Read Online KRISHNA CORIOLIS#1: Slayer of Kamsa by Ashok K. Banker - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Ashok K. Banker
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pleasures of unlawful spoils and the setting aside of the laws of Kshatriya dharma that forbade a soldier from doing anything other than defending his nation under duress.
‘That is what troubles me most, my queen,’ Ugrasena said, leaning on the armrest of his throne. ‘He must have advisors and they must be very wily to enable him to gain so much power and loyalty so swiftly.’
She frowned. A part of her was loath to accept this view, for it undercut the last vestige of motherly pride she could hope to take in her son’s dubious achievements. But she knew at once that Ugrasena was right in his assessment. However brilliant Kamsa’s political skills might be – and she had seen no great evidence of any such skills during his growing years – this achievement was too great for him to have accomplished entirely on his own. Surely, there was another hand at work.
‘Whom do you suspect?’ she asked with growing dismay, now trying to remember the faces and names of all those who might qualify as opponents of Ugrasena’s rule and who might harbour sufficient ill will to plot against him. She felt so parched that she could almost feel desert sand grating against her throat.
‘Jarasandha, Bhauma, Trnavarta, Baka, Arista, Pralamba, Putana, Agha, Mustika, Dhenuka, Bana, Canura, Dvivida, Kesi,’ he said, reeling off the names as if by rote.‘But most of all, Jarasandha. There have been reports from all these places about developments that are curiously similar to those in Mathura ...’ he paused thoughtfully.‘Almost as if some great plan was being executed and Kamsa is only playing out his part in the scheme.’
Padmavati’s mind had frozen cold when Ugrasena had uttered the first name.‘Jarasandha,’ she repeated fearfully.‘The king of Magadha.’
‘Yes, and a demon in mortal form, if the tales of his misdeeds are to be believed.’
Suddenly, she felt choked, as if her throat was filled with sand.‘But he is extremely powerful.’
Ugrasena nodded.‘Powerful enough to crush us in open war. But also shrewd enough to know that if he declares war against the Andhaka nation, the Suras and Bhojas will set aside all their differences and stand by us. And that would outmatch even Magadha’s considerable resources by two to one.’
‘And if all these kings you just named were to align with him?’ she asked, agitated.
‘That is not what worries me.’
She stared at him intently. ‘You mean ...’ She swallowed hard, putting into words the thought she could barely bear to think.‘Kamsa might be deluded into allying with him? Our greatest enemy? Surely not!’
Even the thought made her feel sick. But Ugrasena’s response made her feel sicker still.
‘I fear that he might already have allied with him.’
eleven
Akrur put a hand on Vasudeva’s shoulder as they approached the Andhaka camp. ‘Bhaiya,’ he said, for, to him, Vasudeva was no less than an elder brother. ‘I beg you. Reconsider your decision. I fear nothing good will come of this.’
Vasudeva patted his friend’s hand affectionately. ‘When the mission is for good, the outcome is always good.’
Akrur dropped his hand back to the reins. The track was heavily pitted and full of holes from the passing of large numbers of troops and wagons, and it required close attention to avoid cracking a wheel or breaking an uks’ foot. But that was not the main reason why Akrur stayed silent the rest of the way. He was dead set against Vasudeva’s visit to the Andhaka camp and had not hesitated to show his disagreement with his elder’s plan. For all their formality and love for ritual and tradition – ‘parampara’ was the correct term–the Yadavas were fiercely independent people, quick to express their individual opinions, no matter how contrary, unproductive or impractical. That was the reason why the Yadava nations functioned as true republics; no other system would suffice to encompasssuch an independent-minded individualistic
‘That is what troubles me most, my queen,’ Ugrasena said, leaning on the armrest of his throne. ‘He must have advisors and they must be very wily to enable him to gain so much power and loyalty so swiftly.’
She frowned. A part of her was loath to accept this view, for it undercut the last vestige of motherly pride she could hope to take in her son’s dubious achievements. But she knew at once that Ugrasena was right in his assessment. However brilliant Kamsa’s political skills might be – and she had seen no great evidence of any such skills during his growing years – this achievement was too great for him to have accomplished entirely on his own. Surely, there was another hand at work.
‘Whom do you suspect?’ she asked with growing dismay, now trying to remember the faces and names of all those who might qualify as opponents of Ugrasena’s rule and who might harbour sufficient ill will to plot against him. She felt so parched that she could almost feel desert sand grating against her throat.
‘Jarasandha, Bhauma, Trnavarta, Baka, Arista, Pralamba, Putana, Agha, Mustika, Dhenuka, Bana, Canura, Dvivida, Kesi,’ he said, reeling off the names as if by rote.‘But most of all, Jarasandha. There have been reports from all these places about developments that are curiously similar to those in Mathura ...’ he paused thoughtfully.‘Almost as if some great plan was being executed and Kamsa is only playing out his part in the scheme.’
Padmavati’s mind had frozen cold when Ugrasena had uttered the first name.‘Jarasandha,’ she repeated fearfully.‘The king of Magadha.’
‘Yes, and a demon in mortal form, if the tales of his misdeeds are to be believed.’
Suddenly, she felt choked, as if her throat was filled with sand.‘But he is extremely powerful.’
Ugrasena nodded.‘Powerful enough to crush us in open war. But also shrewd enough to know that if he declares war against the Andhaka nation, the Suras and Bhojas will set aside all their differences and stand by us. And that would outmatch even Magadha’s considerable resources by two to one.’
‘And if all these kings you just named were to align with him?’ she asked, agitated.
‘That is not what worries me.’
She stared at him intently. ‘You mean ...’ She swallowed hard, putting into words the thought she could barely bear to think.‘Kamsa might be deluded into allying with him? Our greatest enemy? Surely not!’
Even the thought made her feel sick. But Ugrasena’s response made her feel sicker still.
‘I fear that he might already have allied with him.’
eleven
Akrur put a hand on Vasudeva’s shoulder as they approached the Andhaka camp. ‘Bhaiya,’ he said, for, to him, Vasudeva was no less than an elder brother. ‘I beg you. Reconsider your decision. I fear nothing good will come of this.’
Vasudeva patted his friend’s hand affectionately. ‘When the mission is for good, the outcome is always good.’
Akrur dropped his hand back to the reins. The track was heavily pitted and full of holes from the passing of large numbers of troops and wagons, and it required close attention to avoid cracking a wheel or breaking an uks’ foot. But that was not the main reason why Akrur stayed silent the rest of the way. He was dead set against Vasudeva’s visit to the Andhaka camp and had not hesitated to show his disagreement with his elder’s plan. For all their formality and love for ritual and tradition – ‘parampara’ was the correct term–the Yadavas were fiercely independent people, quick to express their individual opinions, no matter how contrary, unproductive or impractical. That was the reason why the Yadava nations functioned as true republics; no other system would suffice to encompasssuch an independent-minded individualistic
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