Sugandhi Alias Andal Devanayaki

by T. D. Ramakrishnan

  ‘Do you mind if I am there too?’

  ‘No. Your presence will be helpful.’

  Two Chinese men and Shailendran came to the meeting. Their expressions revealed the irritation they felt at the presence of a woman. Shailendran immediately expressed his displeasure.

  ‘I’ve explained everything to them. They feel that Sinha Saila doesn’t require new weapons for its security. There are thousands of soldiers on guard around the fortress. The moat is full of crocodiles. You have to walk up six hundred feet to the palace. You can’t come here on elephant or horseback. The enemy cannot enter even if it wants to. But women are always nervous.’

  ‘Shailendran, the security of the fort is not the only problem.’

  ‘Then what is it? Is Mahinda going to war against the Cholas?’

  Mahinda did not like the question and thought to himself, ‘He does not even consider the fact that I was once a king.’ But it was not wise to displease one of the most prominent guests of the city of dreams. Devanayaki was the one who replied.

  ‘The weapons traders need not concern themselves with whether we are going to war or not. If you don’t mind, Shailendran, I will talk to them in their language.’

  Shailendran did not like her interference. He left the room saying, ‘I am no longer needed here.’ She tactfully presented her case before the Chinese traders. She wanted gunpowder, newly invented in China. Though they tried to be evasive, saying that they did not know anything about it, they agreed when she told them that they could name the price. They took a hundred gold coins as advance and agreed to deliver the goods by the first week of the next month. Mahinda had not even heard of gunpowder until then. Devanayaki did not explain its use to him either.

  Devanayaki’s hold on Mahinda and the city of dreams grew stronger with each passing day. With the help of certain rituals, she was able to tame a hurricane that lasted only for moments into a gentle breeze that lasted through the night. But she was unable to use the tenth Buddha in spite of staying there for a month. As each night passed, her suspicion that she had fallen in love with Mahinda grew stronger.

  One day, Nakkeeran, a spy of Rajendra Chola, arrived in the guise of a Muslim trader. Devanayaki saw him as she sat in the royal hall with Mahinda. They recognized each other. When the crowds dispersed, she went to him after making sure that Mahinda had left.

  ‘The prince commanded me to return only after finding Kantha Madeviyar. It troubles me to see you here. Shall I tell him?’

  ‘Absolutely. Not only should you tell him, you should also carry my message to him. Just don’t ask me how I got here.’

  ‘Madeviyar, how can you live with the man who killed your daughter?’

  ‘No more questions. Don’t try to meet me in person.’

  She prepared a message for the prince on palm leaves that very night. There were seven palm leaves on which she described the city of dreams, the military camps, and Mahinda’s family which was living in Ruhuna on the east coast. In the letters, she addressed Rajendra as ‘Sculptor’ and signed it ‘Gnana Saraswathi’ in case Nakkeeran was intercepted. Everything was written in code.

  Nakkeeran returned on the third day. He wandered around without participating in any gambling games, nor did he disrobe any woman. Sena wondered why he had come to the city of dreams. He informed Mahinda about this stranger but, intoxicated by Devanayaki, he paid no attention.

  21

  In those days, Sigiriya was more of a playground for the rich than a gamblers’ den. The main attractions, of course, were the beauteous courtesans. There were women from Lanka, Vanga, Kalinga, and even from Greece. Unlike the slave girls the gamblers brought with them, most of the courtesans in Sigiriya were bold, free women. They were skilled in music and dance, and performed in separate places marked for them around the palace. There were stringent rules for how they should greet their visitors, how they should entertain them, and how much they could receive as gifts. All of this was recorded in a handbook titled Swapnajalika written by Vishakhadatta, a chief of the courtesans, five centuries ago when king Kasyapa founded the city of dreams. Mahinda made more money from the pleasure games played at night than from the gambling games during the day. A portrait of each and every beautiful woman in the city of dreams was etched upon the walls of the western entrance. These portraits were not mere decoration, but bait to lure visitors. A special type of paint – kanija – that did not fade in the rain or sun was used to paint them. As if to realize his dream, Mahinda had installed seven paintings of Devanayaki. The court artist, Devatachan, and his disciples took great pains to paint these portraits, sitting on bamboo platforms suspended three hundred feet above the ground. Gladdened by the paintings that depicted Devanayaki’s celestial beauty from varied perspectives, Mahinda asked the artist what reward he would like. He stood silent in all humility. When compelled, he said, ‘If I speak of my desire, you will have me beheaded.’ Unfortunately, the artist couldn’t allow himself to lie. Though he didn’t reveal his desire, Mahinda beheaded him anyway.

  This hurt Devanayaki. She had posed for days for Devatachan before he started painting. He never made any advances towards her. He may have dreamt about it, but only dreamers can become good artists. She began to hate even the name of the city of dreams. But she did not tell Mahinda this. He was a man who did not hesitate to kill people for the most trivial reasons. She, on the other hand, found it a terrible task. She hadn’t gathered the courage to use the tenth Buddha. To actually kill was much more difficult than to devise complex war strategies and advise kings on how to conduct wars. It is not difficult to kill if one is using weapons in an open fight. But the murder she had planned involved deceit. It was not enough to mix snake venom in his food. It must enter his bloodstream. The king’s body did not bear the mark of a single wound, as he did not touch weapons. She chastised herself, ‘You fool. Can’t you bruise his lips if you want to? Then, as if applying salve to his wound … But I will have to wait until either the city of dreams is completely in my control or Rajendra Chola’s troops surround Sinha Saila.’

  Rajendra’s reply to the message sent through Nakkeeran arrived soon enough. A spy called Sumantran brought the reply on the twenty-first day. He too was disguised as a merchant. Rajendra asked her to wait for a storm. He also wrote that she could contact Mangala in Polonnaruwa if she needed anything. But before Devanayaki could contact her, Mangala sent her messenger to Devanayaki. ‘I know that seven of your portraits adorn Sinha Saila. My portrait is on the northern wall. Do not hesitate to ask me for help.’ Devanayaki wanted to see Mangala’s portrait. There were pictures of many beauties in the northern corner. Devanayaki could not be sure which one was Mangala. She couldn’t ask anyone else about it, so she entrusted her maids with the job and they pointed out Mangala’s portrait. She was happy when she saw it. Rajaraja’s choice was, as always, faultless. Devanayaki was careful in her interaction with the spies. The messages were written in code and destroyed immediately after they were read. She ensured that she never met the same messenger twice.

  Two weeks after she received Rajendra’s message, the Chinese merchants brought the gunpowder. It came in four urns. Three big urns contained saltpetre and the smaller, fourth one had sulphur in it. The coal which had to be added was prepared after they reached Sinha Saila. In great secrecy, they demonstrated its preparation to Mahinda and Devanayaki. The Chinese traders used urine to mix the saltpetre, sulphur and coal. They taught them how to pack bamboo with gunpowder, how to make arrows of fire, and how to wrap the powder in palm leaves so that it would explode with great noise. Neither Mahinda nor his army chiefs were convinced about its efficacy during a war. They said they didn’t need it because they had arrows, swords, spears, iron clubs and tridents. They joked that it could only be used to entertain children or scare elephants. But Devanayaki listened carefully and made arrangements to store the gunpowder in a cave near the palace.

  After acquiring the gunpowder, Devanayaki’s confidence soared. She thought about how
to place it inside the palace at strategic points, when an idea came to her. Mahinda had once said to her, ‘The diamond Buddhas in the bedchamber have proven lucky. Shall we install Buddha statues all over Sinha Saila?’ There was a maid from China who was skilled in moulding clay idols. Devanayaki decided to stuff gunpowder in dry coconut shells after pouring away the water and to place them inside every statue. The wick would be under the statues’ feet. Mahinda gladly agreed when she asked his permission to instal a hundred and one Buddhas cast in the mould of the diamond Buddhas all over the palace. He was happy to see her deepening interest in Buddhism. Within a week, one hundred and one black Buddhas were installed all over the palace. Twenty-one Buddhas were placed at the entrance. This upset several people. ‘So the Buddha is to stand guard over gambling and prostitution,’ they said mockingly. Anula said to Sena, ‘After discarding Theravada and Mahayana, now Vajrayana is being practised. Nothing is forbidden anymore.’ Both of them practised Theravada. As they were upset at losing their administrative powers in the city of dreams, they kept a close watch on Devanayaki’s actions.

  Devanayaki had learnt the basics of tantric knowledge at Kambuja. These practices became a blessing, as Mahinda desired novelty. Fortunately, at that point of time, Nissanka Vajran came to visit Sripada. On Devanayaki’s request, Mahinda invited him to the city of dreams. Though he refused to visit Sinha Saila initially, he agreed to go after receiving Devanayaki’s message. Nissanka Vajran was a sixty-year-old Buddhist monk. His body belied his age. A divine aura enveloped him. Mahinda and Devanayaki greeted him formally at the entrance, and led him in respectfully. All arrangements were made for his stay. Seeing nothing but gambling dens and maids, the monk realized that he had come to the wrong place. The Buddha idols that lined the entrance gave him some solace.

  Mahinda and Devanayaki met him as he was enjoying the beauty of the twilight in Sinha Saila after having finished his prayers. Devanayaki was worried that he would be angered by the activities in the city of dreams. But the monk was smiling. He greeted them with pleasure. Mahinda presented him with a diamond chain. Nissanka Vajran gave it to Devanayaki, saying that it would suit her better. The three of them sat on triangular seats. Sending the servants away, Devanayaki herself served food to the monk.

  ‘Acharya, I hope that you are comfortable here.’

  ‘It is indeed very comfortable. I have never seen such a beautiful place in my life. It is as beautiful as its name.’

  ‘I was afraid that you would be displeased by the activities here.’

  ‘Yes, there are things I disapprove of. But Amrapali was the Lord’s disciple too. You cannot insist that only good things happen in this world. Tell me, why have you invited me here?’

  ‘Devanayaki was your disciple in Yasodharapura.’

  ‘I remember her, even though she was at the vihara for only a brief while. She was very intelligent.’

  ‘In accordance with your teachings, I followed the path of Padmasambhava. But I could only learn the basic lessons of tantric practice. I want to complete my learning.’

  ‘Learning is never complete. It is merely a journey towards completion. Only the state of nirvana is completion. Sometimes, it takes several births. It becomes possible only if you cleanse your life with noble actions. You have to be ready to make big sacrifices. Abjure violence and selfishness. Let me ask you, do you want happiness or nirvana?’

  Devanayaki remained silent for a moment. Looking at Mahinda, she replied, ‘Nirvana that is attained through happiness.’

  ‘But before that, you must understand two things clearly. Your body and soul are not two entities but one. Not only that, each pore of your body yields pleasure. So the pleasure of the soul is that of the body too. The body and the universe are similar. As this universe is endless and deep, so is the human body. Attaining nirvana through happiness is the loftiest method by which one can celebrate the body. It is possible only through rigorous practice. Meditate on the Padmasambhava mantra for three days and focus your mind. Then come to me. Until then, we will spend the evenings discussing various types of knowledge.’

  The following three evenings were devoted to discussion, in an effort to know the world from the perspectives of nature, man and power. Every day, the discussions would begin with seemingly light topics and move to abstruse philosophic complexities. They arrived at the realization that tantric rituals in Hinduism as well as Buddhism were merely two different routes which moved in parallel towards the ultimate truth. Apart from Padmasambhava, Kumarila Bhatta, Abhinavagupta and Sankara became the topics of conversation.

  The discussion ended on the third day with a shloka from the Soundarya Lahari:

  The earth placed in the muladhara, water in the manipura,

  Fire in the svadhishthana, air in the heart, and space above.

  Placing the mind between the brows and breaking through the kula-path,

  You sport with your Lord secretly in the thousand-petalled lotus.

  The guru placed his hands on his disciple’s head, saying, ‘I am lucky to have found such a dedicated and intelligent student.’

  On the fourth night, the tantric practices began. A small anteroom near the bedchamber was chosen for this. Mahinda could see everything through his window. The guru and his disciple sat facing each other on either side of Padmasambhava mandalas that were drawn on the ground in green, yellow, white and red. They were both naked. In the light of the seven lamps, their bodies glowed like gold. The monk carried a bell and a small round metal stick, about a foot long. Flowers, honey, fruits, liquor, blood, a bowl from which smoke emanated, and a skull were placed on trays.

  They bowed to each other and folded their hands before the Padmasambhava mandalas and lamps. They adorned each other with flowers. They tasted the honey, then poured liquor into the skulls and drank from it. They smoked datura. Then they broke a plantain into two and ate one half each. They dipped their fingers in blood and smeared it on each other’s lips and tongues. They, thus, became nature and man.

  The guru placed his left hand on his disciple’s right shoulder, and her left hand on his right shoulder. They held their right hands to their chests in the anjali mudra and sat gazing into each other’s eyes. The guru said, ‘I am indeed lucky to have such an intelligent disciple.’ It was a ritual that erased the outside world from their minds. It was the beginning of nature, focusing only on the man before her. After each stage, the guru tinkled the bell and performed some rituals. Then, shutting his eyes, meditating on Padmasambhava and Mandarava, he chanted the Padmasambhava mantra, ‘Om ah hum vajra guru padma siddhi hum’, one hundred and one times.

  After this, the guru asked his disciple to open her eyes and look at the Padmasambhava mandala. After some time, she sat in vajrasana with her hands folded above her head. Then, the guru touched each point of her body with a diamond and chanted mantras that were unfamiliar to her. Finally, when their concentration was at its zenith and only the central point of the Padmasambhava mandala was visible, the guru drew her to him. Her mind was focussed on Padmasambhava and the guru’s mind was filled with Mandarava.

  Extinguishing one of the lamps, they moved to the next stage. Each part of Devanayaki’s body obeyed the guru. Each embrace lasted for hours. When they reached the bed, she tried to extinguish the second lamp, but he stopped her, saying that everything should happen in the presence of fire. He said, ‘Devanayaki, if you are lucky, you will acquire superhuman powers in fourteen days.’ The guru’s words surprised her. She felt her body change. For the first time, she slept without thoughts of killing Mahinda.

  Nissanka Vajran taught her new practices every day. The mandalas drawn on the floor and the mantras they chanted changed accordingly. For Mahinda, who sat watching, it was a tremendous experience. He felt that, instead of the monk, it was he who was with Devanayaki and also in a similar state of mind. Often, he reached ecstasy before either of them did. He never felt any anger towards Devanayaki. A sense of shame filled her when she realized that the pleasu
re she had experienced thus far was nothing compared to what she was experiencing now. But she was happy at having discovered how to raise the power of the kundalini from the muladhara through the svadhishthana and manipura to the sahasrara.

  There were great preparations for the fourteenth day, on which the karma mudra would be taught. The day began with a bath. She was taught to control her breathing while she was neck deep in water. The monk taught her how to control her muscles to increase and decrease the speed at which her body could move. The monk said that it was to teach her this that he had made all this effort. The preparations were complete by evening. A srichakra was drawn on the floor. The mantra being chanted was, ‘Om hreem shreem Mahalakshmiye shreem hreem shreem namah’.

  The srichakra was chosen instead of the vajravarahi or vajravahini, as it would be more familiar to Devanayaki who had been brought up Hindu. The rituals began with soft, slow, rhythmic chanting. The guru was very careful at each stage of the ritual. By the time she got to the stage of entering the srichakra, Devanayaki was in a state of extreme hysteria. It was the stage when the guru would share secret knowledge with his disciple.

  ‘It’s a secret known only to a guru and his disciple. Look at the srichakra. What do you see? This is the secret of the universe. The srichakra is the universe itself. The core of life. The centre of power.’

  She listened in wonder. He blessed her. After several complex rituals, they reached the stage of the karma mudra. It was more difficult than any other mudra. They had to enter each other in a way that made it impossible to discern who was inside whom. That is why it is also known as the mata-pita mudra. She had surrendered herself to the guru. Both of them closed their eyes and brought the kundalini power to the manipura. At that moment, the guru gave all his powers to her and, assuming the form of a white-breasted eagle, flew away.