Chapter Thirty-four: The Assassination Attempt
In Nandini's guest chamber,
Nandini's thoughts and reveries about her relationship and feelings for Chandra were interrupted by the inarticulate babbling sounds of a small baby and tinkling anklets. She beheld a baby boy who would have been just a year old crawling into her room. He saw her with a great deal of curiosity and returned Nandini's smile by clapping his hands and trying to stand up and walk towards her. He got up from his crawling position, sat down for a moment undecided before he gingerly got up and took a few faltering steps towards her before he again landed with a thud on his baby bum.
Nandini got a bit concerned and hastily ran towards him to see if he was alright. She sat down beside him, tried to rub the spot where he had fallen down, asked him if it was hurting though she knew the baby would not be able to answer back to her, hit the place where he had landed on his bum a couple of times telling she had punished it.
The child seemed least bothered by his fall. He was happy with the apparent attention it seemed to be getting him from the lady whose beautiful face had caught his apparent fancy. In order to display his new found skills, he attempted to get up again. For the sake of support, he latched onto Nandini's shoulder and started to walk again thinking it would gain him more attention.
And he was absolutely right in his childish judgement too. Nandini held out her little finger for the child to hold on for walking while she kept her other hand very near, ready enough to support the child if he happened to lose his balance. It was in the midst of this walk that they were interrupted by the arrival of Kunwar Arjun.
Arjun: So he is here! We've been searching for him like mad throughout the palace.
Nandini: Such a sweet child he is! Do you know him?
Arjun: He is my son Vidyut! He seems to have taken a fancy for you! I've never seen him being so friendly with any strangers!
Nandini: Only yesterday, you told that I was your sister. How does an aunt become a stranger to her nephew! We are going to be great friends, aren't we, Vidyut?
At this remark, the child gave an artless and toothless smile that was highly endearing. Nandini took him in her arms and cuddled him softly. The child clung to her even more closer.
Arjun: I must say that you have a way with children, Rani Nandini! You will be a very good mother when you will have children of your own.
Nandini: I love small children.
This segment is artlessly charming, sweet without being cloying, which is not something that is easy to achieve. Plus you know exactly how child psychology works, undoubtedly thru recent, hands on experience!
The name Vidyut is very unusual, I knew a Maharashtrian girl with that name, but it is not one common for royalty. I am glad you chose it for this baby.
Arjun: That's interesting! Tell me about yourself...(Hesitating a bit at this point that he was getting a bit personal and inquisitive) I know Maharaj Chandragupt...Maharani Durdhara I have seen...but I don't know any of the rest...of your family!...Who all are there...what kind of temperament do they have...
Nandini: I have a very understanding and kind mother-in-law...a very sweet and loving sister-in-law...one more co-wife apart from Maharani Durdhara...
Arjun: Oh! Tell me more about them...your sister-in-law you were telling is very sweet and loving...does she too love small children the same way you do?
Nandini: Chaaya loves small children a lot...She plays a lot with the children of my Sakhis who occasionally happen to visit the palace... She tells them stories from our Puranas...We have recently begun a rehabilitation center for the widows and orphaned children of our soldiers in Patliputra...Chaaya spends most of her free time helping them and serving them to the best of her ability...And I am not exaggerating any of this...
At this, Rajkumar Arjun dropped all possible pretense and diplomacy and directly came to the point he wanted to ask, "Whatever you say about Rajkumari Chaaya is truly impressive...I will not beat the bush any longer!...Are you aware that the Queen Mothers of Rajnagari and Magadh are contemplating a marriage alliance between me and Rajkumari Chaaya?...If it had been Maharaj Chandragupt, I wouldn't have dared to ask such questions...But my curiosity to know would have persisted all the same!...With you, things are entirely different!...I feel I can be free and open with you!... It is but natural that I wish to know more about her and be better acquainted with her personality...her temperament...her likes...her dislikes...
Nandini too reciprocated the straight-forwardness and frankness of the prince by saying, "The details of this alliance have been shared by the Rajmata only with me! Maharaj Chandragupt is still unaware of it. You may ask anything you wish to know about Rajkumari Chaaya...It is but natural for you to be apprehensive and doubtful while taking such a step!
Arjun: Will Chaaya be a good mother to my son? ...Is she somewhat similar to you and your way with children?
Nandini: She is different from me...but all the same very amiable, loving, and kind... She will make a very good mother to her children...Perhaps in some respects a better mother than me!
Arjun: That's very nice to hear...Did the matchmaker convey that she would not have any children of her own with me...if this alliance were to materialize?...Will she be happy enough...being a mother to my son born out of my first marriage?
Nandini (greatly shocked by this): No, we weren't informed about this. But isn't it unjust to Chaaya, who cares so much for orphan children, to be deprived of the blessing of motherhood herself? Won't it be an injustice to any woman? Chaaya will be a good and impartial mother even if she has children of her own. I can personally assure that because I know what kind of a human being she is!
Arjun: You would obviously know her better as she is your sister-in-law. You are also more apt to see her side in this issue. But if you look at it from my point of view, it is a really big step for me...for my son...I am naturally bound to have these insecurities...
Nandini: Then why marry anybody in that case ...if you were going to deprive the lady of motherhood...and most probably even wife hood?...There must be many people to take care...of Vidyut!
Arjun: Yes, people...will always be there...to take care of him. But he will not have a mother! If my mother's state of health was better than it actually is, or if we had an elderly female relative of the royal family who could be entrusted with this charge, this situation would not have arisen. The Rajmata of Rajnagari, Maharani Swaralika sadly suffers from frequent and crippling attacks of chronic asthma which sadly prevent her from taking an active part in Vidyut's upbringing. Often she needs help herself, so she would be in no position to help me out.
Nandini: Oh! So sorry about that!
Arjun: You would very well realize that though I wish to take an active part in his upbringing, I cannot always be with him. My duties to the state prevent that. So I am forced to entrust him to the care of maids and servants for most of the times. This is hardly a situation or decision which is satisfactory to me. So I agreed for a second marriage on the grounds that I wouldn't have any children out of my second marriage. I precisely told the matchmaker the same. But it seems, your side was kept in the dark about this condition. If so, I am sorry for that. But...if at all this alliance materializes...it will be under this condition.
Nandini: But won't it affect the diplomatic and war alliance between Magadh and Rajnagari if we were to refuse this alliance on any particular grounds?
Arjun: Both these are two different things. It is purely co-incidental that both these things came up simultaneously. The first is a policy and state decision, and the second is a personal decision and choice. I assure you that both these things will not be mixed up. I will hold no grudges against Magadh or anybody there if Rajkumari Chaaya chooses to back out of this marriage alliance. She is free to decide what she wants in life. I hope you will suitably convey my conditions to everyone concerned and then let us know if we may proceed.
Nandini: If that is so, then I have no more qualms. It is too late to inform Maharaj Chandragupt now about the intended marriage alliance being planned by the Queen Mothers of Magadh and Rajnagari. If he wasn't informed by the Rajmata till now, it hardly makes sense for me to inform him the same now, when neither of us know if this alliance will eventually materialize or not. I would rather have Rajmata Moora personally discuss the whole issue with Maharaj after our return to Patliputra. So I would be greatly obliged to you if you will desist from informing him the same in due course of your conversations!
Arjun: I have no issues with that! The purpose of this visit is purely diplomatic. So it is better that it is kept like that without bringing in personal issues or topics. I also appreciate Rajmata Moora's delicacy in not discussing this with Maharaj Chandragupt in view of this impending diplomatic visit. I will also do the same. This issue will neither be discussed nor initiated by anyone on our side.
Nandini: I will consult with everyone concerned after our return to Patliputra before informing our final decision regarding this alliance to your side.
This section too has been written very well, seeing that it was a ticklish subject that could give rise to a good bit of awkwardness. The conversation is calm, sensible, and matter of fact. I liked that.
The go between in this marriage proposal from Arjun's side seems to be a believer in the old maxim: Aayiram poi sholli oru kalyanam pannu ( tell a thousand lies to arrange a marriage - the maxim for marriage brokers!đ) . Else. how would he have hidden this very crucial matter, which could easily have led to the rejection of the proposal by Chhaya's family?
Nor can I understand Arjun's reservations. Yes, the apprehension about the new wife being an unkind stepmother to Vidyut, and about her favouring her own children over him and resenting his being the heir apparent, would be always there. But that would be there in any case, and might be worsened by this condition, which would deprive the new wife of the personal joys of motherhood, something that she would almost surely resent, and resent deeply.
As there were no family planning methods in those days, or so I presume, this would also amount to her being reduced to a mere nurse or a child minder, with no other life of her own. Which girl would welcome such an arrangement? None that I can think of, unless she has some physical handicap which rules out her bearing any children of her own.
After this very vital conversation, Kunwar Arjun stretched his arms to take Vidyut who was still in Nandini's arms. The child who did not want to leave began crying, but Arjun resolutely took the child in his arms consoling him, "We will come later. Vidyut, be a good boy! Rani Nandini needs some time to herself now. She is still weak. Come with me! Both of us will go to the garden and see birds!"
Though the child was a bit unhappy at being forced to leave the room of his newfound friend so suddenly, he instantly brightened up at the idea of being shown the birds in the garden by his father that he stopped crying. He instantly forgot his displeasure and warmed up to the new idea. He smilingly waved to his new friend goodbye as he left with his father to see the birds in the garden.
Perceptive! This is exactly how babies behave, up to about 3/4 years of age.
In the Royal Palace of Patliputra,
In the absence of Chandragupt, since decisions pertaining to the state administration naturally devolved to his first queen, Patrani Helena. The days at the Raj Sabha were pretty long and often extended late into the evenings.
The schedule had been the same ever since Chandragupt had left for Rajnagari. Acharya Chanakya had also guided and helped her with his able guidance and experience. Only a couple of days ago, he had sought permission from her to leave without citing any particular reason.
But judging that Acharya Chanakya would definitely have a reason for whatever he was doing, she did not seek any further information or question him about where he was going and why.
That day too, Helena was similarly engrossed in affairs of the state, when a Dasi hurriedly entered and interrupted the proceedings . Before anybody could remonstrate, the Dasi hastily went up to Helena and whispered a few words audible only to her. As soon as he heard those words, Helena decisively and immediately said, "Ekant!" (Privacy!)
After this, she dismissed the maid too before she asked the Chief Intelligence Officer of Magadh, Bhimsen to be ushered in. As soon as the imposing officer of Acharya Chanakya's espionage network was ushered in, she would have to confess that she herself was impressed by the charisma and magnetism of the man about whom she had heard a lot. This officer and his men always worked behind the scenes. He and his men were never seen or heard but they worked diligently all the same.
They worked and directly reported either to Acharya Chanakya or Maharaj Chandragupt or to both. None of the other ministers or palace inmates even knew about them or what they were exactly doing. They were like an eternal pair of eyes on all of them. They were ever watchful. They never slept even during the night.
That was how, once when she, out of her own foolishness, possessiveness, insecurity for Nandini, had tried to get her escape from the palace, the matter was immediately reported to Chandragupt, and she herself had to spend a week in Nazarband as a punishment. Their network was that effective and lethal that nobody was beyond the grip of their deadly fangs. As a matter of fact, this was the first time she was directly and personally seeing the officer in person.
I am delighted to catch the first glimpse, in this forum, of the fabled secret service that Chanakya had set up and ran with impeccable efficiency and confidentiality. There were glimpses of it in CAS, but none thus far, at least not such as to do it justice, in Chandra Nandini.
I am also more than happy to see a Helena who is very close to my Helen 2.0, a capable, take charge kind of woman, trained and skilled in statecraft and governance, and completely devoted to running the kingdom's affairs as efficiently as possible in Chandragupt's absence. And to see her doing this in tandem with Chanakya, benefitting from his guidance, and enjoying his full confidence.
As soon as all the doors and windows of the chamber were secured and only the two of them being in the room was ensured, Helena began, "It is safe now! May I know the intention of your visit? I understood Acharya Chanakya dealt with these things...
Bhimsen: Yes, but he is not in the palace. We received this message from our spy, whose identity is not known even to me, and who answers directly to Acharya Chanakya and Maharaj Chandragupt, a short while ago. We lost contact with him weeks ago. All the messages he was sending us were being intercepted en-route. The very fact that this message even reached us is a Godsend.
He held up a scroll to Helena which almost seemed scribbled in rather hurried and hasty words highlighting the urgency and gravity of the situation. It read like this:
"Guptachar Pramukh ko Pranam. Rajkumar Dhananand aur Amatya Rakshas is samay Magadh main upasthith hain aur Acharya Chanakya ki hatya ki prayathna kar rahen hain. Akraman Son Nadhi Teer par aaj Shyam ko hoga! Is akraman ko Senapathi Bhadrasal netrathva kar rahen hain. Abhi sainikon ki sankhya pachas hai, par baad main saw ya do saw aur sainikon ki aane ki sambhavana hai!"
(Greetings to the Chief Intelligence Officer! Rajkumar Dhananand and Amatya Rakshas are presently situated in Magadh and are trying to assassinate Acharya Chanakya. The attack is going to happen today evening on the banks of Son River. Senapathi Bhadrasal is in charge of this attack. The initial number of soldiers who have set out is fifty, but a reinforcement of a hundred or two hundred soldiers can be expected!)
Helena, without wasting any time, "Is it true?"
Bhimsen: Yes!
Helena: How many soldiers are presently guarding Acharya now?
Bhimsen: Twenty perhaps!
Helena: How many men are at your disposal now?
Bhimsen: Ten!
Helena: I have forty who can come with me immediately. Three hundred of my soldiers can be mobilized in an hour. They can join us later as reinforcements. Will that do?
Bhimsen: We will have to make do!
Helena: Let's leave immediately! I will not be able to face Maharaj if anything happens to Acharyaji!
Bhimsen: Patrani Helena, for the sake of your own safety, wouldn't it be better if you remain behind and just send these men with us?
Helena: That I am afraid is impossible! Most of these men are from Greece and they do not understand the language here so well. It would result in needless delays and communication gaps or failure if I do not accompany. You need not worry about me. I can defend myself well enough if the occasion for that arises. (A bit apprehensively by this time) Will we be in time to avert this? ...Such a situation...and that too in Maharaj's absence...it's all my mistake...I shouldn't have agreed...when Acharya wanted to go...If Maharaj hears of this...
Bhimsen: Patrani Helena, please do not blame yourself for anything! You are doing your best ...and all of us appreciate it. Even if Maharaj had been present, he wouldn't have questioned Acharya ...or prevented him from doing anything he wanted to do. Maharaj's absence will make no difference because we still have you with us ...and all of us are still behind you. God willing, we will stop them and give our enemies a resounding reply.
This is exactly the sort of passage I love to read. A crisp, no nonsense Helena, moving swiftly and seamlessly to tackle this sudden crisis, without wasting an instant in useless exclamations and recriminations after that one instant of self-criticism for having let Chanakya go. She is truly a woman for all seasons, and especially for times of trouble.
Let us reconstruct a brief sequence of events of the past couple of days regarding Acharya Chanakya to see how things came to their present pass.
Chanakya called his man Friday Vishnu and asked, "Parson thithi kya hai?
The man gave a detailed description of the day, the month, and the planetary position.
Chanakya just exclaimed an "Ah!" in reply.
Some time later in the Raj Sabha,
Chanakya: Patrani Helena I want leave of absence from my duties for a couple of days on my personal grounds.
Helena: Acharya is anything the matter? Do you want me to do something for you?
Chanakya: No! I just need your permission and approval to leave immediately.
Helena: I will ask two contingents of soldiers to go with you.
Chanakya: That will not be necessary. I am going on my personal grounds. I wouldn't want to waste public money like this. I insist upon it! Anyhow my Prime Ministerial Guard is going along with me.
Helena: Your wish, Acharya!
There was a lot of hustle and bustle taking place outside the Palace of Patliputra. Several soldiers were rushing to and fro doing things with alacrity. The horses were being readied, the weapons were being polished and sharpened to the ground. One of the by-standers who was standing outside got into an easy conversation with one of the soldiers.
By-stander: I see a lot of hustle and bustle friend! Is it some new war again? I thought the Magadh Vasis were done with wars with the ascent of Maharaj Chandragupt. I thought we could at last live in peace. But I seem to be mistaken.
Soldier: Nothing of that sort! Though there is sure to be one war in future against that despicable Padmanand. But you may rest assured that now it is no war. Mahamatya Chanakya is going to his native village on Son Nadhi Teer for a couple of days. His servants, helpers, and the soldiers in his Prime Ministerial Guard are accompanying him.
By-stander: That explains all this buzz at this ungodly hour. Surely several big contingents are accompanying the Mahamatya who is the most important man in Magadh after our Maharaj.
Soldier (with pride gleaming through his eyes): Our Mahamatya, Acharya Chanakya is not like that. He will not allow public money to be wasted on him like that. Why, he even told our Patrani Helena that he wouldn't take the contingents she was offering him as they would be a waste of public money. That's how great and how simple our Acharya Chanakya is!
Now how does this simple soldier know this? It was said during a private meeting between Chanakya and Helena. Truly is it said that the very walls of a palace have ears! And a very large and foolish mouth as well!!
By-stander: True! True! Even I have heard a lot about Acharya Chanakya! By the way, where is this ancestral village of Acharya Chanakya?
Soldier: Don't you know even this man? Acharya Chanakya hails from the village of Arwal which is on the right bank of Son Nadhi!
With such blabbermouths around, it is as if they had announced Chanakya's travel programme to the whole of Pataliputra with a megaphone!đ˛ Why on earth are they not more circumspect about it? Surely Chanakya knows that his life is as valuable as Chandragupt's and just as vulnerable once he is out of the security perimeter in Pataliputra. Should he not have been more careful, and planted some false story to explain the movement of his guards?
It does not seem plausible to me that he would let things slip like this, unless it was a deliberate move for his own purposes, to lure his attackers to his ancestral home by offering himself as the bait. But that does not make any sense either, for it is not as though Rakshas would let Dhananand or Padmanand risk their lives in such a venture. So why then?
The day after this conversation, during the early hours of morning, a few ceremonies and rituals were being conducted in Acharya Chanakya's ancestral house by a few Brahmins.
One of the Brahmins asked, "Yajman, Shrath ki Vidhi kis ki nam ka hai? (Master, in whose name should the annual ceremony be performed?)
Chanakya: Bathatha hoon! Mere Pithaji ka naam Canak hai aur unke purvajon ke naam the... (I will tell! My father's name was Canak and the names of his ancestors were...)
Chanakya gave detailed description of his family lineage at this point which was necessary for the completion of this annual ceremony conducted every year commemorating the death day of close relatives.
In between, during a brief halt in the proceedings, he inquired his Brahmin cooks, regarding the preparations for the Brahmin Bhoj, "Bhoj ki sari vyavastha ho gayi hain na? Vidhi thodi dher main khatam hojayega! Phir Brahman Bhoj hoga!" (Are the preparations for the Brahmin feast over? This ritual will get over in a little time! Then we will have the Brahmin feast!)
One of the cooks: Sari vyavastha yen ho gayi hain! (All the preparations are over!)
Chanakya himself duly washed the feet of all the Brahmins with sacred River waters, showed them their respective seats, "Asan graham karen! Bhojan taiyyar hai! Mere Pitha aur sare purvajon ko apna ashirwaaad deh!" (Please be seated! The feast is ready! Please bless my father and all his ancestors!)
Chanakya served all the dainty dishes and kheer with his own hands before finally finishing it off with huge helpings of cow ghee and the finest honey to the Brahmins before asking them to commence the meal, "Prarambh Karen!" (Please begin!)
After the feast was over, all the Brahmins gave their blessing to Chanakya's father and his ancestors, before they were duly given their Dakshina and dispatched from there with utmost respect. After this, Chanakya cleaned up the banana leaves with his own hands before he left the rest of the cleaning to his helpers. It was towards evening now. Chanakya had been sitting on the banks of Son River talking to himself, "Pithaji, today I have once again fulfilled my duty as a son towards you. From tomorrow, it will again be back to normal and my usual duties towards Magadh and my motherland."
I liked this whole passage about the traditional Brahmin shraddha rituals a lot. Made me feel quite nostalgic about these rites for my grandfather. By the way, with all that rich ghee, it is as well that no one knew anything about bad cholesterol in those days!đ
The Sun was setting in the west. It had been a hectic day for him, a day where he came back to his roots, where it all began, his journey to accomplish a mammoth dream. He had walked along these same paths ages ago with his father beside him leading the path. Many were the mornings and evenings he spent along these banks learning things about the world around him and acquiring knowledge. Years had passed.
The only thing that had remained constant in all this time were the flowing waters of these rivers and the never-ending nature of time. Today he was standing on the same banks he had once frequented along with his father, his presence no more, but his vision still alive in his eyes. Chanakya to himself, "Asatoma Sadgamaya, Tamasoma Jyothirgamaya, Mrithyorma Amrithangamaya! (From ignorance lead me to truth, from darkness lead me to light, from death lead me to immortality!) It feels like yesterday when I was hearing these words out of your lips on these very banks."
A beautiful, poetic, philosophical passage!đ
Chanakya was sitting near the Sangama Stan (Meeting Point of Two Rivers) watching the waters of Punpun and Son flowing by unmindful of time and place. Glancing at the position of the Sun, he surmised that it was time for his Sandhyavandanam again. He asked his soldiers and guards to wait on the banks for him while he left to perform the Oblations to the Sun God in the Sangama Stan!
Chanakya walked up into the flowing waters till the water came up to his stomach while he was standing on his feet. While reciting the sacred manthras he ducked into the water twice and came up. Now it was time for Chanakya to go into the water and come up again the third time. He was taking an unusually long time than he usually took to come up from the water again. Exactly then, what caught the aghast eyes of the guards standing ashore was the clear and blue waters of the Sangama Stan turning red in color at exactly the spot where Acharya Chanakya had been doing Sandhayavandanam.
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