‘You and I, Kancha, we will be happy in the happiness of all!’
It is a festive entry on the premises of the house: Kancha seated in the howda that is decorated with red blossoms, atop the imperial elephant. When both young people have climbed down, the Prince takes her hand and leads her to Santanu and Amba.
‘Holy Santanu and mother Amba, make us happy and give Kancha to me as my bride!’
‘It gives us nothing but pleasure, high Yuvaraja, that you esteem Kancha to be worthy of being the Rani of the future ruler of India. May she give you sons! We shall be as happy as the mahavana in Asvina4 if she makes you happy so that you may be a blessing for the peoples.’
The others express their respect and good wishes to the young couple. Not Katcha, who has suddenly disappeared. He storms away along the jungle path to the village, beside himself. His hatred and rage seek an outlet. He knows but one who can comfort him: Kodini.
When he enters Matali’s house, she quickly notices that something is seriously wrong. She shows him the respected seat reserved for Brahmins.
‘Tell me, Katcha, what brings you to Matali’s home so upset?’
‘Kodini, I am like India without rain … the sun without light, or the tree without roots!’
‘I do not understand you, Katcha.’
‘He has robbed me of that which is as indispensable to me as the Veda is to the priest, Kodini.’ A sob wells up in his heart, but he suppresses it, not wanting to show his pain and weakness to this woman.
‘Who, what, Katcha?’
‘He, you know who, has stolen my Kanchanamala!’
‘The Prince?’ Katcha lowers his head. ‘That Shudra! And you tolerate that, a Brahmin? Diti, bring drinking water!’
Diti returns with a cup and a pitcher of water.
‘Go away!’ Diti is told, and the young widow hurries out of the room.
‘Here, drink, holy Brahmin!’
‘I am brahmacharin, Kodini! That is exactly my misfortune!’
‘And what do you want now?’
‘Kodini, you are a woman. Your cunning is sharper than mine!’
‘Kill that sinner! Have him killed!’… she whispers to him, her words full of hate. Katcha shrugs his shoulders.
‘He is heavily guarded, Kodini! And a Brahmin does not kill.’
When Matali comes in, she tells him what has happened.
‘How does this concern you? The brahmacharin has to accept whatever the holy Santanu approves of!’
‘A Shudra!’
‘Shame on you, Kodini! He is of the varna of the rulers. Prince Kunala will be Maharajah one day, Kanchanamala the Maharani. You want to prevent that? Accept your fate, Katcha. Your father will provide you another woman.’
Matali goes to his rice fields. He does not want to anger the gods now that the harvest is flourishing. Why does Kodini involve herself in Katcha’s affairs! Katcha is sitting, bent over, in the Brahmin-seat. Kodini comes to him.
‘Hunters are despicable creatures, Katcha!’ she whispers, hissing an evil plan into his ear.
Katcha shakes his head. ‘But the armed guards!’
‘Kawi, the head of the hunters! Go to him!’
‘I, a Brahmin, should go to a cursed hunters-camp!’
‘Diti will go and fetch him!’
Thoughts storm wildly through Katcha’s head. He knows that he will incur a great sin, a self-willed brahmacharin, who acts against the laws of his varna and goes against his master! But his hate is stronger than the teachings and his as yet unripened wisdom.
‘What is your plan, Kodini?’
‘Hunters have no conscience, they are outcasts. Kawi will help you! Furthermore, whatever he does, he will be responsible for it.’
Still the brahmacharin hesitates, but his vengeful heart wins out over caution. Besides there are means to do penance for his sins. And is not Kodini, merely a woman, the one responsible for the consequences?
‘He must help you. I shall send Diti. Diti, Diti!’ When Diti enters the room, she is commanded: ‘Go to Kawi the hunter and tell him a Brahmin here wants to speak to him.’
Diti turns pale and is barely able to respond: ‘Mother, I dare not go to the hunter’s camp!’
‘But you dared to plunge my son into misfortune, widow! Go!’
Diti breaks out in sobs. ‘I’m afraid! Those sinners!’
‘Are they greater sinners than you, who are doing penance for your former sins?’
‘An Aryan woman will not risk going there!’
‘What were you in your previous birth? Worse than a hunter! Go!’
Diti kneels before Katcha and bows her head to the ground.
‘Holy Brahmin, do say that it is not allowed! I dare not go to that camp, Lord! I do not want to sin! I cannot do this.’
‘Go away, widow. I have nothing to do with you!’ shouts Katcha indignantly. ‘I am a brahmacharin, and not the caretaker of your karma. You are to obey!’ Katcha turns away.
‘I have no son to defend me, lord. Help me against mother Kodini!’ But Katcha is listening no longer.
‘Right!’ screams Kodini. ‘For your sins the gods are punishing you!’
‘I am always obedient but you may not do this, mother Kodini!’
‘I order you, I, your husband’s mother!’ She picks up a stick. Diti does not dare to refuse any longer, and she does not dare to go to the hunter’s camp either. Helplessly, she looks at the brahmacharin who does not even give her a glance. Weeping, she then walks out of the door. She begins walking in desperation towards the hunters’ camp. She, going to those outcasts! But what can she do, flee? Where to? To her parents? They will only chase her back to Matali’s house! To Santanu or the sacrificial priests? Who will not even speak to her, a poor wretch. Let Varuna send a cobra on her path! She will offer him her foot! She walks barefoot through the grass but no cobra appears to bite poison into her blood. The closer she is to the camp, the more frightened she becomes. She hears the hunters’ yelling and cursing, and she backs away in alarm. But neither does she dare to return. Sobbing, she falls down on a grassy bank. Jaivali, a Vaishya, walks by her and hears her cry. Cautious, he wants to walk on but Diti believes that the gods have sent Jaivali on her path. Happily she walks towards him, whereupon Jaivali backs a few paces.
‘Jaivali, go for me to Kawi and tell him that he must come to the brahmacharin Katcha, who is waiting for him at Kodini’s house.’
‘Go yourself, widow!’ Desperately, Diti tries to persist. ‘Here, you may have this gold bracelet!’
‘The bracelet of a widow would bring misfortune to my family!’ And Jaivali continues on his way. Trembling, Diti now walks the path to the camp. A few hunters are playing dice in front of one of the leaf-thatched huts, laughing and swearing loudly. They see Diti and jump up.
‘Come here, sweetheart. Are you coming for me?’ A young fellow walks towards her, and embraces her, but Diti decides to strike out vehemently.
‘Come, come, not so angry, dear!’
‘Over here, darling!’ shouts another.
‘Where is Kawi?’ She is trembling so badly that she could barely remain standing.
‘Kawi only likes sprightly young girls! A widow would not tempt him!’ A hunter grabs her around the waist. Diti turns around and scratches him in the face, so that he would let go.
‘It’s a tiger! Such resistance!’ One foul utterance follows another. Finally, Kawi steps out of his hut, yawning.
‘What is the problem, darling?’
‘A Brahmin wishes to speak to you at Matali’s house. As soon as possible!’
‘Something to be earned?’
‘I do not know.’ She wants to slip away from the brutish gang now that she has given them the message. Everyone knows, however, that a widow has no protection in an Aryan village. The young hunter grabs her and drags her away to his hut, laughing, and Diti weeps, weakened by the many fasts forced upon her at home, she cannot fight any longer. Another has quickly pulled off her costly bracelet.
‘Which widow dares to adorn herself with such baubles!’ he mocks her.
Kawi leaves for the village without worrying about the unlucky woman. Every Aryan avoids her and children run away from her. What concern is that of his? When he enters Kodini’s house, no seat is offered to him and none is expected.
‘You have a little matter you wanted me to clear up, Kodini?’
‘Yes, this Brahmin. The holy Santanu has promised his daughter to a stranger and this Brahmin wants the girl as his wife. Can you help?’
‘The imperial Prince?’
‘Yes.’
Kawi burst out in brutal laughter. ‘Do you think that I will invite the soldiers of the Maharajah into my camp? Is that all? Is there nothing else?’ He gets ready to leave. ‘Do not send an unprotected woman into our camp for such folly!’
‘A widow!’
‘You, too, will soon be a widow when Matali allows such things in his house! I just heard the raven scratching on his roof!’
‘You … merely … have to prevent that marriage,’ stutters Kodini.
‘Look for cobras, Kodini, or lure a wild tiger or a herd of elephants to Santanu’s house!’ mocks the hunter.
‘You do that, Kawi!’ she snaps at him. And she points to Katcha who looks as though this is not his affair.
‘How much can we earn, young brahmacharin?’
Katcha is fuming at the way the hunter dares to address him and points to Kodini. ‘Speak to her.’ He turns his back to him lest a varna-less brute taint him! Kodini further negotiates.
Long after Kawi has left, Diti returns. She has straightened her clothing as best as she could.
‘Look at you! Did you like the camp so well?’ hisses Kodini.
Diti looks at her with such reproach that Kodini feels insulted.
‘Look ahead and do your work!’
Slowly, Diti turns around to leave. She had fought with herself about whether she should return to Matali’s house, but the jungle frightened her so badly that she did not dare to enter it. She wants to speak to the Yuvaraja, tell him of her travails because they robbed her not only of her chastity but also of the bracelet which she has received from him. So often has she heard that anyone who has been treated unjustly could turn to the Holy Maharajah and justice would be done. The son of the Maharajah has been so kind to her.
9
THE YOUNG JUDGE
ould the Yuvaraja be like Maharajah Ashoka who does not tolerate injustice in his empire? Should she accept the theft, and the shame? While Matali works in the rice fields and Kodini is visiting a friend, Diti walks to the house of the holy Santanu. She looks nervously around her. She starts at every noise. Out of breath, she arrives at Santanu’s grounds. There she is stopped by one of the imperial guards.
‘What do you want, woman?’
‘I would like to speak to the Yuvaraja.’
‘The Yuvaraja?’
Diti nods yes.
After Kunala has given permission, the guard leads her to his lord.
Diti kneels down and bows in the soft sand.
‘Stand up, Diti, and tell me what you want.’
Hesitatingly at first, but after the Prince smiles encouragingly and speaks kindly to her, she begins her story.
Appalled, Kunala puts questions, seeking more details about what had happened to her.
‘I shall investigate into the affair immediately, Diti. Be assured.’
‘Thank you, gracious Raja.’ She bows once again.
‘Just one more question, Diti. What did Katcha want with Kawi?’
‘Mother Kodini sent me, Lord. That is all I know.’
‘Go and wait.’ Diti hurries back to Tirha.
Kunala immediately sends for Kappa and once he has informed him, goes himself by elephant—accompanied by his full guard—to the hunters’ encampment. When they near, the loud noise of the gambling gamesters is suddenly hushed. One of the hunters tries to escape.
‘Grab him, Kappa!’
Two guards grab the fleeing man and take him to the Prince. It is the young hunter!
‘You have raped a young woman!’
‘We all took part, high Prince.’
‘You have violated the honour of a young woman, a subject of the holy Maharajah!’ The hunter remains silent.
‘Tie him to one of the horses, Kappa, and send him to Pataliputra. Who stole the bracelet?’
Not one of them replies. They know the punishment: chopping off of the hand that committed the act of stealing. Kunala’s voice is raised in his indignation at the cowardly act and his compassion for the poor widow.
‘Bring it to me!’ No one moves. Behind that slim, regal figure of the Prince lies a power so threatening that it causes them to tremble.
‘Speak or I will punish the whole camp. And not lightly!’ The wrath of the Mauryas is displayed through his voice and gestures. The eyes of a few hunters flicker, hardly perceptible, towards the thief. Kunala spots the movement and his sharp gaze transfixes on the thief.
‘Come here, you!’
Trembling, the thief approaches; all spears are suddenly pointed at him.
‘You have stolen the bracelet!’
The accused thief lowers his head.
‘Coward! Go and get it!’ Two guards are sent along. When they return, the hunter hands the bracelet to him.
‘You will return it yourself! Chase him ahead, before you! And you, Kawi, make certain that you do not cross my path again!’
Kunala signals the troops to leave the camp. They halt when they reach Matali’s house. Kodini and Matali hurry to meet them and give the Yuvaraja a deep bow.
‘You sent your son’s wife to the hunters’ camp!’
Matali looks up, surprised. Kodini remains lying bent over.
‘Do you know what happened there? Call Diti!’ When Diti arrives, she is visibly trembling.
‘Now, you!’ The thief throws himself down in the dust and hands over to her the bangle he had stolen. ‘Get a block, Matali.’ One of the guards is told: ‘And you, unsheath your sword. Diti decides which hand will be taken from him.’
‘Lord, I shall do penance my entire life, Lord! Do not punish me like this, have pity, Lord,’ the hunter whimpers.
‘Pity? Did you have any pity for this poor woman?’
‘Lord, she is a widow! She was sent to our camp, Lord!’
‘My father does not consider anyone as a widow, only as subjects! Decide, Diti!’
Diti bursts out in tears. ‘No punishment because of me, noble Raja!’
‘You see, the widow is more compassionate than you. Return and forever stay away from the punishing hand of the Maharajah!’
The thief throws himself in the dust before the Prince then stands up and flees, to the great delight of the gathering villagers.
‘And you, Kodini? The care of your daughter-in-law, who is without any protection, rests on you! Remember this: the Maharajah demands that every human being be esteemed and treated as a human being!’
Kodini keeps silent.
Matali strikes her on the back. ‘Answer!’
‘Yes, Lord!’
The Prince makes a sign to proceed. All bow in reverence. The citizens of Tirha feel that a mighty hand had interceded at that moment. When Matali leaves the house to tend to his courtyard, Kodini calls her daughter-in-law. The golden bangle adorns her arm once again.
‘Come here!’ She slaps the young woman’s face and commands: ‘Go!’
Diti silently leaves the room.
Kunala is well aware that he has judged the case by a display of power and that his father might have acted with more wisdom. He could feel that Kodini is not in the least impressed because his views clash with the morals and customs of the Brahman village. From any improvement in the hunter’s camp, he also expects little. He discusses with Kappa the case in the royal tent, into which he has moved since his betrothal.
Kappa is worried.
‘It would be best if you could discuss this incid
ent with my father.’
‘The holy Maharajah ordered me to protect you!’
‘Go swiftly to Pataliputra and take counsel with him. Let him judge the hunter. I deem it necessary for a Buddhist mission to come to Tirha.’ Kappa leaves immediately; he dispatches yet another division of soldiers from Vaishali to Tirha. On the morning of the third day he arrives in the capital, at which time Ashoka is with Asandhimitra.
‘Bring Kappa here!’ orders the Emperor. When Ashoka is preoccupied with vexing matters and finds it onerous to take a decision, he consults Asandhi, who, out of her love for him, comprehends his innermost aspiration and judges with great wisdom.
Tishya Rakshita, her first-lady-in-waiting, was brought back by his soldiers as a young girl, following a mission to subdue her father, a rebellious Kshatriya. She was noticed by Asandhimitra and taken under her wing. Asandhi had the child educated and later took her on as her servant. Tishya has great respect for her mistress. She is proud and hotheaded by nature, yet a single word from the Maharani calms her down. Over time, the bond between the two women has become increasingly stronger. Tishya grew up to be a young lady of extraordinary beauty. Her charming oval face, her finely carved nose, her glittering eyes, yet soft on occasion, her supple, proportionate and slender figure – all make for a striking presence at the court. The Maharajah, struck by her devotion, treats her well. And Tishyarakshita, too, does not begrudge the laughter that gives her proud beauty a sudden charm, to Asandhimitra’s beloved husband, to which even Ashoka is not quite immune.
‘Stay, Tishya,’ the Maharajah motions when she gets ready to leave. She floats down silently next to her mistress. Ashoka fails to notice the golden smile meant for him. It is then that Kappa makes an entrance.
‘Why are you here, Kappa? I ordered you to protect the Prince.’
‘The Yuvaraja wanted me to inform you, as quickly as possible, of events in Tirha, O, Maharajah.’
‘Tell me.’
‘Firstly, the Yuvaraja asks your permission for his marriage with the daughter of the holy Santanu.’
Ashoka smiles. ‘And further?’
Kappa then narrates the story of Diti. Ashoka does not interrupt him. He then sounds the gong.
‘Take a message to Sagka, Satyavat, that he immediately sends twenty heavily armed horsemen to Tirha, and afterwards five war elephants, each with a mahout and two warriors.’
Ashoka the Great Page 79