“The Buddha told us to shun both wine and meat,” Hardeo said. “But we sometimes make an exception for the former, especially on a cold night like this.” He took the leather cask from Shiva and held it in the air. “A toast. For our new alliance.” The wine felt much sour to his throat. He handed it back to Shiva after a few sips.
“Indeed for our new alliance,” Shiva said, “and for independence.” He sipped the whole wine until it finished, and then looked at the roasting deer. He took a bit of the meat and bit into it. “Tomorrow night, my army will be here. Then we attack. The walls of Vidishanagri shall be bathed in blood tomorrow.”
“Maybe you should wait a bit,” Hardeo warned. “Haste is a bad thing.”
“So is sloth.” Shiva said. “I am feeling too exposed here. Ujjain is defenseless without us. I itch to finish this job and return to my father there.”
“It is strange how you speak of jobs,” Hardeo said, watching Shiva spit out the bones in the meat of the deer. “I have heard that you and him fought in the southern wars together.”
“Me and who?”
“You and Asoka,” Hardeo said.
“Indeed we did,” Shiva muttered.
“Indeed we did!” Another voice said loudly from behind them. It came as a shock to them because no one was supposed to be behind them. Shiva spun on his heels and turned around at once.
Hardeo turned too. The two men, who were sitting by the roasting deer near the fire, jumped up in surprise and raised their swords. Shiva unsheathed his own blade. Everybody stared at the darkness, for nothing at all could be seen.
“Who’s there?” Shiva asked loudly, taking a step forward, his sword pointed ahead. The men by the fire came by his sides and the three of them blocked Hardeo’s sight. Who was hiding in the darkness?
Shiva pointed his sword at a single tree which stood at the other edge of the rock. “There.” He said. His two men started moving towards it, and there was movement at the tree. Hardeo moved a little to the side to look at what was happening. What he saw almost made his eyeballs pop out.
Asoka had moved out from behind the tree he was hiding and now stood there, looking at them. It certainly was Asoka, the pale light from the fire fell on his face.
“Easy, easy Shiva.” He said, as he slowly moved forward. “The last time I saw you draw your blade that quick, you and I were standing side to side.”
“How did you..?” Shiva couldn’t find his words. He had lowered his sword though. “How did you get here?”
Asoka walked ahead, raising his hands. “I followed him.” He said, pointing at Hardeo.
Shiva’s two men glanced back at Hardeo with rage.
“I followed him, from a distance.” Asoka said. “He did not know!”
The rebels turned to Asoka again. Shiva raised back his sword and pointed it at him. “Stop moving forward. “ He said. Asoka stopped in his tracks.
“Show us your hands,” Shiva said loudly. Asoka raised both of his hands behind his head. “Don’t ask me to get on my knees too now.” He said, smiling.
“Who’s with you?” Shiva asked, the seriousness of his voice not eased even a bit.
“Just my horse,” Asoka said.
“Your weapons?”
“I don’t have any.”
“Then why have you come here?” Shiva’s face was filled with fear and confusion.
“To talk,” Asoka said calmly. “Can we?”
Chanakya
Patliputra, 50 years earlier
The throne room of Maharaja Dhanananda’s palace was one of the biggest rooms I had ever seen, and yes, I had seen my share of throne rooms in the northwest. This one was much, much bigger. But so was the entire palace. And the entire city.
Even Maharaja Dhanananda was quite big. He was so fat, even the throne appeared small before him. He sat with his large thighs bulging out of the seat on either side.
The pillars of the throne room were adorned with jewels of all kinds. The Maharaja sure was indulgent. On the roof was a mighty glass lamp which I was sure had come from the northwest, from the land of the Persians. So were the carpets that were on the floor, filled with rich embroidery. Even the Maharaja’s clothes were exorbitant, and his crown, shining of gold.
“So you are the one who was caught trying to kill my deer?” Dhanananda’s voice was as hoarse and ugly as his face. The courtroom was full of people. To the side of the king, I spotted Prime Minister Rakshasa who was watching me intently.
“With all due respect, Maharaja, I was caught, but I did not kill any deer,” I said.
“You were caught with a knife in my gardens with blood on it,” Dhanananda said.
“It was my own blood,” I said. I raised my thumb which was bloodied.
“So why did you do it?” Dhanananda asked.
“To have an audience with you.” I said. “Do you know how hard it is for the common men to get to you?”
“Yes, I am very aware,” Dhanananda said.
“So I had to do this farce so that you would see me.” I said. “I was told that you see all the criminals.”
Dhanananda laughed, “Indeed I do. “But you are of no use to me. You may as well tell me why you wanted to speak with me?”
“I come from Taxila,” I said. “I was Guru at the academy there. I came here to ask for help.”
“What kind of help?” Dhanananda asked.
“A great threat looms from the east.” I said. “The Greeks who have captured the Persian Empire are now eager to push into your Rajya.”
“So I’ve heard.” Dhanananda said.
“The northwest is rife with turmoil.” I said. “The Rajas in the region are surrendering to the Greeks. The people there are being oppressed.”
“The people here are being oppressed too.” Dhanananda smiled. The court laughed. Chanakya looked around. All the men looked rough and muscled. The military type.
“If you were to take your army and go northwest, Maharaja,” I said, “the people there would look at you as a savior.”
“Me, a savior?” Dhanananda laughed loudly. “You, Brahmin, are a fool. Like all Brahmins! I don’t like Brahmins at all. That is why I have only one in my palace.” He pointed at Prime Minister Rakshasa.
“Maharaja, you are making a mistake.” I said.
“It is you who has made a mistake.” Dhanananda said loudly. “You tried to kill my deer after all. Throw him in a jail.”
Beside him, I could see Minister Rakshasa nodding.
“What kind of a Maharaja are you?” I burst out as guards reached me, “Already, you are a tyrant to your own people. I feel ashamed that I came to you for help.”
I looked around at the whole court, “When Vaishyas like him attain power,” I said loudly, “it is the duty of Bramhins like us to step up and show them their place. I, Arya Chanakya, here, vow in the presence of this ancient city that I will drive away the Greeks on my own. And after I am done with all that, I will return here, Dhanananda, and drag you down from this throne of which you are not worthy.”
There was pin-drop silence in the court. Then Dhanananda spoke. “Let’s see how you do all that after you are dead.”
My hands were tied in chains and a huge ball of metal was tied to my feet. The chains did not matter. I had been tied up before too. I dragged the metal ball behind me as the guards pulled me along a corridor. Prime Minister Rakshasa strolled by our side. The guards stopped at once.
“A minute with the prisoner,” Rakshasa said, and the guards walked some distance away in both directions. Rakshasa walked up very close, as if he was observing my chains. “Chanakya, you are a fool.” He whispered, moving in a circle around me, “I told you not to do anything stupid.”
“You left me no choice,” I whispered back. “The jeweler, Hanuman, told me that the Maharaja sees only rich men, women and criminals. I couldn’t be the former, so I chose to be the latter.”
Prime Minister Rakshasa breathed. “At least you should have asked me first. Do you know w
hy the Maharaja meets with only rich people, women and criminals?”
“No. “I said.
“Then listen!” Rakshasa said “The Maharaja meets with rich people, because most of the times they are bringing him gifts. He meets with women … because well, he is fond of them. And criminals, well….you should have asked me, Chanakya.”
“Why does he meet with criminals?” I asked.
“He offers them a place in his army.” Rakshasa said.
“Why on earth would he do that?” I gasped.
“He recruits like that.” Rakshasa said. “You know by now how the system works here, don’t you? The army is the tyranny of the Maharaja. And in return, the army has the right to do anything that it wants. Who else but men with criminal minds would want to inhabit such an army?”
“But that’s ridiculous!” I exclaimed.
“I told you not to go to the palace.” Rakshasa said. “Now look at the mess you’ve got yourself into. Soon the Maharaja will give you to the gallows. But first you shall be tortured. You threatened him in front of the whole court after all.”
“You’ve got to get me out, “I pleaded. “You’ve got to do something.”
“I won’t have to do anything at all,” Rakshasa muttered, turning away. “After all the attention that you have attracted in the court today,” he said, “You shall get out of the prison yourself.”
The dark cell was filled with stenches of all kinds. There was only a small window with bars in the corner. Night had fallen. And I could see only the moon from the small window and the night sky and the stars. I was hungry, but nobody came to feed him.
The floor was cold and wet. I had no choice but to lie down on it. My body shivered due to the cool breeze blowing in through the cell bars.
This is not going to end like this! I am going to get out, and then bring revenge down on all those who have wronged me.
I smiled.
“Three!” I said.
I woke up because of the loud noise made by the screeching iron bars. I turned over to see what it was. Two guards were in my cell, looking upon me.
I recognized one of them as Captain Shesha. The others were not visible.
“Stand up, Brahmin.” Captain Shesha said. I got to my feet. Captain Shesha slapped me. The force was so big, I fell back to the floor.
“It is heard you threatened the Maharaja himself!” Captain Shesha laughed loudly. “Well thank you for that, because now we have the freedom to do anything with you.”
He kicked me squarely in the gut. I felt myself vomit all over the captain’s boots. Captain Shesha looked at me with disgust.
“Bring over the cauldron.” He ordered his men. A large vessel was brought. I looked at it with horror. What was in it?
Shesha’s men pulled me up by the shoulders and propped me over the cauldron. It was filled with water. Shesha laughed.
“Don’t forget to breathe.” He said, and grabbed me by the throat.
I felt the water hit my face everywhere as Shesha put my head into the cauldron. I held my breath. Soon I was gasping for air. I felt some water enter my lungs through my mouth. It was painful.
Then Captain Shesha propped my head up. “No,” he laughed, “We won’t kill you. Not so easily.”
He let me fall to the floor as I coughed out water. Shesha kept his foot on my head. He pressed a little.
“You Bramhins are supposed to be wise.” He laughed. “Your brains are supposed to be big.”
He pressed even more. “Let’s see how much time it takes to crush a Brahmin’s brain.”
I felt my skull on the verge of cracking.
“Beg us to stop.” Captain Shesha bellowed. I did not say a word. Shesha laughed.
“You stubborn piece of shit.” He said and propped me up again.
I felt myself being thrown against the wall. My head hurt from the collision. Shesha’s elbow held me against the wall, pressing into it. I felt some of my teeth shatter.
“Beg us, Brahmin, or else it will be far worse.” Shesha laughed. I did not budge.
“Hold him up.” Shesha ordered his men. The two men held me by the legs, my head floating against gravity. Captain Shesha played with me like a pendulum. He kept swinging my inverted body.
“Beg us.” Shesha said.
I felt blood rush to my head. It was beginning to feel heavy. I did not open my mouth.
Captain Shesha kicked me on the forehead with his pointed boots. The blow was very hard. I could feel blood rush out. The guards let me fall to the floor.
Shesha bent by his side. “Beg us, asshole.” he said. I just glared at him. Shesha laughed. He pulled me by the hair.
“This tied hair.” Shesha said, “it’s supposed to symbolize wisdom, isn’t it?” He yanked it. I felt my skin being pulled. Shesha had opened the knot of my hair.
“Beg us, scum. “ Shesha said.
I could feel my hair fall over my face. Shesha pulled them. I had realized that all of this could stop immediately if I just said those words. I didn’t have to mean them.
“I beg of you. “ I finally said. Shesha laughed loudly.
“See.” He said to his guards. “Everyone does it in the end.” He turned to me. “That’s all for today, Brahmin.” He said. “Tomorrow, we shall return.”
The guards left the cell as Shesha locked the door. “And the day after tomorrow!” Shesha mocked. He moved his own finger against his neck.
They went away laughing. I sat there with my hair open. Their laughter was ringing in my ears. Hoarse laughter.
Even in all that pain, I smiled. “Four!” I said.
Night had fallen. My cell had become very dark. There was no more light coming in from the small window in the corner.
Suddenly, there was noise. I couldn’t see very well in the dark, but men were approaching, carrying torches.
Was it Captain Shesha again?
I got to my feet. The men with the torches were drawing nearer, the light from the fire falling on my cell door. Soon they were at the door.
“Who are you?” I asked, but the men gestured at me to keep quiet. One of them brought out a crowbar and started bending the lock of the door. I walked back a few steps. Soon the lock was broken.
The door opened and I could see them more clearly. They were carrying torches and dressed in black cloaks. One of the men gave me a hand and pulled me out of that hellhole. I felt my head brush slightly against the cell door as I was pulled out.
One of the man gestured at me to stay silent and follow them. I obeyed. The men led me quietly through the corridors.
When we would encounter patrolling guards, we would extinguish the torches and fall silently, against the walls. When the guards were gone, we would light the torch at the next oil lamp in the walls and proceed.
Soon the guards disappeared completely and so did the lamps in the wall. We had entered a dark passageway. We kept walking.
“Now you can speak.” One of the men said. “The guards can’t hear us.”
“Who are you, and where are you taking me?” I asked them.
“We are taking you out of the prison.” The man said.
“But why?”
“We are taking you to our leader.” He said. There was no more talk.
Soon I realized that we had reached a ladder. The men climbed it, one by one. The man behind me gestured me to climb it. Over them, there was a trapdoor through which I emerged in what looked like the basement of a house.
We climbed some more stairs and emerged in a dimly lit room, where some people were sitting around a long table. A light fire was burning in the fireplace. All of the men around the table turned to look at me as I walked into that room.
The man sitting at the head of the table got up and removed his hood. His hair was long, and his face noble.
“I welcome you, Arya Chanakya.” He said, opening his arms. “My name is Avarak, and we are the Ancient Brahminical Order.”
Asoka
Vidisha, 271 BC
&
nbsp; “How did you follow me?” Hardeo asked, surprise clearly showing on his face. His eyes were wide and eyebrows raised with confusion. “I thought that you were…”
“That I was asleep with your daughter?” Asoka said, interrupting him in between. “Frankly, you underestimate me, Guildmaster!” He had lowered his hands, and Shiva had lowered his sword.
“What he means to ask,” Shiva said, “is how you figured out that you had to follow him in the first place?”
Asoka smiled. “Because I had an inkling about your supposed union!”
“And how did that come about?” Hardeo asked.
“It was frankly easy to conclude,” Asoka said. “Raja Utamacharya is already very old. Soon he shall die. Then the arrangement you have in the city will fail as Patliputra appoints a new Raja. Merchant that you are, Guildmaster, it is but natural that you should rub your shoulders with the enemy of Patliputra. Also, I know that you arranged for weapons to be sold to the enemies of Patliputra.”
“Calling us enemies already, Asoka?” Shiva taunted, moving to one side.
“I said enemies of Patliputra,” Asoka said, “not enemies of mine.”
Shiva sat down on a boulder by the fire. “You can put down your swords.” He told his two soldiers who still had their weapons out. “He and I are not going to hurt each other. Are we, Asoka?” He said the last part looking at him.
“I don’t think so, old friend,” Asoka said, sitting down on another boulder by the fire’s side. “The most that can happen is a shouting match, but I’m sure we can avoid that too!”
The soldiers obeyed and sheathed their swords. “Go take a walk.” Shiva ordered and they walked away, into the darkness.
“So where was your conversation going when I intruded?” Asoka asked. “You were talking about staining the walls of Vidishanagri with blood. My blood!”
“Frankly I don’t know what to say now,” Shiva said, moving the deer slowly on the fire. “Your sudden appearance has shocked me. You haven’t changed at all, Asoka!”
“But you seem to have changed quite a lot,” Asoka taunted. “Planning of attacks from the rear? At night? Backstabbing? It’s really not your style, Shiva. I remember you as an upfront man. One who would face his enemy before killing him.”
The Prince of Patliputra Page 16