The Prince of Patliputra

by Shreyas Bhave

  To his left was a large hill with steep slopes. Big enough to hide something behind it. To his right was the Hydpses river. The ground was quite wet and damp. His army had almost completely crossed and was behind him.

  “Coenus!” he called, pointing to the left. “Take two units of cavalry and hide behind that hill, waiting for an opportunity to strike.”

  Coenus bowed, and broke out of the formation. His cavalry corps followed him. Alexander watched them ride towards the hill. Suddenly his attention was diverted by a shout.

  “Enemy horses ahead.”

  Alexander wiped the rainwater off his face and looked ahead.

  He could see horses and chariots riding towards them. But they weren’t many. He wasn’t going to waste his phalanx on them. He wanted it reserved for the elephants.

  “Archers!” he shouted. All around him, his officers made the same call as his archers quickly formed a line.

  “Aim.” He shouted, heeling Bucaphela as they moved a little to the front.

  The archers raised their bows and took aim, irrespective of the heavy rain and wind.

  “Loose!”

  A thousand arrows left their bows and soared towards the approaching enemy horses like a swarm of locusts.

  Alexander did not wait for the arrows to hit their targets.

  “Cavalry.” He shouted. “To me!”

  He heeled Bucaphela and the horse sprinted. He raised his sword as the whole right flank rode behind him.

  “Leave no man alive!”

  “What are we to do?”

  His sons and nobles had gathered around him.

  “Wait for your brother to come back with news.”

  “But it has been much too long since he has been gone, Father.”

  “I know.” Puru said.

  His son and the chariots had been gone a long time and not returned. Puru was immensely worried now. No sentry had seen them either. His son and the chariots had seemingly disappeared in the dark and the rain.

  “Every moment we waste is a moment out of our lives.” One of his sons said.

  Puru had a decision to make. But he was immensely confused. What was he to do? Should he withdraw the elephants and leave the riverbank undefended? Or should he ignore the possible attack from the side?

  “Think of something, Father!”

  Puru decided there was no time to think anymore. It was time for action.

  “Bring me my sword.” He said.

  “Elephants!” His scouts shouted, but there was no need to shout. The rain had stopped, and everyone could see them. They rose high along the night sky, camouflaged by their equally dark skin. Their low resonating cries wandered everywhere over the battlefield like trumpets. They were numerous, all along the horizon.

  “Hold the line!” Alexander ordered and his men stopped.

  He himself was in the right flank, very near to the river. The sound of it flowing filled his right ear. The left ear was filled with the sound of his men, shouting their battle cries.

  On their left flank was the steep hill and behind it, hidden, were Coenus and his horses.

  Alexander was counting on them to strike at the right time.

  The elephants charged ahead, their trunks high in the air. It was by now clear that Porus would charge them.

  “Phalanx,” he ordered. The spearmen fell into formation, forming a loose square. Those in the front row had their spears sticking outwards, and those behind them held theirs towards the skies, ready to take position if the man in front of them fell. Anyone who would dare attack the phalanx would be forced to fight from a distance, separated by the spears. Any horses that were foolish enough to charge into it would be cut down, the spears sticking through them. But what of elephants? Would his phalanx work against those mighty black beasts?

  Out of the corner of his eye, Alexander looked for any flanking cavalry. He saw chariots coming from the right. Was Porus a fool? Chariots wouldn’t work at all on wet land. Then he saw horses too, behind the chariots. He smiled. Porus was taking everything he had, and throwing it at them.

  His archers had stopped to aim. They would fire at will now and so would the enemy. A volley of arrows, shot first from the elephants, soared towards his center. Alexander watched, as the men in the center braced and the volley fell over them.

  The chariots were drawing closer now and coming straight at them. The time for thinking was over. The time had come to let loose the dogs of war.

  Alexander raised his sword. His cavalrymen raised theirs.

  They all charged towards the enemy in unison.

  Puru’s chariot was slowing down. His horses were trying to pull faster, but the wheels were sliding on the wet ground, tiring them.

  “Not now!” Puru cursed.

  The right flank of enemy horses was already charging to intercept them. This was the time when he needed full momentum. But he was slowing down.

  The enemy horses hit them with full speed. The battle had begun! Chaos ensued.

  Puru could hear cries and metallic twangs all around him. His sword was already in his hand. He moved it with lightning speed. He was used to it all. Men were falling all around him. Suddenly he felt a big jerk and was almost thrown off his chariot.

  His wheel had stuck in the wet mud.

  In the midst of the fray, he got down.

  An enemy horse rider with a black horse charged towards him. Puru took the attack on his shield, but the attack was so strong, that he was blown quite some feet backwards.

  The rider stopped his black horse and turned around.

  On the brow of the black horse, Puru could see a star shaped white spot. He aimed for it. The rider closed in.

  But this time, Puru was faster. His sword hit the horse’s forehead before the rider could even swing his sword.

  The horse screeched to a stop and the rider was thrown off. The horse fell to the ground.

  Puru did not turn to see where the rider had fallen. He freed his sword from the black horse’s forehead.

  Where there was a white star shaped spot earlier, now there was a spot of red.

  As he fell, Alexander felt the edges of his helmet dig into his skull. He immediately tried to get up, but his heavy armor made it very hard. Somehow, he managed to stand up. He had lost his sword. He got to his knees and turned around.

  He saw the tall, huge man who had hit him, bend down and draw out the sword from Buaphela’s forehead, as more blood gushed out of it. Bucaphela was lying in the mud, but his eyes were still open.

  Alexander saw as the tall man freed a horse from the chariot, and rode away, towards the center, towards the elephants.

  Had his phalanx held? Alexander looked, and knew immediately that it had, because the number of elephants he was seeing had drastically reduced.

  He did not hasten. He knew that the battle on this flank had been won. Before charging at the tall charioteer, he had seen Coenus and his horses ride out from behind the hill and attack the enemy cavalry from the rear.

  Alexander stopped a Greek horseman, and got up on his horse.

  He took a look at Bucaphela. His horse’s mouth was filled with froth. Blood was oozing out of his forehead.

  But there was no time to go touch him.

  The battle was still on.

  All that was left now was to encircle the enemy, attack them from the rear, and finish them off.

  “Towards the center!” He commanded.

  Puru raced his horse towards the center with all his might. All around him, his men recognized him due to his enormous size. Seeing their leader filled them with valor.

  Behind him, they pushed against the enemy center.

  Puru hit the enemy lines with speed, but the enemy spears immediately cut through his horse.

  He jumped down, and launched himself on the enemy with sword and shield. The spears sticking out made it hard to reach for the enemy. He had to reach out quite a bit with his hand to even try and hit the enemy spearmen. While the enemy spearmen were pushing
their spears with quite ease.

  Puru felt spears pierce him everywhere, but he kept cutting at the enemy.

  For some time, he felt the enemy line give way, as the remaining elephants advanced. But soon, there were calls.

  “Look behind!” Someone shouted. Puru turned. Enemy horsemen had been attacking them from the rear. They had been outflanked. All was lost!

  He saw the remaining elephants panic due to the rear attack and turn back. They trampled on their own men as they tried to run away from the spears. Their loud trumpets caused everyone to panic.

  He saw one of his sons being cut down from the rear by an enemy horseman. He saw his infantry retreating, instead of advancing. It was done, the battle had been lost. Puru turned, and joined them in their retreat.

  Alexander looked at the fleeing Indian infantry from his mount with glee. Almost all of them had turned their backs and were running away from their positions. The enemy lines had been completely broken and scattered. The battle had been won!

  Out of the corner of his eye, Alexander watched more Greek soldiers approach from the opposite side towards the fleeing enemy. It was Craterus. He had crossed the river and now was cutting off the enemy retreat.

  Alexander smiled. The enemy had been completely trapped. Not a single soul would be able to run away from the battlefield. They would either be killed, or be captured, or if they were really unlucky, trampled by their own men.

  He took a deep breath and raced his horse to where Bucaphela had fallen. Bucaphela was still alive, though not for long.

  Alexander got down and walked up to him.

  His head was bleeding profusely, froth in his mouth, and pitiful eyes. He whimpered a little.

  Alexander got down on his knees and touched its forehead. Bucaphela let out a weak moan.

  “It’s alright!” Alexander said softly. “You did well.”

  Then in the lap of Alexander the Great, Shahanshah of Persia, Basileus of Anatolia, leader of the Greek city states, and finally at last, Conqueror of Bharath, Bucaphela closed his eyes and became lifeless.

  Puru was running with all his might with the soldiers in his army, when more enemy horses surrounded them.

  He fought them with his sword and shield, but the enemy was too numerous. Soon, his sword was knocked out of his hands. Soon, his shield was too.

  He stood with his hands raised as a horseman placed a sword to his throat. Another horseman began to laugh.

  Puru took some time to recognize the voice of the horseman, as he took his helmet off.

  It was Raja Ambhi.

  Asoka

  Vidisha, 272 BC

  When Asoka opened his eyes, he was expecting to see Devi’s face. But instead the room was empty. He had to get up on his own. This time he did not feel any throbbing sensation in his chest at all as he did. Nor did his back ache anymore. The potion had worked. All his pain was gone.

  Asoka raised his arms, stretched to both his sides and let out a relaxing moan. Then he remembered last night’s attack. Was it a dream? Or had it really happened?

  He got to his feet and inspected his injured arm. It was coated with a thick green paste where the wounds were, but there was no longer any bandage on it.

  He looked for a water container in the room and found one. Drinking some water made him feel fresh. He splashed some on his face, then lifted the tent fabric and stepped outside.

  The sunlight hit his face almost immediately. It was a bright afternoon. Two soldiers were standing guard outside his tent. They fell into attention on seeing him. “General!”

  “Was there an attack on me last night, soldier?” He asked, placing his palm on his forehead to block the sunlight.

  The soldiers looked at each other. “Yes, General.” One of them answered.

  “And did it happen on your watch, soldier?” Asoka’s voice was stern.

  “No, My Lord.” The soldier said. “Captain Pushyamitra stood guard at your door last night. The assassin first attacked him, knocked him out, and then entered the hut. But strong as you are, General, you drove him away.”

  “Where is Pushyamitra then, is he alright?” Asoka asked, worried. The captain had taken hits for him before, but he had always been well and standing the next day. Now however he was nowhere to be seen.

  “He is badly injured, My Lord.” The soldier said. “He is in his tent, on his cot actually.”

  “But he is out of danger, right?” Asoka asked with concern.

  “Yes, My Lord, he is just injured.” The soldier said.

  “Show me!” Asoka said, and the soldiers pointed him to where Pushyamitra’s tent was. It was the one just opposite his hut. The other tents were pitched quite far away. Asoka walked up to it. He lifted its fabric and entered.

  Pushyamitra was lying on a bed with a large blanket covering him. His face looked pale, but his eyes were open which lit up on seeing Asoka. He tried to get up too, but fell back on the bed.

  “Forgive me, General!” he said, “for I have failed you.”

  “Nonsense!” Asoka said, sitting by his side, “I am sure you must have done your best to kill the attacker.”

  “I did!” Pushyamitra said. “But he was too fast. I could almost not see where he came from.”

  “Unfortunately, he seems to have slipped away again,” Asoka said.

  “Yes!” Pushyamitra said with anger. “He knocked me out before entering the hut. When I awoke, I called for the guards at once, but he seemed to have escaped in the dark.”

  “I was so drugged,” Asoka said, “that I only remember bits of what happened. But Devi was there. She would be able to tell me.”

  “Indeed.” Pushyamitra said.

  “Where is she?” Asoka asked. “Was she the one to bandage your wounds?”

  “I have no idea where the witch is.” Pushyamitra said, hiding scorn, “and I bandaged my own wounds. I don’t want any Buddhist woman touching me.”

  “Why so belligerent, Mitra?” Asoka said. “Look at you, you look all messed up. An inspection from a good Vaidya won’t hurt you. She saved my life after all.”

  “You won’t understand.” Pushyamitra said. “You are a Vaishya after all.”

  Asoka got up to his feet with rage. “You are certainly injured.” He said. “And that blow to your head seems to have impaired your thinking too. I forgive you, because you are my friend. But never speak to me like that again.”

  Asoka stormed out of Pushyamitra’s tent before the captain could reply.

  These soldiers are so narrow-minded, he thought, as he walked out.

  He caught hold of the first soldier he could find. “Where is the woman who saved me?” He asked.

  The soldier pointed him to her, and Asoka walked up there.

  Devi was carefully cutting some leaves of a branch sitting cross-legged on the ground. She wore a nice saree which came down to her knees. She sat with her back to him. Asoka kept looking at her bare back and calves.

  “My Lord?” She turned when she saw him.

  “Well, I am awake,” he said, “and walking too! All the pain is gone, thanks to you.”

  “You play with your words as well as you play with your sword.” She smiled and continued chopping the leaves off.

  “About last night’s attack,” he said, sitting down beside her, “I don’t remember most of it.”

  “What’s to remember?” she said curtly, “an attacker attacked, and being the fearful warrior that you are, you scared him off.”

  Asoka laughed. “Come on.” he said, “I was drugged, but not that drugged. That much, I remember. It wouldn’t have been possible for me to fend him off without your help.”

  “Oh please, don’t pester me.” Devi said. “I am in no mood!”

  “Perhaps, My Lady, you could make a potion to bring yourself into the mood,” Asoka winked.

  “Imbecile.” She said, her tone still curt.

  Asoka laughed. “I was just joking.” He said. “Are you angry because Pushyamitra didn’t let you tre
at him?”

  “Treat him?” Devi said loudly. “He didn’t even let me touch him! Your captain is a very arrogant man. He was injured and I was offering to treat him, as any Vaidya would. And he cries at the soldiers to surround him, yells that he will not let any Buddhist woman touch him, glaring at me.”

  “Oh leave him be!” Asoka said. “He’s like that. Very conservative.”

  “Not conservative. Arrogant! Foolish!” Devi said with rage. and started cutting the leaves furiously.

  Suddenly she cut her finger slightly. Tiny droplets of blood started appearing on it.

  Asoka immediately grabbed her palm and put pressure on the wound. He tore a part of his cloth, and tied it on her finger.

  “Thanks.” She smiled when he was finished. “I have never seen a man do a worse job of bandaging.”

  The curt smirk on her face was now gone and replaced with a smile. Asoka laughed. She laughed a little too. He had not yet let go of her hand.

  “My Lady,” he said, “In the last two days, you have saved my life twice. There is no way I can ever repay your generosity. I however have one more thing to ask you.”

  “What is it?” Devi asked, pulling her palm away, but he did not let it go.

  “I will take my army and leave this place tonight.” He said. “I am on a mission. And I shall not waste any more time for I already am late. However I would love it if you would come with me.”

  “I am not sure I quite understand what you mean to say!” Devi said, looking straight into his eyes.

  So not of the shy sort, Asoka thought.

  “My army shall benefit from a skilled Vaidya like you in its tow. “He said

  “Only if they let me touch them.” She pointed out with a grin.

  “If I had my way, I wouldn’t let anybody touch you, but me!” Asoka said, softly.

  “What did you say?” Devi asked, her eyes wide.

  “That this is not the main reason why I ask you to come with me.” Asoka said. “The attacker of last night! I know he was after me, but you beat him up too. He may come for you, for revenge for what you did. And there will be no one to protect you here, and that worries me.”