THE CURSE OF BRAHMA (53 page)

Ugrasena approached his daughter and his son-in-law. His face expressed his total contentment. He held Devki’s hand and in a loud voice made the final proclamation that would enable Devki to pass from his house to the family of Vasudev. ‘My daughter, whom I have loved more than my own life, I set you free from the fetters of Varuna, who is the guardian of the mortal world order, by which the gentle Savitar has bound you till now to your father’s family. In the lap of Rita, which embodies the natural and moral law, I give you now in love to your husband, Vasudev.’

Kansa stood in a corner, watching the man he had loved as his father giving away the woman he had considered his sister to the man he had thought of as a brother. All three had betrayed him in their own way. But the final betrayal would be of his doing. And he had already set the stage for that. He smiled in satisfaction as he watched his former family laugh in joy. This would be the last day of their happiness.

Devki squealed in delight as they entered the palace Kansa had built for her. ‘Oh Kansa, this is so beautiful!’ she exclaimed, hugging her brother impulsively. Kansa flinched at her touch, remembering what she had called him the last time they had met at Magadha. But he forced himself to stay calm. He needed to make sure that Jarasandha was already in the palace with his assassins before he made his intent known to his former family.

‘It’s late, Devki. Why don’t you and Vasudev settle in for the night,’ he said forcing himself to take out all sense of revulsion he felt for Vasudev from his mind.

Devki looked like she wanted to explore the entire palace before she retired to the room that had been readied for her and Vasudev for their nuptial night. But Vasudev intervened, ‘Kansa is right Devki. We need to leave for Bateshwar early morning tomorrow. We need to get some rest before that. Father has already gone ahead today to prepare the reception for the future queen of Bateshwar.’

‘What? Queen of Bateshwar…what does that mean?’ Devki asked in genuine surprise.

Vasudev grinned. ‘Don’t you know? Father has been meaning to retire for a long time now. He was waiting for our marriage and for me to be ready to take over his responsibilities. My coronation as the king of Bateshwar is scheduled a day after we reach Bateshwar.’

Devki was thoughtful. ‘And what about Rohini? This won’t be fair to her, Vasudev.’

Vasudev sighed. ‘Rohini has always known that when you come to Bateshwar you will be queen. She will have all the rights and respect due to her as my wife but she has always been aware that I love only you!’

This was one time in her life when Devki found herself at a loss for words.

‘Come now. We need to rest. And I am sure Kansa and tatatulya also need time together,’ Vasudev said, smiling at Kansa and Ugrasena. Ugrasena looked on happily as Vasudev and Devki left for their chambers.

‘Kansa…’ Ugrasena turned to look at his son. He was shocked to see the expression on Kansa’s face as he looked at the retreating figure of Vasudev and Devki.

‘What…what’s wrong my son?’ Ugrasena stammered, suddenly afraid of the flash of green he had seen in Kansa’s eyes.

‘Nothing is wrong,’ Kansa replied slowly, his voice sounding as though it were coming from inside a deep tunnel. Then suddenly his persona changed and he smiled at Ugrasena. ‘I think you should sleep too now. It’s late and there’s a lot to do tomorrow.’

Ugrasena nodded his head mutely. He was not sure he recognized this man who had come back from Magadha. He seemed…so different. And so terrifying!

‘Goodnight then,’ Ugrasena muttered, and he walked in the direction of his room.

Kansa stared after him, his face set in stone.

‘How many assassins have you brought with you? Kansa asked tersely.

‘There are a hundred of them. They are the Zataka Upanshughataks. All of them are hidden inside the palace compound,’ Jarasandha replied. He looked closely at Kansa. The Prince was changing by the day. His behaviour was getting more and more unpredictable.

‘Have they been given their orders?’ Kansa asked, his hands pressing the sides of his head.

Jarasandha nodded. ‘They know what they have to do. They are just waiting for the wine to take effect on the king’s bodyguards.’

‘Hmm!’ Kansa mumbled to himself, the throbbing pain inside his head refusing to relent. Jarasandha waited tolerantly for Kansa to say something, but he remained silent. Finally he lost his patience. ‘Have you decided what to do with the bodyguards? They are a risk…an unnecessary threat we can’t afford.’

Kansa turned suddenly and his eyes were shining with the light of his malevolent persona. ‘Don’t raise your voice,’ he growled at Jarasandha, and his voice came out like the snarl of an animal. ‘It gives me a headache,’ he said after a pause, more softly this time.

Jarasandha had never been afraid of any man or beast. But Kansa in his malevolent form terrified him. He cursed himself for having got him involved in the plan. His sisters were now married to a raging paranoid schizophrenic. And the unpredictability of Kansa’s moods made him feel uncomfortable.

‘Kill them!’ Kansa said softly, interrupting Jarasandha’s thoughts. ‘Kill all the bodyguards.’

‘What do we do with their bodies?’ Jarasandha asked hesitatingly.

‘Throw them in the lake behind the palace. The water is infested with alligators. By the time the sun has risen, there will be no sign that the bodyguards ever existed.’

Jarasandha stared at the man he had known for the past several years; the man who would not harm a fly without a cause. That person had changed forever.
Maybe it is for good. Perhaps he will help me become overlord of Mrityulok when the time comes
, he thought; the idea of unlimited power temporarily banished the future of his sisters with this wreck of a man.

‘And Jarasandha…’ Kansa said quietly. ‘There is a man called Airawat with the bodyguards. He is the cavalry commander of Madhuvan, as well as the chief of the bodyguards.’

‘What about him?’ Jarasandha questioned.

‘I don’t want him killed. He…he has helped me in the past.’ A part of Kansa’s mind that was still capable of thinking coherently went back to the day when Airawat had risked his life to save Kansa and Devki.

‘But he is too loyal to the king. He can’t be trusted to roam free. Make sure he is securely locked up till I decide what to do with him,’ Kansa said as an afterthought.

Jarasandha nodded. He would have wanted to kill Airawat along with the rest of the bodyguards, but he didn’t want to antagonize Kansa, especially not in his current frame of mind.

‘What about Ugrasena?’ he asked.

‘Ugrasena has disowned me as his son, even though he pretends to show love for me now,’ Kansa said slowly. ‘But I cannot order his death. He saved me when my mother wanted me killed. For that, I will spare his life.’ He paused. ‘But he will not leave this palace.’

Jarasandha had one more question before he left, and he had to know the answer. But he hesitated, not knowing how Kansa would react.

‘Vasudev and Devki…what do we do with them?’

Jarasandha stared horrified as Kansa’s face underwent a series of transformations, the two personalities within him competing to dominate.

‘I will kill the man who dares to lay his hands on Devki,’ Kansa said in a hoarse voice. The pain in his head was staggering and he knew a massive seizure was on its way. Jarasandha knew it too and he wanted to get out of the room before that happened and Kansa transformed into a raging animal. But Kansa had not given him a complete answer and Jarasandha did not want to leave before that.

‘Vasudev…at least we can kill Vasudev. That man tried to have you assassinated!’ Jarasandha shouted, trying to provoke Kansa.

Kansa roared in agony, moments away from the impending seizure. ‘Vasudev is necessary for Devki to live. I have condemned her to live out her life within this golden cage. The least I can do is let her have Vasudev with her.’

Jarasandha exploded in impotent rage. ‘You will allow her to live with that vile man so that they can freely copulate and give birth to the child who will destroy you one day? Has your love for your sister made you completely insane?’

Kansa leaped out of his chair and lunged at Jarasandha’s throat. His vice-like grip threatened to snap his neck any moment. His eyes were shining with the bright green light of Aghasamarthan, the potent asura energy, controlled only by the most powerful demon kings in Pataal Lok. When he spoke his voice was that of Kalanemi, and Jarasandha shook with a mixture of relief and fear as he heard the words whispered in his ear. ‘Devki’s children will not live to grow old!’

Kansa let go of Jarasandha, and as the king of Magadha staggered back, the voice of Kalanemi coming through Kansa, commanded him, ‘Now go and slaughter the bodyguards!’

Devki put her head on Vasudev’s heaving chest. Their love-making had been passionate and desperate. It was as if this moment would never come back. They lay exhausted, their bodies, drenched in perspiration, wound around each other.

‘I love you,’ Vasudev whispered in her ears.

‘I know,’ she smiled, her head on his chest. ‘I have always known, Vasudev.’

‘I wonder what our children will look like,’ he grinned in the dark, as his hand groped for what he was looking for.

She slapped his hand away, giggling. ‘Isn’t it rather early to think about children, my love?’ she said contentedly.

‘Oh no, it isn’t,’ he laughed. ‘What would the people of Bateshwar say if they found their queen hadn’t given them a crown prince within the first year of marriage?’ he said in mock horror.

Devki slapped him again, ‘You chauvinistic man! Why does it have to be a crown prince; why can’t it be a princess?’

Vasudev roared in laughter. ‘It’s so easy to provoke you, darling. Of course it could be a prince or a princess. But we wouldn’t know unless we keep trying, would we now?’ he said playfully as his hands started roving again.

Devki laughed. ‘And I thought someone wanted us to sleep early so we could be fresh in the morning?’ she said coquettishly.

‘Really?’ Vasudev acted surprised. ‘That’s strange. I don’t know anything about that.’ He laughed as he expertly pulled the last of the strings holding up Devki’s robe.

Devki sighed in pleasure as she felt his hands finally find what they had been searching for. This time their love-making was slower and gentler. The night had begun to give way to dawn when they finally slept, exhausted, in each other’s arms.