AJAYA I -- Roll of the Dice

by Unknown

  "Arjuna, once you grow wiser, you will understand that temples are not required for enlightened men. They are just props for the common people, steeped in the world of illusion. Do not worry about that Asura. You spared his life in exchange for his skills. You have both done your duty and acted as per dharma."

  Arjuna saw Indra standing near the chariot. He climbed down and invited his father to be his guest. Indra gave a derisive laugh and walked away without a word. Arjuna watched him follow the guards pushing Mayasura. The repeated cries of the Asura, 'Their eyes are closed... let me give them eyes... the Gods are blind... let me open their eyes,' created a strange dread in his heart. He could feel Krishna's eyes on him and turned back. His friend reached down a hand to pull him into the chariot. The procession went on its way.

  ***

  The guards dumped Mayasura on the riverbank. They proceeded to bathe, to wash away the pollution caused by touching him. Indra sat down near the architect, gently touching his dark head. The young man was burning with fever and he was delirious. The wind carried the holy chants from the temple along with the faint odour of camphor and incense. Indra dipped his uttariya in the river and wiped Mayasura's forehead. A few miles away, holy men were inaugurating India's greatest city, but the man whose name it bore continued sitting with the man who had built it. No one cared about either of them. As Indraprastha came officially into existence and the Priests predicted it would one day become the capital of India, the last Deva King sat wiping the forehead of an Asura, son of a race his illustrious ancestor had vanquished long ago. Indra heard the dark waters of the Yamuna gurgling at the irony of it and he laughed along with her. Mayasura had stopped mumbling. He was asleep with his head on the old man's lap. Indra did not dare move lest he wake him. The world could wait.

  When dusk came creeping on long shadowy limbs and spread her cloak over the earth, Mayasura awoke. His hands involuntarily searched for his tools. He was afraid he had overslept and was late for work. Then cold reality grabbed hold of him. He was no longer allowed to set eyes on what he had created. He could no longer whisper his secrets and dreams to the sculptures he had chiselled. He would never again caress the smooth limbs of his Shiva. The God was no longer his. He belonged to the rich and privileged, jailed in a temple with fat Priests as his guards. His God was blind! With a vehemence, he had never suspected he possessed, he jumped up and looked at the distant city, glistening in all its glory. He spat on the ground. Then the Asura cursed his creation with so deep a hatred that Indra feared the city would carry the curse as long as it existed. The terrible words were uttered from the heart of a man who had lost the meaning of life. With every sentence he spoke, the Asura slapped the earth with both palms.

  "Blind Gods! Hear my words. If there is truth in my art, let what I say be true eternally. The sweat and blood of Naga women built this city, but you banished them. From today, may no woman feel safe in this city. May corrupt and evil people forever rule this wretched place. May every man be possessed with lust - for woman, money, position, prestige, and power. May each man fight another. May brothers butcher brothers and rape their own sisters. Every time a woman steps outside her home, may she feel the fear of violation. Let this be the asylum of evil men and woman. May the high and mighty ever fear for their lives and live in self-imposed jails for security. May the ruled despise their rulers and may the rulers fear the ruled. May this be a city of graveyards. May invaders from across the borders ransack the city repeatedly, changing the roles of oppressor and oppressed without end. May invaders plunder the city of her wealth again and again. May this be a city without trust, a city of anger and violent passions. May the blood of holy men fall here. May her citizens pollute this sacred river, making it into a sewer. May the air be poisonous and the streets filthy and crowded. May this city be damned forever."

  Mayasura broke into wrenching sobs. He lay down on the wet ground, grabbing the mud between his fingers. Much later, when Indra had managed to calm him, the architect repented his harsh words about the city he had built. Indra said curses were just words. It was mere superstition to believe in them. That put the Asura's mind at ease. Indra spoke to him about developing the Vajra. Gradually, the Asura's attention shifted to what the Deva King was saying. He promised to build the secret weapon.

  The guard who had gone to ensure they took the ferry across the water, rushed to report Mayasura's curse to Yudhishtra. Terror gripped his soul. He did not wait to hear about the plans to build a secret weapon. When the guard finally managed to get out his frantic words, Yudhishtra's eyes clouded with worry.

  "Why are you so concerned over any man's curse Yudhishtra?" Krishna asked. "I promise you that no other city in the world will match the glory of Indraprastha. Her rulers will live in splendour and luxury. Officials, relatives and friends, will have security guards to protect their wealth, power and prestige. While the rulers make the rules, as is their duty, they will break them when required, as is their privilege. The rulers may be cursed in private but in public, they will always be respected, envied and feared. The Gods will shower every blessing on the rulers of this city. This is my promise to you."

  Yudhishtra breathed in relief at Krishna's words. But Arjuna, with his knack of asking uncomfortable questions at inappropriate moments, said, "You have only spoken about the rulers, Krishna. What about the common man? Will the curse affect the ruled?"

  Krishna did not answer as he stood looking at the long queue of migrants at the city gates. Officials were issuing the necessary copper tokens for identification. He saw a beggar sitting a little away from the entrance with a black dog. People had gathered to listen to his singing. The breeze carried the faint notes of his song to Krishna, who felt an irresistible urge to play an accompaniment to the melody. He pulled out his flute and began playing the song the beggar was singing in the street. Enraptured by the divine music they created together, everyone forgot Arjuna's doubts. Some questions are better left unanswered.

  *

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  25 RAJASUYA

  THE BREAKAWAY LOYAL FACTION of Jarasandha's army, which was fleeing towards Chedi, met Ekalavya on the outskirts of Mathura. Initially they took him to be just another Nishada travelling to Magadha in search of a position in the army. They told him the days Nishadas could gain employment as warriors had vanished with Krishna and his henchman killing King Jarasandha and General Hiranyadhanus. Ekalavya was devastated to learn of his father's death. He had been looking forward to meeting the father he did not remember. In his mind, he had woven dreams of being together with the man who had grown to be a legend in his own lifetime. He was distressed that now he would never see his father or the great King Jarasandha. The thought that he was an orphan, left to fight his lonely war for survival yet again, made him feel bitter.

  Seeing the young man's evident distress, the leader of the troop enquired of the reason. When he learnt Ekalavya was General Hiranyadhanus's son, a thrill passed through the ranks. The soldiers animatedly began discussing the news. The leader went up to Ekalavya once again and said, "Sir, we are happy to meet the great General's son. I am Shalva, once a vassal King of Jarasandha, and now Krishna's sworn enemy. Like you, we want the man dead at any cost. He is the nemesis of our country. He may not be a powerful King, but he is an expert in deceit and cunning. He has fooled many common people into thinking he is an avatar of Lord Vishnu, come to earth to protect dharma. His dharma, that is. He is the antithesis of whatever our King stood for. The other man who claims to be an avatar of Lord Vishnu, Parashurama, has already made the life of the common people a hell in the kingdoms south of the Narmada River. Between them, Krishna and Parashurama will ensure that all of India comes under their sway. We have to stop it at any cost. The majority of the Magadha army have deserted us for petty rewards and money and have chosen to support the new King, but we have refused to accept Krishna's puppet as the King of Magadha. Fortunately, we are not alone in our war against the unscrupulous Yadava. There are Dhantavakr
a and Shishupala, two powerful monarchs, who can lend us a hand. We are going to Chedi to meet King Shishupala now and seek his help. Do you care to join us?"

  Ekalavya looked at the hundreds of men eyeing him curiously, trying to judge what he was really like. Ekalavya had planned to sneak into Indraprastha or Dwaraka and kill the hated man, but Shalva was offering him a better plan. Ekalavya burned with hatred against Krishna and his friend Arjuna. He would do anything to see them dead. "Sir, I am honoured to be a part of your army." Ekalavya bowed to Shalva as the soldiers cheered.

  ***

  They raced to Chedi. On the way, Ekalavya learnt that, true to Jarasandha's principles, all the soldiers and captains were selected on merit and that no position was inherited. There were Brahmins, Nishadas, Mlechas, Chandalas, Asuras, Nagas, Vaishyas, Kshatriyas and many other castes in the army, but their positions had no connection to caste hierarchy. There were Brahmin captains reporting to Nishada Majors and vice versa. Shalva explained that in Magadha, all positions had been based on merit alone and the selection process was one of the toughest in the entire country, whether for Government administrators' posts or officers in the army. Ekalavya understood why Jarasandha had been successful in sacking Mathura seventeen times before the Yadavas fled to Dwaraka. He had a professional army that fought well.

  Just before they entered Chedi, they met Vasuki and his men. The old Naga King told them of the carnage Arjuna and Krishna had unleashed in Khandiva. He also narrated the story of the new city they were building on the ashes of the forest. That added fuel to the fire and many wanted to take on Arjuna and Krishna immediately. However, Vasuki advised caution. It would be suicidal to take on a powerful enemy without proper preparation.

  When they met King Shishupala, he was enraged by their description of the manner in which Krishna had instigated Bhima to kill Jarasandha. It was decided to seek King Dhantavakra's opinion on the best course of action. It took a month for Dhantavakra to arrive at Chedi. He was of the same opinion as Vasuki. Soon, under Shishupala, Dhantavakra, Shalva, and Ekalavya, the army began training and practising for the big battle against Krishna and his friends. The Generals often differed on strategy and there were intense arguments between them. Minor chieftains from various parts of the country, who did not agree with Krishna and his methods, soon began declaring their allegiance to Shishupala. Others wavered, unable to take a decision. The Priests created fear among the petty nobility by talking about Krishna's divinity. Among the common people, a cult of worshipping him as an avatar of Lord Vishnu, was taking root.

  When the invitation to Yudhishtra's rajasuya arrived, Krishna's enemies were still undecided on how to take him and the Pandavas on. By conducting a rajasuya, Yudhishtra was challenging them to either accept his suzerainty or fight him. Vasuki warned them against accepting Yudhishtra's invitation, suspecting a trap. But no self-respecting King could walk away from such an open challenge. Shishupala decided to take Ekalavya to Indraprastha with him, leaving the other two on standby on the outskirts of the city with their armies. His decision to take Ekalavya to Yudhishtra's court was deliberate and provocative. He wished to see how the orthodox Priests and the Pandavas would react to the presence of a Nishada in the august assembly.

  ***

  The year before, Bhanumati had given birth to twins, a son and a daughter. She soon discovered Suyodhana was a doting father. She often found him playing with the infants or watching them contentedly while they slept. Whenever Subhadra visited, she brought her son Abhimanyu with her, and the little boy developed a deep bond with his uncle. He often sat near Suyodhana, observing the twins lying on their father's lap. Abhimanyu asked his uncle why he had named the boy Lakshmanakumara and the girl Lakshmana, but Suyodhana never gave him a clear answer. Every time he invented a new story for the similar names and invariably those stories involved ghouls, spirits, angels, gandharvas and animals. Bhanumati loved seeing her growing twins smile at Suyodhana and try to follow Abhimanyu with their tottering steps.

  Bhanumati developed a deep friendship with Subhadra, despite knowing she had been Suyodhana's first love. She trusted her husband completely and knew he would never stray. He was so unlike the other Princes and Kings she knew, who competed with each other in filling their harem with gorgeous girls. Suyodhana was the butt of jokes for remaining faithful to his wife in a culture that adored Krishna for his harem of 16,008 'wives'. Bhanumati cherished the serene quality of their marital relationship. She shared Suyodhana's love for nature, the arts, and music; she loved him for his kindness towards common people, as well as for his arrogance towards those whom he despised, and his blunt way of speaking the truth. She loved him for his skill with the mace and for his pride and honesty. She loved him in a thousand ways, but more than anything, she loved him for the deep trust he had in his friends.

  Bhanumati suspected Suyodhana loved his friends more than they loved him back. He was the Crown Prince and he would inherit a vast kingdom. He had nothing to gain by befriending a chariot driver or a poor Brahmin, whereas they stood to gain much. Yet nobody could have been more loyal than Suyodhana towards them. Bhanumati adored him for his courage and conviction in making Karna a vassal King, despite his lineage; yet a seed of jealousy started sprouting in her mind. She respected Karna for his achievement in becoming the most credible challenger to Prince Arjuna in archery. It was a remarkable feat for someone born a poor Suta. She had no doubt that Karna was noble at heart and her husband's faithful friend. His charitable actions were spreading his fame throughout India. Yet, Bhanumati harboured the niggling doubt that whereas her husband would not hesitate in choosing the welfare of his friends over glory, Karna would take glory and fame over friendship if such a choice ever arose. Perhaps it had something to do with an incident that happened early in their marriage.

  Bhanumati, pregnant with the twins, was experiencing a bout of mild depression when Karna dropped in unexpectedly. She invited him to join her at a board game while he waited for Suyodhana to return from a meeting with the Grand Regent. Karna happily obliged. Thinking he would be a pushover, considering his childhood as a Suta, she was surprised see how well he played a game that was the preserve of Princes and Kings. She soon saw he was as formidable an opponent in the game as he was in battle. Bhanumati hated losing. With a playful and naughty smile aimed at distracting Karna, she stole one of his winning pieces. He smiled back at her and asked her to put it back. She became angry that he had caught her, and pouted, pushing the board away and trying to leave the game.

  Karna also played to win. In the heat of the moment, he grabbed her wrist and pushed her back into her seat. She wriggled away from his grasp and tried running from the room. He jumped up and grabbed her by her waist. At that moment, Suyodhana arrived. For a few seconds, they stood in a frozen tableau, the Prince gazing at his wife being handled by his best friend. Bhanumati recovered first and tried to free herself from Karna. But his strong hands did not release their vice-like grip on her still slim waist. She tried pushing him away. Suddenly, he freed her. The string of pearls she was wearing at her waist broke and hundreds of pearls began bouncing around them, accentuating the silence in the room.

  "Do you want me to find these pearls alone or will you come out of your daze and give me a helping hand?" Suyodhana asked his friend and wife with an amused smile, as he knelt to catch the pearls running away from them to hide under the furniture. Bhanumati sat down on the bed, covered her face with her long fingers, and broke into sobs. Karna knelt to help his friend gather the pearls.

  "What is this? Are you two so drunk that you are crawling on the floor?"Aswathama came into the room and as usual, made them laugh. He too joined in the pearl fishing. Soon the three friends left the room, having put back the string of pearls they had carefully threaded. When their laughter faded away, Bhanumati slowly stood up. She was afraid Suyodhana would take up the matter when they were alone. She spent the whole day worrying about her future. When he was late in reaching their chamber that night, she fre
tted, thinking he was punishing her for her indiscretion. When he finally arrived, he quietly kissed her on the lips and lay down on the bed without saying a word. Fearfully, Bhanumati put her hands on his broad chest. She could feel his breathing change. She wished he would say something about the incident that morning and was even ready for his abuse. But Suyodhana quietly caressed her hair in silence. When she thought she would burst, she said to him softly, "It was not what you may suspect..." She stopped in mid-sentence, realizing the oddness of her statement.

  "There was nothing to suspect," he whispered into her ear and her heart leapt with joy. She kissed him passionately. When she pulled away to get her breath back, he said something she would never forget until the day she died. "I have complete faith in Karna. He would never do anything dishonourable."

  Bhanumati went stiff when she heard it. She wished he had not spoken those words. It meant he trusted Karna more than he did her. The flame of passion that was rising between them died away. Suyodhana sensed it in the coldness of her movements. He tried to make amends by whispering his love for her, but the damage was done. Later, while he slept, she lay looking at his face for a long time, wondering whether he was doing the right thing by trusting his friends so naively. She put her arms around him protectively. Moonlight peeping in through the window lit his handsome face as he smiled in his sleep. Bhanumati's heart dissolved in love. She hugged him close, trying hard to suppress the fearful premonitions that filled her mind.