Shatvari noticed a vast mass of people gathered around a Banyan tree as she entered the village. They were all swaying to the tunes of a devotional song. She had never seen anything like this in the village. Religious ceremonies did happen from time-to-time. But she had never seen the common folks gathered like this. Shatvari was curious to know the face behind such a godly voice. As she walked up to the Banyan tree, she was surprised to find Gunjan singing devotedly with his eyes closed. Shatvari felt very happy to see Gunjan engrossed in devotional music. Still, she couldn't overcome the pangs of sadness that were there when she entered the village. Gunjan's melodic voice couldn't quite get to her grief. Her eyes were moist with tears waiting at the periphery. As soon as the song was over, Gunjan scanned through the audience with gratitude and he saw Shatvari. He was surprised to see her standing there with wet eyes. He rushed forward through the crowd and asked her, “Shatvari...how come you are here? And how come your eyes are wet with tears?”
“Nothing...just overwhelmed by your music, Gunjan,” Shatvari replied while wiping her eyes with the back of her hand.
“How are you and how is Damodar ji?”
The mention of Damodar's name brought back all the sadness rushing back to her face. She tried to look calm and replied, “All is okay. How are you?”
“I am fine as you can see. Paying back my debt owed to you as my guru.” Gunjan looked straight into Shatvari's eyes and asked, “I realise you are trying to hide something from me. I don't think you are happy.”
“Nothing much, just ordinary things. You tell me how come you have started with your group of followers. Are you preparing to be a leader?
“No...” Gunjan smiled and said, “Whatever I have learned from you and Shastri ji, all that you taught me about religion and spirituality, I try to weave that in simple songs so that people can relate to that. I tell them that the universe came into existence out of love and for love itself. With these thoughts in mind, everything will look divine and holy.”
Hearing such philosophical thoughts made Shatvari even more restless. Her recent life experience was contrary to all such thoughts. Her divine love turned out to be a fake entity. The person she treated as a god turned out to be a beast. She wanted to unfold her heart to him. But she kept quiet with a great effort. She simply said goodbye to Gunjan and went to her parents' house.
“Maybe love is blind to worldly logic. Maybe this blindness made me worship Damodar.” said Shatvari while leaning against Aditi's shoulder. Shatvari's eyes were still wet.
“I think humans do not have a constant form. We have many guises inside of us. Circumstances make us gods at one time and devils at another,” replied Aditi.
“But are we simply driven by circumstances? Is there no room for fortitude and patience?” asked Shatvari.
“Sometimes some emotions ride over all the intellect and patience. People make mistakes under the influence of such emotions. Maybe something similar happened with Damodar.”
“A mistake can be realized and corrected. When one repeats the same mistake without even an attempt to stop it, you can't call it a mistake anymore. It becomes a sin.”
“How do you know Damodar doesn't realize his mistake? Or for that matter, whether he is trying to make amends?”
“If that were the case, he would not have repeated it again and again. I am sure he has been neck-deep in this for some time now. It was not the first time.” Tears rolled down Shatvari's eyes and she made no attempt to wipe them off.
“So, what do you want to do now? Even the gravest mistake can be rectified. You should give him a chance to realise and amend himself.
“But will we have the same love and respect for each other? Once a thread is torn, it can't be joined without a visible knot.”
“That depends upon the fact whether Damodar ever had love for you in his heart. If he repents and comes back to you that will prove his love for you. Just like a holy river cleanses all the impurities of its path, love can wipe all the sins and follies from a relationship.”
“What if his coming back is simply a social arrangement?”
“Arrangements are done out of compulsion. What will force him, except love, to come back to you?”
Shatvari had no answer to that question. Aditi was right. Damodar had no such compulsion. There was only one possible bond between the two, that of love. Only if it's still there.
“Do you think love is always divine?” Shatvari asked Gunjan.
“Yes, love is God's gift to us and that's why it must be divine.”
“If that is so then why one can't faithfully love only one person. Why do people go from one to another and another seeking love? Why do people forget love for lust?”
“Lust is also a part of love. Fulfilling lust is also a way of love.”
“But can lust become love without faith and surrender?”
“Yes, why not. Only if there is no ego and selfishness.”
“What do you mean? How can love be divine without faith and surrender?”
“Why do you seek surrender to only one person? God can't be tied to one person. So is the thing with love.”
“What does that mean? Is there no place for faith in love? Does marriage mean nothing?”
“It's not like that...” Gunjan paused a little while gazing straight into an exasperated Shatvari.
“Then?”
“Actually, the whole cosmos is just a reflection of Brahma. One Brahma, one universal consciousness. Everything is Brahma. Nothing is separate. The individual soul and the universal are not separate. People don't realize this, but they do feel it in their inner being. The individual soul is always longing for Brahma. It's always searching, seeking and restlessly looking for it. That's why we have so many desires. All are born out of that original desire to merge in Brahma. What you call love is also one such desire. Out of the Maya's illusion, we seek love in different people, one after another. We are constantly attracted to newer people. The search is always on. As the search doesn't realize what the real search is, the circle goes on. If one realizes that all are same and one the search will end.”
“So, you mean to say that until one realizes Brahma, he or she can't be fully faithful in love? Then what is the need of marriage when one can't be faithful?”
“There must always be a vow for faithfulness. That's what marriage propagates. The attempt to faithfully seek your love in one person is actually a path to knowing Brahma.”
Shatvari felt that their opinion was coming to a point where they could agree to some extent. It was strange that once she was Gunjan's guru and now he enlightened her on the topic of love and philosophy. She felt slightly relieved. She started to think that Damodar's fault has been his ignorance. He couldn't find her love sufficient and that's why he had to seek it elsewhere. That simply meant that he was just a simple man with worldly flaws. Not a god that she took him for.
Chapter 20
“Sripur's rice can certainly make one salivate just from the fragrance.” said Neel to Dhananjay while raising his nose to enjoy the aroma of the food being cooked in the kitchen.
“Free meal can make anyone drool, we are just unemployed students.” replied Dhananjay with a smile, “But seriously I am fed up of eating the same vegetables every day. I long for roasted gazelle meat.”
“Not in this modest inn of Vaniks, my friend! This all is what you'll get here.”
“Let's go out somewhere, then. Even if it means spending a bit of money. Don't be such a miser.”
No sooner than Dhananjay had finished his sentence, they heard somebody banging on their door. Both looked at each other fearing somebody might have overheard them. Neel rose slowly and opened the door.
Two armed soldiers stood at the entrance of the room.
“Yes, what do you want?” asked Neel probing their expressions.
“Are you two staying here posing as students from Taxila?” asked one of the soldiers looking straight into Neel's eyes.
“What do you mean
by 'posing'? We are students from Taxila.” said Neel faking confidence.
'How come these bastards came to know our reality.' He looked a little puzzled and worried.
“Both of you have been summoned by our state's minister of defence. We have reasons to believe that you are living in disguise.”
“On what basis? Your minister's office gave us the identification papers in the first place. You can see for yourself, if you want.”
“We don't need to see anything. The minister wants to see you and he will decide afterwards.” replied the soldier motioning Neel and Dhananjay to come along with them.
“Listen, you are mistaken for sure…” Dhananjay tried to explain but was interrupted by the soldier, “We are never mistaken. Maybe you are mistaken in believing that you could mislead Yaduvanshis so easily. You better come along peacefully, or….”
Dhananjay glanced at Neel. They knew the best course of action for the moment was to do as the soldiers commanded. They moved along in front of the soldiers. Neel elbowed Dhananjay softly and whispered, “See, you set your eyes on my pocket and it's going to cost us a lot now.”
“And what about my roasted gazelle meat. It's going to be prison food now.” replied Dhananjay in Neel's ear.
“What are you two whispering? Don't try to make any plans to run away, you will be immediately killed, make no mistake.” ordered the soldier.
“Let's see who gets killed.' thought Neel and smiled back at Dhananjay. His sharp mind started sorting out a strategy for escape.
Soldiers pushed Neel and Dhananjay towards a horse carriage. The carriage- driver sat at the front with the reins of two horses held tight in his right hand. Two soldiers were already seated at the seat behind the driver. Neel and Dhananjay were asked to sit backwards on the middle seat so that they were facing two soldiers in front of them who can keep watch on them. The carriage moved towards the royal palace.
“What do you feed your horses? Compared to our Taxila horses they look like donkeys.” Neel asked one of the soldiers, sucking his cheeks inward to make a funny gesture.
“Speak less, otherwise you two will be yoked instead of the horses.” said the soldier giving him a daunting look.
“What do you feed them, anyway?” asked Dhananjay making the same funny face as Neel did.
“Shut up, didn't you hear?” frowned the other soldier.
“I was simply asking in case we have to get down and do the job of your horses. At least we should know what to expect in our diets.” Dhananjay still had a mischievous smile on his face.
“Whips and lashes.” his frown deepened into a glare, “Just shut up and stay quiet. Don't try to divert our attention.”
“I feel like itching my right thigh. Can I?” asked Neel putting his right thigh over his left.
“Are you stupid to ask such a question? Don't be smart, or, we'll sort out all your itching,” replied the soldier.
“So, is that a yes? I can scratch my thigh to ease the itch. I didn't want you to think I am reaching out to a hidden dagger in my dhoti,” replied Neel while inserting his hand in his loincloth.
He winked at Dhananjay, and almost like clockwork they both reached for their hidden daggers tucked in the belt of their loincloths. Before anybody could react, they stabbed both the soldiers sitting in front of them with their sharp stiletto daggers. Both soldiers, taken by surprise, could do nothing else but to fall away screaming on either side of the moving cart. The two soldiers got alert and unsheathed their swords out. Neel and Dhananjay had already snatched swords from the two fallen soldiers. They both now wielded their swords with royal elegance and pounced upon the soldiers.
Neel struck the soldier in front of him, but he stopped the blow with his sword raised up in the air above his head. Neel quickly struck another blow, this time kicking with his right leg onto the soldiers left thigh. This put the soldier off-balance and allowed Neel to deal another heavy blow with his sword. The soldier stopped the blow, but his resistance gave way to Neel's power and the soldier's sword flew away from his hand. Other soldier saw his unarmed mate standing hapless in front of Neel, and so, he tried to have a go at Neel but was stopped by Dhananjay's sword. Neel sensed the opportunity and stabbed the soldier standing in front of him, killing him instantly. The last remaining soldier was now surrounded by Neel and Dhananjay. Realising there was no way out, he begged for mercy, “Please don't kill me, I will do whatever you say.”
“Get us out of Sripur, can you?” asked Neel.
“It'll be nearly impossible because of the current tight security arrangements,” replied the soldier kneeling in front of them.
“Then we don't need you.” said Neel and pierced the soldier's heart with his blade.
Neel quickly checked for the pulse of the rest of the three soldiers lying on the ground. They were already dead. The cartman had already fled the scene. Leaving the dead soldiers there, Neel and Dhananjay disappeared behind a large building to hide.
“We can't stay here for too long, your Majesty! We have to find a way out,” Dhananjay looked worried and anxious.
“Yes, but how? Every exit has high security. By now every soldier in town would have been intimated about us,” said Neel looking distressed.
“What I am really wondering about is how they found out about us? Nobody, except Vaishali knows about us being here,” Dhananjay was still puzzled at the soldiers finding out their reality.
“We will have to meet Vaishali right away,” Neel clenched his fists with anger looking extremely worried.
“Commander, there is a messenger from North Kosala requesting to meet you.” informed a soldier to Ranveer—the commander-in-chief of the Mekal army. He was responsible for the well-being of the state of Mekal in absence of Neel and Dhananjay.
“North Kosala? We don't particularly have good relations with them. What could it be?” asked Ranveer a bit puzzled.
“No idea Commander, you can ask the messenger yourself. I will send him in if you permit,” replied the soldier.
“Yes, send him in,” ordered Ranveer.
Ranveer was around thirty years, average height and stocky build, and dark sun-tanned complexion. His sharp sparkling eyes could pierce a man's heart. His whole countenance reeked of abounding energy and freshness.
The soldier brought the messenger from North Kosala and left him inside Ranveer's tent. The messenger bowed and greeted the commander. Ranveer accepted his greetings and bowed back to greet him.
“Tell me, what's the message from North Kosala?” asked Ranveer staring the messenger in his eyes.
“A news, Commander, not simply a message,” replied the messenger.
“What's the news, let me hear it?”
“Pardon me Commander, but the news is not good. Your ruler his Highness Neel and his friend Dhananjay have been captured by the South Kosala army in Sripur.” said the messenger with bowed head.
“What are you saying? How is that possible? I can't believe it, his Majesty and Dhananjay can easily tackle a group of 10-20 armed soldiers,” Ranveer gave him an incredulous look.
“But yes Commander, you are underestimating the strength of the South Kosala's infantry. Their number runs in thousands.”
“How do you know of this? Who told you that his Majesty and Dhananjay have been captured?” asked Ranveer. His gaze was intense.
“Our spies are spread all over South Kosala state. They informed us about the event,” replied the messenger.
“Why just convey it to us? What are you planning for their safety?”
“We are Raghuvanshis. Old friends of you Nishadas. We sincerely want to help you,” the messenger tried to convince Ranveer.
“Help? How can you help us in this situation? How can we trust you? Too many doubts,” again Ranveer gave him the same sceptic look.
“You have to trust us Commander. We gain nothing from lying to you. We want to help you to rekindle old friendship of Nishadas and Raghuvanshis,” said the messenger giving him a firm look.
“You'll have to meet our commander. Only he can share details of the whole plan. I can arrange a meeting soon if you want.”
“Where does he want to meet?”
“If you want, he can come right here in your camp. He can come to meet tonight itself,” replied the messenger.
“Okay then, I am ready to receive your commander. You can bring him in tonight,” said Ranveer in a positive tone.
“With pleasure, Commander,” replied the messenger and back stepped out of the tent with his head bowed down.
Ranveer drifted into a wave of worry and discomfort.
This is a worrisome news. I wonder what they must be going through. How will we free them from the clutches of Yaduvanshis? North Kosala's messenger has assured to extend every possible assistance. But how will they help? Will we have to step into a war with South Kosala? We are hardly prepared for it. Will it be right to get into a battle simply based on a news from North Kosala? Should I send a spy to South Kosala to verify the messenger's information? But that might result in further delays. It's a matter of life and death of his Highness and his friend Dhananjay. It's a question of the very existence and integrity of Mekal. We must do something fast. We'll have to plan something concrete with the commander of the North Kosala army. This must be kept a secret until we have a well-thought out plan. Especially, the citizens of Mekal should not find out about this. It is, indeed, a disappointing news that can create state-wide panic.
Revenge of the Chandalas Page 12