Vishwamitra Page 6

  Dattatreya looked at them with raised eyebrows and both nodded in agreement.

  Pausing to collect his thoughts, Dattatreya put the question in front of them. ‘Listen to the situation I am presenting very carefully. There was once a kingdom in Kumarikandam that prided itself on its military prowess. After a while, it became difficult for the king to keep his highly enthusiastic army occupied since they had defeated most of their enemies and there were only so many wars they could fight.’

  He glanced at his pupils to see if they were following him and Vishwarath, ever impatient, said, ‘The king should have involved them in sports! That would have channelled their aggression and kept their minds occupied.’

  Dattareya smiled and nodded in agreement. ‘Thank you for your esteemed advice, Samrat Vishwarath, that is indeed what this particular king did,’ he said.

  Vishwarath gave a sheepish grin and looked at Yamdagni who smiled at his exuberance and gestured to him to stay calm.

  Dattatreya resumed ‘Now, it so happened that the king of the neighbouring kingdom was also an avid sportsman and, though he was of a peaceful nature, had nurtured his army in a similar manner. The two kings were on friendly terms and one day hit upon a plan to organize a contest between their two teams.’

  ‘However, the night before the contest, both kings had a strange dream. Yamraj, the lord of death, was standing by their beds, warning them that the son of the king of whichever team won on the morrow would die!’

  His pupils were riveted by the tale and the Avatar continued, ‘And the dream did not end there. As soon as Yamraj left, the goddess of wealth, Lakshmi, appeared. She told them that the kingdom to which the losing team belonged would lose all its riches forever.

  ‘Since they had agreed to the contest, the kings could not go back on their word and cancel the event, which meant that at the end of the day there would be a winner and a loser. The two kings now had a duty to win the match for the welfare and prosperity of their subjects even though the kingdom that won would also end up losing its heir.’

  Vishwarath and Yamdagni were excited by the moral dilemma the kings were getting into and their guru asked, ‘On one side, there is the loss of a son, and on the other, there is injustice to your citizens. Which option should they choose?’

  Not surprisingly, Vishwarath was the one to speak first. ‘Gurudev, does it befit a king to pay so much attention to a dream? After all, a man’s actions make him what he is, not his thoughts. They can’t stop living their lives just because of a dream.’

  Dattatreya countered, ‘You are right that it is a man’s Karma which decides his future. But do not forget, it is his thoughts that compel a man to perform the actions. For the sake of this argument let us assume the dreams will come true. Now tell me what you would have done in that condition.’

  The princes pondered while the Avatar smiled and sat patiently waiting for their answers. There was no right answer for such a problem but the logic they both used would tell him about their thought process and he hoped it would be in accordance with their future positions in life.

  After some moments he asked Yamdagni, ‘What do you have to say about this situation, Yama?’

  The Brahmin prince was slow to share his opinion but said clearly, ‘Gurudev, to me the choice is clear. I believe a king’s duty is greater towards his subjects than his own children. So leaving aside the thought of his son he should do what is right for the people.’

  Dattatreya nodded his head in acceptance. Yes, Yama would be the perfect guide for Vishwarath’s kingdom. He now looked at his other pupil who had been analysing the conundrum from every angle.

  Vishwarath cleared his throat and said in his boyish voice, ‘I agree with my brother that a king’s first duty is towards his subjects but losing a son cannot be an easy thing for a father. It is the duty of a father to protect the life of the offspring he has brought into this world. So if I was in his place, I would put the issue for discussion amongst my people and let them decide. If they cared as much for me as I do for them, they would make a fair choice and we would all work together and rebuild the city!’

  Dattatreya was impressed with the conviction as well as the substance of the answer. He knew now the king-in-waiting was on the right path since he had taken the problem to the people and involved them in the decision-making process. That was the hallmark of a true leader.

  He gave them the broadest smile they had ever seen and when he spoke his usual grave voice seemed to have a hint of laughter in it. ‘My dear students, you do me proud with your answers and your reasoning. Now I am doubly sure that each of you is ready to enter the world of your parents and reclaim your positions.’

  Both the boys beamed with pleasure and Yama spoke, ‘We are honoured by your words of praise, Gurudev, but would like to ask you that out of the two answers we gave, which one would you have chosen.’

  The Avatar gave a deep throaty laugh and shook his head with pleasure.

  He then looked at them and said, ‘There is no correct answer to situations like this and each of you will have to face the world according to what you deem is the best course of action. However, since you have asked my opinion, I will share with you what I would do.’

  The two boys looked at him expectantly and Dattatreya said in a sober tone, ‘I would first discuss the matter with the other king and the team captains to make them aware of the situation. Then I would suggest a change in captainship—my team’s captain should lead the other team and their captain should lead mine. That way, both captains would still be playing to win but for the other kingdom.

  ‘Thus, we both keep the probability of winning without the fear of losing our sons. Eventually, one team would lose the game but save an heir while the other would win but lose its prince, yet it would not be for want of trying.’

  The boys were stumped by the ingenuity of the scheme and looked at their guru in reverence. They realized that they would require a lifetime of experience to come up with ingenuous solutions to such tricky problems and bowed to him in unison.

  Dattatreya stood up from his platform and placed his hands on their heads in blessing.

  ‘Yes, my dear children,’ he said, ‘it does take a lifetime of experience to be able to find a way that is beneficial to a majority for someone will end up losing no matter what you do. I am sure both of you will eventually reach that stage as well but for now, get up and pack up your bags, for the time has come for you to begin the journey back home.’

  As the pupils rushed into their huts to pack whatever little belongings they had accumulated over the years, Dattatreya asked the villagers to arrange for their journey back home. Remembering the past twelve years, he thought, no one can escape his Karma. Not even for the sake of fulfilling a spiritual ambition. One could become a true renunciate only after discharging all one’s responsibilities towards this world.

  Adhyaye 12

  Mahodayapur celebrated the arrival of its princes with huge fanfare.

  When the princes reached the gates of the capital aboard the simple chariots they were riding, they were welcomed by the governing council and shifted to royal carriages. The king and the queen and Satyavati had personally come to welcome their boys and the family rejoiced in being together after more than a decade.

  Though Satyavati and Ratna had visited the boys thrice in this interval, it had been just for a day each time since Dattatreya was very strict about the breaks in his students’ training. The king himself had met them but four times and that too during his scheduled tours of the kingdom, so the elders were happy that their children were back where they belonged.

  Kadhi and Ratna were delighted to see that the slightly plump, spoilt brat they had raised had turned into a handsome warrior with a fine body and a sharp mind. Vishwarath was witty, charming and full of ambition and they realized that the Avatar had fulfilled his promise quite diligently.

  Satyavati couldn’t control her tears as she saw in Yamdagni a replica of her husband and realized t
hat her son was all she had left of Ruchik now. Due to Ruchik’s blessings, her brother would become a fine king and his son would be the next kulguru and she silently thanked both her husband and Dattatreya for the blessings they had bestowed on the two princes.

  The boys were happy to be home and spent the first few days basking in the love and affection of their family, though they realized that even with all this luxury at their disposal they would perhaps never be the same brats they once were. Their guru had changed not only their external forms but also caused a transformation within their hearts.

  As they settled into the routine of palace life, Kadhi decided to discuss his future plans with the boys.

  He called them to his chamber and said, ‘My dear sons, I can’t tell you how long I have waited for this day! For the past twenty years I have spent each moment of my life waiting to be released from my responsibilities and I can’t wait a minute more to put the burden on your shoulders now.’

  Vishwarath understood the import of his father’s words and said respectfully, ‘It would be an honour for me to relieve you of your burden, father, since I know that this moment has come after a long wait for both you and our kingdom.’

  Kadhi nodded and said, ‘Your mother and I both agree that the time is right for me to step down and offer the throne to you while Yamdagni serves Mahodayapur in his new capacity as advisor to the king. Both of us and your sister will of course be here to guide you for a few years before we renounce the world and move to the forest.’

  The boys bowed down in respect and touched the feet of the king who addressed each of them separately now.

  He hugged his son with pride and said, ‘Remember, kingship does not imply lordship over your subjects, rather, it implies hard work and tough decision-making, sometimes even at the cost of your personal happiness. I am a lucky father that my son is taking over my responsibilities willingly and with Yamdagni there to guide your path, I have nothing to worry about!’

  He hugged his grandson next and told him, ‘People are more devoted to their grandchildren than their own offspring and I feel the same love for you. Your mother has endured great sacrifices to see you reach this position and I am proud that you have become a wise Dharmagyata. May your knowledge of Dharma guide this kingdom into prosperity and lead you to spiritual fulfilment.

  ‘Your position is even more important, my boy, than that of the king. For a king might make an error of judgement but his advisors can’t afford to be wrong ever,’ he finished with a smile.

  The princes were then asked to meet their mothers and take their blessings and prepare for the coronation.

  For the ceremony that was scheduled the next day, Yamdagni retained his simple attire from all the years of learning under his guru, Dattatreya, but Vishwarath decided to move into his new role with full fanfare. He wrapped an angavastra of green tussar silk, brought by traders from the eastern corners of Himalayas, on his upper body and matched it with a beige dhoti of the finest cotton from the western coast of Nabhivarsh, trying them on for effect.

  His curly hair had been teased till it fell in ringlets and he exuded a masculine fragrance of pine and musk. His neck and wrists were adorned with lapis lazuli beads brought especially from Gandhar and he wore rings set with precious stones recovered from the bowels of the southern mines.

  Yamdagni took in all the finery and grinned, ‘So, Uncle Vishwa, you seem all set to take on the weight of the onyx elephant on your shoulders. I hope the jewels on your fingers and arms do not feel tiny compared to that towering hulk of a throne!’

  Vishwarath laughed at the clever reference to the royal throne and said, ‘Your dark humour amuses me always, dear nephew. But remember, running a kingdom requires as much showmanship as real capabilities and I am just dressing up for the part,’ he ended with a wink.

  Yamdagni gave him a playful jab and they both settled down on the soft cushions of his bed.

  ‘Say, brother,’ he said, still in jest, ‘don’t you feel a little nervous at the prospect of running an entire kingdom? Won’t the day-to-day decision-making, wars with enemies, internal rebellion, welfare of citizens and keeping a track of palace gossip be difficult to handle? I mean, I will be there to guide and advise you but it’s still going to be a tough job.’

  Vishwarath smiled at the last sentence and looked at Yamdagni with affection. ‘My dear nephew, you are the closest thing to a brother and friend I have had in all these years of training. You know my heart almost as well or perhaps even better than I know it myself! I am raring to go ahead with this and want to don the mantle as soon as father can part with it! Tell me honestly, how do you think I will fare as the king of Mahodayapur?’ he asked.

  Yamdagni became sombre and replied, ‘I have no doubt whatsoever that you will prove to be a really capable king for this kingdom and Mahodayapur will go from strength to strength under your leadership. As long as the strong ambitions that fuel your mind do not take over your logical, thinking brain, I do not envisage any problem in the near future.’

  Vishwarath looked at the face of his only close comrade and saw the sincerity in his eyes. He knew what Yamdagni was saying was true, for inside him there was a deep longing to prove himself worthy to the entire world and, if given a chance, he would not rest till he had become the universal monarch.

  However, he shrugged off the thought for now and said light-heartedly, ‘Well, I don’t know about other kingdoms but I will definitely not let my ambition for the ladies take a backseat!’ and squinted at the female guards posted in his mother’s garden.

  Yamdagni guffawed and threw a pillow at Vishwarath before they both ended up rolling in a mock fight. Their eyes were full of dreams and they both hoped reality would be as beautiful as they had imagined all these years.

  Adhyaye 13

  The years immediately after the coronation went by smoothly.

  Vishwarath ruled for a year under the guidance of his father after which Kadhi felt confident enough to leave the throne in his hands. Before retiring to the forest with his queen, he arranged for the princes to get married in ways that would consolidate the empire.

  Accordingly, the new king of Mahodayapur was now married to Shalavati, the princess of Kashi; Renumati, the princess of Magadh; and Drishadvati, the princess of Matsya desh. Yamdagni did not have any such strategic obligations to fulfil, hence married once and set up home with his wife Renuka, the princess of Konkan.

  Kushanabh and Ghritachi also renounced the material world soon after the wedding, making Satyavati the senior-most member of the royal family.

  For a while, the transition seemed to be smooth with only the mantle of ownership changing from Kadhi to his son. Soon, however, Vishwarath’s ambition began to surface.

  In his first address to the governing council after his father’s departure, he looked at each of the council members with a warm smile and said, ‘Dear friends and assembled dignitaries, let me first thank you for the immense help I have received from each of you in managing the affairs of our kingdom in recent years. There aren’t enough words in any language I know by which I could convey my gratitude to you for making this transition so smooth with your support.’

  Then he changed his tone and declared, ‘However, I am no longer content with the peace that exists in our nation for I believe we have reached the zenith of our organic growth.’

  A murmur broke out amidst the councillors as they wondered what the king really meant by such a declaration. Vishwarath raised a hand, gesturing at them to be quiet. Then he looked into their eyes and said boldly, ‘To prosper further, Mahodayapur needs to conquer new lands—that is where the growth of our kingdom lies. It is time to change the status quo.’

  Satyavati and Yamdagni looked at each other and sighed. They had known this was inevitable for the years of training that had made Vishwarath a fierce warrior had not been utilized to their full potential since Mahodayapur had peaceful relations with all its neighbours.

  Yamdagni said, ‘Maharaj, would
n’t it be prudent for the council to discuss the issue before taking a final decision?’

  Vishwarath did not mind the question since it was Yamdagni’s job as the prime advisor to make sure such big decisions were thoroughly thrashed out in a debate before implementation.

  He replied with a determined look directed at the entire council, ‘I agree by protocol we should go through a discussion but I have been debating this with myself every single day for a while now. And I assure you, when I put my considerations in front of the council you will all agree as well.’

  Some of the senior ministers looked doubtful but Vishwarath knew he could convince them with his logic. This was his first challenge as a king—to make sure his council was in complete agreement with him—and he was determined to achieve the desired result even if it took all his powers of persuasion.

  Aloud he said, ‘Mahodayapur has an abundance of resources that were garnered in my father’s time. In the past couple of years, I have consolidated each aspect of administration, agriculture and trade, trying to maximize the revenue generation and the productivity of our citizens.

  ‘None of us can deny the strides we have taken in terms of improving the health of our people, creating job opportunities and focusing on infrastructure development even in the far-off mountain regions. Our schools are full, talent is in plenty and jobs are sufficient . . . for the time being.’

  Here he paused dramatically. ‘All is well right now but what happens when our population grows? Because of our excellent doctors, the infant mortality rates have fallen considerably while more and more people are living longer lives. While these developments are praiseworthy, they are also adding numbers to our population at both the age extremes. We need to think about how to keep the elders engaged and to create newer opportunities for the children being born in the kingdom.’