Six days had passed since Kutsa’s death. It had created a feeling of insecurity and recalcitrance among the queen and her adherents. Vasiṣṭha advised Sudās to take the king and queen with him to the northern city, in an effort to make them feel like he was acting in their favour. The prince also decided to take his bride with him. Ghoṣā could travel with the group as her companion. He also thought that it was best that Jaraduṣṭra also go with him so that he would not get up to any mischief in Sudās’s absence. Dīrghaśravas wanted to accompany them so that he could attend to some business interests in the northern city.
It was finally decided that Turvaśa, Menakā, Vasiṣṭha, Bhārgava, Kaśyapa, Agastya, Jaraduṣṭra, Vāyata, Dīrghaśravas, Veśa, Ghoṣā and Jabālā would accompany Sudās and Yadu on their journey to the northern city, where they were to stay in the royal castle. Kaśyapa and Agastya recognized this as a suitable opportunity to talk to their prime suspects.
Kaśyapa heard that the physicians who had examined Kutsa’s body were to travel for their remote assignments soon. So, a few days before that, Kaśyapa and Agastya decided that if they did not talk to the physicians immediately, they would lose the chance. On their way to meeting them, Kaśyapa said, ‘Agastya, I think we should consider the kidnapping attempt on Kutsa separate from his and Atharvan’s murder.’
‘So, you think that the two murders are connected but not the kidnapping?’
‘Yes. For one, the kidnapping was unsuccessful and the criminals were caught. No one in their place would dare make another attempt. They would have to drop the plan. The murder happened soon after that, despite the stringent security arrangements, because someone must have thought that if they killed the boy in the midst of all the chaos, nobody would come looking for them. Instead everyone would suspect the same person who attempted the kidnapping. About this being connected to Atharvan’s murder, it is a hunch I have because in both cases the miscreant was not found. The motives could be outwardly different, but I think there is some underlying connection.’
‘Why do you feel that?’
‘These two deaths stand out from the other deaths in the kingdom. If the other murders could be written off as consequences of the brewing political and religious rebellions, the killing of Kutsa, though superficially appearing to be a part of the rebellion, seems to be unnecessary at this point in time, when the prince has already assumed control.’
‘But what about his adherents? The servant? His retainers, the commander and the others? Would they not want to make sure that the prince’s position is secure?’
Kaśyapa was not sure. ‘Of course, we do not want to discount those possibilities as far as the murder goes. But I do think that the kidnapping attempt was engineered by the queen to get her son back and somebody took advantage of that distraction.’
‘You may be right. His kidnapping could not be of much use to any other person.’
‘I agree.’
They reached the house of one of the physicians. After exchanging pleasantries, they started with their questions. Kaśyapa spoke first. ‘Sir, I understand that you are travelling to the southern part of the kingdom?’
The physician gave him a gloomy look. ‘Yes, I have been ordered by the prince to take account of the health of the rural population in the region. It will take me at least six months to move around all the villages there. What an ordeal!’
‘Can’t you ask to be excused?’
‘No, I don’t want to. It’s best that we go,’ he said firmly. ‘We have news that many children in the villages there have been dying of some strange fever. It is best that I, and others with training, go and figure out what is causing it and supply the villages with the required medicines. My suspicion is that the peculiar way in which Saturn, Mars and Mercury were aligned in the skies some time ago caused a miasma to spread across the earth. This miasma tends to upset the balance of the three bioelements—air, water and fire—that make up the human constitution and that may be causing the fever.’
Agastya asked, ‘So, the medicines you prepare will restore the balance of the bioelements?’
‘Yes.’
Kaśyapa appreciated the promptness of the prince’s decision to send the physicians to remote locations. Agastya, on the other hand, was eager to ask the questions they had come to ask. ‘Sir, the guru has asked us to look into the death of the king’s son.’
‘Why? Is anything wrong?’
Kaśyapa said, ‘Well, there is a general feeling that Prince Sudās had a hand in the death of the boy. Our guru wants to ensure that the truth comes out. He has asked us to understand exactly what happened, to clear the prince’s name. Our guru told us that you and the other physicians have a suspicion that the boy was poisoned. Please tell me how you knew that he was poisoned?’
‘There were some seeds of the herb belladonna lying around. It is a powerful hallucinogen and a poison.’
‘How do you know that the boy ingested it?’
‘The milk in the glass next to his bed was slightly discoloured. The herb was mixed with the milk.’
Agastya asked, ‘Then wouldn’t the boy have seen or noticed a difference in taste?’
‘He may have noticed. But he was too young to suspect foul play.’
Kaśyapa asked, ‘Are you sure that the boy died because of this herb? Could he not have died of natural causes?’
‘No, I am quite sure. I looked into his eyes. They were partially open and glazed—it was not a natural look, even for death.’
Agastya asked, ‘Where can one get this herb?’
‘At any herb-seller’s shop. It is commonly available. It is used in medicines in small amounts. It is also used by practitioners of witchcraft for spells and charms.’
‘When did the boy die? Could you ascertain that from the state of the body?’
‘I would say that the death happened sometime in the second part of the night.’
‘Have you told anyone other than the guru and the prince that the death may be unnatural?’
‘The servant present there at the time must know.’
‘Anyone else?’
‘No. But I guess many others may have come to the same conclusion. People are not fools; after all, it is common knowledge that the boy was perfectly healthy.’
*
It was the third day of the month of Śukra. Preparations for the travel to the northern city were being made with great fervour in the prince’s palace. Veśa was supervising the arrangements for the royals’ journey to be comfortable. When Kaśyapa and Agastya walked towards him, they were greeted with a lukewarm welcome. ‘I am really busy here,’ he said. He seemed to know that Kaśyapa was looking into Kutsa’s death.
Kaśyapa said, ‘We will not interfere in your work—we just wanted to ask some people a few questions and leave. The guru and the prince want some things cleared up about the unexpected death of the king’s son. We would like to have a word with the men who were on guard outside Kutsa’s room that night.’ Veśa signalled them to proceed in the direction of the boy’s bedroom.
One of the guards was on duty at the back entrance of the palace—he grew visibly nervous at seeing them come towards him.
Kaśyapa greeted him and said, ‘We want to talk to you about the death of the king’s son.’
‘What do you want to know?’
‘Were you on guard the whole night?’
‘Yes. There were four of us. Our duty was from sunset to sunrise.’
‘Did you leave at any time during the night?’
‘A few times, to relieve ourselves. But at least one of us was always there.’
‘Did all four of you leave together at any time?’
The man looked around carefully and spoke hesitatingly, ‘No.’
Agastya said, ‘So, at no point was the boy left unguarded?’
The man hushed them, seeming almost desperate. ‘All right, yes. He was. I admit that early in the second part of the night, after the boy’s tutor and the other pries
t had left, the other three guards went out together for a quick drink and supper.’
‘But you were on guard, right?’
‘Yes, but I may have gone out to relieve myself. I was feeling uneasy in the stomach and had to leave.’
‘Were you supposed to have gone when the other guards were absent? And are you even allowed to drink while on duty?’
‘No. I am sure the prince will punish us if he finds out.’
‘Did somebody go into the boy’s room during your watch?’
‘Normally, when we came on duty, the nursemaid would be in the room with the boy. Once it got dark, it would be time for the boy’s tutor to go in for his evening lessons. The nursemaid would then go for supper and come back by the time the tutor was ready to leave.’
‘When did she bring him his bedtime milk?’
‘She normally went out to bring the milk before the tutor came and the boy drank it whenever he felt like it.’
‘Was that how it happened on the day of the death?’
‘Yes. When the nursemaid left for supper, the tutor and the other priest went in. Shortly after that, the tutor left and the boy was alone with the other priest for a while. Then the tutor came back and the other priest left. A short while later the tutor also left.’
‘You keep mentioning the “other priest”. Who was he? Have you seen him before?’
‘I do not know his name, but I know that he is a disciple of Jaraduṣṭra.’
Agastya looked at Kaśyapa and then asked the guard, ‘Was this the first time that he came to see the boy?’
‘No. He had been coming since the previous two days.’
‘Were you allowed to let him in?’
‘We did not know whether or not to stop him. Since he was with the boy’s tutor, we assumed it must be all right.’
‘When did the nursemaid return? Could she have known that the “other priest” was visiting the boy?’
‘I do not think so. He always came when the nursemaid had gone for her supper.’ The man hung his head and said guiltily, almost in a whisper, ‘But that night, she must have returned when I left to answer the call of nature.’
‘So, there was a short while when there was no guard outside and no one inside with the boy?’
‘Yes,’ he said wretchedly. ‘The prince will punish us.’
Next, Kaśyapa and Agastya went in search of the nursemaid. They found her lying on a woollen mat in a small room at the rear end of the palace. She rose on seeing them.
‘What do you boys want?’
Kaśyapa said, ‘We are here to talk to you about the death of the king’s son.’
She teared up at the mention of the little boy and nodded at them to go on.
‘Around what time did you bring the boy his milk?’
‘I went out just before dark and got his milk. Shortly after that, I left for supper and to stretch my legs. That is when the boy’s tutor normally came to give him his evening lessons.’
‘Did you see him go in that day?’
‘No . . . I did not.’
‘When you came back from supper, had the tutor left?’
‘Yes.’
‘So, the boy was alone?’
‘Yes. When I came back, I found that the guards were not there either. I assumed that they had gone for supper too.’
‘What was the boy doing when you went in?’
‘He was sleeping.’
‘Had he finished the milk?’
‘Yes. I think there was some in the glass, but he had finished most of it.’
‘What did you do next?’
‘I spread my mat on the floor beside the boy’s cot and went to sleep as I usually did.’
‘So, you did not come to know that he was dead?’
‘No. I assumed that he was sleeping. It was very dark too as most of the lights had been put out.’
15
Kaśyapa and Agastya Talk to a Few People
That morning, after their morning rituals and lessons, Kaśyapa and Agastya went in search of Queen Menakā. She was in the royal palace, supervising the servants who were helping the king get ready for his morning audience with the people. Of late, these audiences were becoming a source of embarrassment to both Sudās and Menakā. The king was already drunk by the time the assembly began and could only manage a few incoherent words to those who came to meet him. Yet, the aura surrounding the king was so powerful that many people still came to see him and seek his blessings.
The queen looked drawn and bitter. ‘Why are you here, boys? Has your guru or the prince sent you to spy on me?’ she cackled.
Kaśyapa said, ‘No, madam. We are trying to find out more about the death of your boy who was so cruelly snatched away by death at such a young age. We wish we could offer you some solace. But only you know the depth of your grief.’
The queen wiped away a tear. ‘They say that the grief from the death of a child lasts forever. What do you want to know?’
‘Madam, I’ll first talk about the kidnapping attempt . . .’
‘Well, you boys probably know by now that I had access to my son for some time every night, despite the prince’s orders against me,’ she said, sounding cautious.
‘But hadn’t the prince ordered that you could meet the boy only under the supervision of the nursemaid?’
‘Yes, he had, and I usually did so, but that is such an unfair arrangement. I wanted to be able to spend some time alone with my boy.’
‘How did you get access without the prince finding out?’
‘Before the kidnapping attempt, security outside Kutsa’s room was not as tight. There were just two guards on duty. I had bribed one of the guards outside the prince’s palace to let me in during the evenings. I would get in and wait for the right opportunity—you know that there are some unused rooms in the palace around the one in which my boy was kept. I would find one from where I could crack open a door and peep to see the entrance to my son’s room. I would be dressed in ordinary clothes so that I would not stand out even if someone looked inside. The nursemaid would go for supper when it got dark. That was when the boy’s tutor would come in for the evening lessons. Normally, once the tutor went in, the guards would, against all orders, go out for a drink and supper. After the tutor left, there would be a short period during which nobody would be keeping a watch on Kutsa. That was when I would go in and spend a few moments with my son. I still feel that we both deserved some time and conversations in peace, and I cherished these opportunities even though I had to leave quickly before the nursemaid or guards came back. Please do not tell the prince any of this. Not that I am scared of him, I just feel there is no need for unpleasantness.’
‘We understand, madam. We will not.’
‘Every day that I saw my son in private, I became surer that I could not bear to be away from him. I wanted him back. He was my only child. I was ready to do anything. A blight on the prince and his designs! What does he know about a mother’s grief at being separated from her child! I found a way . . . it was the only way . . .’
‘So, you orchestrated the kidnapping?’
‘Yes. I got three soldiers loyal to the king to carry out the kidnapping. They did not, of course, know that I was involved. Unfortunately, it did not play out as I had planned it. I don’t think it is any challenge for the prince and his confidantes to identify that I was behind it, even though the soldiers could not have told them.’
Agastya asked, ‘Did you get to meet the boy even after security was tightened?’
‘Yes, it was not as easy as before, of course. There were four guards protecting the boy, but I managed to bribe one of them to go away for a while when the other three went for supper. I did have to choose my moments more carefully— I had to avoid the nursemaid, the tutor, as well as the other guards. But I made it a point to see him.’
‘The night the boy died, madam . . . did you meet him?’
‘No. It was difficult to find a suitable moment that night. For the last cou
ple of days, the tutor had been bringing that disciple of Jaraduṣṭra with him, Vāyata, who he would leave alone with the boy while he stood guard.’
‘Do you know why?’
‘Well, I am not very sure. Kutsa said that the other guru told him about somebody called Varuṇa! I suppose Vāyata was trying to get him to understand the importance of Varuṇa, but I doubt if the boy really appreciated what he was being told. He was too young.’
‘Did you see anybody else while hiding?’
‘Yes, after the guard at the gates let me into the palace, I hid in one of the small unused rooms and saw Dīrghaśravas entering, I presume, to see the prince. While he was still there, Yadu also walked into the prince’s room.’
‘How long were they with the prince?’
‘I do not know. I left soon after his tutor came in because I knew that I would not find a window to meet my son that night. I felt a bit humiliated at having to wait fruitlessly like that. After all, I am the queen of the realm. I could only lament my fate.’
‘Did Vāyata not come in with Bhārgava?’
‘No, he did not come that night. Or, let me get this straight, I did not see him come in. He could very well have slipped in and out when I wasn’t looking. We have known that he was in the habit of coming to meet my boy.’
Agastya asked, ‘Madam, how do you think the poor boy died?’
‘He was killed by the prince—I do not know how, but he was in his care.’
‘Did you talk to the physicians yourself?’
‘Yes, they tried to convince me otherwise and said that the boy had died of natural causes.’
Kaśyapa asked her, ‘Madam, do you remember the death of the boy from the priestly class, Atharvan, about three months ago?’
‘Do you mean that boy who drowned in the rivulet?’
‘Yes. During the assembly session at the beginning of the year, I thought I saw you look upset with him when he said that a change of regime was good for the kingdom. Did you hear him say anything that day?’
‘I remember that a warrior had openly spoken against the king. I ensured that he was punished suitably for his offence as a warning to the others. I remember seeing a student of Vasiṣṭha’s talking with him, but I am certain that his guru would not have let him create any trouble, so I paid no particular attention to it. That poor boy! I think I know how his parents must be feeling, having lost my own son.’
The First Aryan Page 11
