RAKESH K. KAUL
Dawn
The Warrior Princess of Kashmir
PENGUIN BOOKS
Contents
Preface
Prologue
PRAKARANA I: THE BODY
Sarga 1: Was It a Dream?
Sarga 2: The Outlaws
Sarga 3: Father’s Fall
Sarga 4: The Tale of King Meghavahana
Sarga 5: Mother’s Counsel
Sarga 6: Dare the Scare
Sarga 7: Conquer or Die
Sarga 8: Justice
Sarga 9: Home Again
PRAKARANA II: THE MIND
Sarga 10: Inception
Sarga 11: Life Breath
Sarga 12: Rasa
Sarga 13: Battle Plans
PRAKARANA III: LIFE
Sarga 14: Kurukshetra
Sarga 15: Anything Can Happen
Sarga 16: Innerverse
Sarga 17: Resurrection
Footnotes
Sarga 1: Was It a Dream?
Sarga 3: Father’s Fall
Sarga 9: Home Again
Sarga 10: Inception
Sarga 14: Kurukshetra
Selected Bibliography
Acknowledgements
Follow Penguin
Copyright
PENGUIN BOOKS
DAWN
THE WARRIOR PRINCESS OF KASHMIR
Rakesh Kaul, an IIT gold medallist, migrated to the US in 1972. He was a founding contributor to the first Chair of India Studies at University of California, Berkeley, the Center for the Advanced Study of India at University of Pennsylvania and the Mattoo Center for India Studies at the State University of New York. He is the author of the bestseller The Last Queen of Kashmir. Kaul has had a distinguished business career as CEO and held leadership positions of publicly traded companies in the US. He serves as the Vice Chair of the Indo-American Arts Council.
Advance praise for the Book
‘Stories unite the world and they are worth fighting for . . . The core of this fantastical tale is a message for all eternity’—Padma Bhushan Anupam Kher, actor and author of Lessons Life Taught Me, Unknowingly: An Autobiography (Hay House India, 2019)
‘Brilliant, original and magically creative, Rakesh Kaul’s Dawn: The Warrior Princess of Kashmir sees Kashmiri wisdom come alive through the genre of science fiction’—Padma Shri Amitabh Mattoo, professor of international studies at Jawaharlal Nehru University, foundation director of the Australia India Institute and former adviser to the chief minister of J&K
‘Dawn: The Warrior Princess of Kashmir is an epic novel in the style of Brave New World, but it goes much further beyond that classic. Set in 3000 AD, it presents a dystopic vision of the world that is run using mind control and AI. It is the story of the last free individuals who challenge the tyrant and eventually triumph. A story at many different levels, its deepest narrative is about the workings of Universal Consciousness. The book connects this story—set in the future—with the mystical past of Kashmir. It is a book to be savoured in multiple ways. A tour de force!’—Padma Shri Subhash Kak, regents professor emeritus, Oklahoma State University
‘In the true spirit of our master storyteller ancestors from Kashmir, Kaul builds a mesmerizing maze of a narrative. Read him for this very pure joy’—Rahul Pandita, journalist and author of Our Moon Has Blood Clots: A Memoir of a Lost Home in Kashmir (Penguin Random House India, 2014) and Hello, Bastar: The Untold Story of India’s Maoist Movement (Tranquebar Press, 2011)
‘The displacement of Kashmiri Pandits from their ancestral, beautiful valley of Kashmir is one of the poignant tragedies of our time, made more so when viewed in light of the multitudinous riches they brought to civilization. The telling is not easy, but Rakesh Kaul, author of the acclaimed The Last Queen of Kashmir, brings this story alive for today’s readers, especially youths. Drawing on techniques as ancient as the earliest animal fables known to man, the Panchatantra, and as current as the latest in AI and science fiction, Kaul has produced an absorbing work of fiction based on history, mythology and literature, that is at once entertaining and stimulating’—Kamal K. Sridhar, associate professor of linguistics at the Department of Asian and Asian American Studies and associate director of Bishembarnath & Sheela Mattoo Center for India Studies at the State University of New York
‘Rakesh Kaul’s book dishes out a kaleidoscopic admixture of fabulation, metafiction, futurism and fantasy. Kashmir, in the author’s consciousness, as it emerges in the tripartite structure of the narrative becomes a syntagm of “all Indic folk stories”: The Body, The Mind and finally, Life. Kaul’s book reflects an epicentric shift from the millennial to the cataclysmic and climactically closes the narrative with a pronounced shift to an optimistic renewal, as in the Biblical Revelation: “After the demonic apocalypse, a new heaven and a new earth will emerge”. The book is a must for scholars and teachers alike’—Ashok Aima, vice chancellor, Central University of Jammu
‘One wonders at the mind of an author who so poetically yet powerfully, imaginatively yet injunctively, weaves together not only the past and the present but, this time, also the future. A novel truly for our anchorless lives and times, Dawn is part-fantasy, part-reality, but always authentic truth. Riveting stuff—and such fun along the way!’—Shonaleeka Kaul, professor of ancient history, Centre for Historical Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University
‘Skilfully weaving these age-old Niti stories together with everything from extraordinarily imaginative futuristic science and technology to the history of Kashmir and the remarkable contributions its people have made to the world, Kaul illuminates not just the vital importance of the love and strength held in the heart of every woman, but the unimaginable power of the cosmic feminine force’—Teri Degler, author of The Divine Feminine Fire: Creativity and Your Yearning to Express Your Self (Dreamriver Press, 2009)
‘The modern-yet-ancient Niti story told by Rakesh Kaul both preserves and revives the “story” of Kashmir itself. Dawn: The Warrior Princess of Kashmir is blessed with some amazing pratibhā of his own having inexplicable insights into the ancient yogic science preserved by the Kashmiri Pandits so many centuries ago in texts . . . Yet, the story of Dawn is one of universal Awakening that pertains to all and is not limited to Kashmir. In praising the omnipresence of Mahā, he proclaims that the role of the Kashmiri Pandit is to preserve the collective memory of the great awakening that occurred in Kashmir for the sake of all beings’—Christopher Tompkins, PhD Candidate on Kashmir Shaivism and yoga practitioner, University of California, Berkeley
‘Amazing the things you find when you bother to search for them.’
Sacagawea, the Native American woman who served as an interpreter and guide during the Lewis and Clark Expedition
Preface
Storytelling, irrespective of the medium, is the oldest living art form known to humanity. Among the most widely read stories in the world are the tales of the Panchatantra. Recounted to princes 2,200 years ago, these stories provide wise counsel on the way of life via animals who portray the central characters in the Panchatantra; to cite an example, the wise crows overcome the owls who were their predators. However, in the present times, many prefer technology—especially gaming—to reading stories, calculation to conduct and machine to life. No wonder, today’s youth are caught in the spell of the siren song of life-threatening viral games and social media trends or mind-numbing ideologies. The horrible whistle of these manipulative cyber Pied Pipers has scared children and adults alike. In the eyes of a teenager, reality is perceived as unjust, chaotic, hopeless and evil. The only way forward, as directed by the invisible and manipulative gamemasters, is one that poses life-threatening quests. Tragically, sometimes this can lead to self-harm and a mad race to stop the participants from eventually writing a sui
cide note or posting a selfie video, ‘The End’.
A great story is the sure-fire antidote to a person’s attraction and surrender to unhealthy pressures. And so, it is time. It is time to introduce the world to tales from India that equal that of the Panchatantra but have been forgotten and overlooked despite having timeless relevance. Within India, the art of storytelling was born in Kashmir, including the term sahitya. ‘Kashmir as a field of folk-lore literature is, perhaps, not surpassed in fertility by any other country in the world,’ wrote J. Hinton Knowles in his book Folklore of Kashmir, and he was not wrong. Edutainment—a blend of education and entertainment—was pioneered in Kashmiri folk tales that range from the Panchatantra to the Kathasaritsagara and Yoga Vasistha. These masterful stories create a feeling of wonder even in present times, owing to a potent home-grown cocktail of emotions—the juice of life—an understanding of which was developed over the course of a thousand years. The method of preparation of this cocktail is decided by the creator, but the ingredients are invariant; they always follow a pattern: love, joy, wonder, anger, courage, sadness, fear, disgust and finally, peace.
When there is a flow of deep emotions, it triggers the attainment of new-found freedom. This leads to the opening of the mind, to the experience of true reality. True reality is simply the recognition of the total dimensionality of any experience. Reality also requires compliance with the laws of nature and conformity with the laws of science because they are synonymous. If a fictive story works collectively and sustainably for betterment, then it is the truth. Because, to put it simply, truth is what works. Everything else is false—a mind construct with only momentary impact. This story of true reality then not only is fulfilling but also leads to one’s growth in knowledge and action. It is expansion of the Self versus mere thrill. This expansion eventually leads to happiness. It is believed that when a mother asked Dr Albert Einstein how her child could become a brilliant scientist like him, he unsurprisingly answered, ‘Fairy tales and more fairy tales’!
This book comprises a collection of Indic stories that has its origins in Kashmir and falls in a genre known as Niti stories. Niti means ‘sensible, wise conduct, wisdom or policy’, in which India has been a literary pioneer with Panchatantra being its crown jewel. Each Niti story is an offering to Malini, a venerated goddess, who adorns a garland made with the Sanskrit alphabet. And so, each story is an authentic pearl drawn from lore. In this book, the pearls of these ancient stories have been strung together by a super story. A super story is, as always, the story of the hero or heroine’s quest for the deeper experience of life, and like Malini, holds a universe within itself. This quest is a rite of passage or Prakarana, which has distinct milestones, which in this literary composition are sargas or chapters.
The Indian epic Mahabharata is, of course, the ultimate super story. For the warriors of yore, life’s odyssey presented challenges that impacted one’s physical and mental well-being or the level of consciousness. The warrior who learns, adapts and transforms successfully and completes his quest becomes the new storyteller, and so, the creator of life. The one who loses not only loses his history but also his ability to create a future and eventually dies. Your life story is, thus, your lifeboat that tows you even as you carry it. Fortunately, the super-story, grounded as it is in the force of life, always wins and hence is the essence of this collection of stories. Because of its inherently victorious property, knowledge of the super-story is both an existential and evolutionary necessity. The reader-warrior who embraces this rich treasury will get equipped with the Niti secret and know what constitutes wise behaviour, irrespective of the ever-changing challenges and threats that life throws its way.
At a deeper level, all Indic folk stories seeded in Kashmir and the ones that travelled globally followed an identical structure. While Vladimir Propp was the first to reveal the framework, it was validated for Kashmiri stories by Lalita Handoo. Was this an example of the famous U-turn where an Indic export returned with a Western sheen? The enduring popularity of these stories bears testimony to the success of the literary formula and the inner engineering at work here. This novel is the first one in contemporary times to follow the Kashmiri folk tales’ framework and retain the artistic authenticity of these timeless compositions. This story faithfully adheres to the original design structure in that the individual folk stories—sometimes nested within one another and numbering nearly one hundred—are a complete narrative in themselves but are also connected to each other and the frame of the super-story.
In the connectivity and amalgamation of this super-story’s content, Kashmir’s geo-cultural context has also been integrated and brought to life for the first time. It pays homage to the ancient Niti story that was architected by daring innovators to tell the noble truths of a grand civilization and share its collective, universal, highest and, most importantly, timeless experiences. It also suggests as to why the Niti story is the most powerful technology ever. It is because the Niti story is the only force that moves the body, the mind, the heart and the spirit. While India and Kashmir are the setting here, the borderless framework makes a broader point: this super-story could happen anywhere else. Remember, globally, folk stories are of people who lived before there were commandments or moral police. Their life stories reflect nascent narratives, which were uncontaminated by external strictures and the mind-control pollution that has followed. Their way of life represented the freedom to be who one wanted to be, based on people’s lives as the supreme teacher and not diktat that has only divided humanity. There is an urgent need to bring these Niti life stories to the fore today if humanity is to conquer the divisions created by an uncontrollable lust for power of which Kashmir is the man-made litmus test.
Before embarking on this journey, be forewarned that Kashmiri literary principles require that you only see as far forward as you see backward. Significantly, the reverse is equally true. The past, the present and the future are all coexistent. The story of Lila, the queen who sought immortality for her husband, points to the perspective of cyclical time while sharing the effects of seeking immortality. Also, according to these classical literary canons, the story should be crooked and with misdirection. What is seemingly real may not be real and what seems to be fantasy may well be true science. The reader can be assured that whether it is literary authenticity, historical accuracy, scientific validity or theological purity, this writing reflects it. And then there is dhvani or a hidden suggestion, akin to the oil inside a sesame seed. The secret to how to infuse the story with subliminal power is contained inside the real-life tale of Idagali, the dancer who ends up bewitching the king. Finally, one should not forget that the Pandavas are reputed to have spent time in Kashmir and that Lord Krishna appointed a widow queen as the ruler of the kingdom. The Kashmiri recension of the Gita contained in the Mahabharata emphasizes the real meaning of Maha or everything, and so, this story of Dawn follows that faithfully.
The modern-day youth are advised to find their passion in life. Interestingly, passion is derived from the Latin word passio, which means suffering. The Niti story befittingly delivers an expansion that miraculously offers joy even in suffering. Each reader will experience a different story based on their own emotional resonance as our tale twists and turns across Time and Space and through different ages and eras. Irrespectively, it will entertain, educate, empower and enable as all folk stories have done since the dawn of time. It will be the soma experience that the Rig Veda promises, which makes one immune to the malice of foes and hence, immortal.
So, unleash yourself, prepare for take-off as you travel to and through India’s wondrous literary landscape. Discover, behold and experience the power and glory of Niti.
Prologue
I composed myself and focused. I had renounced everything and sought guidance on how to face Dushita. There was nothing but silence. The female pigeon watched me attentively. I was all alone in the world. There was nobody else—man, woman or child. My mind melted like a snowflake as thou
ghts disappeared. I waited and waited for a signal, but nothing was forthcoming. If Maha was there, I did not see him. Then it hit me. The brave front that I had put on while saying goodbye to Yuva and the Pandavas finally gave way. I was alone in the world, no, alone in the Universe. What would happen to me? To the world? I broke down and wept out of desperation, knowing that Dushita awaited me outside. My chest heaved with emotions. My tears became the offering to Maha. I felt myself melting as I cried in a state of complete dissolution, which I thought would cause me to collapse. Slowly, I managed to steady my heavy sobs. My mind had stilled, and the toxicity of my anxiety washed out. I felt better and was ready to go out and finally, aggressively confront Dushita.
Then my eyes fell on the mace that my mother had given me. It had the name Usha engraved on it. I was reminded of what my mother had told me. The mace is now bonded with you. You can will it to come to you in your hour of need. But give it freedom and don’t overthink for it. It knows its Dharma quite well. The mace had come to me. Yuva had told me that I could have any name that I wanted. And so, I, Dawn, decided my future name.
Usha, the life of life and the death of death.
PRAKARANA I
THE BODY
Sarga 1
Was It a Dream?
19 January AD 3000, A Half-Moon Night
Trans-Himalayas
My mother, with a big smile on her face, woke me up in the morning of that fateful day.
‘Dawn, wake up! It is your sixteenth birthday! I have so many special things planned for you, my darling,’ she chirped as she entered my compartment in the pod, with the breakfast tray flying in by her side. I could smell the freshly baked roth1—a treat reserved only for special occasions. Nibbling on it while sipping hot kahwah2, I was filled with a sense of contentment.
Dawn Page 1
