Read Online The Aryavarta Chronicles Kaurava: Book 2 by Krishna Udayasankar - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Krishna Udayasankar
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understand, don’t you? These ideas, these irrevocable conceptualizations of good and bad are so deeply embedded within us that no one stops to ask why we are bound to our fate, what makes it unchangeable. Our rulers and our gods are all impervious to scrutiny. We put up with niggling inequities and blatant violations presuming that there must be a divine purpose or higher power that is beyond our comprehension. And then we reinterpret and redefine our past and present to fit in with the balanced view we have of the world. History, science, scripture – nothing remains untouched.’
‘Then nothing is constant?’
‘Nothing, except change. Evolution is not spurred by perfection and luxury, but by struggle. Today’s rulers were once rebels and revolutionaries.’
Panchali shook her head. ‘It sounds far too much like the notion of destiny. The inevitable, inexorable fate that rules us all.’
‘Would you say that a pebble thrown upwards will fall to the ground, because it is destined to fall? To say that it will fall is nothing more than an awareness of cause and effect… Rules we construct, and keep refining…’
‘We? You mean the Wrights?’ She fixed Dhaumya with a steady gaze. ‘That’s what you are, aren’t you, Dhaumya? A Firewright, just like Govinda Shauri.’
The scholar met her eyes with quiet confidence. ‘That word no longer holds the meaning it used to, Panchali. Not since my brother began calling himself that… But to answer your question, yes, I did train briefly with them. Not in warcraft, mind you, but in medicine. Atri Angiras was a master of healing, as was Agniveshya, his student.’
‘And here I thought you were a Varuni. Firstborn by training and birth, both,’ Panchali said, an indisputable hint of accusation in her tone.
Dhaumya took no offence. ‘I was. And I still am. But I am one of those that the Firewrights of old – true Wrights as they called themselves – considered a rebel,’ he said. ‘Don’t you see, Empress? I am as much the product of Govinda’s dreams as your empire – an empire built, as you mentioned, on the might of Firstborn and Firewright both. It was Govinda who took me to the Firewrights, as he did others of the Firstborn. It was he who convinced them that it was the way forward, that the only way to take politics out of science was to share their knowledge with those they sought to keep it safe from. As much as the Firstborn and Aryavarta’s own Emperor might begrudge it, the fact remains that the Firewrights are the very foundation of the empire. Their knowledge, now passed on to the people of Aryavarta as craft and skill, will fuel the future.’
‘By Rudra, I’m so tired of this pandering, this unshakeable faith in Govinda’s benevolence! Do you think I’m such a fool, that I can’t see who or what he really is?’ Suddenly aware of the rising pitch of her voice, Panchali forced herself to calm down. She took a deep breath before saying, ‘Maybe he meant well, once. But I cannot trust him anymore, not after all the intrigue and manipulation. He believes that the ends justify the means, but I can’t agree with those methods. Nothing has sanctity in his eyes anymore. He will stop at nothing.’
She looked at Dhaumya to find that his face bore the cross expression of a brother disappointed with a younger sibling. ‘What more must he do to prove himself to you, Panchali?’ he hoarsely demanded.
‘I…’
Why do you doubt him? Do you know that few have understood me…or him…the way you have? Yet, it would seem that few have misunderstood us both so badly. But that means little now. He is gone.’
Panchali felt a sourceless pain fill her at that statement. ‘Do you think he will return?’ she asked, dully.
‘No. He won’t. He cannot.’
‘He never planned to, did he? It tore me to banish Govinda from Aryavarta right after Dharma’s coronation, yet I did… But it had nothing to do with what I said or did, isn’t it? He was
‘Then nothing is constant?’
‘Nothing, except change. Evolution is not spurred by perfection and luxury, but by struggle. Today’s rulers were once rebels and revolutionaries.’
Panchali shook her head. ‘It sounds far too much like the notion of destiny. The inevitable, inexorable fate that rules us all.’
‘Would you say that a pebble thrown upwards will fall to the ground, because it is destined to fall? To say that it will fall is nothing more than an awareness of cause and effect… Rules we construct, and keep refining…’
‘We? You mean the Wrights?’ She fixed Dhaumya with a steady gaze. ‘That’s what you are, aren’t you, Dhaumya? A Firewright, just like Govinda Shauri.’
The scholar met her eyes with quiet confidence. ‘That word no longer holds the meaning it used to, Panchali. Not since my brother began calling himself that… But to answer your question, yes, I did train briefly with them. Not in warcraft, mind you, but in medicine. Atri Angiras was a master of healing, as was Agniveshya, his student.’
‘And here I thought you were a Varuni. Firstborn by training and birth, both,’ Panchali said, an indisputable hint of accusation in her tone.
Dhaumya took no offence. ‘I was. And I still am. But I am one of those that the Firewrights of old – true Wrights as they called themselves – considered a rebel,’ he said. ‘Don’t you see, Empress? I am as much the product of Govinda’s dreams as your empire – an empire built, as you mentioned, on the might of Firstborn and Firewright both. It was Govinda who took me to the Firewrights, as he did others of the Firstborn. It was he who convinced them that it was the way forward, that the only way to take politics out of science was to share their knowledge with those they sought to keep it safe from. As much as the Firstborn and Aryavarta’s own Emperor might begrudge it, the fact remains that the Firewrights are the very foundation of the empire. Their knowledge, now passed on to the people of Aryavarta as craft and skill, will fuel the future.’
‘By Rudra, I’m so tired of this pandering, this unshakeable faith in Govinda’s benevolence! Do you think I’m such a fool, that I can’t see who or what he really is?’ Suddenly aware of the rising pitch of her voice, Panchali forced herself to calm down. She took a deep breath before saying, ‘Maybe he meant well, once. But I cannot trust him anymore, not after all the intrigue and manipulation. He believes that the ends justify the means, but I can’t agree with those methods. Nothing has sanctity in his eyes anymore. He will stop at nothing.’
She looked at Dhaumya to find that his face bore the cross expression of a brother disappointed with a younger sibling. ‘What more must he do to prove himself to you, Panchali?’ he hoarsely demanded.
‘I…’
Why do you doubt him? Do you know that few have understood me…or him…the way you have? Yet, it would seem that few have misunderstood us both so badly. But that means little now. He is gone.’
Panchali felt a sourceless pain fill her at that statement. ‘Do you think he will return?’ she asked, dully.
‘No. He won’t. He cannot.’
‘He never planned to, did he? It tore me to banish Govinda from Aryavarta right after Dharma’s coronation, yet I did… But it had nothing to do with what I said or did, isn’t it? He was
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