you are welcome to join him in Vatsa. There are many palace staff in the capital , we should be able to accommodate you as well.¡¯, he added softly.


    Maya stood there for a while trying to compose herself. She watched Sumedh¡¯s retreating figure and realized that what he said was true. We had to pay for every advantage we wanted in life, wishful thinking alone wasn¡¯t enough.


    **************************


    Sumedh reentered Chyavana¡¯s quarters, and seated himself across the table from Chyavana. The conversation with Maya had been unsettling. Despite being a man of firm convictions, doubt assailed him from time to time. Sumedh knew that doubt could be the downfall of even the cleverest strategist and so, he set aside his misgivings.


    ¡®I am surprised that you are asking my father to return to Vatsa. Wouldn¡¯t his presence in Magadha be even more valuable now?¡¯ ,Acharya Chyavana asked.


    Sumedh focussed on what Chyavana was asking. He thought about it for a while and said slowly.


    ¡®Most people have a moral center around which they operate. There may be those who flout norms without care, but they would still hold some relationships sacred. Even a bandit may hold honor among his fellow men as vital.


    But of course, exceptions do exist and King PriamRaja seems to be one. His blinding greed has left no room for even his loved ones, so humanity and virtue hardly have a chance. Our ancient texts ask us to venerate the Purohita and spare his life even if he commits a grave offense. That is the reason why Atriji was chosen as a spy. But if King PriamRaja can put his own son¡¯s life at stake just to satiate his greed , then do you think he will care for such injunctions?Do you think King PriamRaja will spare Atriji¡¯s life if his true identity gets exposed?¡¯


    Footsteps were heard outside and Sumedh¡¯s voice trailed off. A messenger rushed in without ceremony, and Acharya Chyavana and Sumedh looked up in surprise. Sumedh eyed the scroll in the messenger¡¯s hand with a sense of foreboding. It was the second time in a fortnight that a message had been red flagged. Chyavana too noticed the red flag and moved away a respectful distance to give Sumedh privacy. Chyavana¡¯s security clearance was several levels below that of Sumedh, and in matters of state importance Chyavana knew that the lesser the number of people in the know, the greater the overall safety.


    ¡®Somadatta killed enroute¡¯, Sumedh¡¯s eyes widened as he decoded the contents of the message.


    Magadha¡¯s Chief of Defense , Somadatta, and Crown Prince, Vishvajit, who had been lodged in a secret prison near Kaushambi were being brought closer to Gangapur to facilitate faster exchange during the negotiations. But the convoy had been attacked on the way. Sumedh quickly scanned the rest of the contents of the message.


    ¡®Crown Prince safe. Taken to a safe house . Reinforcements have arrived, security has been increased.¡¯, Sumedh let out a sigh of relief. If something had happened to the Crown Prince of Magadha, not only would there be no negotiations , but the kingdoms would be in effect at war.


    Sumedh took the scroll to the nearby lamp and watched it burn to ashes. He nodded to Chyavana and hurried outside.


    The plan would need to be reworked to account for this new development. Sumedh signaled to Bahu and they headed toward the military outpost. His own personal safety was at increased risk, and Sumedh realized that his days of carefree living had just ended , at least for the time being.


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    It was a short walk from the ashram to the military outpost and Sumedh began to organize his thoughts. Somadatta had been executed by someone, but it would have to be portrayed as Vatsa¡¯s military strategy, just as the perpetrators intended. For a brief moment, Sumedh had considered killing Somadatta prior to the negotiations, but had cast the option aside. Taking a life, however necessary, was never easy for Sumedh and he had yet to acquire the detachment that must accompany such military maneuvers. On the positive side, the killing of the Chief of Defense would make King PriamRaja realize that Vatsa meant business.


    Sumedh wondered who the perpetrators were. King PriamRaja had no dearth of enemies, but the target here seemed to be Vatsa. The message said that the perpetrators had carried weapons with Vatsa¡¯s seal on them. A closer inspection, however, had revealed that the serial numbers on the weapons were markedly different. The serial numbers would later be cross-checked against Vatsa¡¯s armory records, but Sumedh was pretty sure that they wouldn¡¯t be on the list. This wasn¡¯t the case of some random actor stealing Vatsa¡¯s weapons and killing prisoners, this was a much bigger conspiracy and he suspected that Vatsa¡¯s weapon suppliers were knee deep in it.


    Sumedh heard angry shouts as they approached the military outpost and rushed forward to check for the cause of the commotion. In front was a woman wailing and beside her the army men were trying to calm her down and lead her away.


    The ravages of war and the trauma it leaves behind can never be truly understood. It isn¡¯t only the destruction that hurts, but also the darkness and degradation of human character that we see before our eyes. Sumedh had watched this woman come to the clinic every other day. The wounds she had suffered during the war had been severe and it would be a very long recovery. Everytime she exited the clinic, her eyes would search for any sympathetic bystanders. If she found someone willing to listen, she would deem it her lucky day .  She moved from one person to the next, describing her woes, gaining their sympathy, soaking the attention and seeking favors. It no longer felt like an expression of anguish , it was milking an opportunity for all its worth. Sumedh looked at her with pity.


    It is true that in the beginning sharing our pain lessens our heartache and makes us feel stronger. But after a while, if we persist in advertising our misfortunes, the effect is just the opposite, it weakens us and makes us desperate. It is at this point that we must internalize our pain, only then will it turn into a living force with the power to transform our lives, Sumedh mused.


    In the beginning, Sumedh had felt sympathy for the woman, but now it was hard to feel anything for her. With some irritation, he left the scene.


    At a distance, two figures had been watching Sumedh.


    ¡®Look at his apathy¡¯, Pushkar, one of the two men, exclaimed.


    ¡®The derison is not because he feels she is lying about her traumatic experiences, but because she is marketing and selling them.¡¯, Dharampal, the man next to Pushkar, replied.


    ¡®What do you mean?¡¯


    ¡®Look at her, she is selling her grief and gathering all the attention and favors she can get. Ideally, she should have sought guidance and help to rebuild her life, rather than marketing her sorrow. But this is the way the world works - the one whose cries are the loudest gets the most attention. If she doesn¡¯t act this way, her fear is that everyone will forget her.


    The rulers react similarly. If we lay low and let the rulers decide our fate, while they fight wars for expanding their wealth and power, then they will just walk all over us while we writhe in pain. It is only when we disturb their peace that they will sit up and take notice.¡¯, Dharampal elaborated.


    Pushkar looked at the man next to him. Dharampal was the biggest weapon supplier in the region. He wasn¡¯t interested in any side winning the war, his aim was endless war so that he could stay in business. With Chunar having been captured by Vatsa, Pushkar¡¯s position as the Gopa had become redundant. He had been looking for employment and had been approached by Dharampal. At first, Pushkar had been appalled by this man¡¯s vision , but Dharampal was quite good at persuading people to his line of thinking.


    ¡®Why should it be wrong for us to stoke hostilities and earn something on the side?¡¯Dharampal had asked indignantly while recruiting Pushkar.


    ¡®In a righteous world, irrespective of the provocation, they would sort out their differences and aim for peace. But are they doing that?¡¯, Dharampal had argued.


    Hearing this, the wheels in Pushkar¡¯s mind had begun to turn. The vision that had been unpalatable just a few moments earlier had become more acceptable. The wavering human mind is commonplace and no one was surprised at Pushkar¡¯s sudden change of allegiance other than Pushkar himself. Ironically, Dharampal had declared Deependra, a master in switching allegiances, ineligible to join their group.


    ¡®Deependra has no honor¡¯, Dharampal had said in a serious tone.


    ¡®It would have been good if the Crown Prince had been killed as we originally planned¡¯, Pushkar was brought back to the present with Dharampal¡¯s remark.


    ¡®But I suppose Somadatta¡¯s death too will keep the tension simmering between Vatsa and Magadha. I am sure that the armies of both kingdoms will be on their toes. Business should pick up even with this outcome.


    Come on, let¡¯s celebrate¡¯, Dharampal said, as he pulled Pushkar towards the waiting carriage.


    ¡®Come on, my friend. Take us to the nearest leisure inn¡¯, Dharampal said to his carriage driver.


    **************************


    The next morning


    Tears streamed down Bhola¡¯s face as he packed his belongings for the journey to Vatsa. The thought, my world is about to change forever, was recurring. Bhola¡¯s father had told him that it was time for him to chase his dreams.


    ¡®I will take care of the rest.¡¯, Kailashnath, his father, had added reassuringly.


    Bhola¡¯s mother had died soon after his birth, but his aunt and all the women of Gangapur had pampered and protected him. Most boys are pulled out of their mother¡¯s embrace after a few years and asked to man up. It is a sink or swim  situation as you try to secure a place among men, or risk being bullied. Bhola had been shielded thus far, but now, he knew his time had come.


    Maya had been helping Bhola pack. She watched him with a range of emotions flooding through her. There was the sadness of having a friend leave, anxiety for his safety, apprehension whether he would be able to cope alone, joy for the new opportunities that lay ahead of him, and the resignation that he would change. Watching the transition of sensitive children to calculating adults always saddened Maya. But in many ways, the transition was necessary to cope in the real world.


    She was once again reminded of the past. As a child, Deependra had been straightforward , obedient toward all elders and a caring older brother to all kids. Over the course of one summer, she saw him transform into the crass and manipulative person he was today. All it took was the company of some rebellious and degenerate teenagers, and all his positive traits were transformed into assets that he capitalized and all acquaintances were exploited to the hilt. Everyone began to avoid him, but he kept looking for credulous people whom he could entrap.


    Watching Deependra, Maya had begun understanding human nature. These manipulative people were willing to hurt you when they had the upper hand , but came running to you for sympathy and help when they were going through a bad phase. And if by any chance, you had a soft heart and helped them, you were in for a rude shock. Because once they were back on their feet , they would be back to their manipulative self. What was astounding was that these  despicable people imagined that no one could see through them or give them a taste of their own medicine!


    She hoped that Bhola would grow wise, and not manipulative. She felt the anxiety of an older sister, but knew that he had been given the right values and it was up to him to find the will and courage to choose virtue instead of evil.


    ¡®Greetings Miss and Young Master¡¯, Maya looked up to see Bahu standing in the doorway.


    ¡®Any update on the travel plan?¡¯, she asked him.


    ¡®Ahh.. Miss, Sumedhji is enquiring if you have decided to accompany the Young Master to Vatsa?¡¯,  Bahu asked with a slight smile. Inwardly he told himself that though Sumedh hadn¡¯t said these words aloud, they were certainly on his mind.


    Bhola jumped with joy at the suggestion. Maya was startled, she had treated Sumedh¡¯s offer as a casual remark to appease her. But Bhola and Bahu were already hugging each other at the prospect. Maya felt her world spin, there was no way she could abandon her new boutique, could she?


    ¡®We will, of course, arrange for employment, as an apprentice to the royal tailor, perhaps?¡¯ , Bahu added for good measure.


    He took his master¡¯s single status very seriously and wanted to help him get rid of it. Bahu knew that having the right companion could make all the difference in a person¡¯s life and for those around him. He would rather see someone like Maya in his master¡¯s life than the Princess. The Princess was kind, sure. There is, however, a power, status and grandeur one needs to maintain while being associated with the royals. This might be enjoyable for some, but it would burden Sumedh and gradually suffocate him. And though Maya seemed to have treated Sumedh¡¯s invitation lightly, the very fact that Sumedh talked about the invite to Bahu meant that Sumedh had extended the invitation after careful consideration and, perhaps, with hope.

 Chapter 15 - A Brother’s Betrayal

    Chapter 15 - A Brother¡¯s Betrayal


    Gangapur


    Life sometimes presents us with opportunities we never dreamed of. We have a choice then - make the best of the opportunity or treat the good fortune carelessly. If we are foolish enough to take such opportunities for granted, then life invariably finds a way to humble us.


    When Maya was presented with the opportunity to go to Vatsa, it felt both like a blessing and a test. Ever since she had turned twenty there had always been tests, and so, she couldn¡¯t claim that leaving Gangapur would mean leaving her comfort zone. Truly, it was just exchanging one challenge for another. It wasn¡¯t even clear if life in Gangapur would be less volatile and dangerous than living at Kaushambi, the capital of Vatsa.These were truly trying times - there were no guarantees , no safe zones, and no people or relationships that could be considered constant fixtures in one¡¯s life. Everyone¡¯s life was in a state of flux and it was as though the scenery was changing daily. The people you knew today could be gone tomorrow , the relationships you depended on today might prove unreliable tomorrow, the life you built and nurtured yesterday might need to be abandoned today. The thought that every wall you ever leaned on will eventually crumble is sobering, but to see the transition before your eyes is devastating. It is said that each soul¡¯s journey is solitary and in the current upheaval this truth was becoming increasingly evident. Decisions whose repercussions could last a lifetime had to be made in an instant, and that was frightening.


    Aunt Malti had passed away. The war clouds and the uncertainty of the times were more than her heart could take. With her passing, Maya¡¯s association with Lata and her family grew lesser.


    Just like the rise and ebb of waves of the sea, our life too is bound to consist of good and tough times , whether we like it or not. Lata was never considered the most resilient of people, but to watch her go to pieces after her mother¡¯s death was distasteful. Distasteful because the distress that Lata was experiencing seemed to stem from a loss of comfort rather than an emotional loss.


    Lata had depended on her mother for managing every aspect of the household, especially the cooking. The family had become habituated to timely, delicious, and elaborate meals. Lata¡¯s own skills were basic at best, and they didn¡¯t have the means to hire a good cook. For the family to now descend to functional meals was painful, and the once amicable household had become bitter. Parenting, which earlier was a joy, had now become a chore. Even their social life had come to a halt once the guests discovered that the quality of refreshments and treats on offer had undergone a drastic change.


    Whether we like them or not, it is only the tough times that reveal our mettle and character. We know that poverty can drive people to do things that they may be ashamed of in ordinary circumstances, but, apparently, so can sloth. The habit of laziness was so ingrained in Lata that she kept looking for shortcuts instead of rising to the occasion. And when her lapses became too glaring, her honeyed words failed to satisfy her family. Lata and Maya had never been close, so she couldn¡¯t ask Maya to take care of Meera. Instead Lata took advantage of Maya¡¯s affection for Meera and her inability to turn away the helpless child. Consequently, Meera was left at the boutique for hours on end, especially during meal times. What would happen to Meera in her absence?, Maya wondered. And so, she sought Kailashnathji¡¯s advice.


    ¡®It is romantic to glorify relationships, especially the bond between a parent and their child. It is said to be a bond of unconditional love, and when properly nurtured, it is so. However, just like every other relationship, parenting differs from family to family. ¡®, Kailashnath replied.


    ¡®Ideally, parents are supposed to raise children such that their soul can flourish and reach its zenith. But in the real world, there are a broad range of reasons why people become parents. Some treat their children like toys who provide the parents with amusement once the initial excitement of marriage begins to fade, for others children are a form of investment that will provide for them in their later years, and for still others, it is for passing on their knowledge, power, and wealth, and then, there is the obvious reason of social conformity. The list of reasons may be numerous, but whatever the motivation, we cannot deny that there is a certain amount of effort and expense involved in raising a child. And so, it is understandable that even uncaring parents are possessive about their children.¡¯, he continued.


    ¡®In the same spirit that we don¡¯t steal another person¡¯s spouse or possessions, we may find that turning the affection of someone else¡¯s child to yourself is also frowned upon. Even spiritual teachers are castigated by some parents for stealing their child. Whether they themselves have been worthy parents or not, is not open for discussion. There just cannot be another father figure for their child, and the child certainly cannot receive a mother¡¯s love elsewhere. It is not easy for a parent to let go of their child , even if it would benefit the child. And so Maya, the real question is - Should you worry about Meera when you are not entitled to make any decisions for her?¡±, Kailashnath asked.


    With thoughts of Meera out of the way, now Maya was closer to making a decision. In the end, Kailashnathji had asked her to decide whether to go to Vatsa or not, based on her own best interest. She knew that Kailashnathji had suppressed the urge to seek his peace of mind at her expense. Afterall, having Maya accompany Bhola, when Bhola was still learning to navigate the world, would definitely be a source of comfort to Kailashnathji. But sometimes, the pressure of unuttered hopes is greater than expressed desires and expectations, and Maya wondered if there, indeed, was any choice left for her. Whichever way you sliced it , the opportunity to work in Vatsa wasn¡¯t worth letting go of. Luckily, she had no new sewing orders at the boutique due to the post war chaos, and so, she could easily lock the boutique for a while and leave. Appearances mattered, and so she pretended that she was off to Chunar for a month to live with her parents. Bahu had suggested that she and Bhola travel with the withdrawing troops and head to Kaushambi.


    As she touched his feet in farewell, Kailashnathji gave her a blessing.


    ¡®May God grant you the peace you seek, and the strength you need.¡¯


    It was a blessing that stayed with her and one that she treasured.


    **************************


    Early next morning


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    The negotiation tent had been pitched on the pasture lands that lay on the outskirts of Gangapur. Some distance from the negotiation tent, on either side were the tents of the negotiators. On one side was the tent of Magadha, and on the other side was the tent of Vatsa. Since the negotiations would begin in a few hours, there was a flurry of activity on both sides.


    In Magadha¡¯s tent


    Purohita Atri stole a glance at the man sitting opposite him. King PriamRaja had specially summoned Jayatsena from Kalinga to handle the prisoner swap negotiations. Atri knew very little about Jayatsena, but by all accounts he was a very shrewd man. The problem was that Jayatsena was a very reticent person; he carefully listened to the entire strategy, asked detailed questions and then withdrew. He neither approved nor disapproved of the strategy. In terms of hierarchy, King PriamRaja had made it very clear that the final decision would be made by Jayatsena who had now been appointed the chief political advisor of the combined kingdom of Magadha and Kalinga, now referred to as Magadha. With this appointment, officers of equal rank would be at the negotiating table - Sumedh as the chief political advisor of Vatsa, and Jayatsena as the chief political advisor of Magadha.


    Will Jayatsena give Sumedh a tough time during the negotiations?, Atri mused.


    But he immediately put the notion aside; it would be foolish to underestimate Sumedh. Given Sumedh¡¯s unassuming and sincere personality, one was often unaware of the depth of his discernment and astute analysis of people and situations. Sumedh was certainly a formidable opponent.


    In Vatsa¡¯s tent


    Sumedh was alone in the tent. The arrival of Jayatsena had been a surprise, but Sumedh had long been conditioned to expect the unexpected. Afterall, such was the nature of politics and war. He pulled apart the flap of the tent a little and noticed that the hour of dawn was fast approaching. Just as he was wondering if all the pieces were in place, a carriage drew up. It was Vikarna, Vatsa¡¯s chief of defense. Sumedh stepped out to receive him.


    ¡®Is Crown Prince Vishvajit here now?¡¯, Sumedh asked.


    Vikarna nodded as both he and Sumedh seated themselves within the tent.


    ¡®How is he?¡¯


    ¡®Physically, he is fine, but mentally, he has taken a hit. The attempt on his life seems to have left him traumatized. As usual, men who are brash and arrogant when they have the upper hand, turn into a frightened mess when they are at the receiving end.


    During the attack , it took a little while for the guards to get to him. Meanwhile, first he threatened the attacker , then he tried to negotiate with him, and finally he was shaking with fear and crying.¡¯, Vikarna said with a sardonic smile.


    ¡®The Crown Prince is a soldier. Aren¡¯t soldiers trained for such eventualities?¡¯, Sumedh asked in surprise.


    ¡®In training, however dangerous the circumstance, perhaps subconsciously we know that we are safe and everything will be okay one way or the other. But when the possibility of death becomes real , as Prince Vishvajit felt in that moment, the confidence of a soldier begins to wane. In such situations, brave men fight till the end, or face the inevitable with dignity, but our hero was able to do neither!¡¯, Vikarna said.


    ¡®I guess, just like people don¡¯t become noble because they are doctors, similarly people don¡¯t automatically become brave because they are soldiers.¡¯, Sumedh said with a smile.


    There was a murmur of voices outside and Sumedh looked at the tent entrance. A messenger walked in with a note. Sumedh scanned it, it was from Atriji.


    ¡®The brothers must be face to face during the negotiations.¡¯, the note said.


    To a casual reader, it might seem like a suggestion to follow due process, but not to Sumedh. He had immediately caught on with Atriji¡¯s line of thinking. In the geopolitical arena, such a suggestion took a different meaning altogether, this was psychological warfare. Atriji had chosen the leader for the revolution and was throwing him into the fire to mold him.


    Since they had the same level of security clearance, Vikarna too had scanned the note.


    ¡®What does Atriji mean?¡¯, he asked.


    ¡®A revolution needs a leader, a capable but more importantly, a legitimate one - someone whose credentials brook no doubt. It must be a face that can lead the unthinking masses and the thinking few, and Atriji says Prince Prajanya is the person for the job.¡¯, Sumedh replied.


    Wasn¡¯t Prince Prajanya just a convenient choice? Then again, can we ever be sure that we have chosen the right leader? Isn¡¯t right and wrong only revealed to us in hindsight? , Sumedh thought to himself.


    Some people claim that power corrupts, others say that whatever tendencies a person has are magnified when they are given power and wealth, still others say that the environment a person is raised in and their personal dispassion determine their ability to keep a level head. Sumedh felt that all these perspectives held an element of truth. No doubt, the speakers perhaps had evidence of such behavior before sharing these nuggets of wisdom, but in the end it all boiled down to taking a chance. Some people didn¡¯t pass any of the filters that are set for a leader and yet, they proved to be worthy leaders. Others passed all filters and yet, failed in the hour of need.One could argue that the probability of success was greater when the evaluation was based on a set process, but here, they didn¡¯t exactly have a long line of candidates to lead the revolution. It was either Prince Prajanya, a legitimate heir, or any random candidate. The patriotic fervor that would engulf the military, the administration and the common folk of Magadha, should they believe that their ruler was being overthrown by external forces, would be hard to contain and overcome. Other neighboring kingdoms too wouldn¡¯t look at external meddling by Vatsa in a favorable light. With Prince Prajanya in the lead, however, the revolution in Magadha would only be described as an internal power struggle.


    Later in the day, In the negotiation tent


    The two sides sat facing each other. On one side was Magadha¡¯s team with the chief political advisor, Jayatsena, in the lead, and Prince Prajanya and Purohita Atri seated next to him. On the other side were Vatsa¡¯s team consisting only of its chief political advisor, Sumedh, and the chief of defense, Vikarna.


    ¡®Shall we begin?¡¯, Jayatsena asked in a neutral voice.


    Sumedh signaled to the guard at the entrance and he opened the flap. Crown Prince Vishvajit entered, his hands and feet bound in chains.


    Vishvajit looked around and saw Prajanya and Atri. In spite of his humiliating circumstances, his mind was immediately alert and surfed through all the possibilities as he assessed the situation.


    ¡®Brother¡­ ¡®, Prajanya exclaimed as he instinctively moved forward to greet and hug Vishvajit, but the guards prevented him.


    Vishvajit didn¡¯t notice Prajanya¡¯s approach, instead his eyes had a gleam and they were fixed on Sumedh and Vikarna.


    ¡®I am the Crown Prince of Magadha¡¯, he stated with authority.


    ¡®Look, Vatsa will be destroyed if something happens to me. Do you want a security guarantee ? Take him !¡¯, Vishvajit pointed to Prajanya.


    ¡®He is my younger brother, a prince too. My father and I would never plan an attack on Vatsa as long as Prajanya is in your custody.¡¯


    As he made this suggestion, Vishvajit looked sideways at Prajanya giving what he imagined was a cunning and conspiratorial look that said - Trust me.


    Prince Prajanya stood still as the truth finally hit home. Vishvajit would happily send Prajanya to the gallows if it meant that he himself could live one day longer. Vishvajit was no daring hero who would rescue Prajanya come what may, he was just a coward trying to save his skin, whatever the cost.


    Jayatsena muttered under his breath. With that one statement from Vishvajit, the game was over. As it was, Magadha had no leverage. All that Jayatsena had been counting on was the element of surprise when they put forward the suggestion of swapping the princes. And if this negative outcome wasn¡¯t enough, Crown Prince Vishvajit had just left his brother, Prince Prajanya, with the memory of a lifetime. Afterall, it is during a pinch that the true strength of relationships gets revealed. The bond between the two brothers was now officially broken.


    The subsequent negotiations were unremarkable. Everything went to plan, the Princes were exchanged, Gangapur and Divyasthal were returned to Magadha while Chunar was retained by Vatsa. Finally Purohit Atri, was handed over to Vatsa to prevent any further security leaks. The only surprise was Jayatsena¡¯s insistence that Prajanya be allowed to send and receive letters from his mother.


    The death of Somadatta, former chief of defense of Magadha, was mentioned in passing, but everyone merely nodded and moved on. When the death of an official is treated as only a piece of news, a statistic , or perhaps, as a minor inconvenience, then what, indeed, was his life worth?, Sumedh mused.