The Oath of The Vayuputras (29 page)
An underground chamber beneath the royal palace had been converted into a temporary prison for General Parvateshwar. Though the public prisons of peaceful Kashi were humane, it would have been a slight to a man of Parvateshwar’s stature to be imprisoned along with common criminals. The spacious chamber, though luxuriously appointed, was windowless. Not taking any chances, Parvateshwar’s hands and legs had been securely shackled. While a platoon of crack Naga troops guarded the sole exit, two senior officers watched over Parvateshwar at all times. Nandi and Parshuram kept first watch.
‘My apologies, General,’ said Parshuram.
Parvateshwar smiled. ‘You don’t need to apologise, Parshuram. You are following orders. That is your duty.’
Nandi sat opposite Parvateshwar, but kept his face averted.
‘Are you angry with me, Major Nandi?’ asked Parvateshwar.
‘What right do I have to be angry with you, General?’
‘If there’s something about me that’s troubling you, then you have every right to be angry. Lord Ram had asked us to “always be true to ourselves”.’
Nandi remained silent.
Parvateshwar smiled ruefully and then looked away.
Nandi gathered the courage to speak. ‘Are you being true to yourself, General?’
‘Yes, I am.’
‘Forgive me, but you are not. You’re betraying your living God.’
With visible effort, Parvateshwar kept his temper in check. ‘It is only the very unfortunate who must choose between their god and their
swadharma
.’
‘Are you saying that your
personal dharma
is leading you away from Good?’
‘I’m saying no such thing, Major Nandi. But my duty towards Meluha is most important to me.’
‘Rebelling against your God is treason.’
‘Some may hold that rebelling against your country is a greater treason.’
‘I disagree. Of course, Meluha is important to me, I would readily die for it. But I wouldn’t fight my living God for the sake of Meluha. That would be completely wrong.’
‘I’m not saying that you’re wrong, Major Nandi.’
‘Then you admit to being wrong yourself.’
‘I didn’t say that either.’
‘How can that be, General?’ asked Nandi. ‘We’re talking about polar opposites. One of us has got to be wrong.’
Parvateshwar smiled. ‘It is such a staunch Suryavanshi belief: the opposite of truth has to be untruth.’
Nandi remained silent.
‘But Anandmayi has taught me something profound,’ said Parvateshwar. ‘There is your truth and there is my truth. As for the universal truth, it does not exist.’
‘The universal truth does exist, though it has always been an enigma to human beings,’ smiled Parshuram. ‘And it will continue to remain an enigma for as long as we are bound to this mortal body.’
Anandmayi stormed into Bhagirath’s chambers in the Kashi palace, brushing the guard aside.
‘What the hell have you done?’ she shouted.
Bhagirath immediately rose and walked towards his sister. ‘Anandmayi, we had no choice...’
‘Dammit! He is my husband! How dare you?’
‘Anandmayi, it is very likely he will share our plans with...’
‘Don’t you know Parvateshwar? Do you think he will ever do anything unethical? He used to walk away whenever you spoke about the Lord Neelkanth’s directives. He’s not aware of any of your “confidential” military plans!’
‘You’re right. I’m sorry.’
‘Then why is he under arrest?’
‘Anandmayi, it wasn’t my decision...’
‘That’s rubbish! Why is he under arrest?’
‘He might escape if...’
‘Do you think he couldn’t have escaped had he wanted to? He is waiting to meet the Lord Neelkanth. Only then will he leave for Meluha.’
‘That’s what he said but...’
‘But? What the hell do you mean “but”? Do you think Parvateshwar can lie? Do you think he is even capable of lying?’
‘No.’
‘If he has said that he will not leave till Lord Shiva returns, then believe me he’s not going anywhere!’
Bhagirath remained silent.
Anandmayi stepped up to her brother. ‘Are you planning to assassinate him?’
‘No, Anandmayi!’ cried a shocked Bhagirath. ‘How can you even think I would do such a thing?’
‘Don’t pull this injured act on me, Bhagirath. If anything were to happen to my husband, even an accident, you know that the Lord Neelkanth’s anger will be terrible. You and your allies may discount me, but you are scared of him. Remember his rage before you do something stupid.’
‘Anandmayi, we are not...’
‘The Lord Neelkanth will be back in a week. Until then, I’m going to keep a constant vigil outside the chamber where you have imprisoned him. If anyone wants to harm him, he will have to contend with me first.’
‘Anandmayi, nobody is going to...’
She turned and strode away stiffly, causing Bhagirath to trail off mid-sentence. She pushed aside the diminutive Kashi soldier standing in her path and slammed the door behind her even as the soldier fell.
Ayurvati placed a hand on Anandmayi’s shoulders. The Ayodhyan princess was sitting outside the chamber where Parvateshwar had been imprisoned. She had refused to move for the last few days.
‘Why don’t you go to your room and sleep,’ said Ayurvati. ‘I’ll sit here.’
A determined Anandmayi shook her head. Wild horses couldn’t drag her away.
‘Anandmayi...’
‘They aren’t even letting me meet him, Ayurvati,’ sobbed Anandmayi.
Ayurvati sat down next to Anandmayi. ‘I know...’
Anandmayi turned towards the Naga soldiers standing guard at the door. ‘MY HUSBAND IS NO CRIMINAL!’
Ayurvati took Anandmayi’s hand in hers. ‘Calm down... These soldiers are only following orders...’
‘He’s no criminal... He’s a good man...’
‘I know...’
Anandmayi rested her head on Ayurvati’s shoulders and began to cry.
‘Calm down,’ said Ayurvati soothingly.
Anandmayi raised her head and looked at Ayurvati. ‘I don’t care if the entire world turns against him. I don’t even care if the Neelkanth turns against him. I will stand by my husband. He is a good man... a good man!’
‘Have faith in the Neelkanth. Have faith in his justice. Speak to him the moment he arrives in Kashi.’
The sun was directly overhead as Shiva’s ship prepared to dock at Assi Ghat. Shiva, Sati and Gopal were at the balustrade.
‘I do not understand why King Athithigva has to organise a grand reception every time I come here,’ said Shiva as he looked at the giant canopy and vast throngs of people waiting.
Gopal smiled. ‘I don’t think Lord Athithigva orders his people to assemble, my friend. The people gather of their own accord to welcome their Neelkanth.’
‘Yes, but it is so unnecessary,’ said Shiva. ‘They shouldn’t be taking a break from their work to welcome me. If they really do want to honour me, they should work even harder at their jobs.’
Gopal laughed. ‘People have a tendency to do what they want to do rather than what they should be doing.’
The ship was now close enough for them to see the expressions of the people on the dock, even the nobility standing farther away on higher ground.
‘Something is not right,’ said Sati.
‘Why is everyone looking troubled?’ asked Gopal.
Shiva studied the crowds carefully. ‘You’re right. Something’s wrong.’
‘King Athithigva seems disturbed,’ said Sati.
‘Kali, Ganesh, Kartik and Bhagirath are in a heated discussion,’ said Shiva. ‘What’s troubling them so much?’
Sati tapped Shiva lightly. ‘Look at Anandmayi.’
‘Where?’ asked Shiva, not finding her in the area cordoned off for the nobility.
‘She’s in the crowd,’ said Sati, gesturing with her eyes. ‘Right where the ship’s gangplank will land.’
‘Perhaps she wants to talk to you the moment you step off, my friend,’ said Gopal.
‘She looks deeply agitated, Shiva,’ said Sati.
Shiva scanned the entire port area. And he softly asked, ‘Where’s Parvateshwar?’
The guards stepped aside as the Neelkanth stormed into the temporary prison. Sati, Gopal, Anandmayi and Kali could hardly keep pace.
He encountered Veerbhadra, Parshuram and Nandi in deep conversation with a fettered Parvateshwar.
‘What the hell is the meaning of this?’ shouted a livid Shiva.
‘My Lord,’ said Parvateshwar as he rose, the chains clinking.
Nandi, Veerbhadra and Parshuram rose too.
‘Remove his chains!’
‘Shiva,’ said Kali softly, ‘I don’t think that is wise...’
‘Remove his chains now!’
Nandi and Parshuram immediately set to work. The chains were removed with great haste. Parvateshwar rubbed his wrists, helping the blood flow freely.
‘Leave me alone with Parvateshwar.’
‘Shiva...’ said Veerbhadra.
‘Have I not made myself clear, Bhadra? Everybody leave right now!’
Kali shook her head disapprovingly, but obeyed. The others stepped out without any sign of protest.
Shiva turned to Parvateshwar, his eyes blazing with fury.
Parvateshwar was the first to speak. ‘My Lord...’
Shiva raised his hand, signalling for him to keep quiet. Parvateshwar obeyed immediately. Shiva looked away as he walked back and forth, breathing deeply to calm his mind. He remembered his uncle Manobhu’s words.
Anger is your enemy. Control it. Control it.
Much as he tried, Shiva could feel the fury welling up within him like a coiled snake waiting to strike. But his mind also told him that the issue at hand was far too important to allow anger to cloud his judgement.
Once he had breathed some calm into his mind and heart, Shiva turned to Parvateshwar. ‘Tell me this is not true. Just say it and I will believe you, regardless of what anyone else says.’
‘My Lord, this is the most difficult decision I have ever had to make in my life.’
‘Do you intend to fight me, Parvateshwar?’
‘No, My Lord. But I’m duty-bound to protect Meluha. I hope some miracle ensures that you and Meluha are not on opposite sides.’
‘Miracle? Miracle? Are you a child, Parvateshwar? Do you think it is possible for me to compromise with Meluha where the Somras is concerned?’
‘No, My Lord.’
‘Do you think that the Somras is not evil?’