AJAYA I -- Roll of the Dice

by Unknown

  "And Shudras like me originated from the feet of God," Karna said, looking straight at the Brahmin.

  "Feeling glum about it, are we Karna?" laughed Kripa, lifting an eyebrow in his own inimitable style. "Our scriptures used this allegory to show that each varna is equally important. But see what is happening now. The head is claiming that only it is important. How stupid! Without the heart, the head is dead. Without hands, the body cannot act, and without thighs, the legs will not remain connected to the body or move. Now the head is claiming that it does not need the legs! The head has become rotten with no exercise. Instead, it has ordered the heart to cut off the blood supply to the legs. Hence, society is incapable of going anywhere. The arms just flay and occasionally beat each other. Sometimes they clap and make loud noises, but it means nothing. The head produces some smritis, useless philosophical speculations and rituals, but nothing else. It has stopped producing anything useful for humanity. The thighs too, do not get the protection of the arms, which are fighting each other; nor do they receive knowledge from the head or movement from the legs. They stay in one place and just grow fat and ugly, choking the blood flow to the feet. This is the picture of our society today. The head, the Brahmins, are saying they do not need the feet, the Shudras. Where will they go without feet? They will simply remain where they are and rot."

  "But Guru, our country has produced great thinkers. If what you say is true, how..."

  "Karna, you speak of the past, but what about the present? The barbarian people of the West are progressing quickly and we have lost our advantage. If we continue to deny the benefits of education to the majority of our people by claiming the false authority of the scriptures, one day we will find the barbarians ruling us. The people, whom we now contemptuously call Mlechas, will swarm across our country, attacking us from the borders of Gandhara or the southern coast. But they will find only the hollow shell of our civilization left. The core has already rotted. They will only need to give a slight push and the shell will collapse. Then they will rule us, all the fools; Brahmin, Kshatriya, Vaishya and Shudra alike, and crush us underfoot. I am sure our frogs-in-the-well will say that it is all written in our scriptures and it is but the advent of the next eon, Kali Yuga, or some such nonsense." Kripa stopped speaking and gazed at the cloud-enveloped sky in silence.

  "But Swami, it is only by doing one's kula dharma that one can achieve moksha." Karna had forgotten the rain, agog at the Acharya's words. It was rare indeed for an adult to speak to him about such serious subjects.

  "That is another misinterpretation. What is moksha? It is finding happiness in life. Nothing more, nothing less. The rest is pure speculation. You should meet my friend, Carvaka. He will explain these things better than I can. If you think you can find happiness in life only by becoming a warrior, then that is what you should strive for. There should not be an iota of doubt in your mind. No guru or scripture can stop you if you are determined to fight for your goals."

  Kripa smiled at Karna. 'Does the boy have it in him?' the Guru wondered.

  "But nobody will teach me because of my caste..." Karna spoke the only unshakable truth he knew.

  "Aha, Vasusena Karna! I hear accusation against me in your tone. But I did not refuse you because of your caste. I asked for my fee and you were not ready to pay. It is not that I care for money. The six feet of soil under the Banyan tree and the slice of sky that peeps through its branches are more than enough for me. But never forget - everything in life has a price. Come to me tomorrow with whatever money you have and I will still teach you to become the finest warrior in India."

  "But my father does not have that kind of money..." Karna's heart raced in his chest.

  "Bring what you have but remember, like everything else in life, the education you receive will be proportionate to the price you are ready to pay. So what price are you willing to pay, Karna?"

  'Here is the test,' thought Kripa.

  "I can work for you."

  "Ha ha... what work can a boy like you do for me? It seems you are not ready to pay any price for your education. You may think I am cruel but I am frank and I have no hidden agenda. There are people who will offer you many things and demand nothing in return. Fear them the most, for they are the ones who will take the things that are most precious to you and then their demands will come at a time when it is most inconvenient to you. In the end, you will find that my offer is the cheapest and least harmful. People like you do not like to learn from men like me. You learn only when the toughest of gurus - life - decides to teach you its harsh lessons. Since you are not willing to bankrupt your father and have nothing useful to offer me, I will give you something equally useless. Come in the morning with whatever small change you have and I will teach you how to behave like a Brahmin."

  "But I do not want to become a Priest." Karna jumped up in indignation.

  "Listen, you young fool! Do you know who the greatest living warrior in India is? It is neither Drona, nor the great Regent of the Kurus nor I. In a land far to the south, lives a clan of Brahmins. Thousands of years ago, perhaps it is just an old wives' tale, Mahabali, the great Asura Emperor, ruled from sea to sea. Vamana Vishnu defeated him and established Brahmin rule. Later, the great Asura King, Ravana, overran this empire and threw out these groups. When Ravana fell in battle, thanks to the treason of his brother, Vibhishana, the Brahmins reassembled. Under the patronage of the same Vibhishana, the land from Gokarna to Kanyakumari came under their rule. From that time on, for a thousand years, they have ruled the land of the Asuras with an iron hand, reducing the Asura chieftains to mere puppets while imposing the most inhuman caste system ever imagined. You think being born a Suta is a disadvantage? You should see the plight of the pariahs in Parashuramakhestra. Then you will understand what disadvantaged really means. It is a beautiful land but like many beautiful things in this world, it is also deadly poisonous."

  "Parashurama! But he is the enemy of Hastinapura! How can I...?"

  "Karna, when you want to learn, learn from the best Guru. Bhargava Parashurama, the leader of the Southern Confederate is the most formidable warrior in India today. The Parashuramas, from the dawn of our history, have been reckless warriors. They have conducted raid upon raid on the northern kingdoms, to impose their religion and law. If not for Sri Rama, who defeated them once, they would have eliminated all the Kshatriyas from the plains of the Ganga and Yamuna. Their last raid was under the guise of getting the Kashi Princess, Amba, married to Bhishma. It ended in the present truce. But Bhargava almost overran the whole of Uttarajanapada then. They have been a constant threat to all the rulers of India for a thousand years. For them, our caste system is not rigid enough and our religion not pure enough. He was my Guru and Drona's too. He teaches only Brahmins or the Princes of the Southern Confederate." Kripa saw the shocked expression on Karna's young face and chuckled.

  "I am neither a Brahmin nor a Kshatriya, how can I..."

  "I will teach you how to behave like a Brahmin so you can undertake the trip to his land and learn from our greatest living master. The best thing is that he does not charge money, since you prefer to save that ramshackle horse and cart of your father and avoid paying me. But I warn you; you will end by paying him a heavy price, which has nothing to do with money. However, I am not concerned with all that. You deserve nothing better."

  "But will it not be a deception?"

  "What Bhargava is doing is deception. His version of the scriptures is so narrow that if my friend Carvaka hears it, he will have a heart attack. Son, one day or the other, he or one of his disciples is going to overrun the entire country and impose their rule on us. Our society is so rotten that I have this dream often. Perhaps one day we will find a Prince who will take pity on the plight of Man and walk away from his palace to live under a tree to seek enlightenment. Perhaps he will give society some respite from self- destruction. However, Bhargava's disciples are sure to travel to the four corners of India, either with the sword of the warrior or the staff of the
mendicant. They will thus destroy all the humanness achieved by benevolent Princes and bring eternal doom."

  "Swami, I thought Takshaka was the greater threat," Karna said.

  Kripa smiled in delight at the boy's perceptiveness and intelligence. "Son, Takshaka and Bhargava are two sides of the same coin. We, the common people, will be caught between such mad men. The Bhargavas and Takshakas do not die, they reincarnate with different names in different times. When such an attack comes, Hastinapura will need all its warriors, irrespective of their origin. What you do, you will be doing for us all. Come to me at dawn and let us start with the Gayatri mantra. Let me see whether I can make a Brahmin of a Suta." Kripa walked away, leaving a drenched Karna alone near the swiftly flowing river.

  Karna stood for a long time, conflicting emotions gusting through him like the wind on a stormy night. When the sky turned grey in the east, he ran home to wash and change. He hugged his surprised mother, who was watering the Tulsi plant in the courtyard, and rushed out to the river with a dry cloth. Today he was going to be a Brahmin, and after a few days, perhaps a Kshatriya. He could be whatever he desired. The words of his Guru were imprinted on his mind. The world stood open with so many possibilities for the young boy.

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  6 CHALLENGE OF THE EUNUCH

  "AND WHAT IS THIS RASCAL'S CRIME TODAY?" Bhishma asked Vidhura, without taking his stern gaze from Suyodhana.

  Before Vidhura could reply, Kunti stormed into the room, accompanied by Dhaumya and a few other Priests. Vidhura could see Bhishma was annoyed by this unceremonious interruption. He should have warned the Grand Regent. Vidhura knew the Priests, under Dhaumya's leadership, had gone to Kunti. What he had not expected was that Kunti would accompany them to see Bhishma.

  Dhaumya opened his bundle of complaints against Kripa. Bhishma listened to them in growing impatience. Finally, he responded that it was a free country; that everyone had the right to believe what they wished to; and to preach it as well. If a great scholar like Vyasa appreciated young men like Kripa and Carvaka, he, Bhishma, was too humble a man to judge otherwise. The Priests could, of course, go to Kripa and show him the scriptural authenticity of what they preached, such as caste, idol worship, rituals, Brahmin worship and so on, and convince him about the correctness of their arguments.

  At this masterly disposition, a smile tugged at Vidhura's lips and this infuriated Kunti further. "Pitamaha, the men you name are destroying our dharma."

  Bhishma turned his steady gaze on Kunti. "Daughter, our dharma is sanathana. They cannot destroy it. No man can. They are merely redefining it to suit our times. Dharma keeps evolving to suit the needs of people in different ages. Some may even say it is our own Priests who are destroying dharma, by stifling it and misinterpreting our scriptures. However, I am not a scholar like Vyasa, Kripa, or even Carvaka. I am only a warrior. With my limited knowledge and common sense, I agree with Kripa... though perhaps not with Carvaka. This is my personal belief. I do not impose it on anyone else. You too, have the right to believe whatever you wish. I will not allow anyone to trample on your rights. If Kripa stops people from giving donations to Priests through logical discourse, I have nothing to say for you too can go out and convince people to ignore Kripa and ensure they come to you instead. That is between you and Kripa. Come to me if Kripa stops people from going to the temple forcibly. Then he will know that Hastinapura's soldiers and jails exist for a reason. This applies to all of you. If someone hurts Kripa or Carvaka, the same rules apply."

  "But Pitamaha..." Kunti began to protest. Vidhura quickly began arranging the palm leaves on Bhishma's table. He did not want her to see his smile. He knew what was coming.

  "Kunti, do not waste your time and mine with such frivolous matters. You have five children to rear. If you are interested in politics, why not help your brother-in-law with governance? This is not an easy country to rule, even for a sighted man."

  Kunti and the gaggle of Priests walked out in anger.

  Bhishma looked at Suyodhana, standing to one side with his eyes on the ground, trying to hide his anger and shame. "Son, the truth always prevails. Look it in the face."

  Vidhura had dragged Suyodhana to Bhishma just a little while earlier. The second Pandava Prince, Bhima, had broken the right hand of the Kuru Prince, Vikarna. The boy had dared to call Bhima 'Fatso' and paid the price. Vikarna's howls of pain had brought Suyodhana and Sushasana onto the scene. This had resulted in a fistfight in which Bhima thrashed them both. Later, Suyodhana and Sushasana had hidden in the dark and caught Bhima unawares. They could have murdered Bhima had Vidhura not come upon them and dragged them to Bhishma. Kunti had dragged away her son.

  Now, Bhishma turned his attention towards his grandnephews. "What brings you all here?"

  "Had I not stopped Prince Suyodhana, we would have been trying him for the murder of his cousin, Bhima," Vidhura said, looking sternly at his shamefaced nephew.

  "Pitamaha, we were playing and did not mean..."

  "Suyodhana, you are old enough now to understand who your enemies are and who your friends. What is this about trying to beat Bhima to death?"

  Suyodhana turned pale and stood shivering with fear before the Grand Regent. "Answer me!" commanded Bhishma in a voice that brooked no defiance.

  "Pitamaha, it was just fun. We were talking..." Suyodhana stopped, unable to continue before Bhishma's unwavering gaze.

  "You were plotting murder for fun? Bhima is your cousin. Both of you are equal in my eyes. It is good to have competitive spirit as Kshatriyas, but not murderous rage."

  "Swami, they taunt and torture us and my little sister all the time. They are cruel to the servants. They are selfish; they call my father Andha..."

  Bhishma remained unmoved by this outburst. "That is no reason to attack someone while hiding in the dark. If you are a Kshatriya, be a man and fight. Grow up to be strong in mind and body."

  Suyodhana stood silent, hanging his head in humiliation. He felt aggrieved with both Bhishma and Vidhura. Did he not have the right to get even with Bhima?

  "Listen, Suyodhana." Bhishma's voice had lost its edge and there was a hint of kindness now. "One day, you will rule this country. You need to know your enemies and your friends. I have reports that you are slipping in your lessons again and keep daydreaming in class. Drona is full of complaints about your behaviour. Stop roaming the streets, talking to all and sundry. Behave like a Prince. You have no reason to go to the houses of outcastes and Untouchables. You are a Kshatriya. Behave like one. Show some respect for the Brahmins and learned ones. Stop going about with Carvaka and Kripa. They have ideas that may not help you. A King should listen to all, but not be swayed by extremes. Take Drona and Carvaka's advice with respect and then act according to what is good for the country and society. Not all things spoken are true. The Truth changes. Wisdom lies in understanding this. Only then can you be a good ruler."

  "But Swami, there is so much misery out there. You have ruled with wisdom; then why do so many people live like pigs in our kingdom?"

  Vidhura almost lost his breath. Suyodhana's audacity was galling. Even after so many years of working with Bhishma, he would never have had the courage to ask that question.

  Bhishma stared at Suyodhana for a long time. Slowly, a smile lit the old man's face. "My son, you will get hurt one day with such talk. You think I made this society? I only inherited it. I am doing my karma, my duty as a Kshatriya, and that is to rule with fairness. I have no utopian dreams of changing the world in a day. Can you plant a sapling and expect it to grow into a tree overnight? You have to water it, nurture it, give it sunlight, rain, and manure, and then slowly, it will grow. Oppression, discrimination and privileges for a few, are as old as civilization. The caste system was well entrenched centuries before my birth. I cannot topple it in a day, nor am I a social reformer. I merely ensure that the poor and those oppressed by birth do not suffer even more. I can ensure power does not go to the heads of the elite. Yo
ur father is the King, but my tired shoulders have borne the burden of rule for many long years. Do you think it is an easy job? Ruling is not what your father or your aunt Kunti, think it is. They have seen only the benefits of power. The responsibilities have been borne by me.

  "When your blood is young, you dream impossible dreams like ending poverty and misery. But dreams have a nasty habit of getting entangled in life and making a mess. Right now, you are a student and your duty is to learn. Keep dreaming but plant your feet firmly on the ground. Do not be swayed by Carvaka, Drona, or Kripa. Stay away from Shakuni. If someone calls you a blind man's son, forgive him. They say such things because they cannot get even in any other way. Take it as a compliment. Now go and attend to everything Drona teaches you." With a curt nod, Bhishma dismissed him.

  Bhishma stood looking out of the window. Far away, across the green fields and villages that dotted the banks of the river, he could see the faint outline of mountains. A dust storm was gathering in the west where the desert lay; shrouded in mysteries and myth. Vidhura watched the deepening creases in the old man's forehead with concern. Ruling this kingdom was getting wearisome for both of them. The petty squabbling and infighting, the constant bickering among his nephews and kin, made them both sad. The country was crumbling from within.