Chapter Forty-Six:
At Sitapur,
Padmanand was a man of few words. He never wasted anything unnecessarily, not even his words. His expressions and his actions were very hard to read and decipher. He had the ability to twist and play people by their weaknesses. He possessed abundant persuasive and emotional brainwashing skills. He could make people think and lead them to think the way he wanted them to. That was one reason why he was wary and steered clear of people who possessed the very same skill-set.
He used praise, flattery, persuasion, emotional blackmail, divide and rule tactics, fear, power play, manipulating and subverting the truth, wise use of espionage and information, developing an intimidating military war machine capable of inspiring fear and awe in one's enemies; anything and everything that was necessary to win over his opponents, allies, his friends, his mentor, and his relatives to his side or to suppress them or weed them out completely. That was how he rose from his humble origins to become the ruler of the most powerful kingdom of his times, Magadh.
But he had lost out to somebody who played his kind of game; his way, but better than himself. That was what Chanakya and Chandragupt were doing now. Despite having a genius like Amatya Rakshas beside him and significant army strength, they were still struggling to establish a foothold over Magadh. What made the entire situation intolerable, was the fact that they had turned his own wife, Avantika and his strongest support system, his daughter Nandini against him.
He cared two hoots about Avantika now. He had taught her a lesson for meddling with his things and interfering in his matters in a way she would never fully recoup. He had no use for her. But his daughter was his strength, his lucky mascot. Her destiny was so powerful that he had grown and risen up to power with her arrival in his life. He had remained unchallenged as long as she remained fully his. But now things were changing.
Chandragupt was scaling new heights with his daughter by his side. The raging fire in his bosom had grown a hundred fold. He hadn't hated Chandragupt as much even when he overthrew him from the throne of Magadh. He hadn't hated him when he executed his seven sons after the battle. That was what any ruler would do with his opponents. But Chandragupt took his daughter from him, the only person on earth who had been his pride, his strength, his honor and his weakness as well. He hated him and despised him the way he did no other person on this earth.
Chandragupt had snatched and cheated his destiny away from him. His destiny had started loving Chandragupt and eluding his grasp. All his best laid plans went astray. His allies kept deserting him. All those people who feared him and did not raise even their eyes to meet his eyes, now raised their voices and sneered behind his back. His rancor and animosity for Chandragupt were boundless.
But he was the kind who kept even his negative emotions in a highly controlled and channelized manner. A person who saw his external expressions would never be able to make out the amount of malice he bore for Chandragupt and everyone connected with him. It was because he loved his daughter so much that he hated Chandragupt all the more. If Nandini hadn't grown to love Chandragupt so much and hate him, Padmanand would perhaps not have despised his son-in-law that much. He wanted to defeat Chandragupt at all costs.
That had been one of the culminating factors why he had hastily seized the opportunity to enter Magadh with his army at the invitation of Prathpal Gajanan near the Toshali side of the Magadhan border. Originally, they had been planning to attack the fortress of Sitapur which was a very strong bastion of Magadhan power.
Taking the fortress in their control would offer them a number of strategic advantages. The arms consignment General Vakranaas was bringing along with his men was also designated towards this goal. What he and Amatya Rakshas had thought would cost them a whole lot of struggle and fighting to bring under control came into their hands in quite a surprising turn of events. Prathpal Gajanan himself approached him to attack Magadh offering him shelter at Sitapur, his whole-hearted support and help, and that of the entire forces at his disposal in return for several monetary advantages and a higher official posting.
The fortress of Sitapur was situated on a plateau between two parallel mountain ranges of which it was the only connecting point. It lay in the lap of nature: beautiful, formidable and silent. The plateau itself was located at an altitude of 890 meters above the ground level. It had a length and breadth measuring 6 kilometers from top to bottom and four kilometers from side to side.
On a third side leading to this fortress lay gently sloping and straddling forests plush with a dense overgrowth of beautiful Ashoka trees in full bloom. The fourth side of this plateau was bordered with curvaceous, bent and sinuous paths; a literal maze and quagmire full of swamps, marshes, heavily infested by poisonous snakes and a waterbody full of crocodiles making it highly suicidal and impassable for anybody wishing to reach the fortress from this side.
The bastion of Sitapur as it stood was almost sealed from three sides by its formidable and imposing natural defenses. The only side which was somewhat accessible was through the forest of Ashoka trees. The other sides were hardly accessible to vast armies, their infantry and cavalry. Reaching this fortress through any of these three sides called for superhuman feats which only a blessed few could undertake and actually accomplish. It would be beyond the scope and reach of the ordinary soldiers.
The side across the forest of Ashoka trees, though comparatively easier than the other three, would easily expose the advancing armies to the arrows from the archers and huge boulders showered from the walls of the fortress. Similarly, it would be possible to engage the advancing armies with sudden guerrilla attacks by select bands of the forces within the fortress.
Padmanand and Pranthpal Gajanan were still awaiting the arrival of General Vakranaas his men and the huge weapons cache they were carrying. Several contingents who had been secretly rallied by Rajkumar Dhananand and Amatya Rakshas were expected to join them as well. After all of them had congregated together, they would trail blaze their way to Patliputra cutting down whoever came in their path, taking all the Magadhan territories that fell in their path under their control, finally capturing Patliputra and driving the final nail in the coffin of both Chandragupt and that wily and foxy Chanakya. This was Padmanand's original plan.
But everything had gone upside down to what Padmanand had expected when he entered Magadhan soil. At the present moment, if a numerical count of the individual army strengths of Padmanand and Gajanan was taken, they would be equal. Only if Vakranaas and the other contingents were able to join them, his side of the balance would be heavier.
There were many times when he suspected whether Prantpal Gajanan was with him or against him. Though a bit disturbing as this development was, he knew that Gajanan stood nowhere when it came to facing him. The only person capable of taking him head on and defeating him was Chandragupt. So he was sure the Pranthpal would not risk going against him. He was unable to actually gauge what the Pranthpal was actually playing at.
In the event of hostilities breaking out between him and Gajanan, if by any chance the latter turned an imposter, though he would definitely manage to defeat and kill Gajanan, his entire force would be reduced to literally nothing and to no purpose. He would be exactly where he began after he was overthrown by Chandragupt.
So he had to be careful, watch his every step and word and keep all his cards close to his heart. Already, he had inadvertently revealed quite a lot to Gajanan and played into his hands. Padmanand had begun feeling a vague sense of unease as though instead of trapping the enemy in his net, he had walked into it. The evasive techniques, persuasive skills and smooth talk Prathpal Gajanan adopted led him to doubt his intentions many times. After all, he had been one of Chandragupt's and Chanakya's men until recently.
Why would they leave such an important post in the hands of such a two-timing chameleon? He guessed that if they were powerful enough to overthrow even him and outwit a man like Amatya Rakshas, they would be good judges of character and would not employ a man like Gajanan. So it meant, he couldn't take Prantpal Gajanan or his friendly overtures towards him at face value.
As he turned the winding corridors of this impenetrable and strong bastion on the frontiers of Magadh, he found his army generals, captains and many of soldiers in a vast hall full of dancing girls. Almost all his men were inebriated with drink. They weren't in their senses. It just didn't look like they were preparing for a major attack on the capital. Extremely disgusted by the state in which he perceived his men, but realizing the futility of either talking to them or reprimanding them at this precise moment, he quietly walked away deep in thought.
Padmanand, to himself, "Can Prathpal Gajanan be trusted? Was I wrong in coming here?"
As though he had read his question even before he actually voiced it, the voice of Gajanan emanated from the corners of that winding corridor, "Maharaj I had just provided a small entertainment to the soldiers! I thought that they must have been tired and exhausted by the journey. It was just to show my hospitality and refresh and rejuvenate them!"
Padmanand within his mind: Yes, I saw that! What are you playing for Gajanan? More than hospitality it looks like a deliberate and underhand attempt to render the soldiers ineffective!
Padmanand aloud to Gajanan, with a deliberate mask of friendly and effusive smiles, "Very thoughtful! But we need to put such celebrations off until victory."
Gajanan with an expression of abject subservience and sly cunning speaking one thing aloud while thinking something else within his mind, "Of course! Of course! We will get down to business as soon as Vakranaas, the weapons and the other contingents which you are currently rebuilding in Magadh with the help of Rajkumar Dhananand reach here (They will never reach here). We will need sufficient forces to take on Maharaj Chandragupt and Acharya Chanakya (I will do everything necessary to weaken you and your forces). This was just a single evening of celebration (These evenings will continue! If I don't make your men addicted to women and alcohol, my name is not Gajanan). The war preparations will start in right earnest from tomorrow onwards (That tomorrow is never going to come!)
Padmanand did not say anything in reply. He simply nodded in approval seeing that there was nothing much he could do at the moment. His suspicions were throughly roused by now. The Prathpal was a smooth operator who changed colors and sides at the drop of a hat.
He had really committed a mistake in trusting him and coming so far. He at least hoped that Rajkumar Malayketu and his uncle Veerabahu would carry out their part in the plan by launching a full-fledged attack on Magadh from the northern side of the border. With still no sign of Vakranaas, and Prathpal Gajanan determined to dilly-dally and waste time, they would be unable to proceed as they had planned from this side of the border.
He watched the man out of the corner of his eyes like an eagle to see if he would depart and leave him alone to organize his thoughts and plans. But no! The man stuck to him like a leech. He didn't have the privacy of a single moment ever since he had entered Magadh and met Gajanan.
Even when he managed to elude his vice-like iron grip and snatch a few moments alone, the man came running and searching behind him as though if he left him out of sight, he would vanish. His own wives Avantika or Sunanda never paid him such attention. As a matter of fact, they used to be more relieved at his departure than they ever were during his presence. And this Gajanan courted him and his presence like a love-lorn sweetheart, like a magnet seeks iron.
At Patliputra,
Bhimsen, the head of the intelligence wing was reporting to Chanakya about a crucial breakthrough they had achieved. Vakranaas and his men had been arrested and the weapons cache was also taken into custody.
Chanakya: Good that you were able to spot on the basis of the clues that the target and final destination of Vakranaas and his men was the fortress of Sitapur. Vidur's men royally missed in stopping Vakranaas and his men at the entry point itself. Similarly, they did over exaggerate the existing facts to cover up their own failure and to show they had done some work.
Bhimsen: However, we owe it to the spying of Vidur's men that we were able to deduce what the actual assignment of Vakranaas was all about. We knew from the beginning that weapons in such huge quantities wouldn't be ordered or bought just for replacing old weapons with new ones. The intention of assault was always there. What we didn't know was where exactly it would take place.
Chanakya: The code words highlighted in Vidur's message to you were "Mandhara" "Parvat ke Shikar", "Ashok Vatika", "Sita". Now Sita could be a person or a place associated with that name or a place beginning with that word. What other clues or code words did we have? Ashok Vatika and Parvat ke Shikar implying a huge stretch of Ashoka trees and also high altitudes. All three code words tally with the fortress of Sitapur which is surrounded by two high mountain ranges and a huge forest of Ashoka trees. So they alone were enough to confirm that the final destination of Vakranaas and his men is Sitapur. But as a final affirmation, the word Mandhara refers to the quagmire of swamps and marshy land which is known in the local tongue near Sitapur as Mandhara ki Khubja (Mandhara's hunchback).
Bhimsen: These details helped us formulate our plans. We lured Padmanand into Magadh with Prathpal Gajanan's help. Amatya Rakshas has left Rajkumar Dhananand in the lurch in his attempt to save Padmanand. Maharaj Chandragupt and Maharani Nandini have personally gone on an expedition to finish off Dhananand before they proceed to Sitapur to take on Padmanand and Amatya Rakshas. We can rely on Gajanan to delay and detain Padmanand at Sitapur. As difficult as Sitapur is to take in a field of battle, it is as difficult escaping from there, and that too along with an army of men.
Chanakya: As regards the allies of Padmanand, Malayketu and his uncle Veerabahu, we do have such an interesting proposal that they will find it very hard to refuse. We may expect them to fall in line with us before long. We will have to play the waiting game with Malayketu and Veerabahu until Kunwar Arjun and his forces join us. I expect Vishakha to take care of things till then. But I might have to take Rajmata Moora and Patrani Helena into my confidence and explain to them our exact plans.
Bhimsen: Yes, that would ensure they do not commit any mistakes in the execution of our plans. But Acharya, is Kunwar Arjun coming? The alliance fell apart, didn't it?
Chanakya: Yes, he will. I am confident of that. We have played all our cards now. Let's wait and watch what results they yield us.
Bhimsen: Of course Acharya. We will get rid of all our enemies at one shot according to this game plan.
In a confidential meeting,
Acharya Chanakya had summoned both Rajmata Moora and Patrani Helena to discuss something very urgent.
Moora: Acharya, is there a specific reason why both of us been summoned at this time?
Chanakya: Yes, the matter is both urgent and important. Jo main kehraha hoon use dhyan seh suniye aur usi par amal kijiye! (Please listen carefully to whatever I am saying and act exactly according to that!)
He explained the plan in detail to both the Rajmata and Helena. He clapped his hands and somebody stepped out of the dark corners of the chamber. He presented her before the Rajmata and Helena saying, "Yeh Vishakha hai! Yeh bez badalne main maahir hai! Kuch dinon ke liye yeh hi Rajkumari Chaaya banegi jab thak hamara udhesh purn nahin hojatha. (He explained the plan in a voice that was almost a whisper) Main asha kartha hoon ki aap yojana samaj gaye hain. Kya aap donon ki sehmati aur sath hain is yojana main?"(She is Vishakha. She is an adept in the art of impersonation. For some days, she will be Rajkumari Chaaya till our goals are not fulfilled. I hope both of you understood the plan. Do both of you agree to this plan and are ready to support me in this?)
Rajmata and Helena both nodded their acquiescence together while saying, "Ji Acharya! Hum aap ke saath hain!"(Yes, Acharya! We are with you in this!)
Chapter Forty-Seven: Page 94
Edited by shailusri1983 - 8 years ago
Current Affairs
Shiv Shakti
Ye Hai Mohabbatein
CID
