Abhaya, page 28
“I am duty-bound to ensure the safety of Kamarupa,” Mura replied. “Prabho, compassion is your forte, isn’t it?” Mura’s eyes carried the contempt that only Bhauma could comprehend.
“It’s good that you remember your place,” Bhauma replied, meeting his eye. “Yes, you are duty-bound. You may go now.”
Mura left, discreetly meeting Kadambari’s gaze who saw no hostility in them. Her brows rose in surprise.
“What a hard-hearted man!” Shyeni chirped after Mura left. “You will have pity on us I hope, Prabho!”
“Who can be that hard-hearted with a woman?” Bhauma commented, smiling down at her.
“Why is the woman kneeling?” The voice behind him made Bhauma turn and he motioned for Kadambari to rise to her feet.
He stood. “Mahayogini Dhatri, the chosen one by Goddess Kamaksha,” he announced as he bowed low to Dhatri. Kadambari did the same. Vikrama’s hands came together though his head stayed high. “These are Shaktas from the south of the Vindhyas, seeking refuge at the feet of the Supreme Goddess.”
“Welcome,” Dhatri smiled.
Vikrama was surprised by the warmth in her smile.
Bhauma continued, “Their lives, they say, are rendered miserable by the Arya lords. Not a new story, is it Mahadevi? Pray, take pity on them.”
Dhatri looked at Kadambari. “There is no need for a Shakta woman to kneel before a man,” she remarked. “How much do you know of the Shakta ways?”
“My mother has practised it for the last seventeen years. I was initiated recently,” Vikrama replied. “So was my wife … uh ... yogini,” he corrected, looking at Shyeni.
Dhatri nodded and beckoned them towards the temple. “The Supreme Goddess shall see that no harm befall you. Are you willing to dedicate your lives to Her?”
Kadambari nodded and walked towards the temple, followed by Vikrama and Shyeni.
Dhatri continued to speak, “Would you then help me in training the uninitiated girls here ... you are…”
“Kadambari. Yes, I would be glad to impart what is true Shaktism to anyone.”
“I would love to welcome a senior teacher like you to Kamarupa. Something tells me that the Supreme Goddess sent you here.”
Kadambari nodded. “Supreme Goddess.” She paused, smiling to herself, “Her ways are indeed strange.”
Shyeni and Vikrama followed them at a distance and observed the temple. The sanctum, Vikrama hoped, carried the power that would put down the likes of Bhauma soon and show his sister. After the darshan, they reached Dhatri’s residence when she turned to stop him. “This home is for women, Vikrama. You can rest for today in one of the rooms in the outer corridor.”
Chapter Forty-Six
“Who wins and who loses today? A total of eighty coins at stake!” a guard quipped, throwing up a small pouch of coins and catching it midair.
“This gets more unpredictable each day!” another laughed.
Vikrama, who had been sharpening his javelin, looked up at the banter. It was six days since he had arrived at Kamarupa and he was yet to find Abhaya. Kadambari had confirmed that she was not in the inner circle. It was not possible for either of them to search for her in the central ring of Kamarupa without causing suspicion.
“She has eaten yesterday. Greater odds that she will not today.”
“Well, it is not like she eats on alternate days only. People have lost betting on that.”
“I can bet only two coins today. I haven’t been really lucky with predicting the moods of the ‘younger mahadevi’.”
“Who is this younger mahadevi?” Vikrama enquired.
“That’s just what we call this troublesome girl who is unduly favoured by the mahadevi.”
“Mahadevi has been gracious to feed and lodge that obstinate girl,” the other guard added.
“Do you want to place your bets too about whether this girl eats her meal today or not?”
“Don’t!” the other guard warned. “You’ll lose your hard-earned wealth! The girl is unpredictable.”
“Why should someone go without her meal?”
“We thought she was atoning for the sin of deceiving the Supreme Goddess and driving some other yoginis away from Kamarupa. The Goddess indeed was outraged. All the girls died.”
“One survived,” one of the guards corrected.
The narrator nodded. “But it turns out that she is just obstinate and likes to test Mahadevi’s patience and compassion.”
“It is only a matter of time before Lord Bhauma loses his patience and punishes her as she deserves to be.”
Vikrama’s heart beat faster. He resumed sharpening the tip of his javelin.
Could it be her?
The knock on the door signalled the arrival of her evening meal, which was delivered by the female guard. Abhaya threw the key out of the window and the door opened. She turned away and heard a sigh from the woman, presumably at the untouched food. Though she had given up the idea of fasting, food was now only a means to survive. Her solitary condition devoid of any physical activity had killed her appetite and Abhaya’s food habits had become erratic.
The sound of the door locking made Abhaya turn, instinctively alert. The food was placed in a large earthen bowl in the usual place. Yet, something was amiss.
“The key!” the guard had not thrown it back.
Abhaya rushed towards the locked door to call the woman back. None responded to her call. She wondered if Dhatri had changed her mind or if Bhauma had taken things into his hands. The scimitar that Dhatri had let her keep, she realised, would be of little use in case of a fight.
The hours following sunset increased her restlessness. She had to struggle to fight sleep and stay alert. The night seemed never-ending and she found it increasingly difficult to keep her eyes open. From the gap in the door, she strained to track the movement of the moon. At dawn, she would call out to Dhatri about the key.
Suddenly, there was the sound of a key turning in the lock. She stiffened. She moved towards the door, still wondering how she could take on an opponent with her primitive weapon. It has to be Bhauma, she thought. The presence outside the door, Abhaya felt, was not of a woman.
She crouched in the shadows as moonlight flooded the room. Abhaya considered making a dive towards the door but he was quick to close the door. She held her breath as he came closer. The room was thankfully dark and Abhaya hoped that when he didn’t find her in bed, he would panic and rush to raise an alarm, leaving the door open long enough for her to slip out. She inched her way towards the other corner, guessing the direction he would take. As he moved away, she rose to her feet. But, before she could move, his hand wound around her frame from behind and his other hand closed around her mouth. The touch, she realised, was familiar and she froze in her attempts to resist.
“Is it you?”
“Bhrata!” Abhaya turned and wound her hands around his neck. “By Mahakala, tell me this isn’t a dream!”
They held each other close. Their silence spoke more eloquently than words, letting each know the joy, sorrow and pain of the other.
“How did you get into Kamarupa? And how did you manage to find the key?”
“My mother. She managed to get us inside and also got this key, offering to ‘counsel’ you tomorrow.”
“So, you found her!?”
“It’s a long story,” Vikrama whispered, glancing at the door. “I found her and also found out what happened to Pingala and the more sinister Shakta plots. But … I failed you and father. What did he say about me? Was I fortunate enough to be at least cursed by him or was…”
Abhaya’s hand on his cheek made him stop. “Don’t you know him, Bhrata?”
Another spell of silence followed, Vikrama realising his folly in fearing Abhaya’s anger. Each tried to talk and then gave up knowing time was a luxury. The details of their story since Vikrama had left Anagha in search of his mother would have to wait.
Finally, Abhaya found her voice. “What now?”
“It will all be over soon, Abhaya. We shall leave this all behind,” Vikrama said, still holding her close. “Your Vaasudeva is coming for you. His Garuda friends are not far from Kamarupa.”
“So the messenger was for real!” Abhaya exclaimed softly.
Vikrama looked at her questioningly but there was no time to make deeper enquiries.
“Following Krishna’s plan, I came in here posing as a Shakta, with my mother and … Shyeni. I’ll tell you about her later. One of us needs to escape soon with information about the defences and weaponry here. If possible, Krishna wants to secure inside help to avert a violent skirmish.”
“To avert a skirmish,” Abhaya repeated and fell into a thoughtful silence before she said, “Only Dhatri can do that. Senapati Mura gave me a way to escape but I let five other women go instead and…”
“I heard of that.” Vikrama’s hands again went around her, sensing her distress doubling at the memory.
“Dhatri needs to realise Bhauma’s a fraud! Mura too could help us if he is not still outraged about what I did. But nothing much is possible without Dhatri getting to know the truth of Bhauma.” She clutched his arm suddenly. “You would never approve of this. But it is our only way. Just hear me out fully first.”
Vikrama paled hearing what she had to say. It took him a couple of moments to digest her plan. He was caught between anxiety at her scheme and admiration for her ability to strategise even in her present dire condition. “Does it need to come to that?”
Abhaya’s stoic silence made him steel his heart. He swallowed and focused his thoughts on the plan. “Can you keep him off until Shyeni can get to Krishna and they attack Kamarupa? It could take a good couple of days.”
“Let me see,” Abhaya said, her grip on Vikrama’s hand tightening for a moment.
“Abhaya,” Vikrama said in a sudden burst of finality. “Leave this. You know of an escape route. Let us all go out this very moment. I shall break that lock of the passage and take care of the guards who might come in. Let the armies of Indraprastha tear down this place in the course of their conquest. We’ve done more than enough by alerting them about the heinous fraud here. Let us head back home.” He tried to rise but stopped as Abhaya showed no inclination to follow.
“Which home, Bhrata?”
“The home where your brother was not by your side when you needed him. He will give his everything to rebuild it.”
“No. Making you feel guilty wasn’t my point, Bhrata. But our home isn’t just Anagha. Our home is anywhere that civilisation stands by dharma. Our home is the whole of Bharatavarsha. I know it sounds unrealistic and idealistic. But if I only wanted to escape, I would have done it long before. We cannot choose to run away now. I want to wait for Krishna. I want to give this whole thing the closure it deserves. This isn’t about Bhauma’s wayward religion, Bhrata. This is about what we learnt and believed and about what sustained the spirit of our ancestors ever since the beginning of time. This is about our Bharatavarsha. Let us stay till the end.”
“Wait, am I hearing right?” Bhauma snapped. “You say you have changed your mind and are ready to accept the ways of Vamachara?”
Abhaya smiled, drawing patterns on the ground with the scimitar. “On a condition.”
“I heard that. Know this, Yuvati—you are delusional if you think I would give up on the mahadevi for your stupidity.”
Abhaya sighed and leaned back against the wall. “It’s your loss, Prabho, if you think of forethought as stupidity. For your grand vision, a younger and more capable partner would suit you better than an old complacent idealist like her.”
Bhauma stepped forward and gripped her neck. “You know nothing about what you’re playing with!”
“And you know nothing about how many more decades you will need to wait before your plan fructifies!” Abhaya managed to spit out, fighting the suffocation.
Bhauma shoved her against the wall. Abhaya’s upper garment fell from her shoulder. She made no attempt to set it right.
“The mahadevi will resist every move of yours with double the caution now. Things are no easier in the plains. I am a princess who knows the political dynamics of the plains well. Would you still prefer her over me, Bhauma?”
Bhauma’s brow furrowed. “What do you know about the politics of the plains?”
“What do you seek to know?” Abhaya smiled and sighed. “Besides, you will do better with a mahadevi who knows your heart than with one whose heart is with that stone in the temple.” Abhaya put on a practised smile, cautiously placing a hand on his chest.
Bhauma’s breathing became heavier. He caught Abhaya by both shoulders, pinning her against the wall.
“You need some wine,” Abhaya smiled. “And a night of contemplation. I am not running away anywhere.”
Bhauma dug his fingers into her heaped hair and the loose bun gave way, her long tresses falling over her shoulders. His struggle against his impulses was visible. “I am past the phase of falling for youthful charms, Yuvati,” he chuckled.
“You should give my intellect an opportunity. Trust me, Bhauma, I shall…” Abhaya consciously modulated her tone, “raise the religion of Shakti to a pedestal you haven’t seen in the past.”
Bhauma’s gaze lingered over her frame. He took a step back and raised a finger. “Don’t try to get smart with me. You will regret it.”
She laughed.
Bhauma left the room without a word, showing her the key to the lock which he did not intend to throw back to her.
Abhaya sank to the floor. This effectively made her his prisoner. She swallowed, steeling herself.
If my attempt can derail Bhauma, it is worth dying for!
Dhatri took in the view from her western window. The sight of crimson skies during the time of sunset usually had a soothing effect on her. But today, the skies were covered with clouds from all directions.
“Looks like it might pour anytime. Are the children indoors?” she asked a guard who promptly left to check. The guards knew Dhatri’s affection towards Mauri and Nandini. When the guard did not return for some time, Dhatri walked out of her chambers. Not finding the girls in the courtyard or the temple premises, she entered Bhauma’s residence and found him seated on his regal swing.
“Welcome, Mahadevi. I was about to come to you.”
“Have you seen the children?” Dhatri asked him.
“It is not yet their mealtime,” Bhauma said with a smile.
“I haven’t seen them or heard them in a while. Did Mura, by any chance…?”
“Mahadevi, you worry too much. They are safe. I have seen them safe.” Bhauma laughed, opening his arms. Dhatri smiled in relief and stepped closer into his embrace. “At times, I wonder if I have robbed you of your peace by thrusting the heavy burden of being the mahayogini on to you.”
Dhatri’s eyes closed for a while and she sighed. “How is the service to the Supreme Goddess a burden, Bhauma?”
“Maybe you have done enough,” Bhauma replied, his arms tightening while leading her into the adjoining room. “I think you should appoint a successor soon.”
Dhatri looked up at the sudden suggestion. He had never mentioned a successor before. “Isn’t that the choice of the Goddess? How can I choose the next mahadevi? Bhauma, what do you… ”
Dhatri’s words came to a halt as she stepped into the room where she saw Abhaya, dressed in saffron, seated cross-legged on the wooden pedestal that used to be her seat. Abhaya smiled and rose to her feet. Dhatri saw Bhauma exchange a glance with Abhaya.
“You have the successor ready in front of you, Dhatri.” Bhauma extended his hand and Abhaya stepped forward.
In her shock, Dhatri did not notice Abhaya’s jaw clench as Bhauma’s hand rested on her bare shoulder.
“How can you or I choose her, Bhauma? The decision is neither yours nor mine to make. And she, of all people?” Dhatri protested, brushing aside the uncomfortable thoughts that crept into her mind.
“You are the Goddess, aren’t you? You can make the decision,” Bhauma replied, his eyes narrowing as he gripped Dhatri’s arm, jerking her closer. Dhatri’s eyes turned wrathful. But the worst was yet to come. “The children will be kept safe if you do!”
Abhaya cast a glance at Bhauma when he mentioned Mauri and Nandini. Dhatri turned to her, narrowing her eyes in contempt.
“So, this is the grandiose civilisation you were talking of!”
“Looks like she is going to give us trouble, Prabho,” Abhaya remarked, turning to Bhauma, trying to sound as bland as she could.
“Don’t you worry,” Bhauma said.
Without a change in expression, he shoved Dhatri against the wall and reached out to a lever. The impact made Abhaya realise that the portion of the floor where Dhatri stood at the moment was actually made of wood. As Bhauma turned the lever, the wood below Dhatri slanted, casting her into a hidden underground cellar.
“You have until morning to make up your mind,” Bhauma said with the same dispassion and turned back the lever. The wooden floor fell neatly back into place, leaving practically no trace in the floor pattern of the cellar below.
Dhatri was not yet out of shock even after she landed on the floor of an underground cellar.
What kind of a nightmare is this? By the Goddess Kamaksha! Did he just threaten me about harming those children if I didn’t appoint that obstinate girl as the mahadevi?
She sat in a daze for a long time. When she recovered, she was seething with rage.
“Curse you, Bhauma! Curse you!” Her voice echoed against the walls of the dark chamber.
A groan caught her attention as she realised that she wasn’t alone in the cellar. As her eyes adjusted to the darkness, she looked keenly in the direction of the sound.
“Who is that?”
The groan, which seemed to come from a woman, wounded again and Dhatri made her way through the darkness and stumbled upon a couple of steps. What she saw there froze her in her steps.
Chapter Forty-Seven
Krishna saw the clouds gathering in the skies. “We should scale the mountains before it gets too slippery to climb,” he said to himself but loud enough for Vainateya to hear.
