THE CURSE OF BRAHMA (27 page)

Chanur interrupted Jarasandha, ‘So you mean we keep them so busy trying to resolve internal matters that their entire attention is focused on getting things right within their own land rather than focusing on what we are doing!’

Jarasandha smiled. Chanur was smart, even in a situation where his thinking abilities were under the Dark Lord’s control.

‘Yes Chanur. In the time that they are resolving their own matters, we would be able to assemble most of the kingdoms in Mrityulok under our banner. We will then be prepared to join our forces with Pataal Lok. By then even if there are a few kingdoms in Mrityulok that do not support us, we will be able to subdue them with the might of our combined forces.’

Banasura still had a confused expression. ‘I don’t understand how we are going to keep these kingdoms busy in their internal matters. Exactly what did you mean by that?’

Jarasandha flashed him a triumphant smile as if he had been waiting for this very question. ‘Over the past few years, more than a hundred thousand asuras have been smuggled into our world from Pataal Lok. There are only a handful of kings who know about this, including me. Those kings who are aware of this are my vassals; their lands are ruled by my generals and they are under complete control of Magadha. Majority of the asuras have been brought in to Mrityulok through Magadha and we have allowed this to happen surreptitiously. Once these asuras enter Magadha, my confidantes ensure they are scattered around different parts of Mrityulok, so that they mingle freely amidst the people of various kingdoms. The asuras then take on any work or profession they can manage to, without too much difficulty. Here too, my confidantes and close associates help the asuras to secure jobs that do not attract too much attention. As we speak, these hundred thousand asuras have infiltrated almost every nation in Mrityulok.’

Banasura and Chanur stared at him in disbelief. ‘Are there any asuras in Banpur too?’ Banasura asked incredulously.

While the question had been asked by Banasura, Jarasandha knew the answer would interest Chanur too. He referred a scroll of paper that had a series of numbers and codes written on it in a certain order. His fingers traced a pattern on the paper as if searching for something. Finally, he smiled as he looked at the two warrior kings seated in front of him. ‘As of today, there are three hundred and sixty-nine asuras in Banpur, and…’ he turned his attention to Chanur, ‘one hundred and seventy-three of them in the land of the Yavanas.’

Chanur and Banasura couldn’t believe what they had heard. Their border security was thoroughly professional, very unlike the patrols within the kingdom. It was almost impossible for anyone to breach the security checks there. Yet, Jarasandha had somehow managed to smuggle in a large number of asuras into their respective countries without them being any the wiser.

Jarasandha knew what they were thinking. He decided it would help to explain. ‘The numbers in your lands are actually very low. I smuggled only a few of the asuras into your kingdoms as a test. I knew if I could smuggle them into your land, I wouldn’t have too much of a problem getting them into other nations in Mrityulok.’

‘The other kingdoms…they have a larger penetration of asuras?’ Chanur asked hesitatingly.

Jarasandha nodded, ‘Yes, most of the other kingdoms would each have an average of a couple of thousand asuras inhabiting their lands currently.’

Banasura took in a sharp breath, ‘What are these asuras going to do within these kingdoms?’

‘Right now, nothing!’ Jarasandha replied evenly. ‘However, at my command, they will start wreaking havoc within each kingdom. Each of these asuras is a trained assassin, accomplished at killing. At first it will be minor offences—robberies, looting and other forms of vandalism. Gradually, the tempo will step up as they begin to commit murders of innocent people and start harassing the citizens. In some cases, they may dress up as soldiers of a neighbouring country and attack the towns of bordering nations. At other times, they may commit offences in the name of the king himself. Whatever they do, the end result will be confusion within these kingdoms, and in some cases, misguided wars between neighbouring countries.’

‘And all of this will keep these kingdoms busy with either internal strife or in fighting with their neighbours,’ Banasura finally nodded in understanding.

‘Yes, and it gives us enough time for what we have to do.’ Jarasandha smiled. ‘What are the next steps?’ Chanur questioned.

‘We have to get a final lot of ten thousand asuras into Mrityulok, and this needs to happen over the next two months,’ Jarasandha said quietly.

Chanur nodded as he began to understand the dilemma Jarasandha must be facing. ‘You cannot smuggle in so many asuras from Magadha alone in such a short time, right?’

Jarasandha nodded. His respect for Chanur went up a notch higher as he realized Chanur had figured out his problem without his even mentioning it.

Chanur was thoughtful, ‘So you would like to smuggle in some asuras through my land and through the country of Banpur too!’ It was more of a statement than a question but Jarasandha nodded in acquiescence.

‘But even if Banasura and I allow the asuras to enter through, we will still not be able to smuggle in such large numbers without making it an open secret. Therefore, you need to have the immediate support of a few more kingdoms that can help smuggle in the asuras. Am I correct, Jarasandha?’

Jarasandha smiled, ‘You have got it my friend. We will need at least five to six kingdoms helping us in this effort, which will be difficult if not impossible to manage in such a short time.’ He paused for effect. ‘Or we can smuggle in a majority of these numbers from one country alone!’

‘Madhuvan!’ exclaimed Chanur as he finally understood what was in Jarasandha’s mind.

Jarasandha slapped his thigh with enthusiasm. Chanur had understood the plan to perfection. ‘Yes, it has to be Madhuvan!’ he said excitedly. That is the only kingdom in Mrityulok whose borders spread out the most. There is no other kingdom through which we can get in such large numbers without raising suspicion.’

Banasura snorted, ‘But Ugrasena will never allow the entry of asuras through his land!’

Jarasandha smiled and this time, his smile was full of meaning. ‘You are right, he won’t. But Kansa will!’

This time both Chanur and Banasura were so shocked that the only response they could offer was blinking their eyes in utter confusion.

‘Kansa?’ Banasura said in disbelief.

‘Kansa would never get involved in this, Jarasandha,’ Chanur said quietly, recovering quickly from the shock. ‘Especially not after a bunch of asuras almost killed his sister!’

Jarasandha took a deep breath before replying. He still wasn’t sure if he should be involving Kansa, but the stakes were too high now to be ambivalent. ‘That’s exactly why he will help,’ he said softly. ‘He has been told that the asuras being smuggled into Mrityulok are actually inhabitants of Pataal Lok who have been banished from the netherworld by the asura council because they were not willing to conform to the evil practices laid down by the council members.’

‘So he doesn’t know that these asuras are actually trained assassins who are going to create destruction in Mrityulok?’ Banasura was incredulous.

Jarasandha nodded. ‘No, he doesn’t know that. At least not yet. When the time is right, I will tell him, but he is not ready yet for that truth.’

Chanur still looked unconvinced. ‘Even if he believes that these asuras are unfortunate creatures who have been banished from their world because of no fault of their own, the fact still remains that three of these creatures tried to kill his beloved sister and almost killed him too. Knowing that, why would he support the entry of more asuras into Mrityulok?’

Jarasandha sighed. For all his inherent evil, he still wasn’t comfortable with what he was doing to Kansa, and talking about it only made him feel worse. It was like admitting that he was willing to risk his best friend’s happiness for his own selfish reasons. But there was no choice. The Dark Lord had offered him too high a reward for helping him in his war against the devas.

Jarasandha shook his head. He knew Chanur was waiting for an answer. ‘Ugrasena unwittingly helped us in this matter. The old fool seems to know a little about the asuras being smuggled into Mrityulok. But I don’t think he has any idea that they are actually trained assassins infiltrating our world with the purpose of causing death and chaos at a later date. He seems to believe the story that the asuras have been banished by their council members for not adhering to the practices set by the netherworld. He told Kansa that the Asuras who attacked Devki possibly did so because they panicked at their presence being exposed.’

Chanur shook his head, slightly irritated. ‘I still don’t understand why Kansa would help smuggle these people in.’

Jarasandha nodded patiently. ‘From what Ugrasena told Kansa, he believes that the attack would never have taken place if the asuras had not panicked that their presence being exposed might lead to their persecution by people in Mrityulok. He feels that if the asuras in Mrityulok can be assured that no harm will come to them, they will also not resort to attacking mortals. And it will prevent any occurrence like the one that happened with Devki.’

Chanur felt a little better after hearing this. But something still bothered him. ‘How much does Ugrasena really know about the asuras? And how?’

This was a question Jarasandha had been asking himself too, ever since he realized Ugrasena knew something about the asuras entering Mrityulok. But he kept his reservations to himself. ‘I don’t know how much he knows. Perhaps with time, we will get to figure it out. For the moment, lets focus on what we
can
do.’

Banasura looked a little unconvinced. ‘What you said about Kansa sounds good. But will Ugrasena also be in favour of allowing so many asuras to come in through the borders of Madhuvan? I mean, if he believes that the asuras entering Mrityulok have been banished from Pataal Lok, wouldn’t he also realize that they can’t be so huge in number?’

Chanur seemed to agree with Banasura. ‘That’s right. Once he sees a few thousand asuras entering through his land in a short period of time, he is bound to realize something is not right. He is not a fool you know!’

Jarasandha grunted, ‘We don’t have to bother about Ugrasena. He won’t be king for long. If everything goes as per plan, he will be deposed from the throne soon.’

Chanur gave a start. The thought that Ugrasena would no longer be king seemed incredulous to him, even in his current state. ‘Who…who will depose him?’ he asked haltingly.

Jarasandha smiled, his eyes like two balls of fire, ‘Kansa!’ He paused for effect. ‘Kansa will depose the old king. I just need to work on his mind a little before that.’

Chanur and Banasura tried to absorb what Jarasandha had just told them. Their troubled thoughts were interrupted by a noise like the screeching of a banshee that raised the hair on the nape of their neck. Jarasandha recognized the sound for what it was. The Dark Lord was laughing, but it sounded more like the howl of a wild animal caged for centuries and yearning to get out. For the first time that day, Jarasandha too shivered in fear and the expression on his face mirrored the feelings of the two warrior kings sitting next to him. He knew he couldn’t fail the Dark Lord.

asudev sat under the gigantic banyan tree, which was the pride of the royal garden of Madhuvan. It was just under an hour that he had been waiting for Devki to appear. Most young men would have given up by now or would be fuming with anger at being kept waiting for so long by their lady love. But Vasudev was different. He had waited for several years to marry Devki and waiting an hour for her while she beautified herself didn’t bother him at all. He gazed in wonder at the mammoth roots of the tree. Like most tropical trees, the banyan was a ‘strangler’ tree. The seeds of banyans are dispersed by fruit-eating birds. They then germinate and send down roots towards the ground, which frequently envelop part of the host tree, giving the banyan the popular name of ‘strangler fig’. The ‘strangling’ growth habit is common in banyans as its several roots compete for light.