Chapter Fifty-One:
At Patliputra outside Acharya Chanakya's Chamber,
Acharya Chanakya and Patrani Helena rushed over to the garden outside to identify who the eavesdropper who had been listening to their conversation was. It turned out to be Malayketu's uncle Veerabahu who was in the last throes of death. As he foamed near the mouth due to the effect of the poisonous dart, he spoke in a broken and choking tone, "Traitors...You cheated...You will not escape...Our vast army...at the backyard of Patliputra..."
Without raising his voice or any change of facial expression, Acharya Chanakya said, "Good riddance! I was thinking all this while that we did not make any arrangements with regard to you. Thank you for making things easier for us."
Helena, though happy to be rid of one of the many enemies of Magadh, was a bit concerned on hearing the last words of Veerabahu, "Acharya...We got rid of Malayketu and also Veerabahu. But what about their huge army sitting in our own backyard. They are sure to retaliate if they suspect that there is some kind of treachery or foul play happening to either Veerabahu or Malayketu. They must have had standing instructions to attack..."
Chanakya: I have an answer for that...
Even before he could complete the sentence, a dense dust of smoke rose up from the empty ground, some distance away from the back of the Patliputra Palace where Malayketu and Veerabahu's army had been stationed. Cries of distant fighting were heard.
Chanakya: Ah...There comes your answer Maharani.
Helena: Wasn't that where Veerabahu's army was?
Chanakya: Yes...the food and drink provided to their soldiers was drugged. So it took care of most of them...and if there were any left, our army seem to be taking good care of them...If you remember, there are two gates at the backyard of our palace. We had specifically requested that Veerabahu's army be stationed in the empty ground between the second gate and the first gate. The drawbridge of the first gate had been drawn up much earlier in the evening citing security concerns and the doors of the first gate firmly secured...By next morning, I assure you that we will be rid of this nuisance...
Helena: That was a really spectacular and well-planned military maneuver. Your planning always leaves me in awe, Acharya.
At Chandragupt's Army Camp,
Chandragupt was giving a motivational speech to his men, "We have received news just now that Kumar Madhav of Peeplivan has won the hand of Princess Malathi of Toshali in the Swayamvar. He is rapidly advancing from the Tosali side of the Magadhan border along with a two Akshouhini Sena. Acharya Chanakya assures me Prince Arjun of Rajnagari will also reach Sitapur within another day from the other side to reinforce our strength with a one Akshouhini Sena. We are already two Aksouhini strong. This is not including the soldiers under Prathpal Gajanan who is within the fortress of Sitapur who are sizable in number. Padmanand with a strength of two Akshouhinis doesn't stand a chance, surrounded as he is from all sides, and heavily outnumbered. It is now or never. I want all of you not to fight for me, but for yourselves, for your families, for your children, for a hope, for a better future where a tyrant and oppressor like Padmanand will never dare to raise his head and curtail our freedom and independence with the yoke of servitude. We will launch our offensive tomorrow morning. That Padmanand should not see the light of another day. Har Har Mahadev!...Har Har Mahadev!...Har Har Mahadev!"
In Chandragupt's Royal Tent,
As he returned to his tent, Chandragupt observed the light of his life and his love, his lovely wife Nandini looking listless, forlorn and lifeless. It seemed as though all her energies had been sapped up. He went and sat beside her.
Nandini: I am sorry. I found myself unequal to attend the military meeting. How did it go?
Chandragupt: Very well! All our men are well-motivated and in a positive frame of mind for tomorrow's battle. ( A long pause ensued after this) And you? Are you too ready for this?
Nandini (ruefully): Maybe yes...Maybe not...I am sorry...I am trying my best...but still...I keep failing some where or the other...If I succeed as a wife...I keep failing as a daughter...Why don't you speak some of your motivational lectures to me as well?...I badly need them now...Even more than your men...
Chandragupt did not say anything. He just sat beside her holding her hands in his looking straight into her eyes. She was comforted by his soothing presence and loving glance. Her troubled and gloomy expression vanished. She smiled softly through her tears as she said, "I don't know how you do it every time! Your mere presence reassures and comforts me and fills me with a hidden strength. I could die this minute for you looking into your eyes like this. I wish for nothing more in my life."
Chandragupt put his hands on her lips, "Hush...no more of those morbid thoughts. No more talk of death. You will live with me for many many more years. You say I motivate you...but do you know who motivates me?...You...are my strength...my inspiration...my motivation. Anybody can do what I am doing...fighting my enemy...but fighting your own is difficult. Nandini, you will find me with you in every walk of life, in ever trial and tribulation, in happiness and in sorrow. Everything that is yours is mine; you are not alone in anything. Any storm of life will have to pass me before it reaches you."
The same night at the Fortress of Sitapur,
Padmanand lay awake in his bed. Sleep persistently continued to evade him. He and his men were in great danger. Pranthpal Gajanan had turned out to be Chandragupt and Chanakya's agent. He had acted as though he had gone against them while he had been acting according to their orders all this while. He had trusted him too easily. He and his entire force were very precariously placed. Open hostilities had not broken between him and Gajanan. In all probability, Gajanan had orders only to detain him and his Sena at Sitapur until Chandragupt could arrive there to take him on.
Suddenly, Padmanand rose up with a jerk, "That is Amatya's secret signal! What is he doing here? He ought to be with Rajkumar Dhananand. So does this mean...no...no...I cannot start having these negative thoughts.
He secretly slipped out of the fortress in the darkness of the night.
Near a secluded mountain henge at some distance from the fortress,
Padmanand: You here...Amatya...and Bhadrasal too...How are things with Rajkumar Dhananand?
Bhadrasal hung up his face at the mention of Dhananand, but Amatya without losing either his confidence nor resourcefulness of speech, "I have three bad news and one good news, Maharaj. Which shall I tell first?"
Padmanand: The bad first!
Rakshas: Rajkumar Dhananand is no longer in our midst.
Padmanand: Heavens support me! Can this get any worse? My son and heir is no more.
Rakshas: Shall I tell the rest or stop, Maharaj?
Padmanand (with a heavy heart) Continue...
Rakshas: Malayketu and Veerabahu have jumped sides and joined hands with Chanakya and Chandragupt.
Padmanand: And...
Rakshas: Prathpal Gajanan is a triple agent. He is working for Chanakya and Chandragupt while pretending to be on our side. Maharaj Chandragupt is converging upon Sitapur with a mighty force from one side while Rajkumar Madhav of Peeplivan in converging from the opposite side along with the Army of Toshali in tow. Kunwar Arjun is also arriving shortly to reinforce the military power of Magadh and Peeplivan. Maharaj, we are surrounded from all sides outside and also within the fortress.
Padmanand: What else is left now? We are literally defeated from all sides and on all counts.
Rakshas: There is Maharaj...Bhadrasal has taken Maharani Durdhara, Durdhara's father, Chandragupt's foster parents, and all the villagers of Patalgram where Maharaj Chandragupt grew up as hostages...and an even more favorable piece of news...Maharani Durdhara is pregnant. She is carrying the first heir of Magadh...Whether Chandragupt has five Akshouhinis Sena or ten, he will never do anything that will endanger the life of his future heir...We can easily buy our freedom and safe passage out of Magadh.
Padmanand (with bated breath) Where are Durdhara and the rest?
Scroll below the same page for Chapter 52. There are five parts in this chapter.
Edited by shailusri1983 - 7 years ago
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