Govinda (The Aryavarta Chronicles) (33 page)

Bhim felt rage flow through him, renewed. In that moment, he knew: As long as he lived, he would never forget the sadness
he had seen in Govinda’s eyes. One chance to kill Jarasandha in fair combat and thereby salvage his pride, one chance to avenge
himself against the man who had driven him out from his own home, reduced him from the Crown Prince of a great nation to an
object of ridicule – and Govinda had given it up.

For what
, Bhim wondered as blood thundered in his head. Power? Friendship? Surely not for Dharma?

The people
, Partha’s words rang in his ears. A voice in Bhim’s own mind added an answer of his own he dared not whisper aloud or even
admit to himself. It coursed through his limbs like fire, giving him a strength he did not know he had left in him. With a
terrible yell that stunned every onlooker, Bhim threw himself at Jarasandha, pinning him down to the floor once more. The
weary Emperor had no strength left to resist.

A courtier screamed, guards began to move towards the duelling men and the room filled with the sounds of panic, anger and
confusion. Partha threw himself at the nearest guards, laying a few
punches of his own as he screamed out warnings, first to Bhim and then to Govinda. Both men ignored it, their attention on
nothing but the man who lay spread wide on the floor, no longer an Emperor, nothing but mortal like them all. A man made of
flesh, blood and fading hope.

Bhim glanced again at Govinda, at the silent, expressionless stance, which suddenly seemed to speak volumes that he had never
noticed or understood before. Govinda’s pained detachment was more than he could take. With determined precision, Bhim placed
one knee against Jarasandha’s spine, braced his other leg against the man’s right ankle and wrapped his arms around his torso.
With a loud yell, he drew on every scrap of strength that he had left and pulled.

The thundercrack of Jarasandha’s backbone snapping in two could be heard above the tumult. It was followed by the softer,
more gut-wrenching sound of muscle and flesh tearing apart.

PANCHALI HAD NEVER THOUGHT SHE WOULD BE THIS RELIEVED
to see Govinda again. But she was. She had casually walked into Dharma’s outer chambers, and stopped in her tracks when her
eyes fell on Govinda.

‘Ah, Panchali,’ Dharma greeted her. ‘I was just about to send for you …’

But she had already broken into tears as she faced Govinda. ‘When did you arrive? How tired you look!’ she said, in a gentle,
chastising way, ‘And you haven’t combed your hair in ages.’ She reached up to touch his curly hair, still short but thicker
and more unruly than she had ever seen it. He was in his dirty, travel-stained robes, with some of his gear and weapons still
strapped to his back.

‘Panchali …’ Govinda whispered, feeling content at the mere sight of her.

He hardly took his eyes off her for the rest of the evening, as he emotionlessly, tonelessly, reported every detail of the
expedition to
Dharma and Panchali. He told them also about Jarasandha’s son, who lacked his father’s ambition but not his sense of honour
and pride. After Jarasandha had been defeated, Govinda had installed the young man in his father’s stead as the king of Magadha.
The newly crowned king had been grateful, particularly since he had no advisors to suggest he feel otherwise. He took easily
to Govinda’s suggestions and not only pledged allegiance to Dharma of the Kurus but also sealed the alliance in the time-honoured
fashion of Aryavarta – through matrimony. His sister, the princess Valandhara, was now Bhim’s wife.

Panchali smiled softly to herself at that, but made no comment. She had seen far too many politically motivated marriages
to feel anger, or even surprise, anymore. Dharma left soon after to speak with Partha and Bhim. Govinda and Panchali sat together
well into the night without exchanging a single word.

The next morning, bathed and looking more like his old self, Govinda entered Dharma’s study to find all five brothers assembled
there.

Dharma stood up to embrace him. ‘Brothers,’ he announced, ‘our wisest counsel and dearest friend. He shall lead us to great
glory!’

Govinda accepted the compliment with a polite bow. ‘As always, you give me far too much credit.’

‘Then, perhaps, you’d consider earning some of it,’ Panchali snidely remarked as she walked into the room. Dharma looked happy
to see her, but she did not seem to notice him as she calmly took a seat. ‘So …’ she continued, her voice soft but commanding,
‘Jarasandha is no more …’

‘Ah!’ Dharma exclaimed. ‘And now, there are many contenders for the imperial throne. But few have what it takes to rule an
empire and fewer still count among those whom the kings of Aryavarta might willingly accept as their sovereign.’

A strained hesitation filled the room. Panchali tried hard to keep her breathing neutral and her face expressionless as she
waited for Govinda to guide them to the inevitable conclusion. Soon, she supposed, Dharma and his brothers would present the
idea for the first time, as though it had never been contemplated in the first
place – Govinda Shauri, Emperor of Aryavarta. Slowly, they would convince him to accept the role he had always wanted, and
when he had grudgingly acquiesced, the five brothers would become his most loyal ambassadors and allies, paving the way for
his accession as Emperor. The immaculate planning sickened her as much as it impressed her. Her lips fixed in what she hoped
was a neutral smile, she looked up.

To her surprise, Govinda was beaming mysteriously at all of them. Slowly, deliberately, he declared, ‘Then it’s time that
the esteemed kings of Aryavarta considered the best man for the role – Emperor Dharma Yudhisthir.’

Govinda paused, his eyes holding a muted fire as he studied each of them, patiently waiting for their reactions

Dharma remained still, trying hard not to show his enthusiasm and his utter lack of surprise at the suggestion. The others,
however, were clearly grappling with various degrees of confusion and even shock. One by one they all met Govinda’s gaze,
Sadev and Bhim in silence, Partha with an admission of awe, and Nakul with an exclamation of disbelief. Panchali too was on
the verge of saying something, but then appeared to decide against it. She turned away and gazed intently at some indistinct
spot on the floor.

When Dharma eventually spoke, his voice was slightly hoarse. ‘How?’

Govinda continued, as though he were stating the obvious, ‘We need to put the idea of Dharma as Emperor irrefutably into everyone’s
minds before the issue of dominion begins to swing one way or another. But for that we must get their attention first. We
have to do something impressive, some that few have ever managed. The mistake most emperors make is to suppose that the key
to the empire lies in controlling the western frontier. Even Jarasandha had his heart set on that. But that’s not the answer.
Your goal should be to take the north and north-eastern frontiers, the mountain kingdoms. You can then have complete control
over all the land routes into Aryavarta.’

Nakul gasped audibly, while Bhim and Partha exchanged meaningful glances. Sadev mumbled something under his breath. Panchali
apparently heard what he said, for she nodded tersely.

Dharma was pleased at their consternation. It made him think that perhaps what Govinda suggested was impossible after all.
The thought brought with it the soothing satisfaction that perhaps he would be forced to remain free of ambition and pride
after all. In an indulgent but sceptical voice he said, ‘Govinda, no emperor has truly conquered the north, and for good reason.
By the time the Great White Mountains are crossed the centre is often lost. Perhaps it is an impossible dream.’

‘Perhaps not. None of the emperors had brothers such as you do. Northern campaigns have always come at the cost of losing
some other part of the empire because the emperors themselves have marched out to conquer. In your case …’

‘I’m not convinced. Assume the north can be taken and held, thanks to my brave brothers, but if we throw all our strength
there how can we cover the rest of Aryavarta? And even then I don’t see how the basic problem is solved. There is no pass
through the mountains that can admit an entire army, and by the time soldiers carve a way through they will be in no position
to do battle! And how does one build a pass through hostile lands without fighting to keep it open? It’s a circular problem,
one that has perplexed Aryavarta’s kings for years!’

‘Except,’ Govinda declared, ‘you don’t have to build a pass, do you? Well, not all of it! You have a passage waiting for you:
the Nagas’ trading route at Bhogavati heads north through the mountains before it turns towards the north-west. I see no reason
why we can’t widen that road and follow it part of the way.’

This time the response was a unanimous silence.

Govinda chuckled at their reaction. ‘You see,’ he continued, ‘imperial domination is difficult not just because the campaign
is difficult, but because the slightest failure is nothing short of complete failure. You can conquer nine-tenths of Aryavarta
and even beyond, but one successful challenger, one vassal undefeated, is enough to undo all that has been achieved.’

Dharma shook his head. ‘I don’t understand. You sound like you are for this, but then you point out why it’s already doomed
to fail …’

‘I point out what makes it difficult so that we can consider how
to succeed. The factors that make a bid for imperial dominion so hard are also what make it possible if handled right. This
isn’t just war, it’s also politics. One challenger can bring you down, yes, but no one wants to be the sole, defiant enemy
to an emperor whom everyone else is pleased to accept. So every kingdom
will
look to every other kingdom before it responds, Dharma. What we need to do is time things perfectly. Extend the imperial
domain simultaneously in all directions.’

‘But how?’

‘Remember, Magadha is already yours. All we have to do is bring the northern armies down through the pass at Deva-prastha,
further east of Magadha, and you can rest and refit the troops there. This way you won’t lose men to the terrain or to the
weather. Creating a garrison at Magadha also gives it status as a diplomatic base. Use that to negotiate a strong alliance
with the king of Kalinga, Srutayus.’

‘Why Kalinga?’

‘The Kalinga kingdom controls all sea routes on the eastern coast, just as Dwaraka does on the west. Most of the coastal kingdoms
of Dakshinavarta have to pay some consideration to either or both in return for protection against pirates as well as for
the use of their ports, trade routes, even sea vessels. If you can get the protectors to acknowledge your suzerainty, the
protectorates naturally come along.’

Partha, Bhim and the twins looked admiringly at Govinda. Dharma alone was frowning.

Govinda continued, unaffected. ‘Your progress in the northern regions puts you in a better position to negotiate strong treaties
with the south. They know well that if you hold the north, you can do much for overland trade. You’d have the power to enhance
their prosperities by getting the Kyrgs and Cinnas, for example, to use their ports to send goods out across the ocean. At
the same time you reduce the dependence of the central lands on the coastal kingdoms, thereby giving you a strong base.’ He
flashed a mischievous glance at Panchali as he added, ‘It’s time Aryavarta looked to the seas …’

Pausing, Govinda looked around at the five brothers, and waited till each one of them met his eyes and nodded their assent.
‘With all
this taking place,’ he continued, ‘central Aryavarta will fall into place of its own accord, as will the west. There are many
kings who are either allied to Kuru or Magadha. If you can establish yourself over the periphery, these kings will accept
you as their overlord. Consider the Sindhu–Sauvira region: the saamantas there, including the Trigarta kings, owe their allegiance
to Jayadrath, Syoddhan’s brother-in-law. In the east you have Vasusena of Anga, who is, again, Syoddhan’s friend. I believe
that the Vyasa will prevail on your cousin and your uncle to support you, but irrespective of that all the kings of Greater
Aryavarta, in their own interest, will be happy to support an emperor who can control the periphery of the empire. You may
still have to fight; a non-violent conquest is near impossible. And, don’t forget, this isn’t something that’ll happen in
a day. We’re talking of a campaign that may take five or six years, maybe even longer. But at the end of those years you’ll
be in a position to maintain a military base on the other side of the White Mountains as well as a garrison at Magadha, and
that will suffice. Once the Empire is formed, it serves everyone’s interests to stay united. What brute strength can’t achieve,
we can do using the power of trade.’

Govinda fell silent, allowing the five brothers to consider and understand the implications of what he had just told them.
At length, as the prospect of adventure and victory gradually sank in, they began to grin. All but Dharma, who continued to
glower, apparently at the unviability of it all. Slowly, he realized the others awaited his reaction, his four brothers with
undisguised excitement, Panchali in silence, and Govinda with what Dharma considered an indulgent smile.

His voice slightly strained for his reluctance, Dharma began to speak, issuing the orders he knew were ostensibly his to give.
‘Bhim can go eastwards to his in-laws’ house, such as it is now. Partha can take the northern campaign. He is, without doubt,
the best among us, and if anyone has a chance to win the north, it’ll be him.’

Bhim slapped Partha on the back, and made a jovial comment about him acquiring more in-laws, especially among the mountain
people, at which Govinda laughed

Dharma waited for the three to settle down, which they did with
the guilty charm of truant children, and continued, ‘We will also need to be ready for some heavy diplomacy and negotiation
with Kalinga and the southern and south-eastern kingdoms. I’d be grateful if you took that up, Govinda. After that Sadev can
lead a diplomatic mission into central Dakshinavarta, where we should be able to present ourselves as Kalinga’s allies.’

Sadev could not help but smile. ‘Central Dakshinavarta? You mean the monkey-kings of Kishkinda?’

‘Indeed,’ Govinda said, chuckling softly. ‘Though I think they would prefer to be known more kindly – and accurately, mind
you – as the kings of the monkey-banner.’

Dharma ignored the banter yet again and turned to Nakul. ‘Nakul, the west is yours,’ he said.

Govinda added, ‘Yes, Nakul. Fortunately for us, the king of Madra is your maternal uncle. With his help you can reclaim the
northern frontier lands from foreign kings, especially the Hunas and the Pahlavas. It might also be possible to speak with
the Danavas, negotiate something … At least make sure the trading routes are uncontested. We have already discussed Sindhu–Sauvira.
That leaves …’

‘Matsya?’ Partha suggested.

‘Ah, Matsya,’ Dharma began. ‘I’m not sure I want anything to do with that forsaken desert. Besides, its people are nothing
but uncouth tribals, uncivilized nomads. I doubt they’d even understand much of our kind of politics. They basically survive
by hiring out their armies as mercenaries to foreign kings.’

Govinda raised an eyebrow and his voice held just a tinge of amusement. ‘They understand battle very well and their coffers
run deep but, yes, Matsya is happy to leave the rest of Aryavarta alone if we afford them the same courtesy. They don’t care
who rules Aryavarta, or why, given their more pressing issues, like survival. In any case, we can’t take armies through the
desert so we won’t need to deal with them.’

‘Salwa needs dealing with, though. And that too carefully,’ Panchali gently ventured, looking down at her hands as they lay
on
her lap. It was the first time she had spoken since Govinda had begun describing his plans. ‘They’re too busy these days competing
with Dwaraka over sea trade to want to battle with us, but they can’t be happy about Kandava … Ever since the Nagas moved
to Bhogavati and began plying their masonry and metalcraft there, they have had no cause to make or deal in illegal weapons
– which means Salwa can no longer trade in confiscated weapons, as they claimed they were. As for the other nations of the
west …’ she trailed off.